Publication History
In 1949, writer Ray Krank and artist Dick Ayers created the Ghost Rider for Vincent Sullivan, editor of Magazine Enterprises. Originally written as the Calico Kid in his first appearance in Tim Holt #6 (Magazine Enterpises, May 1949), he was later reimagined or retconned as the Ghost Rider in Tim Holt #11 (ME, October 1949) for unknown reasons. The assumption is that the Ghost Rider was Marshall Rex Fury (other sources cite Rex Hart as his name) who was undercover as the Calico Kid and had to switch identities.
As the Ghost Rider, he remained a guest star throughout the Tim Holt series, later re-titled Red Mask when Tim Holt also donned a costumed persona. The Ghost Rider grew in popularity and appeared in various ME titles. In 1950, ME gave Ghost Rider his own horror series that ended after 14 issues (published as issues in the A-1 Comics series) due to the enforcement of the Comics Code Authority. He continued to appear in other comics as a back up feature with his last appearance being in Red Mask #50 (ME, November 1955).
Several years later in 1967, with ME long out of business, Dick Ayers became an employee of Marvel Comics. The policy of the Comics Code became less strict and Marvel and Dick Ayers re-launched the Ghost Rider character. The Marvel version is the same in appearance, abilities and M.O. but different in identity and origin. This Ghost Rider would be Carter Slade with no connection to ME’s Ghost Rider or history.
In the 1980s, AC Comics acquired the properties of ME including Ghost Rider. AC Comics revived Ghost Rider re-naming him the Haunted Horseman since Marvel owns the Ghost Rider trademark. The Haunted Horseman appears as a supporting character in AC Comics’ monthly book FemForce. 1999 was the 50th Anniversary of ME’s historic Ghost Rider and AC published a special one-shot in honor of the event. The one-shot titled The Haunted Horseman contains classic reprints of the original ME stories.