REVIEW: Marvel Universe's Ghost Rider

Driven to desperation by the impending death of his adoptive father, Johnny Blaze made a deal he would regret forever.  His father was miraculously cured of cancer, only to die in a fiery wreck, and Johnny became the GHOST RIDER.  barely in control of the demonic powers that coursed through him, he hunted evil men across the country.  Whenever he could, he turned his powers to the greater good, but he never forgot that his fate was sealed.

The Marvel Universe line continues to expand with the release of Ghost Rider.

Read on to find out why this is one HELL of a figure...

Packaging

Like all Marvel Universe figures, Ghost Rider comes in a carded blister-pack.  Eye-catching artwork, a nice colour-scheme and the great view the plastic blister provide all add up to packaging that - whilst functional - also does a good job of standing-out on the shelf.

One minor point I also appreciate is that the card artwork makes it much easier to see which figures are on the spike, unlike the Iron Man 2 figures, which all share the same artwork.  As a result, it's much easier to browse the figures on the shelf spike.

Ghost Rider

What about the figure itself?  In my opinion, this is one of the best releases so far in the Marvel Universe line.  What makes it so great?  Read on, true believer...!

First-up is the casting.  The figure utilises the ball-joint hips Hasbro have recently introduced to - hopefully - replace the peg joints used in earlier figures.  As well as allowing for a wider range of poses, the joints are also more robust.  Ditto for the other joints - the figure has a real ''chunky'' feel, despite being the same size as the other Marvel Universe line.  The joints themselves are also flexible but tight, making it very easy to create and hold poses.

Secondly, the use of semi-transparent plastic is inspired.  Check-out my Microman page and you'll see how I'm a sucker for semi-transparent toys.  Here the orange plastic is used to add some great detail to the figure, from his flaming skull head to the hellfire chain accessory, it's a very effective way of conveying flame and much more striking than simply using orange paint.

Finally, the paintjob is outstanding.  The green-yellow skull (which may even glow in the dark...), the leather costume highlights... the whole figure just seems to have a really sharp, clean edge to it.

Extras

As with all the latest Marvel Universe single figure releases, Ghost Rider comes with his own plastic - and very sturdy - stand.  The figure also comes equipped with a flaming chain, with a very creative use of orange/flame plastic, cast in a very dynamic ''flick.''

One point though: where's his bike?  The Marvel Legends figure comes with his ride, so it's a shame to see such an oversight here.

Final Thoughts

Ghost Rider is a superb figure, from a line that goes from strength to strength with each release.

Casual fans might pass-up on Ghost Rider, given that he's no Spider-man or Iron Man, but to do so is to rob yourself, as it's a great piece of work.  The figure is solid-feeling, highly poseable, well-finished and just a great piece of comicbook design translated into plastic.

My only gripe, as mentioned, is the lack of bike.  It doesn't detract from the figure too much, but given he's called Ghost Rider it would seem logical to me to include his ride.  But if you can ignore that oversight - and I really hope you can - then Ghost Rider is a superb addition to any collection. 

Scores

Sculpt	A-
Paint	A-
Articulation	B+
Production Quality	A-
Final Score	A-

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