Ghost Rider is an especially unique antihero in Marvel Comics lore, not because of his immense power or link to the supernatural, but because of the history and legacy that goes with the moniker. ‘Ghost Rider’ isn’t a person or even just simply a title, but an essence that es through countless people, granting them power beyond their comprehension.

Overall, there have been dozens of wider lore surrounding the Spirit of Vengeance (while also exhibiting immense power in their own right). With that established, here are all 35 versions of Ghost Rider, ranked from the least powerful to the most awesome.

35 Phantom Rider (AKA Carter Slade)

Carter Slade aka Phantom Rider (originally Ghost Rider) was technically the first version of Ghost Rider to appear in Marvel Comics, who made his debut in 1966’s Ghost Rider #1. However, this version of the character isn’t anything like the current Ghost Rider, which is why Marvel changed his name to Phantom Rider, effectively stripping him of his ‘Ghost Rider’ title.

This character doesn’t have a link to hellfire or any other power normally associated with a Ghost Rider, but instead is simply dressed all in white, and fights 19th century crime with nothing more than his spirit revolver. A legacy character, to be sure, but one who’s been left behind by the wider Ghost Rider canon, both in of power and relatability to the modern character.

34 The Ghost Riders (AKA The Ghost Riders of Earth-807128)

Appearing for only a brief moment in the iconic Old Man Logan storyline, the Ghost Riders are a motorcycle gang that somehow got ahold of the Spirit of Vengeance’s Hellcycle, and then (again, somehow) divided the hellfire up between their own cycles. None of them are possessed by a Spirit of Vengeance, and therefore none are proper Ghost Riders. Yet they all ride motorcycles with hellfire presumably from Ghost Rider’s original hellcycle, meaning they’re still carrying on his essence in this post-apocalyptic corner of the Marvel multiverse.

While these Ghost Riders were able to take on Wolverine (albeit a pacifistic Logan unwilling to fight back), they were all easily killed by Hawkeye, meaning they weren’t only unofficial Ghost Riders, they were incredibly weak. However, the fact that they wielded the Spirit of Vengeance’s hellfire, meaning even these 'Ghost Riders' are more in-line with the modern version of Ghost Rider than the original Phantom Rider - much like many other ‘Ghost Riders’ on this list.

33 Kowalski (AKA "Deputy Kowalski")

Debuting in 2008’s Ghost Rider #21 by Jason Aaron and Roland Boschi, Deputy Kowalkski is a Ghost Rider villain who only attained a fraction of the demonic antihero’s power after he shot Ghost Rider with a mystical shotgun that was supposed to kill him. While Kowalksi used this tiny fragment of Ghost Rider’s power to become a major thorn in the Spirit of Vengeance’s side, he simply doesn’t hold up against the vast majority of the other Ghost Riders on this list.

32 Baron Skullfire

Baron Skullfire was the king of his very own part of the Congo, which he called Skull City. The actual power of Baron Skullfire is about the same as any average Ghost Rider. He wasn't any stronger or weaker than them, he simply had the abilities one would expect. What made Baron Skullfire truly dangerous was the fact he commanded the Phantom Riders of the Congo, an army of humans that were completely loyal to him.

In order to defeat the minions of Zadkiel, Baron Skullfire gathered his army and led them to battle himself. While he fought couragesly, he ultimately lost his life during the war and was reborn as a Phantom Rider himself. Overall, Baron Skullfire is no match for some of the higher Ghost Riders on this list, but running an entire city, with its own military, is certainly no small feat and makes the Baron definitely worthy of respect.

31 Michael Badilino (AKA "Vengeance")

Also not technically a proper Ghost Rider, Vengeance aka Michael Badillino at least made a name for himself as a villain-turned-antihero who went through the same process of gaining demonic hell-powers as the classic Ghost Rider. Debuting as Vengeance in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #9 by Howard Mackie and Adam Kubert, Michael lost his entire family after Ghost Rider (who was being controlled by Mephisto) blasted Michael’s father with hellfire, causing the man to go insane and murder his wife and children, leaving only Michael alive.

