Carter Slade is one of the earliest incarnations of Ghost Rider in Marvel Comics, originally introduced in the 1960s. Unlike the more widely known version of Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, who rides a motorcycle and is bound to the demon Zarathos, Carter Slade’s Ghost Rider is a Western-themed hero. He first appeared in Ghost Rider #1 in 1967, created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Dick Ayers.
Carter Slade was a schoolteacher in the American Old West who took on the mantle of the Ghost Rider after being mortally wounded and subsequently saved by a Native American shaman. He donned a glowing white costume, rode a white horse named Banshee, and used phosphorescent dust to create the illusion of a spectral, avenging figure. His mission was to fight injustice and protect the innocent, often facing corrupt land barons, outlaws, and other classic Western foes. At the time, the supernatural elements were more illusion than reality, unlike the later iterations of Ghost Rider who are steeped in Hellfire and demonic powers.
Over time, Carter Slade's character was retconned and his moniker changed to the Phantom Rider to avoid confusion with the flaming-skulled Ghost Rider of the 1970s. Despite this, he remains an important part of the Ghost Rider mythos. In expanded lore and alternate universes, especially in the 2007 Ghost Rider film, Carter Slade is portrayed as a former Ghost Rider who still retains some supernatural powers and serves as a mentor-like figure to Johnny Blaze, helping him embrace his destiny.
Carter Slade represents the root of the Ghost Rider legacy, tying the spirit of vengeance to the mythic landscape of the American frontier, long before motorcycles and flaming chains became iconic symbols of the character.