Created by Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw as recently as 2018, Cosmic Ghost Rider is such a wild concept that, despite being quite new, couldn’t do anything less than leave a big impression on the readers.
Who is Cosmic Ghost Rider, really? In an alternate future, he was known as The Punisher, before making a deal with the devil to become the Ghost Rider. An alliance with Galactus made him cosmic. And a dark bargain with Thanos made him … dead?!
So yes, the Cosmic Version of Ghost Rider is a version of Frank Castle (from Earth-TRN666) and you can discover his complicated timeline and history of those cosmic stories!
What to read before Cosmic Ghost Rider?
There is no pre-required reading for Cosmic Ghost Rider, before his first appearance in Cates’ run on Thanos. We still recommend reading the entire Thanos volume, beginning with Jeff Lemire’s issues (because why not):
- Thanos Vol. 1: Thanos Returns
collects Thanos Vol 2 #1-5 - Thanos Vol. 2: The God Quarry
collects Thanos Vol 2 #7-11
See also: Ghost Rider Reading Order, our guide to the famous Marvel character from which Cosmic Ghost Rider is an alternate version.
Cosmic Ghost Rider Reading Order:
Cosmic Ghost Rider Reading Order, the Omnibus:
The complete history of Cosmic Ghost Rider in one place! Marvel will release an omnibus collecting all the appearances of the character until now. You can’t do better than that!
- Cosmic Ghost Rider Omnibus Vol. 1
Collects Thanos (2016) #13-18, Thanos Annual (2018) #1, Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) #1-5, Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History (2019) #1-6, Guardians of the Galaxy (2019) #1-6, Avengers (2018) #22-25, Revenge of the Cosmic Ghost Rider (2019) #1-5; material from Thanos Legacy (2018) #1, Wolverine: Black, White & Blood (2020) #3
Cosmic Ghost Rider Reading Order, the Collected editions:
Meet Cosmic Ghost Rider when he is captured by Thanos. His origin story is established, and the character, after a short stint in Valhalla, decides to go kill Baby Thanos.
- Thanos: Thanos Wins
Collects Thanos (2016) #13-18 and annual #1 - Cosmic Ghost Rider: Baby Thanos Must Die
Collects: Cosmic Ghost Rider #1-5, Thanos Legacy #1
Also collected in:
- Thanos by Donny Cates
Collects Thanos (2016) #13-18 and annual #1; Cosmic Ghost Rider #1-5, Thanos Legacy #1
Also collected in these collections of Donny Cates cosmic material:
- Cosmic Ghost Rider by Donny Cates (TP)
Collects Thanos (2016) #13-18; Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) #1-5; Guardians Of The Galaxy (2019) #1-6; And Material From Revenge Of The Cosmic Ghost Rider #1, Thanos Annual (2018) #1, Thanos Legacy And Wolverine: Black, White & Blood #3. - Marvel Cosmic Universe by Donny Cates Omnibus
Collects Thanos (2016) #13-18, Thanos Annual (2018) #1, Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) #1-5, Death of the Inhumans (2018) #1-5, Silver Surfer: Black (2019) #1-5, Thanos Legacy (2018) #1 (A Story).
Before joining the Guardians of the Galaxy for a short time, Cosmic Ghost Rider had some wacky adventures, interfering with the lives of our heroes through Marvel History (not written by Donny Cates, but by Nick Giovannetti and Paul Scheer)
- Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History
Collects: Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History #1-6
Following his Thanos Saga, Donny Cates takes writing duties on Venom, writing one of the most important runs for the character, before also relaunching Guardians of the Galaxy, where Ghost Rider is part of the first arc:
- Guardians of the Galaxy by Donny Cates Vol.1: The Final Gauntlet
Collects: Guardians of the Galaxy #1-6. You can also find those issues in the hardcover edition collecting Donny Cates’ complete Guardians saga Guardians of the Galaxy by Donny Cates
It’s Ghost Rider vs. Ghost Rider in a wild race through the deepest depths of the underworld, and, you guessed it, Cosmic Ghost Rider is present!
- Avengers by Jason Aaron Vol. 5: Challenge of the Ghost Riders
Collects: Avengers #22-25
Cosmic Ghost Rider is the star of a new miniseries from Dennis Hopeless and Scott Hepburn (with a short story by Donny Cates), in which the Rider is put in an intergalactic prison, and will turn his cage into an all-out cage match!
- Revenge of the Cosmic Ghost Rider
Collects Revenge of the Cosmic Ghost Rider #1-5
The Cosmic Ghost Rider appeared in a flashback story in Wolverine: Black, White & Blood #3.
Now retired, Frank Castle tries to live a quiet anonymous life in space, but a bounty hunter is after him as the Cosmic Ghost Rider is leaving a trail of bodies in his wake… But it’s that Rider is not Frank. So, who is he? This miniseries came from Stephanie Phillips and Juann Cabal.
- Cosmic Ghost Rider: Duel Identity
Collects Cosmic Ghost Rider (2023) #1-5.
Cosmic Ghost Rider Reading Order, Issue by Issue:
- Thanos (2017) #13-18
- Thanos (2017) Annual #1
- Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) #1-5
- Thanos Legacy # 1
- Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History (2019) #1-6
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2019) #1-6
- Avengers (2018) #23-25
- Revenge of the Cosmic Ghost Rider (2019) #1-5
- Wolverine: Black, White & Blood (2021) #3
- Cosmic Ghost Rider (2023) #1-5