Warning: Contains spoilers for Thunderbolts: Doomstrike #2!

Ghost Rider from the past. Bucky first made friends with a Spirit of Vengeance back in the 40s during the Second World War, and they’ve ed forces yet again to fight another tyrant with plans to take over the world: Doctor Doom.

Thunderbolts: Doomstrike #2 – written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, with art by Tommaso Bianchi – finds Bucky Barnes’ Revolution assemble a new team to fight Doom and limit his dominating power during the One World Under Doom event. Assembling a reunion eighty years in the making, Bucky’s Ghost Rider pal s the Thunderbolts to derail one of Doom’s evil plots.

In both the past and the present, Bucky and Sal Romero’s Ghost Rider ‘44 work together as a dynamic duo. Even though Sal was just introduced in Marvel Comics in 2023, he and Bucky have a history of teaming up.

Ghost Rider ‘44 Has Quickly Become Bucky Barnes’ Best Team-Up In Marvel History

Thunderbolts: Doomstrike #2 – Written By Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly; Art By Tommaso Bianchi; Colors By Yen Nitro; Lettering By VC’s Joe Sabino

Fighting for their country and freedom together across different centuries, Bucky and Sal’s friendship may not have been highlighted until recently, but this version of Ghost Rider is already half of one of Bucky’s best hero partnerships. Their relationship is better established in the Hellhunters series, but their modern-day reunion comes in the pages of Thunderbolts: Doomstrike, where Sal is brought out of retirement for the mission to derail Doom’s train with Bucky’s newly assembled team. Their plan goes well until the introduction of Citizen V, who is able to surprise the duo and take Sal out of the fight.

Even though the reunion doesn’t end well for the Ghost Rider, Bucky makes it clear that he’ll be back again, and Sal was the only addition to the team that was actually able to slow down Doom’s train. Sal ing the Thunderbolts for this mission also established that his version of Ghost Rider is capable of coming back for adventures with his former Hellhunters teammate, since the character’s debut in the pages of Incredible Hulk didn’t make it clear if he could leave his family’s side. Thunderbolts: Doomstrike officially puts the anti-fascist supernatural hero on the board for future adventures.

Bucky & Sal’s Powerful Partnership Goes Back 80+ Years To WWII

Hellhunters – Written By Phillip Kennedy Johnson, With Art By Adam Gorham – Wraps Up in April 2025

Bucky met Sal’s version of Ghost Rider shortly after his demonic origin, when they were both part of groups fighting the Nazis in 1944. After getting killed and resurrected by the demon Zarathos, Sal made it his vengeful mission to take down the sinister squad of undead and possessed Nazis, linking up with a group of heroes acting with the army at the time. With a Soldier Supreme, Nick Fury, Peggy Carter, and Wolverine part of this group of Hellhunters, Ghost Rider ‘44 makes a connection with Captain America’s kid sidekick, and Sal and Bucky become a perfect Nazi-hunting team.

Other of this team take issue with Bucky’s age when he’s brought into battle, but Sal’s confident that he can hold his own from what he’s seen in newsreels with Cap. In Hellhunters #3 and #4 - both written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, with art by Adam Gorham - Barnes and Romero brilliantly work together, with the kid sidekick being a gunner on the back of Ghost Rider’s flaming motorcycle. Mowing down demons with ease, the duo even ride a flaming tank before Sal’s possessor Zarathos gifts temporary hellish powers to the entire team for their final showdown in Hellhunters #5.

Ghost Rider ‘44 May Be Down For The Count, But His Friendship With Bucky Must Return

Could Sal Romero Have A Future On The Thunderbolts*?

With Ghost Rider ‘44 out of the equation after his short-term defeat in Thunderbolts: Doomstrike, and Hellhunters wrapping up with its next issue, it’s not clear where Sal might pop up next in the Marvel Universe. Wherever Romero ends up next, Marvel needs to give him another team-up with Bucky Barnes eventually. With Bucky and the Incredible Hulk on the New Thunderbolts* lineup, Sal’s history with both characters could indicate a possible appearance in that series. If not in the present day, it seems Ghost Rider ‘44 could have more untold stories from Marvel history that are worth telling.

As Bucky Barnes brings Ghost Rider out of retirement to take down more fascists side by side, their powerful partnership is quickly making them one of the Marvel Universe’s best hero pairings.

Readers already know that heroes like Captain America and Black Widow make a great team with the former Winter Soldier, but Sal Romero’s Ghost Rider is swiftly moving up the ranks of Bucky’s best partners in the comics. From hunting Nazis together in 1944 to working together to dismantle Doom’s regime in 2025, Sal and Bucky’s friendship is longstanding and still going strong. As Bucky Barnes brings Ghost Rider out of retirement to take down more fascists side by side, their powerful partnership is quickly making them one of the Marvel Universe’s best hero pairings fans can’t get enough of.

Thunderbolts: Doomstrike #2 is available now from Marvel Comics.