Green Goblin

The Green Goblin is a Marvel Comics supervillain, considered one of Spider-Man’s greatest foes. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #14 (July 1964). more...

The first, current and best-known Green Goblin is the alter ego of industrialist Norman Osborn. A serum that granted him super strength also caused him to become a mentally unbalanced megalomaniac. Osborn dresses in a garish green and purple costume resembling a goblin and uses an arsenal of high-tech weapons, notably grenade-like "pumpkin bombs" and flying "goblin glider" to terrorize New York City. Ironically, his troubled, underachieving son Harry was a close friend of Peter Parker, who is secretly Spider-Man.

In a landmark 1973 storyline, the Green Goblin murdered Peter’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy and was apparently killed in the ensuing battle after his glider malfunctioned. Osborn was believed dead for several years during which several other characters assumed the role, most notably his son Harry, who died in the role. The Hobgoblin is another character who imitated the Green Goblin and used his equipment.

Norman Osborn was revealed alive in the late 1990s, much to the chagrin of many fans, and resumed his role as the Goblin. Recently, he was exposed, arrested and convicted for his crimes.

The Green Goblin also appeared in several Spider-Man animated series throughout the years and, more notably, in the 2002 Spider-Man film, in which he was played by Willem Dafoe.

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