Sold his Soul for a Bike
As Ghost Rider, Johnny was forced to do Mephisto's bidding, transforming into Ghost Rider whenever evil was present and punishing evildoers. Sometimes, though, Johnny?s human inner self would prevail, allowing him to save innocent lives in the process.
Ghost Rider became a founding member of the super-team the Champions alongside Angel, Iceman, Black Widow, and Hercules. He also worked alongside similarly macabre anti-heroes like Werewolf by Night, Daimon Hellstrom, Morbius and Man-Thing.
After a long period existing with the curse of the Ghost Rider, Johnny found his soul captured in crystal by immortal mystic and servant of Mephisto, Centurious. Zarathos shattered the crystal with the last of its strength, freeing Johnny's soul and dissolving their bond, and allowing Johnny to live a normal life again.
Johnny continued to wander the earth, helping innocent lives wherever he could. With his curse gone and reunited with his only love, Johnny decided to propose to Roxanne. She accepted, and they were married and had two children, Craig and Emma. They even acquired a circus?though, befitting Blaze's life, it was haunted with many supernatural beings.
Eventually, Johnny encountered the next Ghost Rider, Danny Ketch. His first thought was that Zarathos had merged with a new host, and horrified, Johnny tried to kill Danny. By the end of their skirmish, Johnny learned that Danny was Ghost Rider in a different manner than had been, and the two become allies. This occurred in the nick of time, as it took the both of them to overcome the menace of Blackout.
Johnny and Danny then formed a duo dubbed the Spirits of Vengeance. Though still human, Johnny took to carrying a mystical shotgun filled with hellfire shells and loved to ride a blazing motorcycle, not unlike the one he used as Ghost Rider. More importantly, he learned that Danny was, in fact, his biological brother.
When Roxanne was killed by the demon Hellgate and their children kidnapped, a devastated Blaze took it upon himself to hunt down and destroy all those responsible. He found his children, only to lose them again. They later died under unknown circumstances. Meanwhile, Roxanne was resurrected as the being called the Black Rose by Ghost Rider's nemesis, Blackheart; although, she perished quickly again.
Not one to stay down for long, Zarathos resurrected himself within Johnny, and Blaze was the Ghost Rider once more. This new incarnation was initially mindless and savage, and this weakness allowed demons to capture him and drag him to hell, finally fulfilling the promise he made to Mephisto.
The angel Malachi appeared to Johnny in hell and offered him escape, with his soul included, if he'd hunt down a demon named Kazann. He had to get to Kazaan before the archangel Ruth, who would devastate the Earth should she find Kazaan first.
It was all a trick, though, as Kazaan and Malachi were brothers conspiring with each other across heaven and hell, and Malachi wanted Kazaan back before he could tell Ruth about this conspiracy under duress.
Johnny finally escaped from hell. Unfortunately, Lucifer escaped with him and spread in fragments between hundreds of people, all of whom had to die by Ghost Rider's hand to return the devil to hell.