The Future of the Analyzing Series

I hope all of you enjoyed the Analyzing the Goblin series. I had fun doing it and I hope to do more with different characters, both heroes and villains. I would love to hear your suggestions, I know I already have a couple in mind!   

The Girl named Gwen:Analyzing the Goblin Finale

Gwen Stacy, the first love of Peter Parker. The girl of Peter's dreams and the girl Peter was suppose to end up with. But that was all ruined on top of a bridge by the Green Goblin. This event shaped Peter and Spider-Man for years to come. When Gwen's father Captain George Stacy died in Amazing Spider-Man #90, while trying to save a young boy from falling debris as Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus fought, his dying words were "Be good to her, son! Be good to her. She loves you so very much." He known Peter was Spider-Man and just wanted to make sure that Peter took care of Gwen and protected her. 31 issues later, Norman Osborn tested that and ultimately made sure Peter could not save Gwen, and it was at Peter's own hands that he killed her. 

For some time, however, fans speculated that the shock of the fall itself caused Gwen Stacy's death, due to the Green Goblin telling Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #121, "Romantic idiot! She was dead before your webbing reached her! A fall from that height would kill anyone — before they struck the ground!" In the 1987 edition of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, Gwen's death is attributed to the fall, not to Spider-Man's webbing. In the fourth issue of Marvels, it was reported that she died from the shock of the fall, however Phil Sheldon, a photographer and witness, is unsure about exactly what kills her. But In Amazing Spider-Man #125 (Oct. 1973), Marvel Comics editor Roy Thomas wrote in the letters column that "it saddens us to have to say that the whiplash effect she underwent when Spidey's webbing stopped her so suddenly was, in fact, what killed her. In short, it was impossible for Peter to save her. He couldn't have swung down in time; the action he did take resulted in her death; if he had done nothing, she still would certainly have perished. There was no way out." The Goblin knew what he was doing like Thomas said there was no way out, Gwen was going to die. Osborn wanted Peter to hurt, he wanted him to feel pain like never before. Something deep. This shows that Green Goblin/Norman Osborn is a twisted person. He holds something deep and personal against Peter Parker/Spider-Man. These two will always be at war, and as long as the Goblin exist so does the Spider. 

The Goblin and The Spider: Analyzing the Goblin Part II

Spider-Man, the hero to Green Goblin's villain. But why is that? The Green Goblin could have gone after any hero. He could have gone after Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, or Thor. But he chose Spider-Man, why? Like stated in Part I of this series, in Amazing Spider-Man #14, when the Green Goblin makes his debut, he uses the Enforcers to help him try to defeat Spider-Man and make a spectacle out of it for a film. In his second appearance, in Amazing Spider-Man #17, he crashes a Spider-Man fan club meeting held by Flash Thompson, sort of like a petty revenge act. It wouldn't be until the third appearance of the Green Goblin that we would see the emergence of the power hungry goblin with him trying to take over the Lucky Lobos Mob, like previously stated. With Norman Osborn making his appearance in issue 37 and learning Spider-Man's identity two issues later in the classic issue 39 and revealing himself as Osborn, it shocked readers, and then in issue 40, Osborn would lose his memory of being the Green Goblin. The next time we see Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin is issue 96-99 and then the infamous "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" story arc, in issues 121-122, in which Norman Osborn/Green Goblin is seemingly killed off. Looking at all of this and all the early issues the Green Goblin appeared in, you see that the Green Goblin appeared to be this silly, goofy character until something changed, and in issue 37-39, is when that all changed. According to Les Daniels in "Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics," artist Steve Ditko resigned because of a disagreement over the Goblin's identity. Ditko wanted it to be someone anonymous--a new, unknown guy; while Stan Lee wanted it to be a familiar character that would startle readers. 

Now debating whether or not a never before seen face under the mask would have the same affect on readers as seeing Norman Osborn's face is to be seen. But there is no denying that the plans for the Green Goblin all changed once Norman Osborn was put under that mask. It became more personal, on Peter Parker's and Norman Osborn's life. Peter always had to watch his back and look out for his family knowing his arch-enemy knew his identity and that one of his best friends father was one of his worst enemies. This man killed his first love, tormented him beyond compare, and has come back from the dead more times then you can count. The Green Goblin is a character who once flew around on a flying broomstick, and has morphed and evolved into one of the most diabolic super-villains of all time. And Spider-Man will always be there, whether he likes it or not.  






Come back next Wednesday for the final part in Analyzing the Goblin.  

Who is the Green Goblin: Analyzing the Goblin

Who is the Green Goblin? Who is Norman Osborn? I think a perfect place to start is to look at the name first of the Green Goblin; goblin. A Goblin, according to Mythology.net (alt. spellings: gobbelin, gobblin, goblyn, gobling, gobelin) is a mischievous, and usually very unpleasant, vengeful, and greedy creature whose primary purpose is to cause trouble to humankind; this is the most common type according to European folklore. This definition alone fits the character traits of the Green Goblin when the character first appeared. In Amazing Spider-Man #14, when the Green Goblin makes his debut, he uses the Enforcers to help him try to defeat Spider-Man and make a spectacle out of it for a film. It wouldn't be until the third appearance of the Green Goblin that we would see the emergence of the power hungry goblin with him trying to take over the Lucky Lobos Mob. The personalities of Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin were starting to come together as Osborn, as a child, became obsessed with gaining wealth and power and as the co-owner of Oscorp, Norman Osborn, loving wealth and power, decided to take full control and had his business partner Mendell Stromm arrested after he discovered he was committing embezzlement, granting Norman complete control over the company; making him the official CEO of Oscorp. The name of Green Goblin perfectly describes and tells you what the character is about, not only the costumed one, but the man underneath it. I don't think Stan Lee or Steve Ditko knew just how on the nose the name would later describe their character.

Come back next Wednesday for part II in Analyzing the Goblin.  

The wait is over!

After teasing the event for so long, join me tomorrow on the start of a 3-part look into the Green Goblin/Norman Osborn. For the next three Wednesdays, it's all about the Goblin and what makes him tick!