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Red Goblin: Red Death Vol 1 1

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Quote1 How could I allow this to happen? All this death and destruction. For what? For respect? For control? For fear? For revenge. For destruction. For the death of Spider-Man. For great power. HAHAHAHAHA! Quote2
—Red Goblin (Norman Osborn)

Appearing in "Great Responsibility"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Apartment building residents (First appearance)
    • Unnamed drug dealer (First appearance; dies)
    • Matthew (First appearance; dies)
    • Numerous unnamed others (Only appearance; death)

Other Characters:

Races and Species:

Locations:

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Synopsis for "Great Responsibility"

In his office, Norman Osborn addresses the Carnage symbiote - which covers the left half of his body, saying there are lines even he is unwilling to cross and senseless murder is one of them. Mockingly quoting Spider-Man's catchphrase, the Carnage symbiote sneers that if Norman wants its power then it's his responsability to satiate its appetite. Norman asks what it means by "appetite" and the Carnage symbiote snarls at him to stop playing dumb, smashing the container as it snarls that it wants to feast on the blood of the innocent and savor their screams. Unwilling to engage in wholesale slaughter, Norman proposes a compromise and the Carnage symbiote growls that it's listening. Norman says that they need each other - the symbiote to kill and he for the power to reign over New York - and proposes that when the symbiote's bloodlust grows too strong they pick a target that won't be missed and can't be traced back to him. The Carnage symbiote accepts this proposal and engulfs Norman, transforming him into the Red Goblin.

Perched on the railing of a fire escape, the Red Goblin surveils the nighttime street as Norman tells the symbiote to choose wisely as it only gets one kill. The symbiote proposes targeting a drunkard staggering into an alley, but Norman points out the ring on his left hand and says that the last thing they need is his wife starting a manhunt. Norman points out a woman in a wheelchair, but the symbiote refuses - saying she's too easy prey and it wants to hunt. Hearing a commotion from a nearby alley, the Red Goblin turns to watch as a drug dealer sneers at one of his clients as she begs him for a hit. Dumping a bag of cocaine on the ground, the dealer mockingly states that was the last of his stash and walks away as the woman scrambles to retrieve as much of it as she can. Norman remarks that nobody would miss him and they'd be doing the world a favor by killing him, the symbiote agreeing. As the Red Goblin tails the dealer as he climbs into his car and drives away, Norman notes it's fortunate he lives outside the city as the symbiote gleefully savors the thrill of the hunt.

Arriving at an apartment, the symbiote tells Norman it can't wait any longer. Norman urges it to at least wait until he's inside his apartment to avoid witnesses, but the symbiote takes over and lunges at the dealer. Knocked to the ground, the dealer asks who the Red Goblin is as the symbiote calls itself his preview of Hell before gutting him. As it gleefully states it's missed murdering, one of the apartment residents looks out her window to see what the commotion is and screams. Norman berates the symbiote for not waiting until he was inside, protesting that they can't leave any witnesses. The symbiote retorts that they won't as the Red Goblin rips the doors off the apartment. Norman berates the symbiote for violating the terms of their agreement and it calls him out on being a hypocrite, Norman snapping that they agreed it got to kill only one person. As more people check on the commotion, the symbiote smugly states Osborn himself said they can't leave any witnesses - Norman realizing that they'll now have to kill everyone in the building. The Red Goblin rips through a door and attacks a family, the father calling the police as his youngest child flees. Norman begs the symbiote to stop, but it ignores him and massacres everyone they come across. Pulling the fire alarm, the Red Goblin manifests a Carnage Bomb and hurls it at a group of residents as they beg for mercy, then casually strolls out of the ensuing inferno.

Retracting the symbiote from his face, Norman lamentingly asks himself how he could have allowed this to happen and what could possibly justify this senseless slaughter. Dismissing control, respect, and fear, a cruel smile replaces Norman's sorrowful expression as he settles on revenge, destruction, power, and the death of Spider-Man; cackling maniacally as the symbiote covers him again.

