Phantom Rider

Phantom Rider has a long history in the Marvel universe, with several members of the same family donning the ghostly white cape and cowl over the decades. Some have fought for good, some for evil—but whoever is behind the mask, the Phantom Rider is always a force to be reckoned with.

One of Marvel’s original cowboy superheroes, he was first introduced by Roy Thomas and Dick Ayers as “Ghost Rider” in 1967 (the character was actually based on a Golden Age prototype from another company, also drawn by Ayers). Though his costume has never changed, his name was shifted to Night Rider after the more famous flame-headed Ghost Rider debuted in 1972, and then changed again in the 1980s to Phantom Rider.

He Who Rides the Night Winds!

The first Rider was Carter Slade, a mild-mannered schoolteacher who was nearly killed by bandits but nursed back to health by a local Indian tribe (these were originally called Sioux, but later identified as Comanche). When their chief gave him a cloak covered in white dust from a meteorite, as well as a powerful, shining white horse named Banshee, Slade began a campaign against crime that brought him into conflict with Old West villains like the Tarantula and the Hurricane. 

Carter Slade had no actual powers—his supernatural presence was merely the result of carefully-concealed lantern projectors and his special reversible cloak that, properly positioned, could make parts of his body seem to disappear. He was, however, a crack shot with the revolver, and clever enough to take advantage of his enemies' superstitions. 

Lincoln Slade, wondering if this is a bad idea.

In Western Gunfighters #6 (Sep. 1971) Carter died attempting to bring to justice to the evil Reverend Reaper. In his final moments, he revealed his secret identity to his brother Lincoln, a U.S. Marshall who had recently arrived in the territory. After some initial hesitation, Lincoln decided to continue his brother's mission as the new Ghost Rider. But the well-intentioned lawman was gradually corrupted by the spiritual energies surrounding the costume.

His most notorious act of villainy was to kidnap and assault the time-traveling Avenger Mockingbird. The saga of Phantom Rider and Mockingbird began in West Coast Avengers #18-23 (1987) and has been revisited frequently. Trapped in the Old West and drugged by Slade, who claims to have fallen in love with her, Mockingbird finally breaks free of his control and battles him in a torrential rainstorm atop a mountain. When the Phantom Rider hangs helplessly from a high, rocky precipice, the vengeful Mockingbird chooses to let him fall to his death.  

The Slade brothers at war.

In the modern era, an archaeologist named Hamilton Slade discovers the ashes of his ancestor Lincoln, and discovers he can transform into a new, supernaturally-powered Phantom Rider. Hamilton joins a group of Southwestern heroes to form the Rangers, but the spirit of Lincoln eventually takes control and goes after Mockingbird. Thankfully, the spirit of Carter also arrived to lend a hand, and Lincoln was once more (temporarily) defeated.

A new sheriff in town

Hamilton Slade in a heroic moment. 

With Lincoln's spirit dormant, Hamilton Slade served heroically with the Rangers, but eventually his daughter Jaime came into contact with the Lincoln's ashes, and the curse revived anew. Possessed by Lincoln's spirit, she tormented Mockingbird and Hawkeye as the newest avatar of the Phantom Rider until her father helped the heroes expunge the malevolent spirit once again. But since then Lincoln has once again found a way back to the mortal realm, proving that the curse of Phantom Rider will not die so easily.

Making a Phantom Rider figurine was quite an adventure. For a base, the DC Red Robin figurine was perfect: a shadowy, brooding figure who draws his cape up to his face to conceal his identity and frighten evildoers. I knew he would look fantastic as the Phantom Rider.


But once I had the figurine in my hands I was unhappy with how large and bulky he was; like many of the DC figurines it does not fit comfortably with the Marvel line. So I took the figure apart (the torso and legs were sculpted separately from the head, shoulders and cape) and shaved down his musculature, and also removed some of his height by filing away the soles of his boots.

After this came the more enjoyable process of adding details of Phantom Rider’s costume with Milliput, including his hat, mask, boots, and gunbelts. Finally I painted him with an allover dull white, adding some shading here and there and darker outlines around his eyes. Once he was glued onto a Marvel base, Phantom Rider was ready to ride into my collection.

Phantom Rider alongside the regular Eaglemoss Mockingbird figurine.

For the Eaglemoss-style cover design, I used artwork by Bob Budiansky, from the cover of Ghost Rider #50 (November 1980).

 * ESSENTIAL READING *

1. Ghost Rider vol. 1 #1 (Feb. 1967). First appearance and origin of Carter Slade, the original Ghost Rider!

2. Ghost Rider vol. 2 #50 (Nov. 1980). The modern Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, is transported back to the 1870s to fight alongside Carter Slade, the original Ghost Rider.

3. West Coast Avengers #23 (Aug. 1987). Mockingbird sparks a supernatural feud with the evil Phantom Rider, as the wrathful Avenger lets Lincoln Slade fall to his death.

Wait-- before you go, take these damn ashes away from me.  

Next up: Lilith, Mother of Demons!