Angel on the Loose!

Daily Bugle reporter Ken Ellis is on the scene of a murder with intern Lynn Walsh. The police inform them that the victim was a psychologist who was examining the female criminal known as Angelface. Letting his guard down, he brought the woman to his office and was murdered for his trouble. Lynn recalls how Angelface was the female villain that recently battled the Green Goblin.[1] Realizing that he's landed on a big story, Ken pulls Lynn Walsh aside and asks her how close she is with Phil Urich, in the hopes that he can get the scoop on his rival, Ben Urich.

Meanwhile, Phil Urich has just opened a package and discovered that it contains the $10,000 offered by the assassin known as Arcade that would lead to the capture of the Green Goblin. This sudden windfall comes thanks to his alter-ego and Phil couldn't be happier. He then begins debating what he can spend his money on. He decides against spending it responsibly or thoughtfully and goes down to an electronics store to buy himself a brand new stereo. At that same moment, Angelface has reunited with her partners -- Salt and Pepper -- at an abandoned warehouse off the waterfront. There she contemplates wearing a mask to cover up her scarred face, but her partners tell her it's not worth the trouble. The pair has been researching the Green Goblin while Angelface was incarcerated. They discovered that the majority of stories written about the Goblin were done by Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich. Wanting to get revenge against the Goblin for scarring her face, Angelface figures there is some connection between Urich and the Goblin and seeks to exploit it.

By this time, Phil Urich has gone out and purchased an expensive suit to help him muster the courage to ask out Lynn Walsh. After stopping for some flowers, Phil goes to the Daily Bugle where his new suit raises a lot of eyebrows. When he approaches Lynn, he sees that his friend Meredith Campbell is upset about something, oblivious to the fact that she is interested in him. Before Phil can ask Lynn out, she tells him how Ken Ellis is pumping her to convince Phil to steal his uncle's files on Angelface. It's during this conversation that she refers to him only as a friend. Realizing that she has no romantic interest in him, and is only being nice in order to get his uncle's work, Phil turns her down outright. As he walks away, Joe Robertson asks who the flowers are for, and Urich tells Joe that they are for nobody. After throwing the flowers out, Phil goes and tells his Uncle Ben what happened. Surprisingly, Ben decides to give Ellis the file. Ben explains that although Ken Ellis thinks they are in direct competition with each other, the Daily Bugle is a team and he is willing to share his information with a fellow reporter. Leaving the office, Phil gets down on himself by how poorly things went today. Things get worse when someone sneaks up behind Phil and puts a bag over his head.

When the hood is removed, Phil finds himself tied up in Angelface's hideout. She shows off a powerful taser device she created to deal with the Green Goblin. She then demands to know where she can get ahold of Ben Urich's file on the Green Goblin. Phil decides to protect his Uncle by ratting out Ken Ellis. However, Lynn Walsh was with him when Angelface's minions capture Ellis and take her prisoner as well. By this time, Angelface has gathered a gang of thugs to deal with the eventual arrival of the Green Goblin. When she leaves Phil to deal with Ellis allowing Urich begins struggling to get free so he can access the remote control for his Goblin Glider. With the hired muscle growing restless and Ellis refusing to talk, Salt notices Phil Urich about the leap out the window. Phil takes the plunge and is relieved when his Goblin Glider arrives in time to fly him to safety. Quickly changing into the Green Goblin, Phil comes crashing into the warehouse to face Angelface and her goons. As the Goblin deals with the gang of toughs, Ken Ellis begs the Goblin for an exclusive interview. With the battle turning against her, Angelface grows tired of Ken Ellis and blasts him the taser. She then takes Lynn hostage and tries to escape through a secret tunnel.

The whole way, Angelface spins widely different stories about her troubled childhood. Once they reach the getaway boat at the end of the tunnel, Angelface then turns and fires a blast in the tunnel in the hopes of hitting the Goblin. Instead, she hits his Goblin Glider, which the hero sent ahead by remote control. In the ensuing battle, Angelface blasts a drum filled with gasoline causing them to catch fire. With the entire tunnel about to blow, the Goblin grabs Lynn and makes a daring escape leaving Angelface to be seemingly destroyed in the blast. Glad to be alive, Lynn Walsh thanks the Green Goblin by kissing him on the lips. Figuring that Lynn likes him, the Goblin flies away happy. However, he realizes that he had misinterpreted the kiss when he returns to the Daily Bugle later as Phil Urich. As it turned out, Lynn thought kissing the Goblin was disgusting -- mostly because his mask smelled -- only to establish a report with the hero in the hopes of getting exclusives in the future. Seeing that Phil is down about something, Meredith asks Urich if he is okay. He tells her that he feels like a total dork, but she assures him that there are bigger candidates out there, particularly in politics. Cheered up a little by this, Phil asks Meredith if she wants a to go out, and she accepts his offer.

Recurring Characters

Green Goblin, Angelface, Ken Ellis, Lynn Walsh, Salt, Pepper, Joe Robertson, Ben Urich, Meredith Campbell

Continuity Notes

1. The Goblin and Angelface battled each other in Green Goblin #8.