Appearing in "Big Mouth"

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Synopsis for "Big Mouth"

Walking down the street, Norman Osborn tells the Carnage symbiote that they have to be alert as Spider-Man has connections all over the city; listing the Daily Bugle, Mary Jane Watson, and Alchemax to name a few. As Norman asks it who Spider-Man is, the symbiote retorts that it doesn't know and that they need to find someone who will spill the beans. A passerby recognizes Osborn and double-takes before calling out to him, Norman saying he must be mistaken before the man points out nobody else thinks horizontal cornrows are fashionable. The man remarks that he lost track of Norman after the Dark Avengers went FUBAR, asking if he's still working for the government. As the symbiote tells Norman to kill the man, Norman says he has to go. As the man insists they hang out, the symbiote asks who he is and Norman retorts that he doesn't know. As the man asks if Norman is still sore about what happened at Empire State University, his comment jogs Norman's memory. The man protests that was years ago, and Norman admits to having forgotten about him due to the passage of time; now recognizing him as Ned Tobolowski. As the symbiote inquires what Norman is plotting, he ignores it and asks what Ned has been up to. Ned replies that he ran a successful hedge fund for several years before retiring and is now planning on buying a place in Florida to settle down with his wife. Grinning wickedly, Norman says that is fantasying, and as Ned asks what he's been up to Norman suggests they go for dinner. Surprised by his sudden change of heart, Ned remarks that he hopes he's not keeping Norman from anything important; the symbiote mentally interjecting that he is. Ned remarks that he almost didn't say anything since Norman probably wants to keep a low profile, but couldn't help himself. Norman bitterly retorts that Ned always did have a problem with keeping his mouth shut, Ned apologizing before Norman says he's just teasing and lying through his teeth that he isn't someone who holds a grudge.

Arriving at a building, Norman opens the door and ushers Ned inside as he remarks that the place looks abandoned. Norman assures him that this is the right place, and as Ned asks what's going on he turns to see Norman transformed into the Red Goblin. Mockingly asking if Ned recognizes him now, the Red Goblin snarls that Ned exposed him for cheating in university - costing him his scholarship and nearly getting him expelled. Hooking tentacles into Ned's mouth, the Red Goblin vengefully rips his face apart.

At J. Jonah Jameson's apartment, the former editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle and mayor of New York grumbles that he can't keep his blog afloat without Spider-Man. Stepping out of the shadows, Norman remarks that that's something they have in common. Jameson asks how long Norman has been standing there, and Norman retorts that he's only been there a few seconds but that he's learned so much from Jameson's inability to keep his mouth shut. Knocking Jameson to the ground, Norman snaps that Jameson is a loudmouth and that he hates loudmouths, kicking him across the room as he says that Jameson's greatest weakness will provide Norman with an invaluable gift - Spider-Man's secret identity.

Appearing in "The Wayside Darkness"

Featured Characters:

  • Eduardo (First appearance) (Main story and flashback) (Bonds to the Venom Symbiote residue)

Supporting Characters:

  • Eduardo's father (First appearance) (Main story and voice in flashback)

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Vehicles:

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Synopsis for "The Wayside Darkness"

At the Bronx Seventh Street Mission, a Hispanic man looks at a bulletin board displaying several missing children and their school bus driver, mentally praying to God and thanking him for returning his son from death, noting that people who revel on Halloween shouldn't be too quick to assume themselves safe from evil when it festers inside them.

Some time earlier, the bus driver - Peter - shouts at the crowd of rowdy children to be quiet. Sitting at the back of the bus and glaring at the children in front of him, Normie Osborn's eyes turn red as the offshoot of the Carnage symbiote inside him whispers in his mind. Approaching an obese Hispanic boy named Eduardo, Normie rips his headphones off and mocks him for listening to recordings of his father's evangelical preaching.

