Hobgoblin Lives!

[zechs27.insanejournal.com]

The mini that finally closed the book to the Hobgoblin Saga the it's original creator, Roger Stern, intended it. Well, at least revealing who he intended would be the original Hobgoblin, not Ned Leeds.

I apologize, I working on the Shockwave/Devastator posts for Transformers when I found these scans I was going to post at the old Scans Daily when I was doing Hobgoblin Saga posts there.

Plus this is me also reposting one I posted there but never reposted here. Being Betty's Interview with the Hobgoblin. The mini's where 35 pages each (well really 38 with the little details with various foot notes over the complete Saga to fill those who hadn't read it all) so this gives me a little more room to post more than seven scans. Still, even with so much it leaves me to cut out the big reveal fight.

Still if I exceed the limit via #3, I will remove the interview. So onto the main event starting off where Stern left off during his run Amazing Spider-Man #251:



This turns into a rather chilling nightmare in which Ned pulls a Jason Vorhees from the original Friday the 13th grabbing Pete suddenly from behind and kills him. Pete wakes up to be comforted by MJ. The reason for his nightmares is that Jason Macendale is FINALLY going to trial for his crimes as the Hobgoblin.

All of them.

At this point, only a select few knew that Ned Leeds was the Hobgoblin. Peter, Mary Jane, Betty Brant, the Foreigner, Kingpin, Richard Fisk, and Alfredo (aka Richard Fisk's best friend).

Course that all ends when Macendale reveals that there was another Hobgoblin to all the press reporting at his trial (which is about to deliever a verdict on him). His reasoning for said revelation is to make the jury wonder reasonable doubt in his case thus no death penalty for him, buying him whatever time he can to probably escape.

Well a side effect from this (besides said reporters now going after Betty like a shark in a feeding frenzy) is that it's publically reported. Jonas Harrow (nice little cameo here), and all the old Stern Hobgoblin suspects (George Varndergill, Senator Robert Martin, Donald Menken ((who just getting all kinds of play in the current Second Season of Spectacular Spider-Man)), and Roderick Kingsley).

His brother Daniel then worries that a connection between Roderick and the Hobgoblin could be discovered. Which is true, since if police or someone did some snopping they find out the hit that was later put on Roderick Kingsley for being with the Hobgoblin (this was found out via Kris Keating aka the Foreigner). Given that Richard Fisk was still very much alive at this time. This lead to only one conclusion for Roderick, kill Macendale thus stopping the fire before it gets any bigger.

Meanwhile Pete is still reeling over the fact that now the Daily Bugle has jumped onto the Ned is the Hobgoblin story as he confesses this current mess to MJ:





Ah one of the unsung advantages of the Spider-Marriage, MJ being the voice that asks the obvious questions. Not to mention being the rock for Pete for times like these.

Meanwhile, Jason is paid a visit by Roddy.




You want view the whole scene go here:

http://asylums.insanejournal.com/scans_daily/647431.html#cutid1

The issue ends with Hobby paying a visit to "Roderick" Kingsley renewing their old partnership. #2 begins with their partnership back in full force:




As for what Hobgoblin's real goal in this mini? Why getting Oscorp of course! This was when Norman Osborn didn't make the full on return to comics, so Liz Allen and Donald Menken where running Oscorp. The later is helping Kingsley take Oscorp over via dummy companies.

George Vandergill and Senator Martin find out about the take-over bid call Menken with Kingsley overhearing and then they rub this fact in Menken's face giving hi a choice. Either he give Vandergill and Martin complete control over the takeover or they go public with their findings. Obviously Roddy isn't amused:




During all of this Betty has gathered a group to find and expose whomever this original Hobgoblin is. She has Flash Thompson, Peter Parker, Mary Jane, and Spider-Man in her aide. Though after interviewing various people they get diddly save for possible suspects. So Betty decides to try and lay a trap to the Hobgoblin revealing on national tv that she's just discovered files Ned had on corporate corruption.

After former Daily Bugle reporter Jacob Conovor fails in an attempt to get these files from Betty that he believes Ned stole from him (more on that later). In the aftermath of that this happens:







#3 begins much like #1 started. Pete being plagued by the Hobgoblin though now having the face of the various suspects taunting him he'll never know who the Hobgoblin ever will be.

That snaps him out of it and he swims back to the surface. Betty meanwhile:




Hobby removes the spidertracers on Betty and gives him to "Roddy" to send Spidey on a wild goose chase. In the clutches of the hell fiend, Betty plays to Hobby's ego. Enter to where Stern retcons fully how Ned Leeds couldn't be the Hobgoblin:










Hobby then pushes Betty a little more into what those files before coming to the obvious conclusion she doesn't have them. "Roddy" appears with a gun telling his boss enough is enough. Hobgoblin shakes his head at the stupidity of "Roderick" saying he now has to kill Betty now that she's seen his partner. Spidey arrives to save the day and unmasks Hobgoblin to be Roderick Kingsley.

Kingsley at the end of the story is now the one being put on trial and is assigned the same cell in the same prison he murdered Jason Macendale:



For those who want to hunt this story down a warning. If you're looking for the trade for this, it's out of print. It's much easier to find the actual issues more.

Comments

[greenmask.insanejournal.com]

Spider-man comics that are chaotic and fun with a strong marriage at the core.

What a beautiful dream that was.

Thanks for the scans, I've never been clear on the latter end of the hobgoblin stuff.

[superfan1.insanejournal.com]

What a wonderful story, thanks for posting it.