Amazing Spider-Man #239: Origins!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #239
The abstract Hobgoblin face in the night sky- the first use of this symbolism for this character- hovers above Osborn Industries, the maker of fine Goblin paraphenalia in the days of Norman O’s secret life. He died with his own equipment- his glider, right, like the first Raimi Spider-Man movie-rammed into his heart.
What dramatizes the birth of the new supervillain, the peril as he acquires deadly new equipment, than to have this never-before-seen Battle Van, come roaring out of the heart of Osborn Industries (New Jersey), with a visage of the Hobgoblin lurking at the edge of visibility? The image says he’s still hidden, he’s literally behind the scenes. He’s a smart villain. He will not reveal himself, but be discovered through Spider-Man (and Roger Stern’s) intimate knowledge of Green Goblin operations.
Not only would this work as an opening scene- in comics, giving it one page was the way to conserve space for cheesecake and other narrative fabric without which the story would be naked. Since it is a single page, it’s got an iconic feel: more than likely, a curious prospective reader finds this after the cover. So the background of this splash page is parallel to #238’s shadow Spider-Man relaxing nearby (no, it’s not alien costume time yet, it’s just a chillin’ shadow, as opposed to a chilling shadow.) #238 opens in Aunt May’s kitchen- soon to be a home for people who feared losing the personality of a residence and the companion of others their age, but living with independence. Here, the Hobgoblin’s bursting like a dagger back OUT of the heart of Osborn Industries- a company greedily stolen from partner Mendell Strom- a new conveyance, a new hi tech weapon, a new, deadly way to create mayhem across town, bursts from its catacomb, where it had laid dormant as its presently-dead creator. It’s all framed by a chain link fence that tells you the scene’s a high security theft. Very nicely played by someone named Romita, I’d say. Two wonderful parallel splash pages are here for what is essentially the two-part debut of the Hobgoblin!
The first year of Stern’s writing has completed his visitation of all arch enemies of interest. He got the Vulture; Mantlo got Doc Ock. Sandman’s reforming- legally-speaking- and the Lizard’s kind of led the way on that one, now appearing as helpful Dr. Curt Connors, cured. Electro gets a bow around here somewhere on Peter Parker- I don’t have all those-but notably, attacks the Avengers during Spider-Man’s guest shot, along with later rogue, the Rhino! Stern used Mysterio the year before in a clever Peter Parker re-visit to the Tinkerer’s seeming alien invasion in Amazing #2. Kraven’s out of favor along with the Chameleon- only Kraven’s Last Hunt could make him a serious threat again. The Beetle also came back in Peter Parker at the end of Stern’s run, using the hapless Ringer as a pawn in a fashion the Hobgoblin will use a criminal pawn to test his strength formula- and leave the world a dead Hobgoblin! So really, the Green Goblin’s the only rogue left untouched- even Looter and Molten Man have appeared not long before in PPTSSM. But as Harry Osborn and Dr. Bart Hamilton have proven, that Goblin gear is just collecting dust until someone picks up the identity. Stern’s way of answering that void is to offer some mystery character- who, with DeFalco’s encouragement, as mentioned on the Epic Marvel Podcast appearance July 14th, 2017, was presented as possibly someone already in the cast, taking up a new identity. All the best parts of what became a rushed and cluttered Goblin identity mystery the first time out come along in a trilogy of story arcs throughout 1983. The references to Spider-Man’s search elsewhere gives Hobgoblin’s story the gloomy background foreboding that gives it its era-defining ubiquity. The Doctor Octopus/ Owl/ return of the Black Cat is the big storyline following Brand: that Peter Parker thread brings a wounded Felicia back into Amazing in #239. Now, Stern’s ready for what proves to be his second and final year of the run. The first year of Amazing, he wrapped up his Peter Parker threads. Now, Romitas Sr. and Jr. team up to deliver a most DC kind of character in the new Captain Marvel in Annual 16, then the initial half. Romita originally joined Amazing working on the unveiling of the Green Goblin; there’s a delicious symmetry to his presence in the shadows of this successor’s evolutionary origin.
What Hobgoblin knows is the major threat in his first appearances: he has knowledge of the Goblin lairs and their secrets. What he’s trying to learn is driving his story. He finally puts together a scheme for his own gain, blackmail contained in Osborn’s journals. He has the full power, physically, and all the weapons, even this unused mobile headquarters, but his battles with Spider-man will cost him his ill-gotten knowledge, especially the fire in ASM #250! From then on, he is more than ever nearly a physical match for the wall-crawler, but he will only search once more in vain for Osborn secrets. The stretch between #238 and 261, those two years, seem the most impact-filled phase. I never felt quite the same excitement about Hobgoblin as I did upon his first actual return under DeFalco/Frenz.
