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"Even though there's nothing to worry about, he worries about that!" - the narrator




A return to form after the forgettable ASM 22. The Goblin returns after a half-year absence, which sort of points up the fact that someone like Doc Ock hasn't been seen in even longer. But Gobby deserves this chance to catch up to guys like Ock and Sandman.

The plotting is as good as ever. Jameson graciously hires back the former Mr. Big (talk about a short sentence) and the reader is asked to contemplate whether Foswell is also the Green Goblin, although Steve and Stan are good enough to let us infer that question through the action rather than hitting us over the head with it via a narrative caption. On page 6, the Goblin receives from one of gangster Lucky Lobo's underlings a written record of Lobo's illegal profits, and three panels later Foswell presents it to Jameson. How did Foswell get it?? The assumption is either that Foswell is the Goblin or that he got it from the Goblin as a result of his continuing contacts with the underworld. (The Goblin is seen eavesdropping when Jonah turns the info over to the police ,so Foswell was obviously his informant of choice.) Furthermore, this presents the possibility that the Goblin planted Foswell in the Bugle.

Of course Jonah gives no credit to Foswell - he uses him and takes all the credit for himself, and all Foswell gets is temporary job security. What are Foswell's motives? If his plan is to use his contacts to make money as a reporter, how long can he possibly last before he's whacked? Surely there's a safer occupation if he's really going straight.

Just as the reader wonders about Foswell's motives (not to mention his secret identity), Spidey wonders about the Goblin's. He actually entertains the idea that the Goblin may be reformed! "If the Goblin really is on the level - I can't let him tackle a whole mob by himself!" This seems more than a little gullible, but of course he doesn't have all the info we're privy to, and this is only the Goblin's third appearance, so anything is possible. Maybe some of Pete's desire to believe in the Goblin's ability to change is motivated by his own treatment at the hands of the media and the public, i.e. he wishes people would believe in his own goodness and so he walks the walk and gives Gobby the benefit of the doubt until proven wrong.

I mentioned in one of my two previous Goblin reviews that I often find myself forgetting that the Goblin mask isn't a real face. It sounds stupid but there it is. In my defense I present these illos from ASM 23.

__________________________________It's those huge peepers that trick me. Is the Goblin even a human being??











I don' wanna do your dirty work, no more.

Since we don't know the Goblin's real identity (the only continuing mystery in all of Marvel right now?), the possibility remains that any of the characters we see in any issue could be him, even one of the walk-on extras without any dialogue.

______________For instance, it could be this guy rubbing elbows with Jonah at the Midtown Business Executives Club.


(That panel occurs in between the Goblin getting his info and Foswell presenting the same info to Jameson at the Club seconds later, so it's not all that far-fetched.)

It's probably not this guy, though. I think this is actually the Molten Man.




Spidey's own appearance in the story is delayed in a clever way. It concerns the actual Spidey costume. I think there were one or more previous issues that played with this aspect, but I can't remember which they were or what happened. Does anyone else remember? Thanks.

"I washed my costume last night, while she was asleep!" Pete hangs his wet costume in the attic. What I like about this is that Ditko fakes out the reader by not having May find it there. I mean I was all set for a big scene where Pete had to come up with an excuse, like in ASM 12 when the cops helpfully returned the "fake" costume to the Parker residence so Pete could endanger his life again if the mood grabbed him. But May doesn't choose this day to clean the attic. (Maybe Steve and Stan were out to prove that there aren't too many coincidences in ASM.) Anyway, we still get a good ASM-style scene where Pete has to forego tailing Foswell because the costume is still drying at home. D'oh! But finally on page 7 he's good to go and it's too bad the mag isn't Scratch 'n Sniff. "My costume's dry at last!...It's real clean and sweet-smelling!"

____________________________________________________I like the visual perspective in this first Spidey panel.



Spidey gets to fighting on page 10, halfway through the story.

But getting back to May for a moment, Ditko sets up the most hysterical moment in the entire Marvel month on page 4 when she tells Peter sternly, "If you'll be delayed, be sure to call me". Then on page 12 Spidey is battling Lucky Lobo's gang, and we wonder why he retreats to an empty room and webs the door shut behind him. We find out.




It's stuff that like that makes this far and away the best Marvel title. "Now I won't put the potatoes in the oven yet!" Ditko even shows some force lines in that third panel to indicate the thugs pounding on the door. I wish we could know whether this scene was Stan's idea or Steve's. It's one of the best ideas they've had for comedic irony.

We even get this pleasing panel of a really happy May. Could she be the Goblin?? (She was at "Mrs. Watson's" during the climactic battle at story's end. Hmmm...)




Speaking of Aunt May, this seems a good time to present an establishing shot of Spidey's base of operations. But first, just for the sake of comparison, let's take a look at the Fantastic Four's digs...




Next, the Avengers' hangout...

And finally, Spidey's HQ.




This water tower on page 8 reminded me of the first Vulture story way back in ASM 2.



And then ten pages the same water tower saves Pete's life! I just got a kick out of the water tower's prominent role. It's like a returning cast member.

But before that botched attempt to prevent the Goblin's escape, there's this two-page spread of battle action. The Omnibus colors are really gorgeous but I haven't yet worked up the courage to force it flat enough for the scanner, so for now you'll have to settle for the Masterwork coloring.




Pete forgets to take any photos of this skirmish (how is May making ends meet?), but at least he gets in some good one-liners. The Goblin complains, "You talk so much, you get me all confused!" (That seems an odd thing for the Goblin to reveal - would Ock admit to something like that??) Spidey replies, "I've got a new weapon I didn't even know about! My spider-speech!" The Goblin at least tries to show he can come back with the same witty repartee, but he's pretty lame. When Spidey says, "don't count on taking any long trips, funny man!", Gobby rejoinders, "I won't - unless it's to visit you at the hospital!" I know you are, but what am I??

I love Spidey's reply to Lucky Lobo's offer to team up. You have to hear it in his 1966 cartoon voice. "Please - I just ate!"

Perhaps in response to a reader's letter last month, Pete wears not a suit and tie but a casual black shirt and brown jacket.