DEVIL RIG

Real Name: Unrevealed 

Identity/Class: Human possessed by a Spirit of Vengeance (1970s)

Occupation: Trucker 

Group Membership: Spirits of Vengeance / Ghost Riders

Affiliations: Hell-Driver; formerly Zadkiel

Enemies: Unidentified Redneck Smokie vampires, demons, Kid Blackheart, Zadkiel

Known Relatives: None 

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile across the southern United States of America 

First Appearance: Ghost Rider VI#33 (May, 2009)

Powers/Abilities: Devil Rig drove an eighteen wheeler truck with hellfire tires, capable of great speed and smashing through demons or roadblocks with casual ease; it was decorated with a painting of the Devil playing a fiddle on the right hand side and another Devil on the left (see comments). Like most of the Ghost Riders, Devil Rig presumably possessed superhuman strength and durability, and may have possessed supernaturally enhanced hand to hand weapons. He was well versed in the language of CB radio users. 

History: (Ghost Rider VI#33 (fb) - BTS) - In the 1970s Devil Rig and his oft-time partner Hell-Driver patrolled the highways of America delivering vengeance upon those who preyed upon the innocent.

(Ghost Rider VI#33 (fb)) - After a Redneck vampire sheriff and his deputy kidnapped two innocent teens to feed off of, Devil Rig and Hell-Driver pursued them down a backwoods country road in Alabama. As the pursuit crossed into Chickasaw County, Devil Rig, presumably warned by other CB users, got on the radio to Hell-Driver to inform him that they had a vampire roadblock up ahead on Highway 9 and that a bridge was out over Chattahoochee Creek, and queried whether they should ease back on their accelerators. However Hell-Driver rejected this proposal, telling his friend that they were going to ride the Smokie straight to Hell.

(Ghost Rider: Heaven's on Fire#6) - Like all past Ghost Riders, Devil Rig and Hell-Driver were revived to take part in defending Heaven from the rogue angel Zadkiel. After defeating Zadkiel, the intimidating assemblage of Ghost Riders were among the first sights that greeted Kid Blackheart and his demon army as they stormed Heaven, hoping to take advantage of the damage Zadkiel had done to the angelic defenders. Though Kid Blackheart balked at the sight, his demons raced into combat against the Spirits of Vengeance. During the ensuing battle the two driving budies used their vehicles to plough through the demon ranks.

Comments: Created by Jason Aaron and Tony Moore.

Like all the other Ghost Riders depicted in the flashbacks in Ghost Rider VI#33, there is limited information given about this character. The script confirms he and Hell-Driver are from the 1970s, and that they are a homage to Smokey and the Bandit characters Snowman (Devil Rig) and Bandit (Hell-Driver).

The painting on the side of Devil Rig's truck is a homage to the Charlie Daniels Band tune "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Given this song was only released in 1979, at the end of the decade, it may be a hint that the flashback in Ghost Rider VI#33 takes place in that year, or it may be that the band saw Devil Rig's truck on time and got the inspiration from the song from it. There is another Devil on the other side, though it is harder to make out what this one is meant to be doing - he may be playing the fiddle, but in a different pose. It is feasible that the depictions of the Devil changes each time Devil Rig empowers his truck, or even as he drives along, depending on his mood.

Profile by Loki.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Devil Rig is definitely connected to, but should not be confused with

• all the other Spirit of Vengeance-empowered Ghost Riders

but has no known connections to

• Phantom Riders - luminous lawmen of the Old West also known as Ghost Riders @ Ghost Rider I#1 - though some of them were apparently Spirit of Vengeance-empowered too, if Heaven's on Fire#6 is to be believed
• Ghost Wind Rider - Comanche Indian and former lover of Red Wolf @ Blaze of Glory#2
• Any other ghostly characters or characters who ride things
• anyone else called Devil something

Redneck Smokie vampires

A vampire sheriff and deputy snatched a pair of innocent teens, but this drew the attention of Devil Rig and Hell-Driver, who pursued them across Alabama. The deputy was scared to witness the two Ghost Riders gaining on them, but the fat sheriff was unconcerned, and told his quivering sidekick that the pursuers didn't know who they were dealing with. They were apparently trying to lead the Riders towards a vampire roadblock on Highway 9, unaware that the two Spirits of Vengeance had been forewarned of this and intended to maintain the pursuit irregardless.  

--Ghost Rider VI#33

images: (without ads)
Ghost Rider VI#33, p14, pan3 (main image)
Ghost Rider: Heaven's On Fire #6, p14, pan1 (in his truck, running over demons)
Ghost Rider VI#33, p14, pan2 (the truck exterior, hauling down the road alongside Hell-Driver)
Ghost Rider: Heaven's On Fire#6, p10, pan1 (the other side of the truck exterior)
Ghost Rider VI#33, p14, pan1 (Redneck Smokie vampires)

Other Appearances:
Ghost Rider: Heaven's On Fire#6 (February, 2010) - Jason Aaron (writer), Roland Boschi (art), Sebastian Girner (editor)

Last updated: 03/17/14

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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