The road there, however, involves shaking Spider-Man, busy with Ock and Felicia to the point of exhaustion in forty-eight hours, with a helpful request to turn on the radio- by Madame Web, herself shown still recuperating, in their first exchange since the Juggernaut attack. He begins realizing how the looter’s systematically ransacking Goblin lairs, but he only knows two places to look! I wonder if the first one we see here’s not the one where Osborn unmasked him- the one where Green Goblin lost his memory and “died” the first time? I know the second one, however, from the infamous clash where Harry Osborn tripped poorly on LSD, as his father finally remembered that hidden identity of his. I probably got to read that story reprinted before I finally laid my hands on an ASM #238 and 239, so I came in appreciating the history behind the lair where Spidey hits jackpot!
In between, we get alternating cheesecake, between Amy’s suggestive photo shoot with Lance Bannon and good ol’ Pete showering and shaving. Amy’s planting the idea that Parker should make Lance jealous. She calls him for dinner, however, after an eleven hour sleep. He hangs up on her! He realized, there’s no time to delay.
Sun’s going down on this third day since the mysterious Osborn lootings have happened parallel to Spidey’s mid-way point in the Ock/ Owl Gang War. The goblin equipment gets an unexpected workout from the inexperienced criminal. His weariness from playing hero so much of late lends Spider-Man a sense of a haze that mulls his battle instincts- this gives Hobgoblin some evasion room, which is good as his only chance involves his many long-range weapons. It’s rightly established how overwhelming this all is for a man of normal powers. Lots of Goblin gear, yes, great glider, but Spider-Man has fought most of these weapons before. If that glove blast didn’t disrupt the power lines under the street, there’d be no distraction to keep Spider-Man at bay!
Rough battle, leaving Spider-Man receding into the shadows, himself, all too aware he’s put an enemy on the run, but the real threats have now multiplied. Hobgoblin’s too sly to have another toe-to-toe dance with this confidently-written Spider-Man- his near-defeat here will spur him to figuring out Norman’s power secret without going mad. The contest set up between them, here becomes personal! A dizzying amount of awe, fear, respect for his foe emerges in Hobgoblin. He still bears caution and cunning, unclouded by megalomania.
Our two-parters before under Stern ended with conclusive wins, but with Brand at most he won the fight for the soul of Will O’ The Wisp, who in turn did what he could to damage corporate villainy. Now, in a manner of which the Code would not have approved two decades before, the villain’s been chastised, but is still quite free to regroup and commit his further crimes. Like the Green Goblin, this one villain’s not going to get punched out and handed to the police! Hobgoblin will prove the most elusive foe of the era. The fact that Stern leaves Spider-Man watching a mask drift from the sunken battle van- but no body-leaves the Hobgoblin’s visage haunting the background once more. His face, as ever, is effective for the ways it is hidden as much as for the ways it’s seen.
The abstract Hobgoblin face in the night sky- the first use of this symbolism for this character- hovers above Osborn Industries, the maker of fine Goblin paraphenalia in the days of Norman O’s secret life. He died with his own equipment- his glider, right, like the first Raimi Spider-Man movie-rammed into his heart.
Not only would this work as an opening scene- in comics, giving it one page was the way to conserve space for cheesecake and other narrative fabric without which the story would be naked. Since it is a single page, it’s got an iconic feel: more than likely, a curious prospective reader finds this after the cover. So the background of this splash page is parallel to #238’s shadow Spider-Man relaxing nearby (no, it’s not alien costume time yet, it’s just a chillin’ shadow, as opposed to a chilling shadow.) #238 opens in Aunt May’s kitchen- soon to be a home for people who feared losing the personality of a residence and the companion of others their age, but living with independence. Here, the Hobgoblin’s bursting like a dagger back OUT of the heart of Osborn Industries- a company greedily stolen from partner Mendell Strom- a new conveyance, a new hi tech weapon, a new, deadly way to create mayhem across town, bursts from its catacomb, where it had laid dormant as its presently-dead creator. It’s all framed by a chain link fence that tells you the scene’s a high security theft. Very nicely played by someone named Romita, I’d say. Two wonderful parallel splash pages are here for what is essentially the two-part debut of the Hobgoblin!
