Spectacular Spider-Man #184

Title: “The Child Within: Aftermath”

Writer: J.M. DeMatteis

Penciller: Sal Buscema

Inker: Sal Buscema

Colors: Bob Sharen

Editor: Danny Fingeroth

Spider-Man lands on a rooftop after swinging. A golden hand reaches out for Spider-Man, but Spidey snags it out of the air. He turns and sees the Molten Man. Molten Man tells Spidey to take it easy. He says that he almost took his arm off and that it isn’t easy to do to a guy like him. Spidey apologizes. Raxton tells Spidey not to call him Molten Man either and that he put that behind him. Spidey apologizes again. Raxton asks what is with him anyway. He says that he called him there and then he practically tears his arm out. Spidey snaps, “okay! Okay! I’m sorry! Okay?!” Raxton asks if he is done yelling now. Spidey says that he really is sorry. He says that he is just jumpy and worried sick. Raxton asks what about. Spidey says that he is worried about Raxton’s brother-in-law Harry. Raxton says that his sister got a call from the office the other day saying Harry went off on some last minute business trip. Spidey says that he is afraid not. He says that Harry became the Green Goblin again. He says that they fought and Harry tried to kill him. He says that Harry got away. He says that someone has to tell Liz. Raxton shouts that it isn’t fair and smashes his fist through a chimney. Raxton shouts that Osborn is the most decent man he’s ever known. He says that he gave him a job and a second chance when no one else would. Raxton tears a door off its hinges and breaks it in half. He asks how there can be justice in the world when a guy like that has to suffer so much. He asks where the justice is when people like Liz and Harry have their lives torn to pieces so easily. Spider-Man grabs Raxton and shouts that this isn’t doing any good. Raxton shouts and asks what is he going to tell Liz. Spidey tells him to think of Liz. He says that Raxton can’t fly off the handle and that she is going to need someone strong. Raxton says that it isn’t fair. Spidey says that they can find Harry and get him some help. Raxton asks Spidey why he let Harry get away. He says that he always stops the bad guys. He says that Spider-Man always stopped him. Spidey says that this is a little different. He says that he hasn’t slept in days and that he has been scouring the city. He starts to say that he isn’t going to rest, but then he senses something. Raxton asks what is wrong. Spidey says that he thought he felt something, but that nothing is there. Green Goblin flies away from the scene.

He thinks that he should have killed the spider right then and there, but then thinks that Peter is his best friend… his enemy… a killer… a liar… and a monster. Harry thinks that it was his father that was the monster… was a good man… the Green Goblin… he was the Green Goblin. Harry says that now he is the Green Goblin. He says that he doesn’t want to be, but that it hurts too much to be Harry. He says that is why he has to get away from Peter and from his father, but that he has to do something first.

Normie sits alone on his bed. Goblin opens the window from the outside and flies in. Normie looks scared. Goblin looks at him for a minute. He tells Norman not to be afraid. He takes off his Goblin mask and says that it is daddy. He holds his arms out and Normie rushes into his father’s arms. Normie says that he scared him and asks why he is wearing the funny clothes. Harry says that he didn’t mean to scare him. He says that he just wanted to see him one more time before he goes away. Normie asks where he is going. Harry says that he isn’t sure yet, but that he won’t be gone long. He says that there are just some things he needs to work out. Normie asks if he can help him work them out. Harry cries as he holds his son and says, “No, buddy… I don’t think you can.” He puts Normie down and tells him to go to sleep. Normie says that he doesn’t want to go to sleep. He says that he wants to go with his father. Harry says that he can’t. Normie asks why not. Harry says that he just can’t, but that he promises he’ll be back. Harry asks Normie to make him a promise. He says to promise him that he’ll never forget how much his father loves him. Harry pulls his mask back on and Normie promises. Liz walks into the room having heard something. She sees Harry there is his Green Goblin costume. Harry freaks and says, “Liz! No! I didn’t want you to see me like this! Not like this!” He speeds out the window. Liz shouts out for Harry and tears run down Normie’s eyes.

Harry speeds along thinking how Liz and Normie mean everything to him. He says that she would never understand the pain he is going through. He thinks that he doesn’t know if he wants her to understand. He says that then she would know the real him and how worthless he is. He says that is why he has to wear the costume and hide behind the mask. He says that Harry has been hurt too much… he’s afraid and spineless. Harry takes pumpkin bombs out of his sash and says that the Goblin has power. Goblin starts blowing up cars as he flies. He says that he has to get away to figure out who he really is, but that one day he will have to come back for his family… and for Spider-Man.

