Comics & Brews Episode #34 – The Drunk History of Cosmic Ghost Rider
What happens when The Punisher becomes Ghost Rider, accepts the Power Cosmic from Galactus, serves King Thanos at the end of the universe, fights Silver Surfer wielding Mjolnir, and then decides to raise Baby Thanos?
Somehow… Marvel made it work.
When Cosmic Ghost Rider exploded onto comic shop shelves in 2018, fans didn’t know whether they were looking at the greatest new Marvel character in years or the strangest fever dream ever published. The answer, as it turns out, was both.
Created by writer Donny Cates (my favorite!) and artist Geoff Shaw, Cosmic Ghost Rider quickly became one of Marvel’s most popular modern characters. He combines the relentless determination of Frank Castle, the supernatural power of Ghost Rider, and the limitless abilities granted by Galactus’ Power Cosmic into one absolutely overpowered—and surprisingly tragic—antihero. Literally everything you could want in a comic book character. Absolutely crazy that he was only introduced 8 years ago.
In Episode #34 of Comics & Brews, we cracked open some craft beer and explored every chapter of his unbelievable story. If you’d rather read than watch, grab your favorite beverage and settle in. We’re diving into the complete history of Cosmic Ghost Rider. But if you’r rather watch … be sure to hit that play button below to watch the full episode of Comics & Brews!
Watch the Full Episode
First. Beers of the Episode!
Lyric Brewing in Collaboration with Brasserie du Bas-Canada — Colours on the Streets
Taz rated this one 4.75 out of 5.
Before we even hit the record button, we warmed things up with Colours On the Street from Lyric Brewing Company—and somehow it managed to stick around just long enough to kick off the episode before the glasses finally ran dry. This 10% Triple New England Hazy IPA is absolutely loaded with Citra, Citra Cryo, Citra Dynaboost, and Nelson Sauvin hops, delivering huge waves of juicy citrus, tropical fruit, white grape, ripe tangerine, and subtle notes of guava. Despite the hefty ABV, it drinks incredibly smooth with a pillowy mouthfeel and just enough hop bite on the finish to remind you that this beer means business.
Honestly, it couldn’t have been a better warm-up for an episode about Cosmic Ghost Rider. Just like Frank Castle after being infused with the Power Cosmic, this beer is bold, overpowered, and impossible to ignore. It comes in swinging with massive flavor, never lets off the gas, and leaves a lasting impression long after the last sip. By the time we finished it and officially kicked off the podcast, we were more than ready to dive headfirst into one of the wildest stories Marvel has ever published.
Parish Brewing (Broussard, Louisiana) – Actias Prime
With our warm-up beer officially in the rearview mirror, it was time to crack open the beer that carried us through the episode: Actias Prime from Parish Brewing Co. This 9.6% Triple New England IPA is brewed with Strata and Strata CGX Nuvo hops, utilizing flash-frozen whole-cone hops to capture every ounce of fresh hop character at peak intensity. The result is a hazy powerhouse bursting with passion fruit, citrus, grapefruit, tropical fruit, and layers of dank resin, all wrapped up in an incredibly soft, creamy mouthfeel that hides its nearly 10% ABV far better than it has any right to.
There really couldn’t have been a more fitting beer to accompany the story of Cosmic Ghost Rider. Bold, explosive, and overflowing with flavor, Actias Prime hits like Frank Castle after being infused with Ghost Rider’s hellfire and the Power Cosmic. Every sip feels bigger than the last, constantly revealing new layers while never losing its intensity. Just like Cosmic Ghost Rider himself, this isn’t a beer that believes in moderation—it’s loud, overpowered, unforgettable, and leaves you wondering how something this wild can be so incredibly smooth. Sadly I took 0 photos of the rest of these because we crushed these magical beverages at around 12 o’clock for a little lunch especialllll and I wasn’t going to rip em mid episode. So sadly I won’t be able to log these on thy Untapped but you can see them in the vid that’s for sure!
