Marvel December "Knullified" variants include a new Ghost Rider title

Several Marvel Comics titles are getting 'Knullified' this December with variant covers in which popular Marvel characters are depicted under the influence of Knull, the dark god of the Symbiotes, who arrives on Earth in King in Black.

Interestingly, among the ten titles shown to be receiving Knullified variants is what appears to be a previously unsolicited Ghost Rider title called Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance.

Though it's entirely possible this is a brand new title that will arrive in December, it seems likely it could be a repackaged version of Ghost Rider Annual #1, which was solicited prior to COVID-19 shutting down the direct comic book market.

Ghost Rider Annual #1 was announced in March for a planned June release and was billed as bringing back the character Vengeance. However, the annual has not been solicited, and the ongoing Ghost Rider title it was attached to has since been cancelled. Could Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance feature the Ed Brisson and Howard Mackie-written and Javier Saltares drawn story that would initially have been included in that annual?

"These chaotic versions of heroes like Captain America, Thor, and Storm reveal just what happens when Knull's overwhelming darkness overcomes the Marvel Universe as we know it," reads Marvel's reveal of the Knullified variant covers.

"You can see some of these glorious covers now featuring an all-star lineup of amazing artists including Skan, Ken Lashley, Taurin Clark, Iban Coello, and more!" it continues. "Be on the lookout for more Knullified variant covers coming your way and brace yourself for Knull's impact this December in King in Black!"

Here are the ten December titles planned to receive Knullified variant covers:

Black Cat #1 by Taurin Clark
Black Widow #4 by Skan
Captain America #26 by Julian Totino Tedesco
Captain Marvel #24 by Tradd Moore
Conan the Barbarian #17 by E.M. Gist
Fantastic Four #27 by Juan Ferreyra
Ghost Rider: Return of Vengeance #1 by Kyle Hotz
Thor #10 by Ken Lashley
Venom #31 by Francisco Herrera
X-Men #16 by Iban Coello

King in Black kicks off in December. Here's a gallery of the Knullified variants arriving that same month.

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I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011, and now I'm the Entertainment Writer at GamesRadar+. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)