Spawn vs. Ghost Rider

With the advent of the latest "Ghost Rider" movie ("Powered by the Rage of Cage!"), I thought this might be a good Versus question for today:

You could make a very good argument that Spawn was just a motorcycle-less rip-off of Ghost Rider. They've got similar looks, similar powers, similar stories, and lots and lots of chains. And fire.

However, Ghost Rider has a motorcycle with flaming wheels, and therefore the point is moot -- he wins.

I dare you to refute my nerd logic!

27 Responses to Spawn vs. Ghost Rider

  1. Frevoli says:

    Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider?

  2. Jeff Hebert says:

    Frevoli:
    Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider?

    Yes, Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider.

  3. Frevoli says:

    just checking the stats – I gotta give it to Spawn

  4. Dan says:

    If it’s Johnny Blaze / Zarathos aka the 70’s Ghost Rider, I gotta give it to Spawn. Most of the time, Johnny was “in control” of his Ghost Rider, and didn’t have access to the ammount of power that Dan Ketch / Nobel Kale aka the 90’s Ghost Rider did. And if that was enough geekness for ya, I have to be OCD and point out that Johnny’s GR didn’t use the chains. He had enhanced strength and could use hellfire, which he used to create his bike. Dan’s GR is the one that had all the badass powers, like the chain and the Penance Stare, and was practically invincible. Ya know, except for bad costume changes and REALLY stupid retcon origins.

  5. X-stacy says:

    I almost voted for Spawn, because I enjoyed his movie and lurid cartoons back in the day, and I, well, never enjoyed anything with Nicholas Cage attached to it. But it’s not fair to punish the character because of the actor, and I really think 90s Ghost Rider can take 90s Spawn.

  6. Jeff Hebert says:

    If you want to argue instead for a non-Blaze version of Ghost Rider, go for it.

  7. Shaddap says:

    Todd MacFarlane is a hypocrite, therefore Ghost Rider wins.

  8. C. Baize says:

    Ghost Rider.
    Blaze or Slate.

  9. McKnight57 says:

    The thing you’re forgetting is that Al Simmons was a highly trained CIA operative before he ever fot the powers of Spawn. Even without the badass powers, this one goes to Spawn, who had at one point overthrown the devil and was running Hell. He’s also kicked the ass of his evil future-self despite the evil version remembering the time that he tried to do just that (Spawn/WildC.A.T.s crossover graphic).

    I’d like to see Ghost Rider do that. Also, the movie version (first) that we saw with Nicholas Cage had one of the worst weaknesses ever, he couldn’t transform in sunlight. Besides, what’s a penance stare gonna do to someone with no soul? Likewise, the whole hellfire control becomes a moot point when the guy you’re up against is invulnerable to flames.

    Again, Spawn wins due to training and also prehensile cape that can also be used as a shield. Spawn took Hell away from the devil and Ghost Rider barely beat his punk kid.

  10. Dan says:

    McKnight57:
    The thing you’re forgetting is that Al Simmons was a highly trained CIA operative before he ever fot the powers of Spawn. Even without the badass powers, this one goes to Spawn, who had at one point overthrown the devil and was running Hell. He’s also kicked the ass of his evil future-self despite the evil version remembering the time that he tried to do just that (Spawn/WildC.A.T.s crossover graphic).

    I’d like to see Ghost Rider do that. Also, the movie version (first) that we saw with Nicholas Cage had one of the worst weaknesses ever, he couldn’t transform in sunlight. Besides, what’s a penance stare gonna do to someone with no soul? Likewise, the whole hellfire control becomes a moot point when the guy you’re up against is invulnerable to flames.

    Again, Spawn wins due to training and also prehensile cape that can also be used as a shield. Spawn took Hell away from the devil and Ghost Rider barely beat his punk kid.

    You do have a point about Spawn’s training, but the Nobel Kale GR did also take over Hell for awhile. I don’t know how it was retconned out, but he killed Blackheart, who had killed Mephisto and at the time was the king of Hell. And let’s make a pact to never speak of the movies again. PLEASE. 😉

  11. Kaldath says:

    If we Go with the Dan Ketch version of the Rider, then I vote Ghost Rider, as he was able to take out Galactus

  12. Myro says:

    I wasn’t all that impressed by Spawn’s movie, and the character is a product of the 90s, although not even close to the worst. On the other hand, I’ve never had to witness Spawn urinate fire in a movie. I’m prepared to give this one to Spawn on pure spite.

  13. McKnight57 says:

    Kaldath:
    If we Go with the Dan Ketch version of the Rider, then I vote Ghost Rider, as he was able to take out Galactus



    Again, penance stare ain’t gonna cut it.

  14. Frankie says:

    Spawn gas a pet bear now? Or he atleast had one at one time?

    Anyway, I choose Spawn. I don’t like ghost rider at all.

  15. Kaldath says:

    McKnight57: Again, penance stare ain’t gonna cut it.

    According to Wikipedia’s Spawn page, Spawn infact has Thosands of souls within his body, like Blackheart did at the end of the Ghost Rider Move, Souls he was then able to burn with the penence stare.

