—Ghost Rider (Carter Slade)It is futile to flee.. for, there can be no escape from He Who Rides the Night Winds!
Appearing in "The Origin of the Ghost Rider"
Featured Characters:
- Ghost Rider (Carter Slade) (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Jamie Jacobs (First appearance)
- Comanche (Main story and flashback)
- Flaming Star (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
- Numerous unnamed members
- Ben (First appearance)
- Natalie (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Jason Bartholomew's Gang
- Blackie Clay (First appearance) (Impersonates a Native American)
- Several unnamed henchmen (Impersonates Native Americans)
- Jason Bartholomew (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- United States Government (Mentioned)
- Death (Mentioned)
- Mrs. Jacobs (Jamie's Mother) (Referenced) (Deceased)
- Banshee (First appearance)
- United States Cavalry (Mentioned)
- Clem Jacobs (Mentioned) (Jamie's Father) (Deceased)
- Numerous unnamed residents of Bison Bend
- United States Marshals Service (Mentioned)
- Unnamed Marshal (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth-616 (Main story and flashback)
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- United States of America (Main story and flashback)
- Colorado
- Jacobs' Ranch (First appearance; destruction)
- Bartholomew's Ranch (First appearance)
- Bison Bend (First appearance; unnamed)
- Colorado
- Ohio (Mentioned in narration or thoughts)
- United States of America (Main story and flashback)
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
Items:
- Mystic Powder (First appearance)
- Phantom Projector (First appearance; behind the scenes) (Unnamed)
Synopsis for "The Origin of the Ghost Rider"
School teacher Carter Slade was making his way to Bison Bend, Montana, to become the teacher for the new school built by newly settled homesteaders looking to build a home. Upon his arrival, however, he witnessed an attack by Indians upon one such homestead, despite being told that the natives here were friendly.
Slade put up a good fight but was outnumbered, though he was left for dead by the men, he discovered that they were really white men in disguise. Hours later, the sole survivor from the attack on the homestead, young Jamie Jacobs, came out to find his parents dead, and this stranger barely breathing outside. Jacobs decided to load the man upon his horse and to bring him to a doctor before he succumbed to his wounds. He was so dazed, however, that he did not realize that he set out in the wrong direction to find help. As night fell they were discovered by a real tribe of Indians and taken to their medicine man, Flaming Star.
Flaming Star treated Slade's wounds and pleaded to the gods for days to spare the life of the white man. Finally, on the Eighth day, Slade awoke which prompted Flaming Star to proclaim him the chosen one that had been revealed in prophecy that would become a powerful warrior, a living legend called "He Who Rides the Night Winds." Flaming Star then told him of how when he first became a medicine man, when he climbed to the highest point around to ask for the gods to give a sign as to their faith in him, he saw a meteor land nearby. He was then told by the spirits to gather the dust which had fallen from the heavens and keep it until the day when a great champion will be sent to him. So Flaming Star gave Slade the glowing dust and costume of the Phantom Rider and helped him tame the wildest, fastest white horse on the plains nearby. Carter named his new horse, Banshee.
The dust which Flaming Star have him allowed Slade to project the tiniest fraction of light thousands of times the light's actual power. Making him appear to glow in a ghostly fashion in the pitch black. Jamie was the only one to know of the Ghost Rider's secret identity.
Jason Bartholomew, the rancher who ordered the attack on the homesteaders, wanted to ensure that the rest of the settlers leave the area as well. To this end he got his henchmen to go into the town and burn the new school to the ground and to take a hostage until all the townspeople left. When Carter Slade hears of this he decides to take action that night as the Ghost Rider and asks the townspeople to stay one more day as he thinks he can help. That night, under the cover of complete darkness, the Ghost Rider frightened away all of Bartholomew's superstitious men, and finally got Bartholomew himself to turn himself in to the federal marshals, vowing he would pay for his crimes for fear of retribution from the Ghost Rider.
Appearing in "The Menace of the Mask Maker!"
Featured Characters:
- Kid Colt (Blaine Colt) (Impersonates Baldy)
Antagonists:
- Baldy (First appearance)
- Mac Minton (First appearance) (Impersonates Kid Colt)
Other Characters:
- Steel
- Unidentified Hotel
- Unnamed Room Clerk
- Sam
- Unnamed Sheriff
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth-616
- Earth
- United States of America
- Unidentified Town
- Unidentified Hotel
- Unidentified Town
- United States of America
- Earth
Synopsis for "The Menace of the Mask Maker!"
After Kid Colt strolls into town a mask maker, Mac Minton, and his associate Baldy work on a plan to make a mask of Kid Colt and rob the hotel he's staying at. After robbing the hotel and fleeing the scene the authorities try to arrest Kid Colt. Kid Colt gets away and pretty easily puts together that Mac must have been behind it after seeing his shop.
When Mac goes to meet Baldy to give him his share of the loot Baldy turns on him and feats him down until Mac gives up. Baldy then is revealed to be Kid Colt wearing a mask to look like Baldy. Kid Colt then takes the pair to the authorities before leaving town innocent of the crime.Notes
Continuity Notes[]
- Although Carter Slade uses the alias Ghost Rider in this issue he will later be retconned to be Night Rider then finally to Phantom Rider. This is most likely due to the prominence of Johnny Blaze's Ghost Rider and the historical bad connotations of the term "Night Rider" being associated with the Ku Klux Klan.
Publication Notes[]
- "The Origin of the Ghost Rider" is reprinted as "The Origin of the Night Rider" in Night Rider #1.