THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #180

"Who Was That Goblin I Saw You With?"

• Writer: Len Wein
• Artist: Ross Andru
• Inker: Mike Esposito
• Print Date: May, 1978

Featuring:

Plot Summary:

Radio City Music Hall - This national icon is about to become the final resting place for Silvemane, the Green Goblin, and Spider-Man as the trio plunge from the heights of the hall. Before Spider-Man can rescue them all with a webnet, the Goblin throws one of his sonic toads at Spider-Man stunning the wall-crawler. Using his remote controlled glider, the Goblin rescues himself, grabs Spider-Man and allows Silvermane to fall to his death - or not quite as Silvermane is still breathing after the fall. Joe Robertson witnesses the Green Goblin carrying Spider-Man from the hall.

It forever remain one of life's little mysteries why a 'sonic toad' that is strong enough to knock out Spider-Man would have no effect on the Green Goblin or Silvermane. I mean, the Green Goblin maybe had ear protection of some sort but Silvermane certainly did not come to the theater prepared to survive an attack from a sonic toad. I'm thinking this might the last (and perhaps only?) appearance of the 'sonic toad' considering more recent incarnation of the Green Goblin mostly stick to razor bats and pumpkin bombs.

Silvermane's fall is broke by the theater chairs. He'll eventually recover from his fall and make a few appearances in Spectacular Spider-Man in the future.

I'm not sure why Joe Robertson was brought into this scene. He'll call Jonah and relay what happened between the Green Goblin and Spider-Man. This causes Jonah to fret a bit, but doesn't contribute much to the issue.

As Joe Robertson mutters a silent prayer for the web-slinger, our attention is turned to a now-familiar warehouse on the lower east side. As Harry Osborn rubs his wrists were the ropes bound him, he considers his responsibility for putting a maniac - the Green Goblin - on the street. While he considers what to do about the Goblin, his eyes fall on a spare Green Goblin costume and equipment hanging on the wall: "Oh, of course" he whispers. As Harry once again dons the Green Goblin costume, he decides that Harry Osborn may not be able to stop the menace, but the Green Goblin can!

Joe Robertson calls J. Jonah Jameson to tell him the news about Spider-Man being captured by the Green Goblin. Jonah frets over the costs of having to replate the night edition of the paper, but then considers how appealing it would be to him if the Goblin killed the "lousy wall-crawler".

Cute dialogue with Jonah fretting over the costs of having to replate the night owl edition of the Bugle and pleasant daydreams of how nice life would be if the Green Goblin took out Spider-Man. Of course, it ends with the typical "I could never be that lucky!" comment.

We see the Green Goblin carrying the helpless Spider-Man to an incinerating plant in Brooklyn. The Green Goblin recounts how Spider-Man disposed of his own clone in one of these smokestacks and how fitting it is the Spider-Man is going to follow him into oblivion! However, Spider-Man is conscious by this point, and avoids falling to his death down the incinerator's smokestack. Spider-Man dodges the Green Goblins barrage and eventually disarms the Goblin by ripping away his bag of tricks.

I was a bit confused by the Green Goblin's knowledge of Spider-Man dumping his clone in the incinerator. The only people that knew about it were Spider-Man. Even if the Goblin had heard the story of Spider-Man dumping Peter Parker's body into the incinerator, I'm not sure how he managed to piece together that it was actually a clone of Peter Parker/Spider-Man.

In fact, I completely forgot about the mystery of the person who took the pictures and mailed them to Jonah.

The Green Goblin goes completely on the attack while he taunts Spider-Man with bad quips and rants about his hatred for Spider-Man. Realizing that it is time to end things, Spider-Man weathers a serious of blows from the Green Goblin before subduing him and ripping off his mask. Spider-Man is shocked to find that he has not been battling Harry Osborn, but rather fighting his psychiatrist - Dr. Bart Hamilton.

The Green Goblin manages to put up a bit more fight this than last. He at least connects with several punches, but it is all an exercise in futility because he does not manage to injure Spider-Man in any significant way. The only two successful tricks he had - the netting and the sonic toad - were presumably ripped away when he lost his bag of tricks, and it is a safe assumption that those tricks would not have worked a 2nd time with Spider-Man giving the Goblin his full attention.

I'm guessing that it was quite a shock when Spidey pulled off the mask to reveal - Harry's psychiatrist! It puts a slightly different spin on the whole issues. Although, having Dr. Hamilton 'know' Spidey's secret identity and all the other 'secrets of the Green Goblin' never really comes into play. He never attacks Peter in his civilian clothes or at home. He doesn't 'use' any of Harry's knowledge except to simply find a cache of Green Goblin equipment.

It's too bad. It was an interesting idea, but I think with a little tweaking it could have been a much more compelling story and mystery.

Dr. Hamilton confesses to Spider-Man how, during the course of treating Harry, he learned the entire history of the Green Goblin. When he checked on the veracity of some of Harry's statements, he found a Green Goblin hideout complete with a stash of costumes, equipment, and weapons. At first, Dr. Hamilton was content to experiment with the Goblin's equipment, but then he realized that the secrets of the Green Goblin were too valuable to share. Only Dr. Hamilton was worthy of them.

As his first step, Dr. Hamilton had to remove the greatest obstacle to his inevitable victory and destroy Spider-Man. First he had Harry secretly follow Spider-Man and take pictures of Spider-Man disposing of his clone in the incinerator's smokestack - pictures that Harry later mailed to the Daily Bugle.

Dr. Hamilton's narrative is interrupted by the arriving of another Green Goblin. Harry Osborn has tracked down Dr. Hamilton and wants revenge for being used and abused. The two Goblin square off empty-handed about the incinerator. They charge and grapple and fall through the ceiling of the plant. Harry finally gains the upper hand. Harry goes on about the dangers of being the Green Goblin - the temptations, the feeling of superiority, the corrupting power, and he rips off his costume declaring "The Green Goblin is DEAD!"

Nice little speech by Harry and a fun little battle watching the two Green Goblins battle it out. So, is this the sort of event that Harry needed in order to put his past behind him once and for all?

Dr. Hamilton has one trick left though. He armed himself against potential failure, and pulls a small bomb out of his cuff. He demands that Harry apologizes for the things he said or faces certain death. Dr. Hamilton is not paying attention to his own situation however, and immediately before the bomb detonates, a conveyor belt drops him down a long trash chute. The bomb explodes, killing Dr. Hamilton in the process, but sparing Spider-Man and an unconscious Harry Osborn.

Ha, and Dr Hamilton's crazy finally gets the best of him. He demands an apology from a dazed or unconscious Harry Osborn threatening to blow them all up if Harry doesn't apologize. A few issues ago I was discussing the traits of a crimelord. Well, crimelords never demand an apology.

They also inadvertently blow themselves up either. Dr. Hamilton - it was nice to know you.

When he awakes, Harry is confused about what happened or where he is. Peter Parker escorts him home and explains that Dr. Hamilton lost control of a psychological experiment he was conducting and died. When Harry arrives home, he is happy to find Liz Allen has returned and is waiting for him. Maybe Harry and Liz will finally have a happy ending.

With all the amnesia and hypnotic suggestions and induced amnesia that Harry has been through, it doesn't surprise that he'll go off the deep end again in future. Although, really, WHY the amnesia this time? He hasn't shown any knowledge of Spider-Man's identity or any of the other Goblin secrets. Why is it necessary to have him forget the past few days and claim to him that Dr Hamilton died in an accident?

The previews suggest the Rocket Racer is back next issue, but I think instead they'll offer up some recap comic.