    From Wikipedia:

    “Armageddon

    With the aid of the Greenworld, Spawn regains his lost memories as his costume metamorphoses once again to become one with his necroplasmic body. Spawn is captured by Mammon and his demonic minions, and tortured horribly so that the secrets his body contains can be revealed. Spawn’s discarded heart, torn from his chest in an earlier battle with the Disciple, a mysterious Warrior, transforms into a young boy named Chris. Chris, together with Sam and Twitch, rescue Spawn from Mammon’s clutches and return him to Earth. Spawn learns that thousands of human souls are contained within his body, each one capable of being summoned in the form of a Hellspawn. As signs of the end of days wreak havoc across the world, Spawn searches for a way to delay the onset of Armageddon, and learn the true nature of Heaven, Hell, and the Earth.”

  16. Kaito94 says:

    Not too familiar with either of them, but anyone with a hairpiece made of fire gets my vote.

  17. McKnight57 says:

    Still going’ with Spawn. He don’t need no flaming’ skull. He can probably make his own motorcycle. Yep. Still going’ with Spawn.

  18. McKnight57 says:

    Kaito94:
    Not too familiar with either of them, but anyone with a hairpiece made of fire gets my vote.

    I’m sorry, but when you say “hairpiece”, my first thoughts are that somehow that thing on Donald Trump’s head has been set ablaze.

  19. Joel says:

    GHOST RIDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ya, in case you couldn’t tell, Ghost Rider is my all time favorite superhero every, and I actually really liked the movie. Also, even if Spawn is immune to fire, and we take penance stare out of the question (since there is debate as to weather or not it would work), all Ghost Rider has to do is hop on his motorcycle, use his hell chains to grab Spawn and chain drag him across the ground at super-speed until he stops moving. May I remind you that Ghost Rider’s motorcycle can move fast enough to blow up a speed tracking gun, (and that is physically/logically impossible)

  20. 1rd2th3st says:

    I’m not completely sure on this fact,but I believe Spawn would be vulnerable to Ghost Rider’s penance stare and that would most likely end the fight. Not to say that Spawn wouldn’t put up a fight, but seeming as thier power levels seem very similar this would probably turn the fight over in Ghost Rider’s favor.

  21. spidercow2012 says:

    McKnight57: I’m sorry, but when you say “hairpiece”, my first thoughts are that somehow that thing on Donald Trump’s head has been set ablaze.

    I’m not a fan of reality TV, but I would TOTALLY watch a show where Donald Trump’s toupee is set on fire.
    And then, as he ran about shrieking, somebody could say, “Hey Donald – yer FIRED!”
    THAT’S entertainment.

  22. McKnight57 says:

    spidercow2012: I’m not a fan of reality TV, but I would TOTALLY watch a show where Donald Trump’s toupee is set on fire.
    And then somebody could say, “Hey Donald – yer FIRED!”

    I’m not really a fan either, though I would watch that clip over and over and over and ….

  23. Dan says:

    McKnight57:
    Still going’ with Spawn. He don’t need no flaming’ skull. He can probably make his own motorcycle. Yep. Still going’ with Spawn.

    I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone that you are voting against a Marvel character. 😉

  24. McKnight57 says:

    Dan: I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone that you are voting against a Marvel character.

    To be fair, there are a good handful of Marvel characters I’d definitely vote for, but we just put any of them on the Poll Position lately. Also, not a huge fan of Ghost Rider. I mean I like the concept, but I’m just not a fan of the character himself.

    I mean, if you put Spawn up against someone like Thor, Galactus, Black Bolt, Hulk, Wolverine or Apocalypse, that’s different. As it is, their powers are far too similar to come to much more than a stalemate or VERY close game. But then again, I grew up in more of the DC realm, so in a sense you are right.

  25. McKnight57 says:

    I have some team-oriented ideas for the Poll Position right now.
    JL vs Avengers
    JL vs X-Men
    JSA vs X-Force
    Teen Titans vs Avengers
    LSH vs WildC.A.T.s
    WildC.A.T.s vs X-Men (that one would be tough for me, Dan)
    JLI vs X-Factor
    LSH vs X-Factor
    WildC.A.T.s vs Avengers

    These would be current DC or 90’s DC teams hopefully and probably the movie roster for Avengers. But then, that’s just my opinion.

  26. MasterBeaty85 says:

    They are both the typical 90’s era superhero regardless of what era Ghost Rider was created i believe he fits right in with the mood of the 90’s, dark mood, too many spikes on their costume, extremely long caped, superheroes. Now to the actual fight i think it would be a very close conflict, seeing as both dudes took over Hell at one point, but i do agree that because Spawn regained the souls he lost during that story arc and GR’s Penance Stare forreal messes dudes up. I gotta give it to Ghost Rider…

  27. TOOL says:

    I was scrolling down and was like “ooh, good question!”
    i love both characters but based on my info from reading differnt comics and my personal opinion I think spawn would win but it would be hard fought.