"...AND NOW, THE GOBLIN!"
Writer: Stan Lee/Penciller: Gil Kane/Inker: John Romita Sr./Letterer: Artie Simek/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: Gil Kane
Synopsis: As the drug scene in NYC steadily gets worse, Peter accepts a job offer from Norman Osborn, but his new boss might prove more difficult to work with than he thought...
Review: I've mentioned it before in other reviews on here, but if there's one thing that defines the last third of Stan Lee's run on ASM for me, it's the social commentary, and nowhere is that more evident (and arguably, nowhere is it more egregious) than in these next three issues. In the early 1970s, Stan decided to buck the Comics Code for a hard-hitting trilogy about the dangers of drug use, and despite this not seeming like such a big deal from a modern perspective, back when these issues first came out, it was HUGE. The Comics Code was a seal of approval, a reassuring stamp that a comic contained no seditious or inappropriate material. There was a time when, if your comic didn't bear the Code's logo, it didn't get published (outside the underground scene). Stan's gamble paid off, however, as the trilogy was so successful and well-received that it convinced the Code to relax their rules. Part-superhero story, part-PSA, the Green Goblin/Drug trilogy is a landmark in the history of mainstream comic books.
Right, that's the context out of the way; does the story actually hold up today? I must confess that going into this first chapter I was somewhat sceptical, as this three-parter has never been a favourite of mine, for reasons that will become clearer in the following two issues, but honestly, ASM #96 is a real winner in my book, and I loved every page of it on this revisit. Contrary to the past couple of issues, which I felt were average at best, this knocks it out of the park again, and feels so PACKED with content. Almost every major supporting character is here, for one thing, and they each get a great scene. Whether it's Robbie potentially figuring out Peter's secret, Aunt May and Anna Watson going to see Hair (Stan going all zeitgeist-y again), or Randy Robertson turning up to vent his frustrations about how the black community is being affected by drug use, it's all top notch stuff, from the humorous to the dramatic.
The real character highlights for me personally are the Osborns. I don't think Norman has ever been quite so menacing as he is here, and all without really trying to be. Maybe it's Gil Kane's harder-edged art style, or Stan reminding us of Norman's criminal past, but the scene between him and Peter in this issue has always been one of my favourite interactions between the pair; there's this palpable sense of unease as Norman discusses Peter's potential career at the company, the smile on his face threatening to break into a Goblin-esque grin at any moment. Maybe it's just me, but I read so much glorious tension in this scene, and I absolutely love it. Harry also gets some good material when MJ leaves him by the wayside as soon as Peter turns up; it's a nice setup for where the young Mr Osborn will go in the next couple of issues, but even just in the context of this issue, it makes for some good old-fashioned soap opera drama.
Of course, the big thing to talk about with any of these three issues is the way in which they tackle the subject of drugs, and it's these moments that let this particular issue down (but only somewhat). You can clearly tell that this has been written by a middle-aged man who's never taken an illegal drug in his life. Stan seems to be under the impression that smoking marijuana makes you think you can fly, for one thing. The big problem, however, is just how heavy-handed it all feels; Peter literally asks himself, "But how do you warn the kids? How do you reach them?" Why, with a superhero comic, Peter, how else? It all feels a bit after-school-special, and quite dated as a result, despite its admirable intentions. I do find something to enjoy in Randy's argument with Norman, however; there are some valid points made about how the black community is preyed upon more by pushers because of the way society treats them in comparison to white people, and how it's the responsibility of the wealthy to tackle the drug problem any way they can. I like this debate a lot because it doesn't really offer any answers; it's just asking the reader to think, and ultimately, any piece of media that does that is doing a good thing in my book.
But I mentioned the Green Goblin earlier, didn't I? Yes, he doesn't turn up until the very last page, but it's a gorgeous bit of Gil Kane art yet again. He really was the perfect choice for these issues; his rougher, grittier art style really suits the slightly darker tone of the trilogy, and I don't think any Spidey artist has ever depicted New York streets as well as Kane; he populates them with so much life and character, from builders sat having their lunch to the roads strewn with litter. New York feels like a real place when Kane draws it, and his composition throughout this issue is just superb. The panels where Norman begins to remember his Goblin identity really evoke that Ditko hysteria, and as mentioned above, the first sight of the Goblin himself is a cracker.
All in all, ASM #96 is a real return to form for the title after a couple of ho-hum issues. Perhaps it's just my enthusiasm at getting back to this blog (it's been a year since my last post), but I had a blast reading this one again, and I'm looking forward to revisiting the rest of the drug trilogy to see if the whole thing is better than I remembered. As for this particular issue, it's jam-packed with great character drama, well-intentioned (if unsubtle) social commentary, and some sublime work from Gil Kane. Only the heavy-handedness lets it down. Well, that and this creepy bit where Norman practically says that he wants to have sex with his son's girlfriend:
Rating: 4.5/5
Next time, Spidey and the Goblin battle it out, whilst Harry goes off the deep end...
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