Looking for early GR comics

[Brian-Punisher]

Hey,

I've known a little about the Ghost Rider character for some time. But now that the movie is coming out, I'd like to get really familiar with the series.

So, does anyone know where I can find the earliest Ghost Rider comics collected in one volume (like the Marvel Masterworks)?

I would also like to find the comics that the movie will largly be based on. Anyone know what those might be?

Thanks!

 

[FlameHead]

First of all, welcome to the section.

There is an Essential Ghost Rider which collects a lot of the main early stories. That's probably your best bet if you're looking for a one volume type thing.

As for the comics that the movie is based on, that'll be hard to find out. For one thing, we know very little about the movie but, that's not the main factor. The movie borrows from all versions of Ghost Rider. It's Blaze's story (adapted a little) using Dan Ketch's tone and design (with a futher vision of a Gothic western) and even has the western version of Ghost Rider in there (though again adapted from the comics and really nothing to do with that version).

Basically, it takes the best of all Ghost Rider worlds... not to mention the fact that MSJ created his own story elements with Ghost Rider being the devils bounty hunter.

 

[Brian-Punisher]

Thanks FlameHead. I'll probably get Essential GR. But aren't all the "Essential" books in black and white?

 

[BIGGUN]

Thanks FlameHead. I'll probably get Essential GR. But aren't all the "Essential" books in black and white?

yup...but its a great way to get all of the 1st few issues at a decent price.
you could probably try to find some of the reprint issues at milehighcomics.com
look for Original Ghost Rider Rides Again and the Original Ghost Rider
http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=list&title=35362625106&snumber=1

http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=list&title=35364556540&snumber=1

 

[Netmaster]

Hey,

I've known a little about the Ghost Rider character for some time. But now that the movie is coming out, I'd like to get really familiar with the series.

So, does anyone know where I can find the earliest Ghost Rider comics collected in one volume (like the Marvel Masterworks)?

I would also like to find the comics that the movie will largly be based on. Anyone know what those might be?

Thanks!

Well technically if you mean the very very earliest you would have to go all the way back to the Golden Era of 1950 and the old Dick Ayers series done for EM comics (before Marvel aquired the character and later renamed him Night Rider to not cause confusion, even though they look nothing alike). Marvel even used Dick Ayers for the artwork for their series in the 60s when they aquired the character from EM. You can find some of those old Golden Age stories reprinted by a company called AC comics. They aquired the rights to reprint the original Old West Ghost Rider stories that originally appeared in the Tim Holt and Ghost Rider comics that EM published way back in the 50s. If by some chance you are interested (most are not, but I'm a fan of the original western Ghost Rider also). You shouldn't have much trouble finding them on the net via Yahoo or Google and the reprints are nice and cheap and won't cost you an arm and a leg. They also sometimes show up on eBay from time to time. They are reprinted in AC comics "Best of the West" comics and "The Phantom Rider" Volume 1 (called Phantom Rider due to Marvel retaining the rights to the Ghost Rider name but not the Western Ghost Rider character). AC comics were able to do the reprints as long as they didn't appear under the Ghost Rider title.

The original Golden Age Ghost Rider was a cowboy that went by the name of Calico Kid before he decided to become Ghost Rider. In Tim Holt #11 he changed into The Ghost Rider for the first time. This Ghost Rider was very different from the modern day one. He was just an ordinary man that used magic trickery to fool the bad guys into thinking he was a real Ghost. He would put on an illuminated costume that glowed. You can imagine (being set in the old west) that this would scare the ***** out of some folks.

The original Golden Age Ghost Rider will apparently be featured in the new Ghost Rider movie as well. Of course since he lived way back in the old west he would have to have been dead for a long time in order to meet face to face with the modern Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze). By the looks of the trailer, Western Ghost Rider is dead and he has a head of Flames like the Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider, and his horse, named Spectre in the GA comics (I think he's dead as well), also appears in the movie. So with all that time having passed it makes sense GAGR would have to be dead. It works for me if I think of it in those terms. I'm not sure how much GA Ghost Rider factors into the movie but the flaming horseman in the trailer is obviously meant to be the original Western Ghost Rider. That I am pretty sure of.

Does anyone have a very high res shot of Western Ghost Rider from the trailer? They looked so awesome side by side! I can't wait to see that scene in the film!

 

[Mr Nick]

Brian, I highly recommend this graphic novel. It's a collection of the first few issues of the 90's Ghost Rider comics. The Dan Ketch era that Flamehead mentioned.

And, Netmaster, here's some paper I made from a hi-res trailer still:

 

[Netmaster]

OOOHHHH thank you so much! That's it!!!!!
That is the ultimate GR wallpaper!

I just had a major geekgasm! That is just wicked!
This movie simply could not have been made without todays technology.
On the bleeding edge of realism.
In one word: Awesome.
The Original Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider side by side!

You can definitely consider this my desktop now.