The first year of Stern’s writing has completed his visitation of all arch enemies of interest. He got the Vulture; Mantlo got Doc Ock. Sandman’s reforming- legally-speaking- and the Lizard’s kind of led the way on that one, now appearing as helpful Dr. Curt Connors, cured. Electro gets a bow around here somewhere on Peter Parker- I don’t have all those-but notably, attacks the Avengers during Spider-Man’s guest shot, along with later rogue, the Rhino! Stern used Mysterio the year before in a clever Peter Parker re-visit to the Tinkerer’s seeming alien invasion in Amazing #2. Kraven’s out of favor along with the Chameleon- only Kraven’s Last Hunt could make him a serious threat again. The Beetle also came back in Peter Parker at the end of Stern’s run, using the hapless Ringer as a pawn in a fashion the Hobgoblin will use a criminal pawn to test his strength formula- and leave the world a dead Hobgoblin! So really, the Green Goblin’s the only rogue left untouched- even Looter and Molten Man have appeared not long before in PPTSSM. But as Harry Osborn and Dr. Bart Hamilton have proven, that Goblin gear is just collecting dust until someone picks up the identity. Stern’s way of answering that void is to offer some mystery character- who, with DeFalco’s encouragement, as mentioned on the Epic Marvel Podcast appearance July 14th, 2017, was presented as possibly someone already in the cast, taking up a new identity. All the best parts of what became a rushed and cluttered Goblin identity mystery the first time out come along in a trilogy of story arcs throughout 1983. The references to Spider-Man’s search elsewhere gives Hobgoblin’s story the gloomy background foreboding that gives it its era-defining ubiquity. The Doctor Octopus/ Owl/ return of the Black Cat is the big storyline following Brand: that Peter Parker thread brings a wounded Felicia back into Amazing in #239. Now, Stern’s ready for what proves to be his second and final year of the run. The first year of Amazing, he wrapped up his Peter Parker threads. Now, Romitas Sr. and Jr. team up to deliver a most DC kind of character in the new Captain Marvel in Annual 16, then the initial half. Romita originally joined Amazing working on the unveiling of the Green Goblin; there’s a delicious symmetry to his presence in the shadows of this successor’s evolutionary origin.
What Hobgoblin knows is the major threat in his first appearances: he has knowledge of the Goblin lairs and their secrets. What he’s trying to learn is driving his story. He finally puts together a scheme for his own gain, blackmail contained in Osborn’s journals. He has the full power, physically, and all the weapons, even this unused mobile headquarters, but his battles with Spider-man will cost him his ill-gotten knowledge, especially the fire in ASM #250! From then on, he is more than ever nearly a physical match for the wall-crawler, but he will only search once more in vain for Osborn secrets. The stretch between #238 and 261, those two years, seem the most impact-filled phase. I never felt quite the same excitement about Hobgoblin as I did upon his first actual return under DeFalco/Frenz.
The road there, however, involves shaking Spider-Man, busy with Ock and Felicia to the point of exhaustion in forty-eight hours, with a helpful request to turn on the radio- by Madame Web, herself shown still recuperating, in their first exchange since the Juggernaut attack. He begins realizing how the looter’s systematically ransacking Goblin lairs, but he only knows two places to look! I wonder if the first one we see here’s not the one where Osborn unmasked him- the one where Green Goblin lost his memory and “died” the first time? I know the second one, however, from the infamous clash where Harry Osborn tripped poorly on LSD, as his father finally remembered that hidden identity of his. I probably got to read that story reprinted before I finally laid my hands on an ASM #238 and 239, so I came in appreciating the history behind the lair where Spidey hits jackpot!
In between, we get alternating cheesecake, between Amy’s suggestive photo shoot with Lance Bannon and good ol’ Pete showering and shaving. Amy’s planting the idea that Parker should make Lance jealous. She calls him for dinner, however, after an eleven hour sleep. He hangs up on her! He realized, there’s no time to delay.
Sun’s going down on this third day since the mysterious Osborn lootings have happened parallel to Spidey’s mid-way point in the Ock/ Owl Gang War. The goblin equipment gets an unexpected workout from the inexperienced criminal. His weariness from playing hero so much of late lends Spider-Man a sense of a haze that mulls his battle instincts- this gives Hobgoblin some evasion room, which is good as his only chance involves his many long-range weapons. It’s rightly established how overwhelming this all is for a man of normal powers. Lots of Goblin gear, yes, great glider, but Spider-Man has fought most of these weapons before. If that glove blast didn’t disrupt the power lines under the street, there’d be no distraction to keep Spider-Man at bay!
Rough battle, leaving Spider-Man receding into the shadows, himself, all too aware he’s put an enemy on the run, but the real threats have now multiplied. Hobgoblin’s too sly to have another toe-to-toe dance with this confidently-written Spider-Man- his near-defeat here will spur him to figuring out Norman’s power secret without going mad. The contest set up between them, here becomes personal! A dizzying amount of awe, fear, respect for his foe emerges in Hobgoblin. He still bears caution and cunning, unclouded by megalomania.
Our two-parters before under Stern ended with conclusive wins, but with Brand at most he won the fight for the soul of Will O’ The Wisp, who in turn did what he could to damage corporate villainy. Now, in a manner of which the Code would not have approved two decades before, the villain’s been chastised, but is still quite free to regroup and commit his further crimes. Like the Green Goblin, this one villain’s not going to get punched out and handed to the police! Hobgoblin will prove the most elusive foe of the era. The fact that Stern leaves Spider-Man watching a mask drift from the sunken battle van- but no body-leaves the Hobgoblin’s visage haunting the background once more. His face, as ever, is effective for the ways it is hidden as much as for the ways it’s seen.
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