Amazing Spider-Man #239
Amazing Spider-Man #239
Title: “Now Strikes the Hobgoblin!”
Writer: Roger Stern
Penciller: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Frank Giacoia
Colors: Glynis Wein
Editor: Tom DeFalco
In Jersey, a large battle van smashes through the wall of an Osborn building.
An hour later the police are on the scene. They ask Mr. Menken if he is sure that nothing was stolen. Menken says that as far as they can tell that their inventory is complete, but that the upper management is getting concerned about the break ins. The police ask if there have been others. He says that there have been about six others, but that there was nothing this big. He says that they were at all at different locations, but that just like this time there was nothing missing. He says that they did discover some store rooms that they didn’t know existed and that all of them were empty. Menken says that he has contacted one of their major shareholders in the hope that he might be able to shed some light. Harry Osborn pulls up in his car and gets out. The police tell Harry what has been happening. Harry asks if there has been a series of these rooms. Menken says that there was and that they weren’t on any floor plan. He says that all the break ins were at locations where Harry’s father had a hand in building. Menken asks if Norman could have been hiding something in the rooms. Harry says that it is certainly probable. He says that his father was a secretive man and that if he had something hidden that they will probably never know what it was.
The next morning the wind blows strongly. The shadowed man walks up to a newsstand. As he buys a paper the man asks if he isn’t up early. The man says that he couldn’t sleep. The newsstand attendant says that it is too bad and that today is a good day to stay in bed. The man looks at the paper. He says that his break in made page one. He heads back into his headquarters and says that soon he will be making plenty of page one stories. He says that he just needs to make a few more raids and consolidate his spoils. He muses that he should buy some shares of Osborn stock as a means of repayment. He says that they, or at least their founder, unwittingly provided him all this. He looks at the battle van and says that this is the most remarkable acquisition yet. He says that the police would have a fit if they knew how easily he got it into the city. He says that the journals indicated that Osborn intended to use it as a mobile headquarters, but that he never did. He says that Osborn had all this at his disposal and left it to rot in New Jersey. He says that it is no wonder his criminal life cost him his life, but that where the Green Goblin failed that the Hobgoblin will succeed. He says that once he raids the last of Osborn’s caches that he will do things that Osborn never dreamed of. He says that maybe he will even settle accounts with his old enemy Spider-Man. Hobgoblin puts the paper down not seeing the article about Black Cat being in the hospital.
Spider-Man squats in the hospital watching over Black Cat. He looks at her and thinks about how it is a miracle that she is alive. He says that she would have died if he hadn’t gotten her there in time. He says that he saved her, but that he wishes he could have saved her from getting shot by Dr. Octopus’ men in the first place. He thinks about how Octopus is still out there and about how he probably replaced the broken arms by now. He thinks about Felicia lying there and thinks about how there is no justice. Spider-Man’s spider sense goes off. He leaps at the door, but it is only Captain DeWolff. He apologizes to her and says that he is a little jumpy. DeWolff tells Spider-Man that she already told him that the NYPD will take care of this. She tells him to go home and get some sleep. She says that from the way he is wobbling about that it looks like he could use it. Spidey crawls out of the room on the ceiling and decides that she is right. He says that if Doc Ock tried anything that he couldn’t stop him right now anyway. On his way out, Spidey recognizes Madame Web’s hospital door and pokes his head in to check on her.
Spider-Man pokes his head in the door and announces himself. Madame Web asks Spider-Man to come inside. He says that she is looking better and asks her if she remembers him. Web says that she doesn’t, but that the doctors told him about her. Spidey wonders if she remembers that he is Peter Parker. He asks if her mental powers have returned. Web says that they are as dead as her vision, but thanks him for asking. She says that she is told that he risked his life against the Juggernaut for her. Spidey says that he did and apologizes for not doing a better job. Web says that she is sure he did the best he could. She asks Spidey if he would turn on her radio. Spidey does and a news story about the Osborn break ins. Spidey excuses himself to Web. She says that she understands he is busy. She says that she appreciates him stopping by, and that she is sorry she doesn’t remember him. Spidey tells her not to worry about it and that she may have just helped him more than she realizes. Spidey swings out and Madame Web smiles to herself.
Spidey thinks to himself that he has been so busy with the Black Cat that he hasn’t had time to think of the break in at Osborn’s. He decides to go get a paper.
At Lance Bannon’s apartment, Lance is taking artistic pictures of Amy Powell. Lance says that he is almost done. Amy says that it is about time and that she wouldn’t do this for just anyone. Lance tells her to arc her back and then tells her again that he wants her back. He tells her that these are artistic and not for some cheap skin mag. He tosses her a robe and Amy asks if all he can offer her is a few feet of cotton and a cup of Sanka. She says that he is cheap. Lance looks at the photos and says that these are beauties. Amy says that she would be flattered, but that she knows he is referring more to his work than to her. She asks if all these pictures of Spider-Man are lying around because Peter Parker had better ones. Lance doesn’t answer and she says that she will take that as a yes. Amy runs to the bathroom and changes into her clothes. She tells her to watch it or Parker might beat him all the way down the line. Amy hugs Lance and Lance tells her that she looks pretty good in clothes. Amy asks Lance to dinner, but Lance says that he has to take some twilight skyscapes. He mentions that Jonah is talking about starting up a new picture magazine and that he can get in on the ground floor. Amy tells Lance that he doesn’t have to explain and that she will see him whenever. She walks out and slams the door. Lance thinks to himself that he has driven her off again only to get lost in his photography. He wonders why he can’t get it together to tell her how much she means to him. He wonders if he is afraid of committing or if he is afraid of what her answer would be.
