First 10 - Ghost Rider

I have always been intrigued by Ghost Rider. I remember looking at Ghost Rider comics in the magazine aisle of my local drug store (that drug store was the only place in town that sold a lot of things: CD's, comic books, Abba-Zaba). What prepubescent boy wouldn't be fascinated by a guy with a flaming skull riding a motorcycle? If prepubescent boys, as a group, were charged with the creation of a perfect comic book series, it would not fall far from the Ghost Rider tree. That said, Ghost Rider has a lot more going for it than its irresistible imagery.

In the first 10 issues of Ghost Rider (beginning with Marvel Spotlight) you really get a sense for who Johnny Blaze is, and what his struggle is. As a person who stole his own soul from the devil, Ghost Rider's struggle is with himself as well as hell and all its minions. That's as good a premise as I've ever heard. It certainly has legs enough to last at least a few decades.

I really enjoyed the first 10 issues of Ghost Rider. I really got a sense for how the world of Ghost Rider operates, and what the major character's motivations are. This is so much better than that movie starring little Nicky Coppola. Anyway, even though I really enjoyed Ghost Rider, he's a bit of a lone wolf. He doesn't seem to interact with the other characters in the Marvel universe much. That has to knock a few points off his first 10 standing, because I'm looking for a series that will give me a grander view of either the DC or Marvel universe, depending on where it falls. That said, I will read more Ghost Rider at some point. It satisfies the inner child. Here are the updated standings.

1. Batman
2. Amazing Spider-Man
3. Fantastic Four
4. Deadpool
5. Booster Gold
6. Daredevil
7. The Punisher
8. Golden Age Green Lantern
9. The Avengers
10. Ghost Rider
11. The Defenders
12. Captain America
13. Excalibur
14. Golden Age Captain America
15. Golden Age Blue Beetle
16. Doctor Strange
17. Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)
18. Aquaman