Roxanne Simpson

Roxanne Simpson is a fictional supporting character of the Marvel Comics superhero Johnny Blaze also known as Ghost Rider.

Comics

With his mother having abandoned him and his father dead, Johnny Blaze was taken in by Crash Simpson and his family. As a child, he was friends with Roxanne Simpson, Crash's daughter. She eventually became his girlfriend. After Blaze made a deal with the Devil to cure Crash Simpson's cancer, Satan/Mephisto came to claim Blaze's soul. But Roxanne arrived on the scene, and using a combination of her pure soul and some mystic incantations she had learned by reading Blaze's occult books behind his back, she was able to drive the devil away for a time. Much of Ghost Rider's early adventures were centered around the devil attempting to get Roxanne to recind her protection of Blaze.

Eventually, Roxanne had temporary amnesia and forgot who Blaze was. Blaze, convinced Roxanne had abandoned him, went off on his own. After several adventures, Roxanne and Blaze were reunited, and after Blaze was cured of being the Ghost Rider the two married and had two children. While Roxanne and Blaze were visiting Blaze's long lost brother, Dan Ketch, a villain named Hellgate suppossedly killed Roxanne and her two children (though the children later turned out to be alive and working with the Wendigo). A demon named Black Rose (a servant of Blackheart) later claimed to be Roxanne Simpson.

Other Media

Film

In the 2007 film "Ghost Rider", Roxanne Simpson was played by Eva Mendes. Raquel Alessi played the younger version of the character.

On one occasion, Roxanne went with her father to watch a performance by Johnny Blaze and his father Barton. After the show, Roxanne meets Johnny and tells him that her father is sending her to live with her mother, her father considering Johnny to be a bad influence.

The death of Barton Blaze, the result of a coerced deal between Johnny and Mephistopheles, makes Johnny fear that he may harm Roxanne, and so he puts distance between them.

Many years later, Roxanne, now an adult in her mid thirties, is now a reporter. In Johnny's stunt show, she meets him and interviews him. When the show starts, Roxanne refuses to watch Johnny's jump. When she is followed by Johnny, she tries to lose him but fails. Upon catching her, Johnny tells her to go out for dinner. Roxanne accepts, only if Johnny isn't late. When Johnny Blaze becomes the Ghost Rider, he begins to fight evil, so he forgets to meet Roxanne for dinner. The next day, she interviews a woman telling her about the incident on the previous night. The woman tells Roxanne that she was saved by a man whose face was a skull and was on fire. Later, she goes to Johnny's house to ask him why he was late. Johnny tells her the story of him making a deal with Mephistopheles and how he is forced to work for him at night. Roxanne doesn't believe him about the story. After Johnny Blaze transforms into the Ghost Rider and is pursued by the police force, Roxanne sees his new appearance and realizes that he was telling the truth. Johnny notices her, but, after being shot at, he takes off without a word. The next night, Blackheart, Mephistopheles' son, weakens Roxane with his power and kidnaps her in an attempt to bring the contract of San Veganza that the original Ghost Rider, Carter Slade, has to him. In Blackheart's hideout, Roxanne is released and tells Johnny to get up, who wants her to leave while he deals with Blackheart. When Johnny is almost defeated, Roxanne manages to use a shotgun given to Johnny by Carter Slade to help him. After Blackheart is defeated, Roxanne is surprised with his appearance. When Johnny replies "monster..." as he was ashamed of his appearance, she tells him she is "not afraid." When she touches him as the Ghost Rider, Johnny reverts back to normal. After Johnny decides to keep his curse, he and Roxanne return to the place they met as teenagers to say goodbye since Johnny has now accepted his fate as the Ghost Rider.

Video Games

* Roxanne Simpson appeared in the "Ghost Rider" video game voiced by Peggy O'Neal.