Gwen Stacy is back and Norman Osborn doesn't appear well in Gold Goblin #1

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The Green Goblin's hero turn doesn't seem like it's on solid ground in the debut of the Gold Goblin limited series

Gold Goblin #1 art
Gold Goblin #1 art (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

in November 9's Amazing Spider-Man #13 took 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 now the latest iteration of Osborn's ever-evolving role in the Marvel Universe spins off into his own Gold Goblin limited series, debuting Wednesday, November 16. 

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

As Peter Parker fights against the two Hobgoblins - Roderick Kingsley and Ned Leeds - Norman Osborn watches from his hospital bed where he's stuck after sustaining severe 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 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. However, his current "reformed" state seems tenuous at best, as he's revised by the spirit of Gwen Stacy in the following preview of Green Goblin #1, but this Gwen may or may not be the figment of his imagination. 

Gold Goblin #1 cover (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

As readers of Amazing Spider-Man #10 (legacy number 904) know, Peter was haunted by a Celestial in the guise of Gwen as part of the AXE: Judgement Day event, who later gave Peter the gift of a moment with the real Gwen, events that Norman witnessed in part. 

Since Judgment is over and the spirit of the real Gwen faded away, it stands to reason that the Gwen haunting Norman is just a manifestation of his mental illness.

Either way it doesn't appear as if Normal is beginning his superhero career under the best of personal circumstances. 

Normal will almost certainly eventually revert back to his Green Goblin villainous persona  ... because comic books ... but whether it occurs during or due to the events of the Gold Golbin series remains to be seen.

Either way, check out these pages from Gold Golbin #1.

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Gold Goblin #1
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

The Hobgoblin 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.

Michael Doran

I'm not just the Newsarama founder and editor-in-chief, I'm also a reader. And that reference is just a little bit older than the beginning of my Newsarama journey. I founded what would become the comic book news site in 1996, and except for a brief sojourn at Marvel Comics as its marketing and communications manager in 2003, I've been writing about new comic book titles, creative changes, and occasionally offering my perspective on important industry events and developments for the 25 years since. Despite many changes to Newsarama, my passion for the medium of comic books and the characters makes the last quarter-century (it's crazy to see that in writing) time spent doing what I love most.