It's been awhile since last we seen the Green Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man #17, a cameo in #18, and a small chronological showing in Untold Tales Of Spider-Man #22, but he's back! And he is getting more sinister as time goes on! It's "The Goblin and the Gangsters" in this his third major appearance and what a wacky one it is! Just one look at the goblin's hysterical look on his face on the splash page as depicted by the great Steve Ditko will give any first time reader a good indication of what this strange character is all about.

The story begins with a meeting of many of the city's gang members with the Green Goblin in attendance. Just like the Big Man in Amazing Spider-Man #10, the Goblin wants to become their leader. There is a dissention in the crowd especially from Lucky Lobo, who is introduced here as a mob leader, but chronologically first in Untold Tales Of Spider-Man #18. Lucky send his goons after the Goblin but they are no match for him and his pumpkin bombs. The Goblin flies away on his goblin glider warning Lobo that he won't be so lucky next time. The Goblin's ultimate plan is to have the entire underworld under his control. Someone else with plans all completely different resides in a suburban home in Forest Hills and his name is Peter Parker. It's a Saturday morning and Peter has plans on going to the library to study so he can receive a Science scholarship for State University.

On his way to the library, Peter reads the paper's news concerning the Green Goblin raiding a racket boss. He then decides to visit the offices of the Daily Bugle for more information on this matter when he sees a familiar face. It's Frederick Foswell, the Big Man from Amazing Spider-Man #10, and he is asking for his job as a reporter back from publisher J. Jonah Jameson. Jameson hires him back basically for good public relations. Peter then goes to see Betty Brant and asks her to the movies but she has to work late. Peter later sees Foswell outside talking to some shady-looking character, but cannot change into Spider-Man because his costume is at home drying after being cleaned. At the same time, the Goblin visits one one Lucky's men who gives him IRS information pertaining to unreported income.

Next we something interesting. Jameson attends a swank executive club with a number of men in attendance, but one man in particular sticks out pretty clearly and it's all in his hair style! That's right, the unmistakable hairstyle of Norman Osborn is seen an a "face in the crowd". Also in attendance is Frederick Foswell who gives Jameson a list of Lucky Lobo's secret finances which will become a great scoop for his paper. Later as the police get ready to bust Lobo with help from Jameson, Peter now changes into his clean and dry costume and witnesses the police raid on Lucky Lobo's place where the Green Goblin is also seen so Spider-Man follows him to where Lobo is hiding. The Goblin wants Spider-Man and Lobo's gang to start fighting each other and his plan works. Spider-Man takes good care of Lucky's gang by setting a trap by which a huge web-net falls from the ceiling covering them all except Lucky himself. Spider-Man catches up to him and he learns the Goblin's true intentions of taking over the underworld from him before webbing him up for the police.

Now it's time for Spider-Man to go after the Goblin, so he catches up to him and lands on top of him making the extra weight to cause the goblin-glider to fall through a skylight in a building carrying the two with it. Amidst piping and machinery, Spider-Man and the Green Goblin fight it out. The Goblin attempts to use Spider-Man's own webbing to try and capture Spider-Man but fails. The Goblin states that "No one will ever know my true identity until I choose to reveal it!" and flies away adding "We'll meet another day!". Spider-Man tries in vain to catch up to the Goblin but just falls short. The Goblin returns to his hideaway to learn from a radio report that the Lucky Lobo and his entire gang has been captured. This angers the Goblin for reason that he now has nothing to take over since Lobo's gang was captured in addition to Lobo himself. Spider-Man changes back into Peter Parker and visits the offices of the Daily Bugle where overhears Jameson and Foswell talk and begins to think to himself that he better be careful around Foswell. Foswell was the person responsible for putting Lobo and his gang behind bars with his information. Peter even wonders if there is a connection between Foswell and the Goblin.

Another fine story that really gets the Goblin deep into the world of the underworld. The Green Goblin gets in even deeper when he makes his next chronological appearance in Untold Tales Of Spider-Man #25 which would showcase his relationship with the Crimemaster. Amazing Spider-Man takes a couple of months off before resuming the story of the Green Goblin and his participation in the criminal underworld in Amazing Spider-Man #26 & #27 which also includes the first appearance of the Crimemaster and a mysterious stoolie by the name of "Patch".

"Spidey" - 1 Page Pin-Up

Artist - Steve Ditko

Reprinted In:
Marvel Tales #18
Marvel Tales #161
 Marvel Masterworks Vol. 10
Spider-Man Essentials II