Chris Hartmann

In recent years comic book heroes have been adapted to the big screen, with big budgets to great success and great profits. Marvel comics as recently converted many of their greatest stars such as Spider-Man, X-Men, Daredevil, Elektra, The Hulk and even Ghost Rider into Hollywood blockbusters and complete cinema flops.

It’s hard to remember that all these films came from great comic books with great stories. Ghost Rider is a hero that has been the moniker of two men and has had many different writers and artists over the years. For many years the Ghost Rider franchise hadn’t really seen much action and was looking like Ghost Rider would die out but in 2006, northern Irish comic book writer Garth Ennis (Hellblazer and Punisher) and American illustrator Clayton Crain (Sensational Spider-Man and Curse of Spawn) came together to put the greatest man to be plagued by the power the Ghost Rider back in the saddle, Johnny Blaze someone who hadn’t been seen as Ghost Rider since 1983.

Paying the price for making a deal with devil, every night Johnny Blaze, The Ghost Rider rides for his life from the pits of hell but never does he make it out to freedom. However one night he is finally given a chance of freedom, one single chance to leave the pits of hell forever. Unfortunately to save himself he must save the world from complete annihilation at the hands of two purely evil characters.

The collection of Ghost Rider The Road to Damnation is a fantastic adventure of one of Marvel comics’ darkest heroes. The story from a man who has made his career from telling the dark but brilliant tales and artwork that perfects this comic mini-series into a modern classic.

Telling the story of relatively unpopular character and one who has not had a story published in many years. Ennis and Crain took a big risk when they brought back ole’ flame head topping him off with that true Ghost Rider attitude and an up-to-date spin on his powers, in simple facts Ennis and Crain truly brought Ghost Rider back with style to the 21st century.

The only major criticism with Road to Damnation is Johnny Blaze is completely unseen in his human form, but his spirit is definitely still inside Ghost Rider.

This is a must read for any Ghost Rider fan, but the strength of the story can even carry someone with just a general interest of comics into the world of The Ghost Rider thanks to the team of Garth Ennis, Clayton Crain and Marvel Comics.