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In comics, as in most such media (like film and television) "created" is a VERY contentious word. The Image boys got into the habit of using "create" as an active verb, as if it was an ongoing process, for instance. But in reality, an actual CREATION is a finite act, and usually something very specific. Consider Jack Kirby's contention that he created Spider-Man. Yes -- A Spider-Man. But not THE Spider-Man. Not the one that saw print.

I have joked about how I created Venom, using this as a good illustration of how the process most often works in comics.

When I was working on IRON FIST, Chris Claremont had it in mind that the citizens of K'Un L'Un were space travelers, and with that in mind I one day suggested that Danny's costume, which was so often getting torn up and seen to be fine again not long after, was made from an organic space suit material, which actually HEALED rather than needing to be repaired. Chris and I did not get around to using that bit, but years later Roger Stern, remembering my having told him about it, asked me if he could use it for Spider-Man's alien costume. I said sure. The costume became a symbiote, into which Todd McFarlane stuck a big mouth with fangs and a sloppy tongue. See? I created Venom!

Does this make it a hu-uge coinidink then that two unrelated Ghost Riders wound up at Marvel? Not if Marvel bought Friedrich's with the idea of tying the two together at some point.

Not that I can say for certain either way, or care to take sides, but the argument can be made.

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If Freidrich could absolutely prove he had no knowledge whatsoever of the previous Ghost Rider, and walked into Marvel one day with a new character he had created from the whole cloth, he might have a case.

But aside from that being impossible to prove, I would find it impossible to believe!