Daniel Ketch (Earth-616)
From Marvel Database
Contents |
History
Danny and Barbara did not remember their father. They only knew Mrs. Ketch as their mother. On Barbara's 10th birthday, Dan noticed a strange woman watching them. It was Naomi Kale, who left after being confronted by a police officer who was a friend of the family. The officer's daughter Stacy and Dan had a romantic relationship.
While looking for the grave of Harry Houdini, Barbara and Danny Ketch mistakenly ran into rival gangs, one led by Deathwatch. Barbara was shot during the ensuing firefight. Danny carried his sister and felt a strange medallion on his motorcycle was calling to him. He touched it and became Ghost Rider, taking vengeance on the gangs. Barbara was taken to a hospital, but was later killed by Blackout (Lilin) under orders from Deathwatch.
Dan's good friend Jack D'Auria is also caught up in the conflict, battling Deathwatch's men.
After the Fantastic Four mysteriously disappeared, Ketch, Wolverine, Hulk and Spider-Man joined forces to replace them until the four were rescued and a Skrull plot was exposed. Ketch also briefly teamed with Wolverine and Punisher while investigating one of Blackheart's schemes.
John Blaze confronted this new being thinking Zarathos had returned. It was later revealed that this incarnation was not Zarathos, and that Blaze and Ketch were brothers.
The family had been separated by the Blood to limit the chances of the Spirits of Vengeance forming, but Mephisto's manipulations forced them to use the powers.
The two worked together to fight Zarathos and Lilith as part of the Midnight Sons. Ketch seemed to have been absorbed into Zarathos, but soon returned. The happy reunion was disrupted by the villainous Hellgate.
Dan also had problems with Stacy, who joined a task force that was designed to confront superhuman criminals and vigilantes. As the Ghost Rider, he was briefly captured, but escaped before SHIELD could examine the nature of his powers.
After an attack by a mad Vengeance revealed some dark memories, Ketch consulted with Doctor Strange. It was revealed that the Ghost Rider form was actually an ancestor, Noble Kale, who had become a Spirit of Vengeance with the help of the angel Uriel. Their use of motorcycles was due to Naomi placing her medallion on her own motorcycle. This also meant Ketch and Blaze were distantly related to sorceress Jennifer Kale. This knowledge seemed to increase the power of the Ghost Rider, although he also became more distant and angry.
The revelations also awakened the Furies, who had been dispatched to destroy Kale and his descendants. Jennifer sent out a mystic distress signal, which was answered by Valkyrie. Together they managed to hold off the Furies until Jennifer was able to call the spirit of Naomi to force the Furies to abandon their attack.
Having recently deposed his father Mephisto, Blackheart began to attack the Ghost Rider with his own created Spirits of Vengeance. He also mocked Blaze by placing Roxanne's spirit into the Blackrose. Kale was killed by Pao Fu and taken to Blackheart's 'hell.' While there, Daniel Ketch apparently sacrificed himself to unlock Noble Kale's full power. Kale defeated Blackheart and briefly controlled the realm until Mephisto's return While he ruled hell, he resurrected Dan Ketch and returned him to Earth. Sometime later when Mephisto reclaimed his realm, Noble Kale returned to Earth and was forced to rebond to Dan Ketch. Sometime later, however, Dan had a change of heart and had Noble Kale exercised from him. However, Dan later regretted his decision and had another Spirit bonded to him. Who this new Ghost Rider Spirit is and what became of Noble Kale remains to be seen.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
This Ghost Rider was cursed from the bloodline of Noble Kale. As the Ghost Rider, Ketch possessed a variety of supernatural powers.
Demonic Transformation: Dan Ketch possessed the supernatural ability to transform into the Ghost Rider at will. Originally, he would automatically transform at night or in the presence of evil. Later, however, gained control over his transformations and could transform through an act of will or when innocent blood is spilled.
Superhuman Strength: As Ghost Rider, Ketch possessed superhuman strength sufficient to lift about 10 tons.
Superhuman Stamina: The mystical energy that empowers Ghost Rider prevents his muscles from producing fatigue toxins during physical activities. As a result, while transformed into Ghost Rider, Ketch possessed limitless superhuman stamina in all physical activities.
Superhuman Durability: While transformed into Ghost Rider, Ketch's body was highly resistant to physical injury. He was capable of withstanding great impact forces, temperature and pressure extremes, powerful energy blasts, high caliber bullets, and falls from great heights without sustaining injury.
Regenerative Healing Factor: Despite his high resistance to injury while he was transformed into Ghost Rider, Ketch could still sustain physical injury. However, the mystical energies of the Ghost Rider enabled him to rapidly heal physical damage much faster and more extensively than an ordinary human being is capable of.
Hellfire Manipulation: As Ghost Rider, Ketch possessed the ability to generate, control, and project mystical fire, or "hellfire" at will. Hellfire is an emphyreal and supernatural flame that burns the soul of a person and can be used to burn their physical body. He could utilize this fire in various ways, including projecting it from his eyes, hands, mouth, or even channel it from his body into his weapons like his shotgun, form walls of hellfire, and even create a motorcycle completely out of hellfire.
Mystical Chain Projection: As Ghost Rider, Ketch weilded a mystical chain that was capable of growing in length, cutting through almost anything, and transforming into other weapons. He could also spew and project chains from his mouth or chest at will.
Abilities
Ketch himself was a skilled motorcyclist and, as Ghost Rider, was a formidable combatant as a result of his powers, though he had no formal training.Strength level
Class 10; Ghost rider can lift up to 10 tons.Weaknesses
None known
Paraphernalia
Transportation
Motorcycle. While Danny was Ghost Rider, his motorcycle transformed with hellfire wheels and could travel across water or up walls, and can be commanded remotely.Weapons
Ghost Rider's Chain, which had a variety of mystical abilities, and which responded to Ghost Rider's mental commands.
Notes
- The American band Suicide wrote a song in tribute to the Ghost Rider character. It has since been covered by several bands.[1] Vocalist Alan Vega has also gone on to say that the name Suicide was inspired by the Ghost Rider comic book titled Satan Suicide, a favorite of his.
Links
- Appearances of Daniel Ketch (Earth-616)
- Character Gallery: Daniel Ketch (Earth-616)
- Images that feature Daniel Ketch (Earth-616)
- Fan-Art Gallery: Daniel Ketch (Earth-616)
- Quotations by Daniel Ketch (Earth-616)
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