Warning: contains spoilers for Spirits of Vengeance: Spirit Rider #1!
In Doctor Strange. Spirits of Vengeance: Spirit Rider #1 brings back Kushala, an Apache who is not only a Sorcerer Supreme but a being that contains a spirit of vengeance like Johnny Blaze's Ghost Rider. Now, she needs to help Blaze defeat his inner demons.
Kushala was first introduced in Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme #1 in 2016. After that, she made an appearance in Marvel's King in Black event. She used to go by the name of Demon Rider but has since changed it to Spirit Rider. Her first adventure with Doctor Strange pulled her from the 1800s and into the present day, where she has been stranded in time. She may be appearing more frequently in the near future as Marvel explores her legacy and abilities.
Spirits of Vengeance: Spirit Rider #1 has the creative team of Taboo, B. Earl, Paul Davidson, Jeffrey Veregge, Dan Brown, and Vc Joe Caramagna. In this issue, Johnny Blaze has had his spirit of vengeance "corrupted", leading Doctor Strange to enlist the help of Kushala to find the source of his trouble. It introduces an ability that Kushala has never demonstrated in comics before that makes Doctor Strange's astral projection look positively amateurish by comparison.
To find the core of Johnny's problems, Kushala must enter his spirit. Typically something like this would require a sorcerer to use the Astral Plane and astral project themselves. This then splits a sorcerer into two halves and requires extreme concentration of the mind. The outer world can also affect the soul based on external stimuli (as seen in the MCU film, Doctor Strange). To a certain extent, these factors don't affect Kushala. She doesn't have to use astral projection to address Johnny's problem - this Sorcerer Supreme can move her entire physical form into him, not just her soul.
In of projection, this makes Kushala's form stronger than Doctor Strange's. This issue shows her strength over his, particularly where a spirit of vengeance is concerned. Like Johnny, she is also connected to a demon, which is similar to Johnny's. She's the only one who could understand not just the connection, but know how to sever it and cleanse the Blaze from the corruption - saving him. Though Strange promises to stand by, ready to use his magic in case of an emergency, Kushala knows Doctor Strange being there is a formality and all he will be able to do is observe. Outward signs of problems mean that things have gone too far inside of Johnny. Ultimately, Doctor Strange is useless after separating Johnny's conscious from his spirit and transporting them to Arizona for a stronger connection to occur.
To move around and fight in the astral plane takes large amounts of concentration. The mind has to keep the two halves of the body separate, while both still function. In Kushala's case, she can use her entire being to fight whatever threats she comes up against. suring Doctor Strange in some regards.
