Published on March 1st, 1983
Zeb Wells is writing The Amazing Spider-Man these days, and he just started a new arc featuring The Hobgoblin. John Romita, Jr. is drawing the book, and his dad was penciling the book when The Hobgoblin was first introduced in 1983. Currently, The Amazing Spider-Man is not good at all. It's kind of hard to even remember when it was last any good. Marvel and DC books are really in the doldrums these days, for whatever reason. Neither company is putting out a great, must-read book. You have to read something from Image or Boom for that. It wasn't always like this, though. I'm not sure what the reason is as to why they can't put out a great Spider-Man book. Is it because it's all been done? Maybe, although Marvel isn't doing any favors considering Norman Osbourne is still a main character in the current run even though he was killed off in 1973. Hobgoblin showed up in 1983. Did they actually go ten years without a Goblin nemesis? That's hard to fathom. I thought I'd read the original Hobgoblin story and see if it's actually as good as everyone says. The one thing that's obvious when reading old Marvel comics is that there's a ton of words in the books. They actually take a while to read and you actually feel like you get your money's worth. I can read a current issue of The Amazing Spider-Man in like two minutes. The Hobgoblin makes his debut in The Amazing Spider-Man #238. John Romita, Jr. did the pencils and Roger Stern wrote the script. The title page says that John Romita, Jr. and John Romita, Sr. did the art...so I'm guessing Jr. did the inking? It's crazy that Jr.'s still working at Marvel fifty years later and drawing their flagship book. How old is Jr.? 66. His dad was a better artist, although the artwork back then wasn't as dynamic or flashy as it is now. The art in TAS #238 is pretty by-the-numbers, though it's got that classic, comic book feel. The story isn't all that special, either, but it works. This is why I'm baffled why no one these days seems to be able to write a great Batman or Spider-Man run. It's not fucking rocket science! The great, classic issues, like #238, weren't even anything spectacular. The basic premise is that Spider-Man chases some robbers around NYC. One gets away in the sewers and ends up finding one of The Green Goblin's hideout labs in an underground bunker. The robber ends up selling the lab stuff to a mystery man that turns out to be...The Hobgoblin! The other stuff in the issue is basic Peter Parker stuff. He sells some pictures to The Daily Bugle. Aunt May is working at a homeless shelter or something...then goes to Florida on vacation where she runs into Mary Jane. I know not every back issue of TAS is a classic...but reading these old issues just makes you realize how bad the current issues are. It seems like the artwork has gotten better but the writing has gotten worse. And even that's not even accurate, as I kind of love the old, comic book style that's basic but doesn't feel rushed. Supposedly the mystery behind "who is The Hobgoblin?" was a big thing in this storyline. Since I'm not reading the whole run, I'm not sure if the guy revealed was even a major character or anything. And that last page...when The Hobgoblin is revealed in costume in full...fuck... it makes you realize how great comic books can be. ***1/2
