GHOST FLYER

main imageReal Name: Unrevealed  

Identity/Class: Human possessed by a Spirit of Vengeance (World War I)

Occupation: Fighter pilot 

Group Membership: Spirits of Vengeance / Ghost Riders, possibly Air Service of the American Expeditionary Service (see comments)

Affiliations: Formerly Zadkiel

Enemies: Fliegertruppe des Deutschen Kaiserreichs (see comments), demons, Kid Blackheart, Zadkiel

Known Relatives: None 

Aliases: Demon of the air, Lightning Sword of Hell (see comments)

Base of Operations: Western Europe 

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

Powers/Abilities: The Ghost Flyer flew a biplane that shot machine gun blasts of hellfire, and which was presumably much faster and more maneuverable than regular biplanes. Like most of the Ghost Riders, the Ghost Flyer presumably possessed superhuman strength and durability.  

History: (Ghost Rider VI#33 (fb)) - The Ghost Flyer was an American aviator during World War I. During one dogfight above Germany he easily took down over a dozen Luftwaffe plains single-handedly, cackling insults towards his foes as he slew them.

(Ghost Rider: Heaven's on Fire#6 - BTS) - Like all past Ghost Riders, the Ghost Flyer was revived to take part in defending Heaven from both the now-rogue Zadkiel and then Kid Blackheart's demon army.










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 his two nicknames. Since he presumably had to have access to a biplane in his human guise, I would guess he was a member of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Service; in theory he could have joined the war ahead of his countrymen by enlisting with one of the other Allied countries as some Americans did, but the text noting that the Ghost Rider was there when Americans needed avenging suggests he wasn't active until his fellow countrymen joined the conflict en masse.

The original story writer used "Luftwaffe" in the word balloon. While no doubt a space-saving example of literary license, at the time, it was still technically inaccurate. Pre-1916, the aviation arm of the Imperial German Army was referred to as "Fliegertruppen" ("Flying Troops"). Post-1916, it was called "Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte" ("German Air Force"). "Luftwaffe" wasn't officially adopted till 1935.
--Carycomic

   During WW I the German Luftwaffe was named Luftstreitkräfte and included Fliegertruppe (planes) and Luftschiffertruppe (airships). They were disbanded after World War I and Germany was not allowed to have fighter aircrafts anymore. But they were allowed to build planes for the Russians, who contracted them to do so. The Germans also started training fighter pilots again as part of the contract to test the planes. By March 1935 the aviation army of the German Army became known as the Luftwaffe.
--Markus Raymond

Profile by Loki.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Ghost Flyer is definitely connected to, but should not be confused with

but has no known connections to

images: (without ads)
Ghost Rider VI#33, p7, pan2 (main image)
Ghost Rider VI#33, p7, pan1 (his biplane)

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

First Posted: 03/16/2014
Last Updated: 09/07/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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