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Ghost Rider (2001) #1-6
Ghost Rider: The Hammer Lane
A beaten, bitter Johnny Blaze is beset once again by brimstone and hellfire. And so, Ghost Rider, High Lord of Hell on Earth, haunts America's highways' visiting his righteous wrath upon the souls of the wicked and the damned.
144 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Devin Grayson
509 books116 followersDevin Grayson is an avid gamer, former acting student, and enthusiastic reader fortunate enough to have turned a lifelong obsession with fictional characters into a dynamic writing career. She has a B.A. from Bard College, where she studied creative writing with novelist Mona Simpson. Best known for her work on the Batman titles for DC Comics, Devin has been a regular writer on Catwoman, Nightwing, and The Titans, and contributed to the award-winning No Man’s Land story arc. With the publication of Batman: Gotham Knights in March of 2000, she became the first (and, sadly, only as of 2020) female to create, launch and write an ongoing Batman title.
Additional career highlights include the launch of the critically acclaimed series Omni for Humanoids, Doctor Strange: The Fate of Dreams, an original novel featuring Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme, and USER—a highly personal three-part, creator-owned miniseries about gender identity and online role-playing, originally published by Vertigo and newly available as a collected edition hardcover through Image. Devin is also the creator of Yelena Belova, a Marvel character staring in the upcoming MCU Black Widow movie (played by Florence Pugh), Damien Darhk, a DC character now appearing regularly in CW’s Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow (played by Neal McDonough), and Catalina Flores, a DC character recently featured as the super-villain Tarantula in The Lego Batman Movie.
Frequently cited for compelling character development and nuanced exploration of complex themes, Devin’s work has been showcased in mainstream media such as USA Today and Working Woman as well as in alternative press such as The Village Voice, The Advocate, and Curve magazine. Over the years, she has written in several different media and genres, from comic books and novels to video game scripts and short essays. She is currently working on an original graphic novel for Berger Books.
Devin lives in Northern California with her husband, step-son, devoted Early Alert Canines Diabetic Alert Dog, and somewhat less devoted cat. Openly bisexual, she is a passionate advocate for the GLBTQ community, as well as being a committed environmentalist, and a public speaker for T1 Diabetes awareness and Diabetic Alert Dogs. She is always happy to take on a new challenge, especially if it involves making some new fictional friends.
Additional career highlights include the launch of the critically acclaimed series Omni for Humanoids, Doctor Strange: The Fate of Dreams, an original novel featuring Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme, and USER—a highly personal three-part, creator-owned miniseries about gender identity and online role-playing, originally published by Vertigo and newly available as a collected edition hardcover through Image. Devin is also the creator of Yelena Belova, a Marvel character staring in the upcoming MCU Black Widow movie (played by Florence Pugh), Damien Darhk, a DC character now appearing regularly in CW’s Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow (played by Neal McDonough), and Catalina Flores, a DC character recently featured as the super-villain Tarantula in The Lego Batman Movie.
Frequently cited for compelling character development and nuanced exploration of complex themes, Devin’s work has been showcased in mainstream media such as USA Today and Working Woman as well as in alternative press such as The Village Voice, The Advocate, and Curve magazine. Over the years, she has written in several different media and genres, from comic books and novels to video game scripts and short essays. She is currently working on an original graphic novel for Berger Books.
Devin lives in Northern California with her husband, step-son, devoted Early Alert Canines Diabetic Alert Dog, and somewhat less devoted cat. Openly bisexual, she is a passionate advocate for the GLBTQ community, as well as being a committed environmentalist, and a public speaker for T1 Diabetes awareness and Diabetic Alert Dogs. She is always happy to take on a new challenge, especially if it involves making some new fictional friends.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 3, 2026
A bit of a cliched plot where Johnny blames Ghost Rider for ruining his life. He hires some Punisher wannabe to kill Ghost Rider, which leads him to regret it, and then he apologizes to him and then he comes out victorious. Moreover, the plot was a bit confusing.
As for the art, it looks really good on Ghost Rider, but not so much for most of the human characters.
Overall: this is my first Ghost Rider story, and it was a bit underwhelming.
5/10
As for the art, it looks really good on Ghost Rider, but not so much for most of the human characters.
