Spectacular Spider-Man #255
Something Goblin This Way Comes
Trapped in burning rubble, Spider-Man thinks about all of the pain and misery he has endured over the past few days. It is easy for him to think about how his wife, Mary Jane,[1] warned him this would happen when there is a bounty on his head,[2] how he now has both the bounty hunter known as Shotgun and the Punisher after him.[3] However, he reminds himself why he is doing this, for little Normie Osborn who has been kidnapped by a Green Goblin who is apparently not Norman Osborn.[4] Fighting free, Spider-Man soon finds himself looking down the barrel of the Punisher’s gun. The Punisher believes Spider-Man when he says he didn’t kill Joey-Z, admitting that Norman Osborn manipulated him while he was suffering from amnesia, however he refuses to let the wall-crawler out of his sight until he gets some answers.[5] Having no time for the Punisher’s brand of justice, Spider-Man webs him up to make an escape but is forced to carry the vigilante when he discovers the Punisher’s leg was seriously injured in the blast. While carrying out all of the gunmen out of the blazing inferno, Spider-Man is surrounded by police who have come to arrest him but he easily manages to escape. While police are busy focusing on the wall-crawler, the Punisher slips away and vows to get revenge on Norman Osborn for manipulating him. Leaping across the rooftops of the building, Spider-Man spots the Green Goblin and tries to tag him with a spider-tracer. Unfortunately, the tracer is blasted out of the sky by Shotgun who is still seeking to claim the bounty on Spider-Man’s head.
Meanwhile, Norman Osborn has gathered six soldiers of fortune at his penthouse to find his grandson and bring in Spider-Man. As the arrangements are being made, Flash Thompson tries to console his friend Liz Osborn, telling her that Norman will get her son back. Liz questions why Flash could be so loyal to her father-in-law when he is such a huge Spider-Man fan.[6] Flash reminds her that Norman gave him a new purpose when he was suffering from a drinking problem and says that Norman is as much of a hero as Spider-Man.[7] When Norman hears this he reminds Flash about how Spider-Man recently attacked him. However, Flash isn’t convinced that the attacker was the real Spider-Man, thinking it was actually one of his foes like the Chameleon or the Green Goblin.[8] He then assures Liz that he is willing to put his life on the line to find his grandson.
At that moment, Normie Osborn is playing with his toys in the office of a junkyard, blissfully unaware of all the drama going on. Hearing a noise outside, Normie goes to the window wondering if his father has come back for him.[9] While at a hospital, Greg Herd — AKA Overdrive — looks down upon his wife, Ann, who is clinging to life support after their ill-fated attempt to bring Spider-Man in.[10] He didn’t realize how dangerous it would be and blames himself for what happened to Ann. Now with the medical bills mounting, Greg tearfully picks up his helmet and steps back outside. While at the Parker home, Mary Jane and her aunt Anna are glued to the television watching updates on Normie Osborn and the manhunt for Spider-Man. Suddenly there is a loud thump upstairs and Mary Jane rushes upstairs to see what it is, ignoring Anna’s warnings that it could be dangerous. Up in the attic she finds Peter barely able to stand and quickly convinces Anna not to go up there because Peter is working on developing photos. While elsewhere, Clarence Feilding has had a change of heart, no longer seeking to claim the bounty on Spider-Man he is trying to enlist the aid of Jimmy-6 to help him clear the wall-crawler’s name. Unfortunately, Jimmy considers any debts owed to Spider-Man to be paid and tells Clarence to go home.[11] Watching Jimmy drive off, Clarence can’t make himself give up on the wall-crawler.
