Ghost Rider #2

Name: Ghost Rider #2
Brand: Marvel
Availability: InStock

Oct 1973 · Marvel · 0.20 USD

📊 ~69,644 copies sold its debut month

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“Shake Hands with Satan!”

★ 1st appearance — Big Daddy Dawson

About this Issue

Ghost Rider #2 (October 1973) serves as the second chapter in a three-part arc that introduced Daimon Hellstrom — the occult investigator known as the Son of Satan — to the Marvel Universe, a character significant enough to spin off immediately into his own long-running feature in Marvel Spotlight. The issue pushed the boundaries of what the Comics Code would sanction during the Bronze Age horror boom, weaving supernatural demonology, Satanic possession, and a literal descent into Hell into a mainstream superhero narrative. Its direct narrative link to Marvel Spotlight #12 — where Hellstrom fully revealed his demonic alter ego — made the two issues inseparable bookends of one of Marvel's most controversial character launches of the 1970s. The story arc helped establish Marvel's supernatural corner of the universe, planting seeds for the Midnight Sons era decades later.

writer Gary Friedrich · artist Jim Mooney · inker Syd Shores · colorist L. Lessmann · letterer C. Jetter · letterer Gaspar Saladino · cover Gil Kane, Frank Giacoia

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (Fine) $55

CGC 9.8 · 61 in census $1,044

CGC 9.6 · 150 in census $527

CGC 9.4 · 149 in census $428

CGC 9.2 · 153 in census $209

CGC 9.0 · 159 in census $200

CGC 8.5 · 183 in census $156

Show all 19 grades ▾

CGC 8.0 · 139 in census $156

CGC 7.5 · 136 in census $156

CGC 7.0 · 100 in census $133

CGC 6.5 · 96 in census $100

CGC 6.0 · 53 in census $100

CGC 5.5 · 36 in census $76*

CGC 5.0 · 45 in census $73

CGC 4.5 · 21 in census $64*

CGC 4.0 · 25 in census $59*

CGC 3.5 · 13 in census $52

CGC 3.0 · 7 in census $49*

CGC 2.5 · 1 in census $37*

CGC 2.0 none in existence

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

This exact issue on ebay

CGC 9 ▾ $160–$360 2 listings

CGC 9 $159.99 CGC 9 $359.99

CGC 8.5 $146 1 listing CGC 6.5 $132 1 listing CBCS 5 $190 1 listing Raw — NM $190 1 listing

Raw — VF ▾ $69–$79.95 2 listings

VF $69 VF $79.95

Raw — FN/VF $78 1 listing Raw — FN+ $79 1 listing Raw — VG $59.99 1 listing

Raw / ungraded ▾ $12.99–$150 6 listings

Newsstand $12.99 Raw / ungraded $27.77 Raw / ungraded $39.95 Raw / ungraded $46.74 Raw / ungraded $60 Raw / ungraded $149.95

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History

The issue grew out of editor Roy Thomas's deliberate creative pivot: when Stan Lee proposed a comic actually starring Satan himself — emboldened by the sales performance of Ghost Rider and The Tomb of Dracula — Thomas redirected the concept toward a half-human son-of-Satan figure, which he felt was more narratively workable and commercially safer. Gary Friedrich scripted, with Jim Mooney replacing Tom Sutton on interior pencils (Sutton had drawn issue #1), inked by veteran Syd Shores; the cover was by Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott, with Roy Thomas serving as editor-in-chief. A design dispute exists in the historical record: Thomas credited Friedrich and Herb Trimpe with co-designing Hellstrom, while Trimpe himself has stated he was brought in only after Friedrich had fully realized the character on his own.

Trivia · 7 facts

Contains the first full (though shadow-obscured) in-costume appearance of Daimon Hellstrom at the Apache reservation — his mystic ritual, chain of ankhs, and arrogant 'Son of Satan' persona are all displayed for the first time across multiple panels.
Issue #1 (September 1973) holds the cameo/introductory appearance of Hellstrom as an exorcist; issue #2 expands his role substantially, and Marvel Spotlight #12 (same month) provides his named debut as the Son of Satan — making this the middle chapter of Hellstrom's origin triptych.
First appearance of 'Big Daddy' Dawson (Gary Dawson) and his motorcycle gang, the Ruthless Riders — antagonists who continue into Ghost Rider #3 before Dawson meets his end.
The story arc across GH #1–2 and Marvel Spotlight #12 directly set up Hellstrom's own solo feature, 'The Son of Satan,' which ran in Marvel Spotlight #12–24 (1973–1975) before he received his own series, The Son of Satan (1975–1977).
The plot centers on Satan — possessing the body of Witch-Woman (Linda Littletrees) — dragging Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider down to Hell, while Hellstrom performs a mystic exorcism ritual at Sam Silvercloud and Snake Dance's Apache reservation.
The story continued directly into Marvel Spotlight #12 (October 1973), where the Son of Satan travels to Hell, battles Satan's demon horde, and rescues Ghost Rider and Witch-Woman.
The issue has been reprinted multiple times, including in the Australian Yaffa/Page Ghost Rider series (#1 and #6, 1977), the Norwegian Atlantic Spesial #4/1982, the French Etranges Aventures #44 (1975), Marvel Masterworks: Ghost Rider Vol. 1 (2019), and Ghost Rider Epic Collection Vol. 1 (2022).