Ghost Rider (John Blaze) - Marvel.com

Ghost Rider is a fictional character, a superhero who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western comics hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.

Ownership contention

On April 4, 2007, Friedrich filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court - Southern District of Illinois against Marvel Enterprises, Sony Pictures, Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures, Relativity Media, Crystal Sky Pictures, Michael DeLuca Productions, Hasbro and Take-Two Interactive, alleging his copyrights to the Ghost Rider character have been exploited and utilized in a "joint venture and conspiracy". The lawsuit states that the film rights and merchandising reverted from Marvel to him in 2001.[8] He amended the complaint on March 25, 2011.[9] The case was transferred to the federal New York State Southern District Court on February 14, 2008.[10]

The suit concluded on December 28, 2011, with Marvel prevailing on all but one count.[11] U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest ruled that Marvel Entertainment owned the character, saying Friedrich gave up any ownership claim when he signed checks containing language relinquishing all rights. She said Friedrich had also signed a 1978 agreement with Marvel relinquishing rights.[12] Marvel countersued[13][14] with the parties reaching a settlement in which Marvel dropped the suit in exchange for Friedrich paying $17,000 in damages, ceasing to sell Ghost Rider-related items of his own creation and ceasing to promote himself as the creator of the character for financial gain. Friedrich was allowed to sell his autograph on officially licensed Ghost Rider merchandise.[15]