Axis: Hobgoblin #3
Now
As the Hobgoblin and his Hob-Heroes are being awarded by City Hall in a public ceremony they are unaware that Missile Mate has betrayed them to the Goblin King. As he stands on the podium next to the friends he is about to betray, he wonders how the Hobgoblin could have done a complete 360 from villainy to becoming a hero.[1]
The mayor announces that the police are dropping all criminal charges against the Hobgoblin and declaring tody Hobgoblin day.[2] Kingsley is then given the podium and he tells the audience that they can always rely on his Hob-Heroes who can they can identify by the official Hob-Hero badges they wear. When one of the people in the crowd asks if the badges allow them to hang out with the Hobgoblin. Kingsley responds by pulling Queen Cat and Missile Mate close and saying he only hangs out with people he trusts.
Two Days Ago
The Goblin King has been plotting his attack on the Hobgoblin. Missile Mate is certain that Kingsley doesn’t suspect a thing. He is looking forward to becoming the new Goblin Knight, but Phil tells him that he hasn’t earned the title just yet. The only reason why he is allowing Myer’s into the Goblin Nation is that he has brought Lily Hollister — aka Queen Cat — to him. Lily is still suffering from amnesia, she believes the story that she used to be the Goblin King’s ally as Menace.[3] When Myers asks for advice on what to do next, the Goblin King tells him not to screw up and to make sure that this is the real Roderick Kingsley.
Now
Missile Mate is sweating the situation out, waiting for the Hobgoblin to remove his mask and reveal that he is Roderick Kingsley. When Kingsley does take off his mask, Missile Mate attempts to kill him with one of the Goblin King’s flaming swords. However, Roderick anticipated this and set up a holographic projection in his place. The real Kingsley had been standing off stage the whole time. That’s when the giant Hobgoblin balloon explodes above the crowd, revealing the Goblin King. He has come with an army of villains who franchised out identities from Kingsley before he switched sides, soon they are clashing with his Hob-Heroes.[4]
A few seconds into the battle, Urich orders a cease-fire so that he and Kingsley can fight one-on-one. However, the Hobgoblin easily overpowers the Goblin King. He then pins the Goblin King to a tree with a goblin glider.[5] Kingsley knew all about the betrayal and allowed it to happen in order to lead Phil into a trap. That’s when Queen Cat comes up behind the Hobgoblin, convincing the Goblin King that he has one. However, Queen Cat reveals that she is loyal to the Hobgoblin, having come to enjoy her new life. With his army retreated, Phil Urich is utterly defeated. However, Missile Mate is still loyal and reveals that he had planted bombs in all of the Hob-Hero badges and threatens to trigger the detonator.
The Hobgoblin surprises everyone when he tosses pumpkin bombs at the other Hob-Heroes, seemingly killing them. This prompts Missile Mate to surrender and hand over the detonator. That’s when the Hobgoblin reveals that the Hob-Heroes he “destroyed” were actually the holograms. The police still want evidence that the Hob-Heroes are still alive, that’s when Steve Rogers arrives with the very much alive Hob-Heroes.[6] Rogers is convinced that the Hobgoblin has turned over a new leaf and has come to recruit him into the Avengers. Learning that its an unpaid gig but will earn him respect, the Hobgoblin accepts and shakes Steve Rogers’ hands.
…. This story continues in Axis #6.
Recurring Characters
Hobgoblin, Goblin King, Hob-Heroes (Queen Cat, Razorback, Water Wizard, Flower Girl, D-Man, Wildstreak), Goblin Nation (Missile Mate, 8-Ball, Killer Shrike, Ringer, Squid), Steve Rogers
Continuity Notes
The sudden change in the Hobgoblin’s personality can be attributed to an axis spell that he was exposed to in Axis #3.
One of the police officers on the scene mutters to another that the reason charges are getting dropped is that there have been many different Hobgoblins in the past. These past Hobgoblins include:
Lefty Donovan, a henchman of Roderick Kingsley and the first who was brainwashed into thinking he was the real Hobgoblin. This was done to test the Goblin Formula. Donovan died due to a side effect. See Amazing Spider-Man #244-245.
Ned Leeds: Leeds was also brainwashed into thinking he was the original Hobgoblin. He assumed the role from Amazing Spider-Man #257 until his murder in Spider-Man Versus Wolverine #1.
Jason Macendale: Originally the first Jack O’Lantern, Macendale hired the hit on Leeds and usurped the identity in Amazing Spider-Man #289. He was later murdered by Kingsley when he sought to reclaim the identity in Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives #1.
There was an unidentified Hobgoblin who was active in Secret War #1-5 and Spider-Man/Red Sonja #3-4. His identity and current activities are unknown.
Phil Urich: Was the Hobgoblin from Amazing Spider-Man #648 until he was outed by Spider-Man in Superior Spider-Man #16. He went on to become the new Goblin King following the events of Superior Spider-Man #31.
Kingsley also brainwashed his butler into thinking he was the Hobgoblin and sent him to a battle to the death with the Green Goblin in Superior Spider-Man #26.
Lily Hollister used to be Menace and a member of Goblin Nation until she was cured by Spider-Man in Superior Spider-Man #31.
Kingsley started licensing out super-villain identities in Amazing Spider-Man #697.
The Hobgoblin offers to help Phil be like Norman Osborn by impaling him with a goblin glider. Norman Osborn was once impaled by his own glider in Amazing Spider-Man #122.
Captain America is depicted here as an old man because, at the time of this story, he had been rapidly aged after the super-solider serum was removed from his body in Captain America (vol. 5) #22.
Topical References
Real-world people: Wesley Snipes