Michael's personal tragedy drove him to seek vengeance against Ghost Rider, sparking him to make a deal with Mephisto to become the demonic embodiment of Vengeance. Again, not an actual Ghost Rider, but a very cool character who’s comparable in both power and aesthetic.

30 Ghost Rider 2099 (AKA Kenshiro "Zero" Cochrane)

This reimagining/revamping of the Ghost Rider comic book title is one of the coolest in Marvel Comics history, making its debut in Ghost Rider 2099 #1 by Len Kaminski and Chris Bachalo. It’s just that, Ghost Rider 2099 doesn’t have anything to do with demons, hell, or the Spirit of Vengeance. Ghost Rider 2099 is more akin to a T-X Terminator than a demonic antihero, as this version of the character is a super-advanced android with the ed consciousness of Zero Cochrane controlling it.

However, while Ghost Rider 2099 is more than a match for practically anyone he'd go up against in combat, the fact that his powers are tech-based rather than hellfire-based means he more than likely wouldn’t stand a chance against almost every other version of Ghost Rider that is powered by mysticism and hellfire.

29 Shark Rider (AKA Atlantean Vengeance)

The first proper Spirit of Vengeance on this list, Shark Rider is a version of Ghost Rider who first appeared merely in a vision in 2009’s Ghost Rider #31 by Jason Aaron, Tan Eng Huat, and Roland Boschi. This is a Ghost Rider who rides a shark. That is all. Cool visually, but readers know nothing about them other than the fact that they are a Spirit of Vengeance of the past - not a ‘phantom rider’ or a cyborg - and they may be Atlantean, due to the fact that they’re riding a shark.

While it is undeniably metal to see a version of Ghost Rider riding a shark as their 'hellcycle', there's just not enough information available about them, as everything they’ve ever done, or any level of power they’ve ever exhibited, can only be presumed.

28 World War II Ghost Riders (AKA Tank 666)

While there have oftentimes been multiple Ghost Riders inhabiting different humans on Earth at once, it’s not too often they’re all working together as a cohesive unit. However, that’s exactly what happened during World War II in Marvel Comics history, as a squadron of Ghost Riders fought the Nazis in a Hell-Tank known as ‘Tank 666’. These Ghost Riders would shoot their enemies with Hellfire Shells, which was just as horrific to see happen to someone else as it was to experience it oneself.

Tank 666 mostly fought in battles that took place in North Africa and the Rhineland, but would eventually team up with the Secret Invaders to take down a Nazi U-Boat called the U-666, which was possessed by a malevolent spirit. These Ghost Riders valiantly fought the greatest evil in the world at that time, and while that was a great service to the entire planet, they never really got the chance to flex the full might of their combined power in ways other Ghost Riders have.

27 Wileaydus Autolycus (AKA Alien Vengeance)

Guardians of the Galaxy #12 by Jim Valentino introduced Whileaydus Autolycus aka Ghost Rider, an alien zealot whose people were all but wiped out by the Universal Church of Truth. This causes Autolycus to commit his life to exterminating this universal cult from the cosmos, doing so as the Ghost Rider of the 31st century.

This Ghost Rider is a really cool addition to Marvel lore, but he’s just too much of a mystery to be considered more powerful than other Ghost Riders on this list - including and especially the wave of ‘mashup Ghost Riders’.

26 Ghost Ronin (AKA Musashi Miyamoto)

The masterless, sword-slinging Samurai known as Ronin are cool, but there's nothing cooler than a Ronin who is also on fire. That's exactly what readers learned in Avengers #50 when meeting the Ghost Ronin, also known as Musashi Miyamoto, ia wandering swordsman who would hunt down those who had sinned. It was an easy and simple life, and no one in the Edo period of Japan could stand up against his burning blades.

On the surface, Musashi doesn't seem like he's all that powerful, but he managed to prove himself in a surprising battle. When Mephisto and his army arrived from the future, Musashi was able to team up with the Avengers and fight them back. Taking on Mephisto shows just how strong Musashi was.