"THE RETURN OF THE GREEN GOBLIN!"
Writer: Stan Lee/Penciller: Steve Ditko/Inker: Steve Ditko/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: Steve Ditko
Synopsis: The first meeting of Flash Thompson's new Spider-Man Fan Club becomes the staging ground for a rematch between Spidey and the Green Goblin...
Review: This issue is proof, if any was needed, that ASM #16 was only a blip, and that Lee and Ditko can still work their magic. This is another classic, no-holds-barred issue that starts a string of all-time greats. Bringing the Goblin back so soon is an interesting decision, since it took both Vulture and Doctor Octopus far more time to make their own respective returns, but the mystery of the character must have seized his creators, and it remains as potent as ever in this story; once again, we get some lovely scenes of the Goblin plotting and scheming in his lair, and even more sinister, standing in a crowded New York street, just a few yards away from Peter without him knowing it. Ditko has also refined the villain only a few issues after his first appearance, gifting him with his iconic bat-shaped glider, and arming him with an arsenal of Halloween-themed weapons, such as his equally famous pumpkin bombs, along with an explosive frog, ghost gas and a mechanical bat that leaves a trail of thick smoke to blind the Goblin's enemies. He's a more formidable threat than ever before, and like last time, he still manages to get away at the end of the issue.
This story uses Peter's supporting cast perhaps better than any other issue up to this point. It will come as no surprise to anyone reading that I believe Spidey to possess the greatest supporting cast in comics, and I love seeing them incorporated into the action here. I particularly like the way that Spidey is forced to duck in and out of the fight in this issue, reverting to his Peter Parker identity and back again, after he overhears Liz finally ask the question that everyone should have been asking by this point: 'Why do you never see Peter Parker and Spider-Man in the same place at the same time?' It's a fun scene that adds an extra complication on top of everything else Peter has to deal with; this really is a fantastic issue for showing the trouble his double life brings him. Jameson's glee at seeing the public turn against Spider-Man at the end is another highlight, but you've got to sympathise with Flash as he still claims that Spidey's the greatest guy in the world, even after everyone else has turned their backs on him. Say what you will about Flash; at least he doesn't just go along with the crowd. We also see some action from the Human Torch, as the cover advertises, but his appearance is pretty brief, and he doesn't exactly team up with Spider-Man to tackle the Goblin together, which I approve of; like Flash, you don't want the Torch coming in and trampling on Spider-Man's toes.
Speaking of the Torch, there's a really lovely pair of scenes early in the issue that show the stark contrast in the way the public views its heroes. Spider-Man attempts to stop a robbery from taking place, only to discover that he's just walked into the middle of a movie shoot, causing the public to ridicule him for his mistake - he's not having the best time of it this issue, is he? Not long after, the Torch stops a lone thief and is immediately thanked by the police and surrounded by adoring fans wanting his autograph. It is true that Spider-Man made a blunder, but after reading these scenes you can't help but feel that the Torch wouldn't be harangued in the same way; perhaps this is another example of Ditko expressing his distaste for the culture of celebrity?
The final few pages of Issue #17 represent Lee and Ditko bringing Spider-Man - the character, not the comic - to one of his lowest points thus far. During his fight with the Goblin, he overhears Liz Allan's father on the phone with someone at the hospital, saying that Aunt May is in critical condition, causing him to abandon the battle and race to her side as quickly as possible, leaving everyone at the fan club meeting thinking he's a coward. Not only is his aunt dangerously ill, and the public is more against him than ever before, but after Betty spots him with Liz in his Peter Parker identity at the fan club meeting, the ever tearful Miss Brant decides that she can never trust Peter again. All that, and the villain got away as well. It's a brilliant cliff-hanger to end on, with several plot threads left for Lee and Ditko to untangle, and I can only imagine what reading this in 1964 and having to wait an entire month for the next issue must have been like.
So, our hero has been publicly shunned, handed a victory to his enemy, been dumped by his girlfriend, and his aunt is closer to Death's door than ever. We all know how Peter's life can be interfered with by his actions as Spider-Man, but here, both his superhero and civilian identities end up in a bad way. This is another triumph for Lee and Ditko, and an improvement on the first Goblin story, which was a great issue in itself. This is a perfect blend of story and action, with plenty of character moments before the big fight scene, and even once sparks start flying and pumpkins are thrown, there are still some really great developments for our cast of characters. Things are looking pretty grim for the web-slinger, but not for the readers; things are only going to get better from here.
Rating: 5/5
Next time, Peter deals with the fallout from the events at the club, as he debates whether or not this could be...the end of Spider-Man...
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