The Veil Brewing (Richmond, Virginia) – We Ded Mon
One beer stood above the rest for me during this episode, and that honor went to We Ded Mon from The Veil Brewing Co. This legendary 11% Triple New England IPA is the final evolution of The Veil’s renowned “Broz” series, showcasing everything fans have come to love about the brewery’s hop-forward creations. Brewed with 100% Citra hops, it bursts with vibrant notes of grapefruit, ripe orange, pineapple, passion fruit, cantaloupe, and juicy tropical citrus, all wrapped in an incredibly soft, pillowy mouthfeel. Despite its hefty 11% ABV, it drinks with remarkable smoothness, making it one of those deceptively dangerous Triple IPAs that keeps you reaching for another sip. It’s wild that this 11 percenter brings a sweetness unlike no other. Not an overbearing sweetness … Just the perfect zest that makes you go Hoooyaa!
If there was ever a beer worthy of pairing with Cosmic Ghost Rider, this is it. Bold, explosive, and absolutely overflowing with character, We Ded Mon feels like it was infused with the Power Cosmic itself. Every sip brings another wave of juicy hop flavor, balancing massive intensity with incredible drinkability. Out of every beer we enjoyed during this episode, this one earned the title of Taz’s favorite, delivering the kind of unforgettable experience that perfectly matched one of Marvel’s most over-the-top characters.
Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) – Fertile Green
One of the coolest pairings of the episode came courtesy of Fertile Green from Jester King Brewery. This 8% Hazy Double IPA is brewed with Freestyle Waimea on the hot side before being dry hopped with Krush, Nelson, Peacharine, and Peacharine hop kief, creating an incredibly soft, pillowy haze packed with bright tropical character. Expect waves of juicy pineapple and mango up front that transition into lush peach nectar and passion fruit, with just enough dank hop character to keep everything beautifully balanced.
As incredible as the beer was, what immediately caught our attention was the can artwork. Before we even cracked it open, we both looked at each other and laughed because it felt like it was made for this episode. Featuring a motorcycle rider blasting through space, the artwork couldn’t have been a more perfect visual companion to Cosmic Ghost Rider. It instantly brought to mind Frank Castle tearing across the cosmos on his hellfire-fueled bike, making this one of those rare pairings where the beer, the artwork, and the comic all complemented each other perfectly. Sometimes you choose a beer because of its flavor, and sometimes the can art is simply too perfect to pass up. In this case, we got the best of both worlds. Plus just another absolutely tits supreme beer.
Back to Comics!
The First Appearance of Cosmic Ghost Rider
Cosmic Ghost Rider made his debut in Thanos #13 during the critically acclaimed Thanos Wins storyline.
Marvel intentionally kept his identity a mystery.
Readers were introduced to a flaming skeletal warrior wearing Punisher-inspired armor, riding a cosmic motorcycle through space, wrapped in glowing chains and serving the elderly King Thanos at the end of time.
Immediately, comic fans started asking the same question:
Who in the world is this guy?
The design alone looked like someone had taken Ghost Rider, The Punisher, Silver Surfer, heavy metal album artwork, Mad Max, and a gallon of gasoline before lighting everything on fire.
Only later would Marvel reveal the truth.
This wasn’t an alternate Ghost Rider.
It wasn’t another Spirit of Vengeance.
It was Frank Castle.
The Punisher Survives the End of the Marvel Universe
The complete origin is revealed in Thanos #16.
In the future timeline of Thanos Wins, civilization has collapsed.
Heroes have fallen.
Villains have conquered Earth.
The Avengers are dead.
Humanity is nearly extinct.
Yet one man refuses to stop fighting.
Frank Castle continues his endless war against criminals long after there is almost nothing left worth saving.
That determination has always defined Frank. It doesn’t matter if he’s winning or losing—he simply refuses to quit.
Eventually, however, even Frank Castle dies.
Or at least he tries to.
