John Blaze was orphaned when his father died performing a dangerous motorcycle stunt. Adopted by Crash Simpson, the youngster swiftly mastered the tricks of the trade. When he learned Simpson was dying of a rare blood disease, Blaze started tampering with dark forces far beyond the bounds of human comprehension. Blaze recreated an ancient ritual and bartered his immortal soul for a miracle cure. Having deceived Blaze into forfeiting his soul, the Devil materialized to claim his due. Unable to take possession of his intended bounty, Satan grafted the living flame that was the soul of the demon Zarathos to Blaze's body. Thereafter, the melding of spirits would manifest itself every nightfall in the form of Ghost Rider, who used his demonic powers to create a mystical motorcycle of pure hellfire. After a few months, his automatic nightly transformations ended. He then became Ghost Rider whenever he mystically sensed evil in the vicinity, avenging innocent lives tarnished by the touch of evil.
