Spectacular Spider-Man #183

Title: “The Child Within part six: Into the Dawn!”

 Writer: J.M. DeMatteis

Penciller: Sal Buscema

Inker: Sal Buscema

Colors: Bob Sharen

Editor: Danny Fingeroth

Edward, as a little boy, waves as the camera rolls. His mother comes up to him and kisses him. She starts waving too. Edward’s father comes into the picture. He waves and then outs his arms around the two of them.

Kafka looks up as lightning strikes and the rain begins to pour. Vermin, his mother, and father all look up at Goblin. Goblin tells Spider-Man that this is quite an audience he has assembled. He says that he hates to break up the performance, but that they have unfinished business together. He says to say goodbye to his disgusting friend Vermin and get ready to die. Harry throws a pumpkin bomb. Spider-Man tells Vermin to move.

Vermin leaps off and thinks that he has to get away. He says that all the crazy men in costumes hit and hurt. The cops tell Vermin to freeze and that if he makes one move that he is roadkill. Vermin looks at the cops in disgust. He says that he is sick of all of them, sick of living. He tells them to go ahead and stop him if they can. Spider-Man tells him not to. Goblin asks Spider-Man if he didn’t hear him. He repeats that they have unfinished business. Goblin swoops in on Spider-Man, but Peter tells Harry to shut up and hits him away. Peter thinks about how slow he feels, but he leaps off the roof. The cops open fire, but Spidey makes a web shield and swoops up Vermin. He quickly webs Vermin up while Vermin is confused. Kafka walks up to Edward. Vermin recognizes her. He says that he is so confused. He says Vermin or Edward and asks which one he is. Edward’s mother says that he is Edward… her son. She says that nothing can change that. Vermin says, “But what if daddy…” Edward’s mother says that his father can’t hurt him now. Kafka gives Vermin some sedatives. They strap him to a bed and load him into a vehicle. His mother asks what happens next. Kafka says that she can’t say for sure. His mother says that no matter what he wants to be with him.

Peter thinks to himself that it isn’t exactly a happy ending, but that at least there is hope. His spider sense goes off. Peter turns and sees the Goblin. Goblin says that it is about time he realized who he was. He says that he is the Green Goblin… now and forever. As Goblin flies over, Spider-Man grabs hold of the glider. Kafka calls out to Spider-Man. Spider-Man tells Kafka not to worry and that he is getting time and a half for this.