An African-American man with pointed ears shouts, “Nooooo!” Over a speaker, Kafka tells Edward not to fight it. Edward says that there are too many memories and too much pain. Kafka tells Edward not to fight the pain and that together they can work through it. Edward asks why she is calling him Edward. He falls over and says that he is not Edward. Kafka says that he is and that he doesn’t have to hide anymore. She says that he doesn’t have to submerge himself in ‘him’. He says that Edward can be free. Edward transforms into Vermin and says that he isn’t Edward. He says that he is Vermin. Vermin shouts to stop trying to hurt him. He says that if she doesn’t that he is going to eat her alive. Gas is released into the room with Vermin and puts him to sleep. Kafka says that is good. Spider-Man says that she has a funny idea of what good is. Kafka is startled and asks if he is ever just going to come through the door like a normal person. Spidey says that he is sorry he spooked her. Kafka says that the work just has her on edge. She suggests they go out on the terrace.

As they step out on the terrace, Spidey asks Kafka how Vermin threatening her is good. Kafka says that she told Spidey earlier about how Edward’s condition is psychological as well as physical. She says that the deepest parts in Edward believed that he deserved to be trapped in his Vermin form… it was a way to protect him from the abuses of his childhood, and that in a strange way Vermin has been a guardian angel for Edward. She says that their therapy has made Edward stronger and Vermin weaker. She says that the confrontation with his father, though painful, was an important step. She says that for the first time she has been able to physically manifest a change in Edward… she has actually seen Edward face to face. Spidey asks what about him wanting her dead. Kafka says that soon Edward won’t need Vermin’s protection anymore and Vermin can sense that. She says that he is angrier and more scared than ever before because he knows his days are numbered. Spidey says that he hopes so. He says that Edward has been through enough and that they all have. Spidey spins a web, but he pauses. Kafka asks if there is something else on his mind. He says that night he came to her that his mask was off. Kafka says that the lights were off and she was half asleep. She says that she put his mask back on as quickly as possible. Spidey asks, “Really?” Kafka says that they all wear masks and they all have their reasons for it. She says that she felt she had no right to see what was under his unless he wanted her to. Spidey swings away and thanks her. Kafka says that from what she saw that he has a good face.

Spidey swings along thinking that he kind of knows what Edward is going through. He says that he was carrying around the guilt of his parents death with him for years without even knowing it was there. He says that it affected every decision he has ever made in his life, but that he didn’t even know about it until the Goblin tapped into it. He says that he doesn’t claim to understand it yet, and that maybe he never will, but that there is something dying inside him and he wonders what lengths his “Vermin” will go to stay alive. Spidey gets a strong blast of spider sense. He heads to the rooftop he is sensing it from. He looks around and calls out to Harry, but he doesn’t see anything.

Liz cries and sits next to her brother on the couch. Raxton tells her that he loves her. Liz says that she knows.

MJ is brushing her teeth. Peter asks what he was thinking. He asks how he could just let Harry get away. He asks if he is that naïve as to think that Harry could just go off and solve his problems by himself. That he wasn’t a danger to himself or others. He wonders if maybe he was afraid that Harry would reveal his secret identity. He asks if she thinks he is a coward. Peter says that she had to see the hate in Harry’s face when he told him that he hated him. He says that he is his best friend and asks how he could cause him any more pain. He says that he doesn’t want to be the source of Harry’s pain, but then asks if he really is. He says that all he knows is that he made a mistake and that he has to accept the consequences. MJ puts her hand over Peter’s mouth. She tells him not to say another word. She takes him to bed. She kisses Peter and the two of them lie down on the bed.

Later, MJ sleeps with a smile on her face. Peter kisses her. He puts his mask on and swings out the window. One of MJ’s eyes opens. She thinks to herself for Peter to find Harry, but to be careful.

Peter swings along. He thinks that Goblin might be long gone by now, but that he can’t shake the feeling that he’s still in the city. He thinks about all the hideouts that Norman Osborn had around the city. He says that he has checked most of them, the ones he knew about, but that he can’t rest until he checks them all. Suddenly Peter sees something in the shadows. He sees a green costume and goes after it. He grabs a green arm with a light green glove and tells Harry that he isn’t getting away this time. Suddenly, Spidey sees that, instead of Green Goblin, he has grabbed Frog-Man. Spidey says to tell him that he is dreaming.

Tangled Web rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review and pictures by The Leader

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