While at the Daily Bugle, Ben Urich still can’t believe that Joe Robertson would quit the job as city editor.[12] Jacob Conover can’t understand why Urich is so concerned over this since Osborn ordered him to investigate this new Green Goblin, noting that he should be grateful for still having a job after Osborn bought the paper, particularly since Ben wrote the “expose” about Osborn being the Goblin.[13] That’s when J. Jonah Jameson yells at them to get back to work as Norman Osborn is on his way back from the mayor’s office and he wants results. While in the hospital room were Jill Stacy is recovering from a gunshot wound, her brother Paul argues with their father, Arthur, overtaking work from Norman Osborn.[14] He reminds his father that Norman was the original Green Goblin who was responsible for the death of his cousin Gwen.[15] Jill points out that this has all been thrown into question and Arthur explains that Osborn hired him to find out who the Green Goblin really is. Furious that he is not being listened to, Paul says he’s just trying to protect his father and storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him. While back at the Parker home, Peter has just stepped out of the shower and considers going back out to look for Normie. Mary Jane, looking at his bruised face, tries to talk sense into him and suggests he retire as Spider-Man. Fortunately, her argument is rendered moot when Peter collapses in exhaustion on their bed and falls asleep instantly.
Meanwhile, at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson is having a private meeting with Norman Osborn. Jameson thinks this whole thing stinks and doesn’t believe that Osborn is behind everything. Suddenly, the Green Goblin comes crashing in through the window. In full view of the Bugle staff, the Goblin demands that Norman pay a ten million dollar ransom in order to get his son back before leaving the scene. Although Betty Brant is convinced that Norman Osborn and the Goblin are two different people, Ben Urich is not entirely sold on the charade. As Osborn and Jameson get to work to gather the money, Flash Thompson enters the office — having apparently stepped out. When Betty tells him what happened, Flash is glad that everyone will now believe that Norman Osborn is not a bad guy.[16] As it reaches midnight, as the various forces out looking for Spider-Man prepare their next moves, Peter Parker sleeps under the watch of his ever-faithful wife. She thinks about letting him sleep but can’t stop worrying about young Normie Osborn and reaches out to wake up her husband. At midnight, Norman Osborn arrives at the George Washington Bridge to deliver the ransom. Norman refuses a police escort and is suddenly scooped up by the Goblin who carries him off into the air. He is soon followed by Spider-Man who seeks to battle the Goblin. Not far away, Shotgun spies the scene but is prevented from going into action when the Punisher gets the drop on him. While Clarence Fielding catches a news report about Spider-Man resurfacing and knows what he must do. Also watching the battle is Override who is trying to muster up the nerve to get involved.
By this time, the Goblin has flown himself and Norman into a nearby office space so he can fight Spider-Man in tighter corners. There, Spider-Man tells Norman to drop the charade, however, Osborn insists that he has nothing to do with all of this. When the Goblin flees the scene, Norman pleads with Spider-Man to look past their differences and help rescue his grandson. Unsure what to make of this, Spider-Man goes after the Goblin. While Norman looks around for the ransom money he discovers that Override has recovered it. Outside, Clarence watches the Green Goblin luring Spider-Man to the junkyard where Normie is being kept and follows after them. As the two fight it out, the Goblin is suddenly shot by a sniper’s round. Surprisingly, this shot was made by Jimmy-6 who has decided to help Spider-Man after all. He is soon surrounded by the soldiers that were hired by Osborn, but they are ambushed by the Punisher and Shotgun who order them to put their guns down. The Goblin survived the shot and resumes his battle with Spider-Man. As the two battle it out, Clarence goes into the junkyard office and rescues Normie Osborn. Unaware of the danger he is in, the young Osborn boy struggles and begins demanding to be brought back to his father. This leads Spider-Man to consider that this Goblin could be Harry, somehow back from the dead, and tries to get some answers. Unfortunately, the Goblin refuses to answer anything and in the ensuing struggle, the villain crashes into a pile of wrecked cars which suddenly blows up, seemingly destroying the Goblin before Spider-Man can get any answers.[17]
Later, Norman Osborn gives a press conference congratulating Override and Clarence Fielding for helping rescue his grandson and awards them with one hundred thousand dollars each, and for Override, Norman promises to look after his wife’s medical needs for the duration of her recovery. In the aftermath of the press conference Ben Urich, Peter Parker, and Mary Jane are not sold on Norman’s performance. When alone, Peter worries what he can do now since Spider-Man is a wanted criminal. Surprisingly, Mary Jane has some ideas on what to do. Later, at a secret lab, Doctor Angst works to repair the damage done to the new Green Goblin when Norman comes to check on them. He is pleased with everything that has transpired and as the Goblin strips off his costume, Norman leads him out of the lab, congratulating him on all the good work he has done, and how proud he is.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Punisher, Normie Osborn, Mary Jane Watson, Jimmy-6, Green Goblin, Override, Shotgun, Doctor Angst, Norman Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, Flash Thompson, Ben Urich, Jacob Conover, Betty Brant, Anna Watson, Liz Osborn, Jill Stacy, Arthur Stacy, Paul Stacy, Clarence Fielding, Ann Herd
Continuity Notes
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such, they should be considered a common-law couple here.