Goblin says that there is that famous Spider-Man wit, but that they both know better. He says that they know the jokes are lame attempts to cover his insecurities and pain. He says that he has seen inside his head and that it was an ugly sight. Spidey leaps up onto Goblin’s back. He says that he wants to make sure they straighten this out. He says that Spider-Man is a fiction the same way the Goblin is. He asks Harry if he remembers what he said to him the other night. He pulls off his mask and says that this is about two men named Peter Parker and Harry Osborn. Peter pulls off Harry’s mask. Harry finger blasts Peter in the face and says that he isn’t Harry anymore. He says that it hurts too much to be Harry. He says that he is the Goblin. Peter hits the ground. Harry swoops around and tries to hit Peter, but Peter dodges. He says, “You’re not nailing me twice, ol’ buddy.” Harry says that he isn’t his buddy and never was. He says that when he first saw him in college that he knew he was evil. He says that he could see it in his eyes that he wanted to destroy everyone he loved. Peter says that is bull and that Harry knows it. He says that they were best friends. Harry throws a pumpkin bomb and calls Peter a liar. He says that he killed his father. He says that he killed Gwen. Peter says that Harry’s father was killed by his own insanity and that he took Gwen with him. He says that it is time Harry faced that once and for all. Harry shouts no. He says that Peter killed Gwen and framed his father for her murder and then Peter murdered him. He lets off a finger blast with all eight of his pointing fingers. Peter says that reason isn’t going to work with Harry. He says that he has to take him down fast. Harry throws a pumpkin bomb and knocks a tree over. Peter dodges the tree as it falls. Peter asks Harry how long he is going to keep this up. He says that Harry used drugs to peel his mind apart and hurt him. To make him suffer the way Harry had suffered. Peter says that is what Harry wanted and that he got it. He says to end this. Harry shouts that it wasn’t enough. Peter asks Harry what it is that he wants from him. Harry throws another bomb and knocks Peter off his feet. He says that he wants Peter’s life. The smoke clears from the pumpkin bomb and Peter is just standing out in plain sight. He tells Harry to take it then. Harry asks what he said. Peter says that if killing him is the only way this is going to end to go ahead and do it. Norman’s ghost floats next to Harry. He warns Harry that it is a trick. Harry says that of course it is. He asks Peter if he thinks he is stupid. He says that he isn’t going to fall for a trick. Peter says that there are no tricks, and that he is just as tired of this as Harry is. He says that if Harry wants his life that it is his. Norman tells Harry that Peter thinks he doesn’t have the guts. Norman says that Harry is his boy, and that he isn’t going to let him down. Norman tells Harry that he can do it. Harry agrees that he can. Harry starts flying right at Peter, but at the last second he pulls up and shouts that he can’t. Harry tumbles off his glider and says tat he can’t. Norman’s ghost fades away from Harry’s side. Peter runs to Harry’s side. He says that he knew he couldn’t. He says that he knew if he pushed him all the way to the end that Harry would pull himself back. He starts to tell Harry that they will get him some help, and that maybe Dr. Kafka can help him. Harry knocks Peter’s hand off of him and tells him to get away from him. He tells Peter that just looking at him reminds him of all the pain and death. He says that he turns his stomach and that he hates Peter Parker. He asks why he can’t kill him. Harry stands on his glider looking at Peter. He pulls out his Goblin mask again and slowly slides it on. Harry says that he is leaving now, and that there is nothing he can do to stop him. He says no police and no psychiatrists. He says that he knows Peter’s secret and that if he tries to take him in that the whole world will know it. Harry says that he is going to go somewhere far away from his father and all of this. Harry starts to rise into the air. He says that he won’t forget about him, and that he won’t stop hating him. Harry says that is the beauty of it. He says that Peter will know he is out there hating and waiting. He says that it might be tomorrow or five years from now, but that the Green Goblin will be back. Peter just stands there waving. He thinks about how he is just letting Harry get away just like he let the burglar that killed Uncle Ben. He thinks about how Harry isn’t some faceless burglar… he is his best friend. Peter thinks about how if Harry proved nothing else to him it is that he isn’t a killer. He figures that might be why he let him go. He figures that maybe if Harry really does get away and clear his head that maybe Harry will let him help him. Peter wonders if he is a fool for what he has done.

In old movies, Edward’s judge father is sleeping in the pool on a floating chair. Edward jumps in the pool and splashes him. They see the camera and wave. Edward throws a ball off his father’s head. His father grabs him up and hugs him.

The judge sits in his home watching the old movies. He drops his face into his hands and says, “Edward… my son.”

Harry flies into his son’s bedroom. He brushes his son’s head and flies out the window. Normie wakes up. He sees the Goblin’s far away dark shadow in the moonlight. He says, “…Daddy?” Harry flies away hurting.

Spider-Man kneels by his mother and father’s grave. He says that there is so much good and so much evil in people. He says that he has seen his share of both, and that it seems like evil always gets the upper hand. He says that sometimes he feels overwhelmed by the evil… too tired to fight it anymore. He says that another part of him thinks that he will never stop clinging to the good. He says that even now he believes with all his heart that Harry will be all right. He says that he’s also hoping that Dr. Kafka can cure Edward and rid him of Vermin forever. He says that it is possible and to look at what happened to him. He says that the Goblin tried to use evil to destroy his mind, but to look what happened. He says that it opened a door… to the two of them. He says that all those years he shut them out. He says that he was afraid to think of them… afraid of the guilt… the responsibility of their deaths. He says that now he can remember… now he can love them… now he can grieve. Peter swings away.

Tangled Web rating: 9.5 out of 10 

Review and pictures by The Leader

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