The Goblin Lives!

After Norman Osborn invites his son and Peter to Capt. Stacy's slideshow of supervillains, Norman Osborn collapses when they get to the Green Goblin. After being rushed to the hospital, Peter walks to Aunt May's home thinking about the last battle Spider-Man and the Green Goblin had, and the fact that the Goblin knows Peter's secret identity.

Back at the hospital, Norman remembers that he's the Goblin and escapes from the hospital. He than goes into one of the city's slums, to an apartment complex where he kept some of his Green Goblin equipment. Meanwhile, Peter can't concentrate at Empire State because of his fear over the Green Goblin. Going to Norman's house, he finds Harry telling him that Norman left the hospital, freaking Peter out.

That night, Peter dreams that the Goblin captured Peter in his Spider-Man guise, sans mask, and showed him to Aunt May. Waking up, Peter decides that he needs to get the Goblin before it's the other way around. Becoming Spider-Man, he swings unknowingly past the Goblin on his glider.

Later, Harry greets his father at Norman's home, claiming that his brief insanity is over. The next day, Harry calls Peter, telling him that his dad is back, and to celebrate his wellness, he's inviting Peter, MJ, and Gwen to a party he's throwing. Peter sees right through it as a trap, but picks up Gwen and goes anyway, despite the danger.

When the two arrive, Harry, MJ, and Norman are already there. After a little while, they start dinner. Norman starts to lose his grip and would have attacked Peter in front of everyone if dinner had lasted longer. When the guests start dancing, Peter excuses himself to "call Aunt May". He's really making a distraction, by making a ball out of web fluid and throwing it into the fire, so that he and Norman can get away.

Changing in to Spider-Man and the Green Goblin, they both meet at Aunt May's house and begin to fight. During the fight, the Goblin throws a psychedelic pumpkin bomb towards Spidey, and he begins to hallucinate about the Goblin, his friends, and other enemies. Before it permanently affects him, Spider-Man's will power shrugs off the effects and comes up with a plan.

Using the bomb, the damage he gave him, and the Goblin's own insanity, Spider-Man hypnotizes Norman so that he won't want anything to do with the Green Goblin or Spider-Man, making him forget about Spidey's identity as well. As soon as the Goblin is unconscious, Peter drops Norman off at the hospital.

Harry, MJ, and Gwen meet with Peter there, and Harry meets with his father again while Peter walks out with the women, still worrying about the Goblin returning.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, Gwen Stacy, George Stacy, Aunt May, Green Goblin, Miles Warren

Continuity Notes

• Peter recounts how the Green Goblin discovered his secret identity and what he thought was their final battle. That happened in Amazing Spider-Man #39-40.

• Mary Jane's hair is short in this story as it is recently after she got it cut in Amazing Spider-Man #64. This hairstyle proves short lived as she is back to her standard in her next appearance.

• Although Osborn’s Goblin persona is buried again at the end of this story, it doesn’t stay that way for very long. The Green Goblin will appear again in Amazing Spider-Man #96.