Spider-Man has had a bounty on his head since he was framed for the murder of Joey-Z in Spider-Man #88. The wall-crawler will eventually clear his name in Spider-Man #92.
Shotgun and the Punisher have been after Spider-Man since Spider-Man #89
Normie was kidnapped by the new Green Goblin in Sensational Spider-Man #25. The true identity of this Goblin was seen in Peter Parker: Spider-Man #18.
The Punisher had been suffering from amnesia after being caught in an explosion in Punisher (Vol. 3) #17
Flash Thompson founded his own Spider-Man Fan Club way back in Amazing Spider-Man #17 and has idolized the wall-crawler for years.
Flash has had a drinking problem since Spectacular Spider-Man #244. This led to him getting into a car accident while drunk driving in Spectacular Spider-Man #249. Norman Osborn gave him a new purpose with a job as his personal assistant in the following issue.
Norman Osborn goaded Spider-Man into attacking him on camera in order to discredit the wall-crawler in Spectacular Spider-Man #250 as part of a scheme to discredit anyone who connected him to the Green Goblin by getting the sympathy of the general public.
Normie has convinced himself that this new Green Goblin is his father, Harry Osborn, since he was kidnapped in Sensational Spider-Man #25. This is because Normie was present when his father became the Goblin during Spectacular Spider-Man #180. Normie is too young to grasp the idea that his father had allegedly died in Spectacular Spider-Man #200 (in reality, Harry is still alive as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #581)
Anne was seriously hurt when a laser beam got stuck in her protective forcefield in Sensational Spider-Man #25.
Jimmy-6 felt indebted to Spider-Man when the wall-crawler (Ben Reilly at the time) saved his life in Spider-Man #74. Jimmy feels he repaid this debt when he saved Spider-Man’s life in Spider-Man #89. Clarence had been hunting Spider-Man, because he needed the money, and had his change of heart in that same issue.
After Norman Osborn bought the Daily Bugle in Spectacular Spider-Man #249, Joe decided to quit to investigate Norman’s shady dealings. He quit in Amazing Spider-Man #431.
Conover is talking about how Ben Urich wrote a book titled “Dynasty of Evil” which revealed to the public that Norman Osborn was the original Green Goblin. Ben wrote this book in Spider-Man: Legacy of Evil #1 during a period in which Norman Osborn was thought dead. Norman was believed to have died in Amazing Spider-Man #122. Norman secretly survived and resurfaced years later in Amazing Spider-Man #412.
Jill was shot in Spider-Man #87. Norman asked for Paul’s help finding Normie and learning the identity of the Goblin in Spider-Man #88
Norman Osborn, while the Green Goblin, murdered Gwen Stacy back in Amazing Spider-Man #121.
This was obviously done to suggest that this new Goblin might be Flash Thompson. However, Flash is not this other Goblin as we’ll learn in Peter Parker: Spider-Man #18.
Although the Goblin appears to die here, it will resurface again in Spectacular Spider-Man #259.