Overall: this is my first Ghost Rider story, and it was a bit underwhelming.
5/10
December 23, 2015
Weak. No wonder I've not heard of it before. Ghost Rider deserves better.
Johnny Blaze has lived a plain boring life for years, and all of a sudden, freaks out, grabs a bike and boom, releases the Rider.
Cue a trail of violence and carnage. Collateral damage galore, and Johnny is written as a little bitch who just wants to be left alone...hires a biker to kill the Ghost Rider...yes. Brilliant...not.
The biker figures out that Rider turns into Blaze, and is all set to kill Blaze, who has been abandoned by the Rider, for acting like such a pussy ass baby.
Eventually, Johnny mans up with the help of some old biker dude, and meets a biker chick, abandons his old life and goes on the road with the Rider again.
Some lesson about forgiveness...Johnny learns.
Art has moments of impressiveness, but mostly meh. Story just not great. Too whiny.
Weakest Ghost Rider yet...
Johnny Blaze has lived a plain boring life for years, and all of a sudden, freaks out, grabs a bike and boom, releases the Rider.
Cue a trail of violence and carnage. Collateral damage galore, and Johnny is written as a little bitch who just wants to be left alone...hires a biker to kill the Ghost Rider...yes. Brilliant...not.
The biker figures out that Rider turns into Blaze, and is all set to kill Blaze, who has been abandoned by the Rider, for acting like such a pussy ass baby.
Eventually, Johnny mans up with the help of some old biker dude, and meets a biker chick, abandons his old life and goes on the road with the Rider again.
Some lesson about forgiveness...Johnny learns.
Art has moments of impressiveness, but mostly meh. Story just not great. Too whiny.
Weakest Ghost Rider yet...
January 24, 2019
Really enjoyed the story and flow of it, but the art which came off as incredibly cartoony really hurt this for me.
April 19, 2020
The return of the original series protagonist in Johnny Blaze sees a man who has been broken by life and after making peace (aka exorcising) the demon of vengeance name Zarathos that was once tied to his soul, Blaze finds himself in a dead-end job with little to no direction or purpose, that is until Zarathos comes to him again to protect the innocent and avenge the fallen.
For me, Ghost Rider was one of my all-time favorites (along with HellBoy, Daredevil, and The Sandman (Neil's version)) to read as he embodied not only a hero but a tortured soul that will do anything to free themselves of their "other side"
For me, Ghost Rider was one of my all-time favorites (along with HellBoy, Daredevil, and The Sandman (Neil's version)) to read as he embodied not only a hero but a tortured soul that will do anything to free themselves of their "other side"
March 10, 2017
It's possible that this was just a breath of fresh air for me after all the issues of the 90s series I read, and that's why I liked it as much as I did, but I don't think so. Certainly Trent Kaniuga's art is very stylized, but I think it worked for the story, and I've always thought that Devin Grayson can tell a good story. She has a rather interesting take on the Ghost Rider and I'm sorry it was never really followed up on.
August 3, 2011
Taking the convoluted history of the Ghost Rider and paring it down into a vengeance road trip, this reinvention of Johnny Blaze goes full throttle. Who would have thought the Rider speaks louder with actions than words?
December 31, 2011
A read that gives the reminder that the Ghost Rider is one of Marvel's horror line-up and not standard superhero fare at all.
December 7, 2015
Two stars for the art alone. It's a shame the story's not strong enough to carry the rest.
December 9, 2022
My first Ghost Rider story (excluding the little I remember of the Nicholas Cage movies) was not a good trip in any sense.
In short, the story is simple, boring and without any weight to it. Characters and story beats are introduced and forgotten in quick succession, the Spirit of Vengeance, the Ghost Rider, both torments its host and is pretty gosh darn cool, isn't he? In the end, it feels like a kids movie where even the flaming skulls and murder seem silly.
The art starts off as great but the more I read it, the less I started to think of it. There are detailed depictions of Ghost Rider and his surroundings, the cover art is especially wicked, but this is more an execption rather than a rule. The hard lines make the characters look a bit silly and cartoonish in a way that does not fit.
I'd like to try another Ghost Rider story, the concept is great, but this wasn't it, chief.
