November 9's Amazing Spider-Man #13 from writer Zeb Wells, artists John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, and Marcio Menyz, and letterer Joe Caramagna takes the Goblin mystery that's been brewing in the title to a new level with the introduction of Norman Osborn's heroic Gold Goblin persona, and the reveal of another villain in the mix.
Previously, Amazing Spider-Man #12 established that both Roderick Kingsley, the original Hobgoblin, and Ned Leeds, the man he once framed in his place, are both currently operating as the Hobgoblin, with Leeds acting under Kingsley's control thanks to a brainwashing machine.
It also established that Kingsley seems to be under someone else's control himself - and now we know whose.
Spoilers ahead for Amazing Spider-Man #13
As Peter Parker fights against the two Hobgoblins - Kingsley and Leeds - Norman Osborn watches from his hospital bed where he's stuck after sustaining serious injuries in a previous Hobgoblin attack, viewing the action thanks to the new Spider-gadgets he built for Peter, including a communications helmet and a Spider-Glider.
The two Hobgoblins start to overpower Spider-Man, ultimately leading Osborn to finally don the Gold Goblin armor that was announced earlier this year to come to Peter's rescue.
In previous issues, Osborn resisted putting on the armor, stating his fear that it could lead him to revert to his villainous Green Goblin persona, from which he is currently totally reformed.
And true to his fears, Peter has to pull Osborn off of the two Hobgoblins when he starts pummeling them.
In the aftermath, Betty Brant fears that Ned Leeds will receive harsh punishments for acting as Hobgoblin, even though he was under the mind control of Roderick Kingsley - especially because the device used to brainwash him mysteriously disappeared from Ned's office.
Instead, the issue's conclusion shows that it's in the possession of Kingsley, who has moved it to a secret location - where he himself sits down in the machine, awaiting the command of his own psychological manipulator…
...who is revealed as none other than Queen Goblin, a new Goblin villain (not to be confused with the Goblin Queen) introduced in the 'Spider-Man Beyond' arc of the previous volume of Amazing Spider-Man. Queen Goblin is a clone of Dr. Ashley Kafka, a psychiatrist who once worked for the Beyond Corporation, who blames Norman Osborn for her transformation into Queen Goblin.
And now it seems she's using Roderick Kingsley to finally get revenge.
The story continues in Amazing Spider-Man #14, on sale November 23 - a prelude to Spider-Man/X-Men: Dark Web.
Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics planned for release in 2022 and beyond.