Spider-Man drops into his apartment from the bathroom skylight. He drops the paper after having read it. Peter takes his mask off and smells his own stink. He realizes that he has been going for 48 hours and decides he needs a shower. Peter showers and shaves thinking about the break ins and the robber he let go that day. Peter washes his costume in the tub. He thinks about how Osborn used to keep Goblin stuff hidden. He wonders if maybe there was some sort of listing of other hideouts and that someone is raiding the old hideouts. Peter worries that maybe Norman wrote down that Spider-Man is really Peter Parker. Peter wonders if this guy might have discovered his secret identity. He thinks about the two hideouts that he knows of and that he should go check them out. Peter collapses on the couch and decides that he will go in a bit.
Later that night, Amy Powell calls Peter and asks him out to dinner. Peter asks what time it is. Amy says that it is a quarter to seven. Peter realizes that he has been sleeping for nearly ten hours. Peter blows Amy off and hangs up on her. Peter quickly puts his costume back on and figures he must have been more worn out than he thought.
Spidey swings along. He reaches one of the warehouses he
knew was a Goblin hideout and bursts through the wall. Peter looks around at the
empty warehouse and notices the markings on the floor. He says that the place
must have been raided recently. He thinks to himself that this is bad and rushes
toward the theater where he knows the other hideout to have been. Spidey notices
a light on and his spider sense warns him. He bursts through the door and finds
the Hobgoblin there. Hobgoblin says, “Spider-Man? Here… now?!?” Spider-Man asks
who he is supposed to be. He says that if he is trying to be the Green Goblin
that the color scheme is off a little. Hobgoblin tries a finger blast, but
Spidey dodges and tells him that he has to be quicker than that. Hobgoblin
thinks to himself that he has to get out of there and that he isn’t prepared for
Spider-Man yet. He figures that there is nothing of value to him there and flies
off. Spider-Man takes off after him. He asks him not to tell him that he is
afraid of him.
Hobgoblin
says, “The Hobgoblin fears no one!” and tosses a pumpkin bomb at Spidey. Spidey
dodges, but the bomb destroys a nearby chimney. Spidey recognizes that there was
more explosives in that bomb that Norman ever used to carry. He figures that
Hobgoblin is either foolhardy or inexperienced, or both. He decides it is
probably both. Spidey webs up a chunk of brinks and throws it through
Hobgoblin’s legs as if threading a needle. Hobgoblin thinks to himself that the
stories of Spider-Man don’t do him justice. He decides that he can’t outrun him.
Hobgoblin throws razor bats at Spider-Man. Peter dismisses them as not a threat,
but then feels his spider sense. The razor bats somehow hover around him. Spidey
uses his spider sense to avoid the serious cuts from the razor bats. He tells
Hobgoblin that he just made him mad. He leaps at Hobgoblin, but Hobgoblin rises
above Spider-Man’s trajectory.
As Spider-Man floats down using a web parachute, Hobgoblin tosses a gas grenade down on him. Spidey gets a breath before the gas hits. He is covered by the cloud of gas, but uses his spider sense to concentrate. He fires a web and hits Hobgoblin’s glider. Spider-Man uses his power to stick himself to the ground and then yanks down on the webbing. Hobgoblin’s glider smashes against the ground. Spidey tells Hobgoblin that the masquerade is over and that it is time for him to unmask. Hobgoblin thinks to himself that he must not be unmasked and that the disgrace would be too great. Hobgoblin fires a finger blast and hits a gas line. The gas explodes. Spidey grabs a metal plate and uses it to dig out the gas lines. He grabs the main feeder line for the gas and squeezes it shut. He looks around and realizes that Hobgoblin got away.
Hobgoblin wearily flies along.
He
says that he knew Spider-Man would be difficult, but that he never imagined it
would be like that. He says that he feels like he just ran a marathon. He
wonders how the Green Goblin stood up to him as many times as he did. He figures
that he has to discover Goblin’s secret. He says that when he finds it that he
will humble Spider-Man as he has never been humbled before.
Spidey thinks about what a washout the day has been. He says that he slept the day away, let Hobgoblin get away, and possibly burnt his hand in the process. He says that at least he knows who he is up against though he doesn’t know who he is or if he knows his secret identity. He says that he should be more worried, but that Octopus is still out there and Black Cat is still on the critical list. He decides to go home, put his spare costume on, and go see how Felicia is. He decides that at least things can’t get any worse, but then wonders if they could.
Tangled Web rating: 8 out of 10
Not an auspicious start for Hobgoblin, but he knows that
there is something he is missing and knows that he must overcome it. As his
appearances go along he gets craftier and craftier.
He
deserved better as a villain than what he got. The one Romita, in lieu of last
issue’s two Romitas, isn’t quite as good. Romita’s penciling is still good, but
the inking drops the ball some.
Review and pictures by The Leader
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