Grim Ghost

Grim Ghost
The Grim Ghost #2 (March 1975). Cover art by Ernie Colón.
Publication information
Publisher	Atlas/Seaboard Comics; Ardden Entertainment
First appearance	The Grim Ghost #1 (Jan. 1975)
Created by	Michael Fleisher
In-story information
Alter ego	Matthew Dunsinane

The Grim Ghost is a fictional character, a superhero created by writer Michael Fleisher and artist Ernie Colón that debuted in The Grim Ghost #1 (cover-dated Jan. 1975) from Atlas/Seaboard Comics. The series lasted three issues before the company went out of business in January 1976. A new ongoing series published by a revival of Atlas Comics in association with Ardden Entertainment, debuted in 2010.

Atlas/Seaboard Comics' The Grim Ghost ran three issues (cover-dated Jan.-July 1975. Writer co-creator Michael Fleisher scripted the first two issues, and Tony Isabella the third. Artist co-creator Ernie Colón drew all three. A new ongoing series, published by a revival of Atlas Comics in association with Ardden Entertainment, debuted with a #0 preview (Oct. 2010) before issue #1 (March 2011). The new series' trademarked cover logo is The Grim Ghost while its copyrighted title given in the postal indicia is simply Grim Ghost.

In Colonial America, silversmith Matthew Dunsinane was secretly the masked highwayman known as the Grim Ghost and was quite successful at his criminal trade until the dashing rogue was finally betrayed by a woman and captured in 1743. After he was hanged, his soul went to Hell where Satan gave him a choice: either suffer for his crimes forever or become an agent of Satan's on Earth to bring evil souls to Hell. Returning to Earth in the 20th century (where longer lifespans were keeping the wicked from going to Hell long past when they were due), he became the Grim Ghost in form as well as name, now riding a flying black horse and firing spectral pistols whose "bullets" transported still-living murderers and thieves down to the flames of Perdition while posing as a living descendant of himself who resided in the house he had owned over two centuries before. His greatest mission was to capture the demon Brimstone who wanted to overthrow Satan and rule Hell in his place. In order to do this, Satan forced Matthew to work with Lady Sarah Braddock, the woman who originally set him up to get caught and hanged.