In short, the story is simple, boring and without any weight to it. Characters and story beats are introduced and forgotten in quick succession, the Spirit of Vengeance, the Ghost Rider, both torments its host and is pretty gosh darn cool, isn't he? In the end, it feels like a kids movie where even the flaming skulls and murder seem silly.
The art starts off as great but the more I read it, the less I started to think of it. There are detailed depictions of Ghost Rider and his surroundings, the cover art is especially wicked, but this is more an execption rather than a rule. The hard lines make the characters look a bit silly and cartoonish in a way that does not fit.
I'd like to try another Ghost Rider story, the concept is great, but this wasn't it, chief.
August 27, 2021
I kinda like the artwork from Trent Kaniuga (this is the first I've seen of him, and I wonder if Ryan Stegman considers him an influence?), but the story is garbage. It's no surprise Ghost Rider never got another chance at a Marvel Knights book, and it took good 'ol Garth Ennis to bring everyone's favorite flaming skull back to relevancy again.
October 16, 2023
this was... not it
i was REALLY into the art and story for issues 2-4, but something happened in issue 5 and it just got really weird, and kind of bad. i don't know how they could have made that ending go down a little better but i feel like the concept was kind of doomed from the start.
now i don't have to spend $25 to get the single issues from EBay.
i was REALLY into the art and story for issues 2-4, but something happened in issue 5 and it just got really weird, and kind of bad. i don't know how they could have made that ending go down a little better but i feel like the concept was kind of doomed from the start.
now i don't have to spend $25 to get the single issues from EBay.
January 31, 2022
On of the weakest Marvel Knights's offerings, outside of Chuck Dixon's Marvel Knights.
It doesnt have any of the verve as Howard Mackie's 90s run, Garth Ennis or Jason Aaron's. It's a simplification but it doesn't make it much good.
It doesnt have any of the verve as Howard Mackie's 90s run, Garth Ennis or Jason Aaron's. It's a simplification but it doesn't make it much good.
June 6, 2024
The entire thing is without stakes or compelling characters. Perhaps the most inconsequential of ways to bring back a character after 18 years.
September 19, 2025
...I remember there being a lot more Penance Stares the first time I read this.
October 23, 2012
I did not like this at all, I remember seeing the series in the local comic shop and picking it up out of nostalgia for the 90's and late 70's Ghost Rider. And I remember reading it and thinking "this isn't Johnny Blaze, no way did he become such a weak character", and then the appearance of Ghost Rider, who didn't talk, and the main villain was just a biker, a biker that normally would have been dealt with in one panel, but they somehow stretched it over 5 issues.
1: Blaze is a tough guy.
2: Ghost Rider talks.
3: Ghost Rider is a supernatural force of nature, he doesn't fight bikers unless they get in his way.
Also the art was terrible, it actually nauseated me, the only reason I stuck by this series was because I held out hope that it would redeem itself!
1: Blaze is a tough guy.
2: Ghost Rider talks.
3: Ghost Rider is a supernatural force of nature, he doesn't fight bikers unless they get in his way.
Also the art was terrible, it actually nauseated me, the only reason I stuck by this series was because I held out hope that it would redeem itself!
April 2, 2012
La premisa no es mala pero va perdiendo fuerza, interés y hasta sentido con el correr de las páginas. Lo mismo con el dibujo: pareciera que para el #1 el dibujante hubiese tenido todo el tiempo del mundo y que para los siguientes lo apuraron tanto que sólo hace mamarrachos. De lo poquito que tengo leído del personaje, esto está entre lo peorcito...
November 13, 2014
Otra partida en falso para el motorista, presentado en una historia confusa y poco identificable con el personaje. Quizás pudo dar para una etapa completa de haberse desarrollado in extenso, pero al no ser el caso se reduce a un extraño capítulo.
March 24, 2007
Not the Best Ghostrider TPB, but still a nice look at Blaze and the inner conflict of dealing with the demon within. Vengance will be had.
April 6, 2009
Angst from the Johnny Blaze, mayhem from Ghost Rider.
September 11, 2016
Just awful. Leaps in the narrative for no reason. The art is awful. The story is bizarre. I regret reading this.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews