A lot of casual comic fans probably think of Nic Cage when they think of Ghost Rider. He made a couple of Rider movies before the MCU was the pop culture giant it is now. This All-New Ghost Rider ain’t that. Instead, this trade centers around high school-aged Robbie Reyes, a kid from East LA who is just trying to make some money to take care of his family. Robbie is a gearhead who makes his money by working as a mechanic at a local auto shop. After his little brother’s wheelchair gets stolen by some jerks, Robbie needs a little more money. He “borrows” a car from the shop to make some extra cash in a street race. Unfortunately, the race doesn’t go as planned; Robbie is the new Ghost Rider.
The two most obvious things to note about this book are the muscle car and the art style. Since the book is in LA, and probably because the Fast & Furious franchise is so popular, this Ghost Rider cruises in what looks like a classic Dodge Charger. I’m a fan of American muscle myself, so I like the change. The second thing to note is the art style, which is an interesting mix of anime and folk art. While I prefer print comics, in this case I recommend that you buy the digital version of this book. Artist Tradd Moore and colorist Val Staples, Daniel and Sanz do amazing work on Ghost Rider’s fire. You can almost see the flames flicker and feel the heat.
While I’m into the car and the art, the story itself isn’t terribly gripping. It’s pretty standard stuff. However, I think the digital art or the physical variant covers are worth looking at. Even though I bought the trade, I want to pick up a few of the variant covers to frame in the garage.