Traditional Hero Vs a Wildcard: Who Is the More Effective Hero?

It’s a common occurrence in the world of the comic superhero: the meek and mild white-collar worker dons the cape of criminal justice when danger calls, saving the world time after time. He is known as a hero, loved by civilians, commended by mayors, and praised by all. Superman, Spider-Man, Thor—all of these superheroes share the same dualistic characteristics that have made them great American icons for decades, whether they hail from DC or Marvel. But there are two superheroes who are outliers on the spectrum. Captain America, the man who represents everything America stands for, resembles the perfect superhero. On the other side of the spectrum is Ghost Rider, a hero whose super alter ego comes from far less auspicious origins, and whose destiny is fueled with hellfire. With these two heroes coming from two vastly different backgrounds, is there a more effective hero?

Johnny Blaze was once the typical portrait of a lower-middle class American teenager. Born in Illinois, Johnny spent his childhood working the carnival circuit with his parents, Barton and Naomi, and their friend Craig “Crash” Simpson After Barton died, and his mother left, Johnny was adopted by Simpson (Marvel Database). Johnny learned that Simpson was suffering from terminal cancer and he decided to search for a cure himself. Sorcery seemed the only way to save Simpson’s life, and Johnny studied sorcery until he found the spell he needed, one that would summon Satan. Johnny successfully completed the spell, summoning Mephistopheles (Marvel Database). In the transaction, Johnny agreed to sell his soul to Mephistopheles in order to cure the cancer that was killing Simpson. Simpson’s cancer was immediately cured, and Johnny’s soul was marked for Hell when his day of reckoning would come. He became the Ghost Rider, a soldier of hell. However, in an attempt to establish some control over the demon possessing him, he strove to protect the innocent, becoming a hero. Ghost Rider’s powers include the Penance Stare, flaming chains, the ability to manipulate Hellfire, and a pure mission of vengeance straight from a major deity - the Christian God Yahweh. It is this form which has defeated several Hell-Lords, including Blackheart, Mephisto, and Satan himself. However, if any creature with a soul faces this form and is not deserving of God's vengeance, they will likely defeat the Ghost Rider, as his powers are severely limited in this circumstance (Marvel Database). Many times the Ghost Rider is involved in battles of Johnny Blaze's choosing, not God's. In those situations, he can be defeated quite easily if Johnny isn't careful. His power in those situations seems to be mostly decided by his personal willpower and skill, not his spiritual powers. While almost infinitely powerful, Ghost Rider can be easily defeated if his powers are not given by God. This