The initial Atlas series ran eight issues, from 1956 to 1957, and featured artists including Gene Colan, Reed Crandall, Joe Maneely, John Severin, Alex Toth, Al Williamson, and Wally Wood, with many stories written by Stan Lee.

It premiered with issue #20 (cover-dated June 1956), taking over the numbering of a previous Atlas series, Apache Kid, the star of which did not go on to appear in the revamped book.

[2] The premiere issue featured a 10-page Ghost Rider story by the character's 1960s team of writer Gary Friedrich and penciler Dick Ayers, and introduced three new features: In issue #6, Marvel's original Western Ghost Rider, Carter Slade, was killed saving his brother Lincoln, a U.S. marshal.

In the following issue, his place was taken by his young friend and sidekick, Jaime Jacobs, who was almost immediately killed in action.

[2] Herb Trimpe penciled most of the initial seven issues' covers, with Ayers supplying two and John Severin one.