This may be the easiest review I have ever written, because in many ways the Cosmic Ghost Rider by Donny Cates trade paperback is a near-perfect collection of comics, highlighting the delightful ridiculousness of its main character while grounding itself in heartbreaking emotional arcs and gorgeously unparalleled art from Geoff Shaw and others. Since the debut of the Cosmic Ghost Rider – a cosmically attuned and superpowered version of Earth-616’s antihero Punisher, or Frank Castle – in 2018’s Thanos #13, the ridiculously violent and hilarious cosmic being has become a fan favorite, inspiring four solo titles from writers Donny Cates, Dennis Hallum, Nick Giovannetti and Paul Scheer, and an ongoing one from writer Stephanie Phillips and artist Juann Cabal.
The Cosmic Ghost Rider by Donny Cates trade paperback is an impressive collection of stunning storytelling that is in many ways also a story about the terrible Mad Titan, with the Cosmic Ghost Rider quickly overshadowing Thanos as the character with more emotional complexity and development. The assemblage collects Thanos (2016) #13-18, Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) #1-5, Guardians of the Galaxy (2019) #1-6, and Thanos Annual (2018), as well as materials from Thanos Legacy, Revenge of the Cosmic Ghost Rider #1, and Wolverine: Black, White, & Blood #3. The only major complaint that I have about this gorgeous and ridiculous collection is that it doesn’t include all of Revenge of the Cosmic Ghost Rider, and while this series is written by Dennis Hallum and not Donny Cates, it should still have been included in full in my opinion.
Marvel Comics
One of the highlights of the entire trade paperback is, of course, the original Cosmic Ghost Rider solo title, which features Frank Castle being brought back to life by Odin in Valhalla – after his death in the Thanos solo – after which he attempts to murder, and then raise, a baby Thanos. The relationship between baby Thanos and Castle is oddly adorable, tinged with the underlying heartbreak and emotional resonance that always simmers under the surface of Punisher stories. The absolute mayhem caused by Frank and baby Thanos is a joy to watch, and Geoff Shaw’s art for baby Thanos is at times both downright terrifying, and frighteningly cute.
Another major highlight of the Cosmic Ghost Rider by Donny Cates trade paperback is the inclusion of the 2018 Thanos Annual, an absolutely wild collection of short Thanos-focused stories, featuring a wide variety of beloved writers and artists like Kieron Gillen, Ryan North, Al Ewing, Heather Breckel, Will Robson, and Flaviano. In particular, the short story “What To Get From The Man Who Takes Everything” from writer Christopher Hastings and artist Flaviano is a disturbingly hilarious story detailing just how cruel and despicable the Mad Titan is, and the lengths he will go through to destroy one simple, mortal man’s life.
Marvel Comics
It is hard to overstate just how popular Cosmic Ghost Rider became after his 2018 introduction, although one apt comparison may be to the beloved hero Miles Morales. Just like Miles, introduced in the Ultimate Universe in 2011 and brought to the Earth-616 universe in the conclusion of 2015s Secret Wars because of his popularity, Cosmic Ghost Rider’s popularity was so strong that Marvel and Donny Cates devised a way to transport the antihero through time and space, bringing the shattered Frank Castle from the universe of “Thanos Wins” to the prime Marvel universe of Earth-616. Unlike Miles though, the Cosmic Ghost Rider perfectly understands and remembers where he has come from, which is part of why he is so set on destroying Thanos and stopping the Mad Titan from becoming the all-powerful master he served millennia in the future in an alternate reality.
The Cosmic Ghost Rider by Donny Cates trade paperback perfectly establishes Castle’s deranged history as first the Punisher, and then a Ghost Rider, followed by gaining the Power Cosmic and becoming perhaps the most powerful Herald of Galactus in any universe, before finally bowing to Thanos and becoming his right hand man. The story is tragic, brutal, and filled with manic mayhem, as the troubled antihero quickly shifts between true heroism and unrepentant vileness, making the character one of Marvel’s most unique, complex, and undoubtedly unstable.
Marvel Comics
The inclusion of Castle’s part in the resurrection of Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy, his run-in with his Earth-616 counterpart in Revenge of the Cosmic Ghost Rider #1, and his heart-to-heart with Logan in Wolverine: Black, White & Blood #3 all help to build a more complete and devastating picture of the fascinating character… although, again, it would have been an even more iconic collection if only the entirety of Revenge of the Cosmic Ghost Rider had been included, which would better prepare readers for Stephanie Williams’ ongoing Cosmic Ghost Rider series.
Heartbreaking and complex storytelling by the acclaimed writer Donny Cates and gorgeously violent art by the impressive Geoff Shaw make this collection of Cosmic Ghost Rider’s greatest hits one of the most enjoyable Marvel trade paperbacks in ages. A gloriously deranged and delightfully devastating assemblage of cosmic comics, the Cosmic Ghost Rider by Donny Cates trade paperback is an ideal addition to any Marvel fans collection, one that can be reread over and over again, remaining just as enjoyable as the first run through.
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