'Incredible Hulk' Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson on 'Hellhunters' and All Things Horror in the Marvel Universe

In the pages of his terrifying run of INCREDIBLE HULK, writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson introduced fans to Sergeant Sal Romero, AKA Ghost Rider '44! During World War II, this Spirit of Vengeance raised hell on the battlefield alongside iconic Marvel heroes such as Wolverine, Nick Fury, Peggy Carter, and of course, Bucky Barnes.

Phillip Kennedy Johnson recently teamed up with artist Adam Gorham to tell Ghost Rider '44's origin story in HELLHUNTERS. Returning to the frontlines of World War II, this 5-issue limited series uncovers the forgotten story of the bad-ass Nazi-hunting band of heroes led by Ghost Rider '44. In light of the first issue's release, series writer Kennedy Johnson spoke at length about HELLHUNTERS and the wider genre of horror as it pertains to the Marvel Universe.

Marvel: What’s it like to put a new spin on a classic character like Ghost Rider? 

Kennedy Johnson: Ghost Rider is one of Marvel’s many timeless characters that you can insert into almost any setting or time period, and WWII felt like a perfect place for a never-before-seen Ghost Rider to emerge.

Not only was it a war in which one side is literally facing the forces of evil… not only are there opportunities aplenty for stories of injustice and righteous vengeance… not only were some of Marvel’s toughest, most gritty, hardened, merciless characters present in the European Theater during that time… we’ve also got one of the most bad-ass motorcycles in history with the 1942 Harley-Davidson WLA. The Hellhunters are a team like no other, one that belongs together, and Ghost Rider is the cornerstone of the whole brutal roster. 

Marvel: What’s it like to spend so much time in a darker, more horror-oriented corner of the Marvel Universe?

Kennedy Johnson: So many of my current books have a creepy or horrific bent to them, part of me worries that audiences will start to pigeonhole me as just “the horror guy.” But honestly, I’m having such an amazing time, another part of me doesn’t even care about that. I’ve always thought the comics medium lends itself extremely well to horror, and getting to prove that using some of the most beloved characters in comics has been a dream come true. Much more to come, I promise.

Marvel: What sets HELLHUNTERS apart from your other Marvel work?

Kennedy Johnson: With all the other series I’ve written for Marvel, if I hadn’t written them, someone else would have. HELLHUNTERS is my first Marvel series that wouldn’t exist without me, and my burning, unhealthy need to tell this particular story with these particular characters. Fighting Nazis is always in season, but this feels like an unusually great time for it, and this creative team is exactly the team to do it.

In addition to a first look at Gorham's artwork for HELLHUNTERS (2024) #2, which stars none other than Wolverine himself, check out some pages from inside the first issue below. Be sure to pick up HELLHUNTERS (2024) #1 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Adam Gorham, available now!

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