Frank Castle Becomes Ghost Rider
Death doesn’t last long in comic books.
After Frank’s death, Mephisto offers him the same bargain that created Ghost Rider.
Serve Hell.
Become the Spirit of Vengeance.
Punish sinners forever.
Unlike Johnny Blaze, Frank doesn’t hesitate.
To him, eternal war against evil isn’t a curse.
It’s a promotion.
Frank embraces the Ghost Rider mantle without the moral conflict that defined previous Riders. Where Johnny Blaze questioned the burden, Frank sees only another mission.
But this is only the beginning.
Galactus Chooses the Most Unlikely Herald
As Thanos conquers the universe, even Galactus eventually falls.
Before his defeat, however, the Devourer of Worlds chooses one final Herald.
Frank Castle.
Unlike previous Heralds such as the Silver Surfer, Nova, or Air-Walker, Galactus doesn’t choose Frank because of compassion, honor, or sacrifice.
He chooses him because Frank Castle simply never stops.
Persistence is his superpower.
Galactus grants Frank the Power Cosmic, merging it with Ghost Rider’s hellfire.
The result is unlike anything Marvel had ever created.
His chains become cosmic weapons.
His hellfire burns with celestial energy.
His motorcycle crosses galaxies.
His already incredible durability becomes nearly impossible to overcome.
Suddenly Frank Castle possesses:
- Ghost Rider’s supernatural abilities
- Hellfire manipulation
- The Penance Stare
- Near-instant regeneration
- The Power Cosmic
- Energy manipulation
- Matter manipulation
- Cosmic awareness
- Faster-than-light travel
It’s one of the most absurd power sets Marvel has ever assembled.
Why Frank Castle Was the Perfect—and Worst—Herald
One of the most fascinating aspects of Cosmic Ghost Rider is how differently Frank serves Galactus compared to the Silver Surfer.
Silver Surfer constantly struggled with guilt.
Frank rarely did.
Throughout his life, Frank Castle convinced himself that the ends justified the means.
When serving Galactus, that mindset becomes incredibly dangerous.
Entire civilizations become statistics.
Worlds become missions.
Frank gains unlimited power but never heals emotionally.
No matter how cosmic his abilities become, underneath the flames remains the same broken soldier who watched his family die.
The Legendary Battle Against Silver Surfer
Perhaps the greatest sequence in the Thanos Wins storyline occurs across Thanos #17 and Thanos #18.
Silver Surfer returns.
Only this isn’t the Silver Surfer readers remember.
After decades fighting a hopeless war against King Thanos, he has become older, battle-scarred, and far more dangerous.
Then Marvel reveals one of the coolest surprises in recent comic history.
Silver Surfer is wielding Mjolnir.
Think about that for a second.
Thor’s hammer.
The Power Cosmic.
Decades of combat experience.
One character.
The result is one of Marvel’s most visually spectacular battles as Silver Surfer, Cosmic Ghost Rider, and King Thanos unleash planet-shattering destruction across the remains of the universe.
More importantly, the battle represents three different philosophies.
King Thanos believes victory is inevitable.
Silver Surfer believes hope always survives.
Frank Castle exists somewhere between them—a man who has lived long enough to lose faith but still can’t stop fighting.
That internal conflict is what elevates Cosmic Ghost Rider beyond simply being “the coolest-looking character on the page.”
The Baby Thanos Storyline
If someone pitched the following idea without context, you’d probably assume they had consumed far too many IPAs.
Frank Castle travels back through time.
Finds Baby Thanos.
Decides not to kill him.
Instead…
He raises him.
That is the premise behind Cosmic Ghost Rider #1 and one of the strangest Marvel stories ever published.
Initially, Frank believes he can prevent billions of deaths by giving young Thanos the guidance he never received.
There’s only one problem.
Frank Castle doesn’t understand love anymore.
He teaches discipline.
Violence.
Weapons.
Punishment.
Strategy.
