Warning: contains spoilers for Fantastic Four Annual #1!A no-holds-barred fight between the Fantastic Four's Ghost Rider just definitively settled who's Marvel's ultimate fiery hero. While the winner of their battle is settled by who fights smarter, surprisingly there's no disagreement between the two heroes as to who is packing more raw power.
Zac Gorman and Alan Robinson's Fantastic Four Annual #1 sees Ghost Rider and Human Torch pulled into Agatha Harkness' Contest of Chaos, where heroes are being magically forced to fight each other. With their usual resistance to hurting fellow heroes dampened by magic, there have been some brutal bouts, and Ghost Rider immediately comes out swinging. While Human Torch does his best to compete against the Spirit of Vengeance, he willingly its he's at a disadvantage, saying, "There's no way I can beat you in a fair fight!"
Human Torch its He Can't Match Ghost Rider's Power
The ission is somewhat surprising, as Human Torch is no slouch when it comes to ego, and is a major powerhouse. At his strongest, Human Torch's nova flame reaches the same temperatures as a nuclear blast, and he is immune to normal forms of fire. However, thanks to this mystic origin, Ghost Rider is one of the single most powerful beings in the known universe, to the point where Reed Richards has theorized he could kill the Hulk without breaking a sweat. Usually, this power is tempered by only being used against true evil, but Agatha's magic manages to blur the lines enough that when Human Torch asks Ghost Rider what he's seeking vengeance for by attacking, the antihero can only reply, "Everything!"
Human Torch vs Ghost Rider Gets a Definitive Answer
Human Torch and Ghost Rider have an unusual history, with the Rider actually replacing Johnny on the short-lived New Fantastic Four, alongside Spider-Man, the Hulk, and Wolverine. Johnny has shown an aggressive attitude to his 'replacements' in the past - loathing Iceman for the brief time he stepped in to help the team - but is still willing to recognize when he's outmatched by a being who has humbled gods and devils alike.
Ultimately, Human Torch scores a surprising win by hurling the Ghost Rider from a moving train while he's distracted, satisfying Agatha Harkness' conditions for victory, and entering the inner circle of winners from the Contest of Chaos' bouts so far. However, even he its that in a fair fight, he has no way to win against Ghost Rider, and even the Human Torch would eventually find himself burned to a crisp by the Spirit of Vengeance.
Fantastic Four Annual #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.
