Tuesday, September 12, 2017

It's OK if Mommy and Daddy fight, as long as one of them is in costume.


I know I collected the other 30th anniversary holographic covers, but this one might be the strongest: from 1992, the Spectacular Spider-Man #189, "The Osborn Legacy" Written by J.M. DeMatteis, art by Sal Buscema.

This probably seems longer ago than it actually was, but a married Peter and Mary Jane Parker are on edge, since Harry Osborn is full-on Green Goblin again and is taunting them, and he knows Peter's secret identity. Harry also kidnaps his extended family: wife Liz, son Normie, brother-in-law Mark "Molten Man" Raxton. Normie is too little to realize how creepy his dad is being, in full Goblin costume; but Liz and Mark are terrified; worse, Harry now seems stronger than Mark.

While Mary Jane goes to stay with Aunt May (under the white lie of having had a fight with Peter) Spider-Man tracks Harry down to his childhood home, Norman Osborn's house. Harry, for his part, wanted to live up to his father's legacy but not make the same mistakes, like ignoring or hurting his loved ones; and in his defense, Normie seems into it. Catching the family at dinner, Spidey has to sit down with them while Harry plays up his "happy family" that Peter doesn't have. A fishing expedition that Peter doesn't bite on, but Mark attacks Harry, and gets slapped down again. (Mark had activated a Spider-tracer that led Peter there.) Normie sides with his dad, as Harry turns hard on Liz; then hits Spidey in the back with a Goblin-glider since Spidey has to take the hit to protect Normie. Harry then attempts to snap Spidey's neck, saying he's too paralyzed with guilt to risk hurting anyone. Refusing to live in fear, Spidey rallies, punching out Harry and resolving to live with whatever happens.

In a "high-tech straitjacket" from the Vault, the cops take Harry away--still in full costume--but he takes a moment to proclaim he knows Spider-Man's secret identity.


Spidey is left, alone, standing in the street at the end here...actually, I think he stands around a lot in this one; but still a good one. There would be a bit to go before Harry was killed off, but he would be back years later after "One More Day," and a ton of things have happened to him since...

1 comment:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

I used to have this one. Dark AF, but a very good story nonetheless. They probably should've let Harry stay dead since they wind up bringing his dad back anyways.