Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Ghost Rider vs Ghost Rider #1While Fantastic Four: First Steps, he has just met his match thanks to a surprising Marvel hero in the comics. On the page, The World Devourer's attempts to consume Earth are typically resisted by The Fantastic Four, though he does exist as a threat to entire planets across the cosmos, having destroyed countless worlds and claimed trillions of lives. With that in mind, the newest Marvel one-shot presents a very different Marvel hero trying to stop Galactus once and for all.

As part of J. Michael Straczynski's ongoing series of one-shots for Marvel Comics, his latest is Ghost Rider vs Galactus #1, featuring none other than Johnny Blaze going head-to-head with the World Devourer. On the one hand, one would think that Galactus would have no problem destroying a hero as small as Blaze with the Power Cosmic. However, this new comic proves the true power of Ghost Rider's supernatural hellfire:

Matching Galactus' size, Blaze epically takes the fight to the World Devourer in this new issue, hopping on a rocket and determined to make the World Devourer pay for his sins with the Ghost Rider's signature "Penance Stare".

In the 70s, The Thing Had A Crazy Idea For Johnny Blaze

Could Ghost Rider's Penance Stare Work On Galactus?

As revealed at the beginning of this new one-shot, Ghost Rider vs Galactus #1 takes place in the 70s. Running into Ghost Rider, who turned a criminal into ash with his "Penance Stare", Ben Grimm gets a wild idea. Asking Johnny Blaze if his hellfire would work on someone like Galactus, The Thing is the one who motivates Ghost Rider to set his sights on the World Devourer.

Humorously, Ghost Rider hitches a ride on the outside of a rocket with his Hell Cycle, heading for the stars at the beginning of this issue. Eventually, he does find Galactus, who has just finished consuming an entire planet. While Uatu the Watcher himself observes, Ghost Rider and Galactus do clash following Blaze's massive transformation, allowing him to match Galactus in size.

Surprisingly, Ghost Rider Can Hold His Own Against Galactus

Supernatural Power vs Science

Once Ghost Rider gets Galactus' attention, the two beings start to brawl. Surprisingly, they're pretty evenly matched, as seen when a blast of energy from Galactus' Power Cosmic cancels out Blaze's supernatural Hellfire. However, it's ultimately revealed that Ghost Rider's Penace Stare does not work on Galactus, as the World Devourer has no sin or malice tied to his actions. As Uatu confirms to Blaze, consuming worlds is Galactus' instinctual purpose, the very reason for which he was created.

Nevertheless, Ghost Rider doesn't care about the nature of the universe and Galactus' ultimate cosmic purpose. Likewise, he was fully prepared to fight Galactus until one of them died, keeping the World Devourer from consuming any more worlds. However, Uatu simply ends up sending Blaze back to Earth.

As the lone survivor of the previous universe, Galactus is tasked with the consumption and absorption of worlds (including the energy of their various cultures and ideas), This in turn will eventually lead to the creation of new life. If Ghost Rider were to stop Galactus from consuming worlds, it would have prevented the next universe from being created, disturbing the cycle of life and death and Galactus' crucial role within it. That being said, it's still pretty cool that Marvel has further proven that Ghost Rider and Galactus are evenly matched (even if Blaze's Penance Stare is ineffective against the World Devourer).

Ghost Rider vs Galactus #1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.