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Spectacular Spider-Man, The (1968 series) #2

Stan Lee | John Romita

Spectacular Spider-Man, The (1968 series) #2 cover

Story Name:

The Goblin Lives!


Synopsis

Spectacular Spider-Man, The (1968 series) #2 synopsis by Anthony Silvestro
Rating: 4.5 stars

At the club he’s a part of, Captain Stacy holds a seminar on supervillains. The images of Spider-Man fighting the Green Goblin affect Norman Osborn particularly badly, making him feel stressed and confused for reasons he can’t fathom. This equally worries Peter Parker, there as Norman’s guest along with Harry. Peter worries what will happen if Norman’s memories fully return and thinks about his first encounter with the Goblin. It eventually gets to be too much for Norman, and he tries to run out before quickly collapsing! They rush him to a doctor and Harry decides to stay with him while Peter heads out, his mind now totally focused on the Goblin. He thinks back to their last encounter and worries about the danger Aunt May will be in, should Osborn remember that Peter is Spider-Man, and decides to pay her a visit.

Meanwhile, Norman’s thoughts are just as fraught, his head swirling with images of the Green Goblin and Spider-Man. Eventually, the fog lifts, and Norman remembers that he is the Green Goblin! Norman storms out of the hospital, pushing past a distraught Harry. He instinctively makes his way to one of his old hideouts where a Goblin costume and gear are waiting for him, fully becoming the Green Goblin once more! The next day, Peter has trouble focusing on his studies due to his worries about Osborn, and Gwen clearly notices something is wrong. Peter and Gwen then drop in on Harry, who tells them of his father’s disappearance, confirming Peter’s worries.

Peter continues to worry, unsure if he should head home, in case the Goblin has a trap waiting for him. Peter stresses that even if he does defeat the Goblin again, that he’s still his best friend’s father and still knows that he’s Spider-Man. The situation feeling hopeless, Peter has fitful dreams until he can’t take it any longer and decides to comb the city for the Goblin. His search proves fruitless while unbeknownst to him, the Goblin secretly stalks Spider-Man, waiting for the last of his plans to fall into place. Norman then makes his way home to Harry, pretending that he came to his senses and just needs rest. The next day, Peter receives a call from Harry inviting him to a dinner party his father is throwing, with Gwen and Mary Jane also invited. Peter knows that something is up, but feels he has to go through it, even if the others are in danger, to stop Osborn once and for all.

Peter swings by and picks up Gwen and they soon arrive at the party. They’re greeted by Harry and Mary Jane and Norman soon makes his presence known as well. Throughout the dinner party, the air is tense for Peter, as only he and Norman know the real danger lurking beneath the façade of a normal dinner party. Norman subtly prods at Peter, while Peter can tell he’s becoming more unhinged by the moment, and the others are even starting to notice. Deciding he needs to act now, Peter feigns needing to call Aunt May and uses the opportunity to rig a smoke bomb by wrapping some of his camera film in webbing and throwing into the fireplace. This has the desired effect of making the others think a fire has sprung out and Peter and Norman both slip away to change to their respective costumes, for a final showdown!

Spidey guesses that the Goblin is headed for Aunt May and races there, catching the Goblin circling the skies above her house. The two begin an epic, personal fight and the Goblin reveals some new tricks he’s prepared just for Spidey. After some back and forth, the Goblin hits Spidey with a new psychedelic pumpkin bomb containing a hallucinogenic gas that makes Spidey hallucinate fighting some of his most dangerous enemies! Spidey eventually overcomes the effects through sheer force of will and realizes how he can defeat the Goblin! Spidey rids the Goblin of his weapons and they get down and dirty with just their fists, their already intense fight becoming even more brutal and personal!

After stunning the Goblin, Spider-Man subjects him to his own hallucinogenic, making images of himself and the Goblin mask swirl around the Goblin’s head. This stress, mixed with Osborn’s own mental instability, shocks him into closing off his mind to anything having to do with Spider-Man or the Green Goblin! This has the additional effect of ridding Osborn’s memory of his and Spider-Man’s identities once more and Peter swings him back to the hospital. Harry and the others show up soon after and Peter claims that Norman was feeling badly again so Peter rushed him over to the hospital without telling anyone. Harry checks on his father while Pete heads out with Gwen and Mary Jane. Though the day is saved and everything should be alright, Peter can’t help but worry whether or not the Green Goblin is really gone for good…


Characters
Good (or All)
CAPSTACY
GSTACY
HARRYOS
JJJAMESON
MJWATSON
AUNTMAY
SPIDERMAN

Enemies
GREENGOBLINGNO

> Spectacular Spider-Man, The (1968 series) comic book info and issue index



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Main/1st Story Full Credits

John Romita
Jim Mooney
Unknown
John Romita (Cover Penciler)
John Romita (Cover Inker)
John Romita (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Sam Rosen.



Review / Commentaries


Spectacular Spider-Man, The (1968 series) #2 Review by (January 15, 2025)

Review: The Green Goblin returns after Norman Osborn regains his memories in this special 60-page story! Osborn had slowly been regaining his memories for a number of issues of Amazing Spider-Man leading up to this, last seen with his memories returned in Amazing Spider-Man #66. This issue presents a slightly different account, or maybe just fills in the blanks, as we actually see Osborn regain his memories after storming out of the hospital, all things that happened off-panel in Amazing Spider-Man. Still, the two accounts don’t quite line up. Regardless, this still makes for a pulse-pounding issue. While the pacing is generally better than last issue, there are still a few extended sequences showcasing previous encounters with the Goblin (to fill in those not in the know) and pages and pages of Peter and Osborn both stressing about the situation. It makes for some nice parallels between the two characters but does still feel like they’re trying to pad the page count a little.

Osborn feels characteristically devious, playing a little cat and mouse game with Spidey, inviting Pete, Gwen and MJ to a dinner party, knowing Pete can’t refuse. It’s very tense as only Peter and Norman know the undercurrent of danger running throughout and is actually rather reminiscent of the Thanksgiving scene from the first movie. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was an inspiration. This all culminates in Peter and Norman simultaneously slipping away for a final epic showdown, full of customary cool action! It’s very brutal and personal. The Goblin also debuts the spike that can project from the front of his glider (which will be very important in a more famous later story, as we all know) and a hallucinogenic gas that makes Spidey experience terrible visions. Spidey is able to turn this around on the Goblin, using the gas to shock his mind into forgetting his and Spidey’s identities once more, which is kind of a trend with him. Overall an excellent story that showcases the return of arguably Spidey’s greatest enemy and utilizes the extended page count better than the last issue did. Peter ends the issue unsure if the Goblin is really gone for good (if he only knew how right he is). Finally, though there is a preview for next issue, it would never materialize as this ends up being the last issue of Spectacular Spider-Man (until the more famous series with that title later).

Comments: Final issue of this short-lived series. This issue presents a very different depiction of Spider-Man and Green Goblin’s first encounter, compared to what we saw in Amazing Spider-Man #14. The villains that Spidey hallucinates due to the Goblin’s gas bomb include Doctor Octopus, Rhino, Vulture, Kraven, and Kingpin.





Thor

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