Meet the Hood, the Spirit of Vengeance's New Host

There's a new Ghost Rider in town! In GHOST RIDER: FINAL VENGEANCE (2024) #1, the Spirit of Vengeance selected one of the Marvel Universe's most cunning super villains as its new host—and together, they're ready to rain hellfire down on their enemies. 

Better known as the Hood, Parker Robbins will command new powers as the latest Ghost Rider. Although Robbins is no stranger to supernatural abilities, this unholy union has transformed him into even more of a threat. Heaven help anyone unfortunate enough to cross paths with him now! Here is everything you need to know about the Hood, both as a street-savvy super villain and as the most fearsome Ghost Rider yet.

WHO IS THE HOOD?

Parker Robbins was a common criminal until he crossed paths with a Nisanti demon and seemingly killed it, stealing its hood and boots before fleeing the scene. Parker discovered that wearing these ill-gotten items gave him a variety of powers, which inspired him to become the Hood. No less ambitious as the Hood as he had been pulling scores, Parker was especially influenced by his father's own history with the Kingpin and by all of the various super-powered battles he'd witnessed in New York.

Shortly after gaining his magical abilities, Parker was whisked away to another world in the cosmic miniseries BEYOND! (2006). Parker underwent his first major test as the Hood when a figure posing as the Beyonder ordered him to battle other heroes and villains to the death, and he barely survived this otherworldly adventure. When he returned to Earth, Parker decided to apply his street smarts and knowledge of organized crime to the larger super villain community.

POWERS AND ABILITIES

The Nisanti demon's gear draws power from the Norn Stones, which are mythical Asgardian relics. As such, the Hood's cloak grants him invisibility and teleportation; he can also channel its magic through his matching pistols, making them more lethal and capable of downing even the mightiest heroes and villains. The Hood's boots grant him levitation, letting him hover and literally walk on air. In brief bursts, Parker can transform into the Nisanti demon who originally owned his gear, making him significantly more formidable.

As Ghost Rider, Parker possesses many of the usual powers of a Spirit of Vengeance, from the vaunted levels of superhuman strength and endurance to the trademark fiery transformation. Parker can now imbue common objects with hellfire, including vehicles and weapons, which enhances their natural abilities and makes them magically empowered. The Ghost Rider powers make Parker an even deadlier threat for the greater Marvel Universe than he ever had been before.

THE HOOD'S FIRST APPEARANCE

Created by Brian K. Vaughan, Kyle Hotz, and Eric Powell in THE HOOD (2002) #1, Parker underwent a formative experience at a young age when he witnessed a battle between Daredevil and Electro. In the meantime, Parker's mother suffered increasingly poor health and eventually fell into a vegetative state, causing Parker to follow in his father's criminal footsteps. Though Parker initially presented himself as a crook with a code of honor, he soon proved otherwise in both his personal life and criminal ambitions.

As Parker acclimated to his upgraded abilities as the Hood, he eventually landed on the FBI's radar—and, after learning that the demon whose apparel he stole actually survived their first encounter, in the path of the vengeful monster. Following an explosive showdown, the Hood was presumed dead by the authorities.

THE HOOD'S RISE TO POWER

Initially a small-time super villain, the Hood became a major player in the wake of Wilson Fisk's conviction and subsequent incarceration. Looking to fill the void in the Marvel Universe's criminal underworld, the Hood subsequently declared himself the Kingpin equivalent for super villains. Parker led an army that significantly outnumbered the super heroes, even as a new iteration of the Avengers formed. He was even joined by Madame Masque, who became his paramour and right-hand woman.

After a failed attack on the New Avengers, the Hood and Madame Masque were approached by Norman Osborn, who had just been promoted to the head of the intelligence agency H.A.M.M.E.R. Osborn paid the two criminals to hunt down Tony Stark, who—blamed for allowing Skrulls to invade the world under his watch—had become a wanted fugitive in the wake of SECRET INVASION (2008). However, after the fall of Osborn and his allies during SIEGE (2010), the Hood was among the super villains defeated by the assembled heroes. He was imprisoned for his crimes.

THE HOOD AND GHOST RIDER

In the aftermath of SIEGE (2010), Parker lost the Norn Stone-empowered items that granted him powers. Though he attempted to reclaim them on numerous occasions, he was defeated by heroes again and again. 

Meanwhile, Zarathos—the divine figure who gave Johnny Blaze the Spirit of Vengeance—grew influenced by the demonic Mephisto to find a new host. As a result, Johnny lost the Spirit of Vengeance, and the deadly entity began scouring the Earth for a new host worthy of its fearsome power.

This search ended in GHOST RIDER: FINAL VENGEANCE (2024) #1 by Benjamin Percy and Danny Kim, when Parker carried out a ritual to attract Zarathos' attention. Zarathos sensed Parker's lack of empathy and nonexistent moral compass and felt this made the Hood the perfect host for the Spirit of Vengeance. 

Zarathos bonded the entity to Parker, physically transforming him. Fiery and skeletal, Parker now channels a far different kind of energy through his hood and pistols—and he is ready to unleash the hellish potential of Ghost Rider on an unsuspecting Marvel Universe.

Witness the rise of a new Ghost Rider in GHOST RIDER: FINAL VENGEANCE #1, on sale now!

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