Black Superhero: Caleb - Ghost Rider

The Ghost Rider is a being that trades their soul to the devil, in return they receive power that can be viewed as immersible to do with as they planned. While some have sold their souls for riotous reasons, most have not. The reasons Ghost Rider's have become known as The Spirit of Vengeance is because they often use their power to seek vengeance on those who have wronged them in their past lives. The story repeats itself over and over again for centuries. In recent times people have become familiar with Ghost Riders like; Danny Ketch, Johnny Blaze, Alejandra Jones and most recently Robbie Reyes the Ghost Rider is a role old as time. The role actually seems to originate back in Africa as told by Caleb. Caleb is one of the earliest Ghost Riders to be active in America at a time just after the Civil War. Caleb, who doesn't have a last name, was born a slave and worked for years under the grueling conditions. Before The Civil War he had bought freedom for himself as well as his family. They set up a small farm near an abandoned cave where they lived peacefully.


During the war Caleb came across Travis Parham who had been a Confederate Seargent. Travis was injured and expected Caleb to kill him in retaliation for the actions of the Confederacy during the war. Instead he was surprised by the kindness of Caleb. Travis was taken to Caleb's home where he was nursed back to health by Caleb and his family. They didn't force Travis to leave when he had healed either. Instead they welcomed him as a member of their own family where he stayed with them for two years working on the farm and living in their home.

During his time on the farm Travis found the cave. As he went further inside he began to suffer vivid hallucinations of Hell and flames. At the back o the cave he discovered three glowing skulls that seemed to be calling him into Hell. He was quickly snatched back to reality when Caleb dragged him from the cave. Caleb explained to Travis that the skulls were a tribute to the Spirit of Vengeance from his home in Africa. He warned Travis that he should never go back to that cave or his life could be in danger. When the war finished Travis left to become his own man.

Travis returned to the farm two years later to see what had become of his adopted family. What he learned is that two racist brothers had moved into the home. When asking about Caleb they attacked him and he killed one before torturing the other to get answers. He learned that the day after he left Caleb and his family were tortured and murdered in front of him by seven riders of the KKK before they finally murdered Caleb. Travis killed the other brother and set off looking to avenge the family.

However, Caleb's story was not that simple. He didn't die. He survived on hate and dragged himself to the cave. There he bargained with the Spirit of Vengeance. He gave his soul so that he could return and seek vengeance for his family and other wronged by racists. He was healed and gifted with the powers of a Ghost Rider to complete his goal.

Caleb and Travis crossed paths several times. Travis would be murdering members of the KKK only to have Ghost Rider appear and completely obliterate them with ease. Travis didn't recognize Caleb but he also didn't fear the Ghost Rider because he felt as if it was related to Caleb's ancestors. Their final meeting came in a shanty town known as Pike's Reach.

Caleb and Travis had both tracked the remaining murderers of Caleb's family to that location. Pike's Reach was a small shanty town of black people, mostly former slaves, who were attempting to reach California for a better life. When Travis arrived the town was filled with a red mist. He found a man's decapitated head that explained five members of the KKK had come through on horses and murdered everyone. Travis shoots the head at it's request and ends the suffering. He tracks the riders to a small inn where they were attempting to force prostitutes into sex. 

When Travis arrived he came in the middle if a blood bath. Caleb had already arrived and getting his revenge in the most brutal way possible. Travis was shocked to learn that Caleb was the Ghost Rider and had been seeking revenge for years. Caleb then burned the town shocking Travis. Only for Caleb to explain that he wasn't the first Ghost Rider to do this, nor will he be the last and that's it is a necessary evil. Caleb rides off and becomes a legend to the cowboys with nobody ever really knowing if there's a Ghost Rider killing KKK members or not.

However decades later Caleb would return. When the fallen angel Zadkiel sought to rule Heaven, Ghost Rider's through time were united to stop her. When they managed to stop her Caleb and the others went their separate ways knowing that they could all be counted on to do the right thing, not just seek Vengeance.

Powers, abilities and equipment

• Flaming horse
• Super strength
• Control of Hellfire
• Expert control of steel chain

You can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts. He also plays classic arcade games on The Cabinet. You can also check out his playthrough of Sleeping Dogs or Skyrim
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