"THE GOBLIN LIVES!"
Writer: Stan Lee/Penciller: John Romita Sr./Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.
Synopsis: Norman Osborn's memories of being the Green Goblin return to him, as do his knowledge that Peter Parker is Spider-Man...
Review: I would once have cited this as one of my all-time favourite Green Goblin stories, and one of my favourites of the Lee and Romita run. On this particular re-read, I found myself less ecstatic about it than I've been in the past, but there's no denying that this is still a very strong story, and a great final issue for the Spider-Man spin-off book that arguably ended much too soon.
I want to start by saying that if any further proof was needed that Jim Mooney was the best inker to pair up with Romita's pencils, then this issue is it. Mooney gives the artwork so much depth and richness; every character feels dynamic and expressive, every action shot is full of impact. Just look at the way Mooney uses a deep black on Spider-Man's mask when his spider-sense tingles at the bottom of page 24; it's a beautifully atmospheric and intense moment, and that's just one panel. It's also nice to see Romita delving into some of the more fantastical imagery he gave us in ASM #67; here we see a horde of demons and monsters besieging Spider-Man, an effect of the Goblin's psychedelic pumpkin bomb; it's a gorgeous double-page spread, and there's plenty more where that came from. This issue is absolutely full of BIG, vibrant panels, even when there isn't an action scene; Romita's lushness and grandiosity even makes its way into dialogue scenes between Peter, Gwen and Captain Stacy, all of whom are looking as staggeringly attractive as ever, even the retired police captain. As an artistic showcase, you'd be hard pressed to find much better from the Lee and Romia pantheon than this.
Unfortunately, I feel the plot and structure let the book down slightly. We begin with a pretty hefty recap of the Goblin's history, understandably there so that new readers can catch up on what they've missed, but that doesn't mean it's not all a bit unnecessary for us seasoned Spider-philes. In addition to being a bit tedious to get through, the recaps themselves are full of continuity errors, and this may sound like nit-picking, but would it really have killed them to go back over the previous Goblin stories and had a double-check to make sure they were getting their facts straight? Little things like the Goblin having his glider - and not his broomstick - during his first encounter with Spider-Man, or the fact that apparently the two arch foes fought over the city's rooftops during their first meeting - these are just two examples - really shouldn't be here. I also have to wonder why Captain Stacy is giving a presentation on Spider-Man and the Goblin in the first place; I know he's fascinated with Spider-Man - aren't we all? - but why on earth does he feel that Jameson, Osborn and a bunch of other random people at the swanky club he goes to would be interested in seeing a slideshow? It's purely here as a contrivance to get Norman to remember he used to be the Goblin and to catch new readers up; it ends up feeling a bit silly.
This is also a good time to talk about the Goblin himself, because from here until his 'demise' in ASM #122, he's a completely different character to the one whose identity we mused over during the Ditko era. Now that we know Norman Osborn is the Goblin, every story featuring the villain from here onwards has practically the same setup every time: Norman remembers he's the Goblin, fights Spider-Man, Spidey finds a way to defeat the Goblin and restore his amnesia without killing him, end. Thankfully they don't repeat this formula all that often, because it would undoubtedly have become rather stale - and we'll get to this when we talk about ASM #96-98 - but even here I don't think it entirely works, as this issue lacks the interesting character insight for Norman that we got in ASM #40; here, things are very black and white: when he's Norman, he's nice, when he's the Goblin, he's evil. ASM #40 presented a far more complex, more flawed, and therefore more realistic character. I know that when we're talking about characters who dress up in colourful costumes and battle each other on city rooftops that realism doesn't really enter into it, but Norman has always been one of Spider-Man's more intriguing, psychologically compelling villains, and we don't really get any of that here.
With all that said, I can't fault this issue on its atmosphere and intensity; the ominous mood is set up pretty much from the opening double-page spread, and doesn't let up for an instant; even the ending is rather sombre, with Peter putting on a happy face whilst inside he's worried about the Goblin potentially returning again. We also get some absolutely iconic moments in this issue: Norman sitting up in his hospital bed, triumphantly crowing, "I AM THE GOBLIN!" is absolutely spine-tingling, whilst one of my all-time favourite Spider-Man scenes appears later on, when Norman invites Peter and his friends over for an incredibly awkward dinner party, as the two foes both know each other's secret whilst everyone else is unaware; it's a marvellously tension-filled scene, and Romita's artwork on Norman's maniacal face is out of this world.
So, numerous continuity errors and a decline in Norman's characterisation drop this issue a point for me, but I still adore so much about it. The artwork is incredible, Stan's dialogue makes sure everyone knows how high the stakes are, and it features some of the most memorable moments in Spidey history, scenes that have made their way into cartoons and movies, allowing countless generations to experience the best this story has to offer, and its best moments are pretty damn essential Spider-Man reading.
Rating: 4/5
Next time, we're sticking with double-length stories as we head over to ASM Annual #5, where we will finally uncover the secrets of...the parents of Peter Parker...
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