Instead of preventing the Mad Titan…
Frank accidentally creates an even more dangerous version.
This new Thanos isn’t simply powerful.
He’s trained by Marvel’s greatest soldier.
The story ultimately becomes less about saving Thanos and more about Frank confronting his own failures.
He wasn’t trying to save the universe.
He was trying to save himself.
It’s surprisingly emotional beneath all the ridiculousness.
Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History
After the success of his solo series, Marvel doubled down with Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History #1.
This series embraces complete chaos.
Frank travels through Marvel history, accidentally interfering with iconic comic book moments and creating hilarious alternate versions of famous events.
The tone becomes much more comedic, but it perfectly fits a character who has long since stopped caring about normal comic book rules.
Few Marvel characters can convincingly move between epic cosmic tragedy and outrageous comedy.
Cosmic Ghost Rider somehow manages both.
Essential Cosmic Ghost Rider Comics for Collectors
If you’re looking to collect the character’s biggest appearances, these books belong at the top of your wishlist.
Essential Keys
- Thanos #13 — First appearance of Cosmic Ghost Rider and King Thanos.
- Thanos #16 — Complete origin of Cosmic Ghost Rider.
- Thanos #17 — Silver Surfer’s incredible return.
- Thanos #18 — Epic conclusion to Thanos Wins.
- Cosmic Ghost Rider #1 — The beginning of the Baby Thanos saga.
- Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroys Marvel History #1 — Pure time-travel insanity.
- Revenge of the Cosmic Ghost Rider #1 — Continues Frank Castle’s cosmic journey.
Many of these books remain affordable compared to other modern Marvel keys, making them excellent additions for collectors who enjoy cosmic stories, Donny Cates’ writing, or first appearances with long-term potential.
Why Cosmic Ghost Rider Became an Instant Marvel Classic
On paper, Cosmic Ghost Rider should never have worked.
The Punisher.
Ghost Rider.
Galactus.
Time travel.
Baby Thanos.
It sounds completely ridiculous.
Yet beneath the flames, overpowered abilities, and outrageous humor lies one of Marvel’s most tragic modern characters.
Frank Castle never truly changes.
He gains unimaginable power.
Travels across galaxies.
Witnesses the death of entire civilizations.
Manipulates time itself.
Yet he never escapes the trauma that made him The Punisher in the first place.
That emotional core is what keeps readers invested.
Cosmic Ghost Rider isn’t simply one of Marvel’s strongest characters.
He’s one of its most fascinating.
This marks one of the most exciting moments in Godzilla comic history — bringing him back into the superhero world where he once caused chaos in the late 1970s.
Final Thoughts
PIf you’re a collector or just getting into Godzilla comics, here are the key books to watch for:
Godzilla X PBR • Did you collect them all?
Cosmic Ghost Rider represents everything that makes comic books special.
Wild imagination.
Epic cosmic battles.
Dark tragedy.
Ridiculous comedy.
Collector-worthy key issues.
And stories that somehow become more emotional the more outrageous they sound.
Whether you’re discovering Frank Castle’s cosmic transformation for the first time or revisiting the Thanos Wins saga years later, Cosmic Ghost Rider remains one of Marvel’s boldest creations of the modern era. Truly is one of my favorite comic book characters out there and I’m really hoping we see him in a ton more future comic series. Hopefully the return of his own solo again and why not some MCU action eh?
If you enjoyed this breakdown, be sure to watch our full Comics & Brews: The Drunk History of Cosmic Ghost Riderepisode, where we pair this unbelievable Marvel journey with great craft beer, collector insights, and plenty of laughs.
Until next time…
Keep reading great comics, support your local comic shop, drink great beer responsibly, and cheers, you beauties.
Cosmic Merch Drop?
Now we didn’t release a merch drop for this glorious character but we’re most def thinking about it. If you’d like to see it and would want to see some magical artwork on your jams be sure to let us know and we’ll fire it up!
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