In a flashback, Norman Osborn notes that he's been cleansed of the nanites preventing him from augmenting himself with Goblin Formula, but still senses a faint echo pleading for restraint against the innocent. Norman purges residue of the Venom symbiote from the Carnage symbiote and transforms into the Red Goblin, declaring himself purified and ready to rid New York of the spider-themed heroes who protect it. Soaring over Queens on Halloween, the Red Goblin cackles maniacally.

Narrating, Eduardo's father notes he lost his son on Halloween, and that he'd been so proud when his son put together a last-minute costume to appease his father's desire for him to be a protector of the innocent. As the children don their costumes and pile off the bus, Peter yells at them to be back on time. As Normie steps off the bus, Peter grabs his arm and says he saw him bullying Eduardo, threatening to report him unless Normie brings him a chocolate bar. Glaring back at the school bus, Normie sneaks back on through the emergency door when Peter is distracted by his smartphone and sits at the back. As Peter is alarmed by his sudden reappearance, Normie speaks in a symbiote-distorted voice and says he won't be reporting anything. Transforming into the Goblin Childe, Normie lunges at Peter just as Eduardo returns. Abandoning Peter as Eduardo recognizes him as Normie, the Goblin Childe snatches up Eduardo and carries him away.

Standing over a pile of Spider-Man Halloween masks, the Red Goblin gloats until the Goblin Childe enters with Peter and Eduardo in tow. The Red Goblin berates him for not killing them, the Goblin Childe protesting that he's not ready to kill yet. Disparaging his grandson as pathetic, the Red Goblin kills Peter and tells the Goblin Childe to hunt his prey as Eduardo flees.

Prowling through Norman's study, Normie retracts the symbiote from his face and says that he used to play hide-and-go seek there too, but always felt his grandfather's collection of ghoulish masks were watching him. Stating he was proud when his grandfather said he was ready to wear a mask of his own, Normie says that he and Eduardo are alike in that they were too weak to keep their masks on. Cowering behind Norman's desk as Normie asks if he isn't tired of being scared, Eduardo's broken headphones fall off and spots a pair of scissors on the floor next to a puddle of black ooze. Normie challenges Eduardo to prove his strength and make him pay for his sins, Eduardo grabbing the scissors and lunging at him. As Normie urges Eduardo to kill him, Eduardo stops just shy of stabbing him and asks why. As his symbiote coils tendrils around the scissors, Normie fights its bloodlust as Eduardo's father's voice faintly comes through the speakers. As Eduardo asks why Normie wants him to kill him, Normie replies that Eduardo has shown the kind of strength that his grandfather values and that if Eduardo doesn't kill him Norman will. Normie admits that either way he had no intention of killing Eduardo and points out an escape route.

Desperately searching for his son, Eduardo's father finds him. Later that evening, Eduardo's father says that he'd said some bullies had broken his headphones but that they seem to be in one piece. Eduardo says he found some smart goo that fixed them, asking if they can get some half-priced candy in the morning. Eduardo's father agrees and says not to forget his prayers, offering to leave the door open so that he won't be afraid of the dark. Speaking using the first-person plural, Eduardo says he isn't afraid of anything anymore, and once in the darkness of his bedroom reveals he's bonded to the offshoot of the Venom symbiote.

Solicit Synopsis

DEAD IS THE NEW RED!

In order to finally destroy Spider-Man once and for all Norman Osborn joined himself with the Carnage symbiote, becoming the Red Goblin! Here, at last, is the Red Goblin’s reign of madness and mayhem! So grab your greatest goblin gear and rend your raiments red, for the Red Goblin rides again!

Notes

The "Great Responsibility" and "Big Mouth" stories take place between Amazing Spider-Man #796 and Amazing Spider-Man #797, while "The Wayside Darkness" takes place between Amazing Spider-Man #799 and Amazing Spider-Man #800.

Continuity Notes[]

  • In The Wayside Darkness, Flash Thompson is shown dead while Norman is gloating about having caused Peter pain by killing his loved ones, despite the story being set before Norman kills him in Amazing Spider-Man #800.

See Also

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References

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