The Grotesque Adventure of the Green Goblin

There's a new costumed villain in town, the Green Goblin. After he's perfected his flying broomstick, he visits the recently released Enforcers and offers them the opportunity to get revenge against Spider-Man. He travels to California to visit B.J. Cosmos, a film director who made it big with his last film "The Nameless Thing From the Black Lagoon in the Murky Swamp." The Goblin offers him his next cinematic spectacular: A movie about Spider-Man.

Returning to New York City, the Green Goblin circles around the city until he gets the Spider-Man's attention. He makes a film offer to Spider-Man, who agrees to participate. With the announcement that Spider-Man is going to be in a film, J. Jonah Jameson sends Peter to Hollywood to cover the story. This worries Betty Brant, because she believes that Peter might fall for some silver screen starlet while he's in California.

Arriving in California, Peter reports to B.J. Cosmos' studio as Spider-Man, and he, the Green Goblin, and what he believes to be actors resembling the Enforcers are taken to New Mexico for a desert fight sequence.

The Green Goblin reveals his true motives, and Spider-Man battles him and the Enforcers across the desert. Their fight takes them into a cave, where Spider-Man easily defeats the Enforcers. However, they stumble upon the Hulk's hiding place. Spider-Man is forced to defend himself from the jade giant. He uses the Hulk's strength to his advantage, tricking the Hulk into smashing a boulder blocking the cave exit.

Spider-Man fails to prevent the Green Goblin's escape, and hides until the Hulk leaves the area. He leaves the Enforcers to be collected by the police. Returning to Hollywood, Spider-Man finds that B.J. Cosmos has canned the Spider-Man movie idea, in favor of a Hulk movie. When Spider-Man demands payment, Cosmos refuses, citing the contract: Spider-Man would only get paid if the movie was completed. Peter is forced to use the rest of his money to bus back to New York. Meanwhile, somewhere in the city, the Green Goblin resumes his mysterious civilian guise and begins plotting his next scheme against Spider-Man.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Flash Thompson, Liz Allan, Green Goblin, Enforcers, Montana, Fancy Dan, Ox, Hulk, BJ Cosmos

Continuity Notes

• The identity of the Green Goblin is revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #39.

• The Green Goblin recounts how the Enforcers were recently defeated by Spider-Man. That happened in Amazing Spider-Man #10. He refers to their defeat as happening a "few months ago." Comparing this statement to the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616, this measurement of time can be considered factual.

• Details in this story should be considered topical references per the Sliding Timescale. Namely, the handheld radio that one of Peter's classmates uses, and B.J. Cosmos' camera equipment.