When compared to other, spandex-wearing, rooftop-jumping superheroes, Nic Cage’s Ghost Rider comes across as a polished historical being with depth and gravitas.

Ghost Rider begins when stuntman Johnny Blaze learns his father is terminally ill, leading to the collapse of life as he knows it. Respite comes in the form of an old man, who later turns out to be the devil (Peter Fonda). The devil offers to save Johnny’s father in exchange for Johnny’s services as a bounty hunter, responsible for hunting down damned souls and bringing them back to hell. Dismissing the agreement as a trivial gimmick, Johnny agrees and signs a contract with blood. The next morning finds Blaze Sr in high spirits, though the positivity is short-lived. In an ironic twist of fate, Johnny’s father meets with an accident and dies, and Johnny finds out his soul now belongs to the devil.

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What makes Ghost Rider stand apart from his peers is a certain romanticism that the character organically invokes. Where normal superheroes are usually repressed and then have a eureka moment that corresponds to their identification of strength, Johnny Blaze is self-assured and self-confident. In recent times, superheroes are portrayed as real life human beings and not just models of whom a superhero should be out of a sense of moral obligation. It comes as a relief that Ghost Rider was one of the first few superheroes to shed this goody-goody image and focus on the character’s truth rather than the stereotypical notions attached to it.

Ghost Rider Was Originally a Western Antihero Created By Writer Ray Krank and Artist Dick Ayers

Ghost Rider first made an appearance in 1967 in a western comic that featured a six-gun hero saving the day in the Old West. The comic was created by writers Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich, along with artist Dick Ayers, though the comic never made it past issue seven. Cut to five years later, on August 5th, 1972, Ghost Rider made it’s first ever appearance in Marvel Spotlight. In the comic, stuntman Johnny Blaze trades his soul in exchange for the devil to save his stepdad, in turn making him the devil’s bounty hunter. The devil bounds Johnny’s soul with the soul of a fire demon known as Zarathos, thus creating the Spirit of Vengeance.

Johnny Blaze - A Soul-Searching Superhero

     Sony Pictures Releasing 

The Ghost Rider comics were fairly absurd in comparison to what made it to the screen. But one thing is for certain that Johnny Blaze had a certain amount of depth and gravitas to him in both mediums. Rather than just taking the thematic structure and making it more palatable for the mainstream audience, the makers of the film chose to stay loyal towards the source material and not make out Johnny to be anything that he’s not. The on-screen adaptations were pretty accurate in terms of thematic elements barring a few creative liberties. For instance, in the comic books, Johnny was in love with his step-sister, which wasn’t the case in the movie.

Nic Cage’s portrayal of Johnny Blaze eluded a nonchalant level of composure, almost normalizing inhabiting the same body as a fire demon.

Relatable For All Ages

     Columbia Pictures

The ’80s witnessed a subsequent rise in superheroes that were darker and more in tune with real world problems. What seemed like a gamble at first eventually worked out for good. Characters like The Punisher and Wolverine carved out a niche for themselves, hence paving the path for future antiheroes to come.

In Ghost Rider’s case, there were a few significant differences between the comic and on-screen adaptations. This was done to cater to a larger audience. The makers of the film successfully retained the quirkiness of the comics while also making the flame-headed superhero more relatable to a wider audience. The authentic comic book version of Ghost Rider was darker, more ruthless, a limitation that would not work well with a younger target audience.

Characters Full of Depth

In both Ghost Rider (2007) and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance the characters are very layered and full of depth. Instead of going the conventional route of empowering a human with superhuman abilities, Ghost Rider dives deep into who got what powers and why. There is a clear sense of understanding and relatability as to why Johnny Blaze is the way he. To add to his, Johnny’s superpower finds its source within a demon, almost giving his powers a mind of its own. Rather than being a film about stereotypical norms like good vs evil, Ghost Rider is a film that dives deeper and introspects the battle within.

If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced, action-packed film that deals with superheroic elements while retaining a sense of authenticity along with historical significance, the Ghost Rider series should definitely be on your list.