| "Green Goblin Reborn!" | |
|---|---|
 The Amazing Spider-Man #96 (May 1971), cover art byGil Kane. | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Publication date | May – July1971 |
| Genre | |
| Title(s) | The Amazing Spider-Man #96–98 |
| Main characters | |
| Creative team | |
| Writer | Stan Lee |
| Artists | |
"Green Goblin Reborn!" is a 1971 comic bookstory arc published byMarvel Comics inThe Amazing Spider-Man #96–98. It was written byStan Lee and illustrated byGil Kane,John Romita Sr., andFrank Giacoia. The story follows the superheroSpider-Man fighting against his arch enemy, theGreen Goblin, while his best friendHarry Osborn begins abusing drugs. Lee wrote "Green Goblin Reborn!" after theDepartment of Health, Education and Welfare contacted Marvel Comics about doing an anti-drug story. TheComics Code Authority (CCA), the industry's regulatory body, refused to approve the story's sale because of a strict rule against depiction of drug use. Marvel Comics published the story and retailers carried it, ignoring the lack of approval, prompting the CCA to loosen its restrictions for future publications. The story was well-received and brought positive press coverage to Marvel Comics.
The Amazing Spider-Man #96: "And Now, The Goblin" begins with Peter Parker, the superheroSpider-Man, reminiscing on howNorman Osborn, the father of his best friendHarry Osborn, was secretly a supervillain called the Green Goblin and knew Spider-Man's secret identity until he got amnesia. While patrolling the city as Spider-Man, he sees a drug-addled boy on a rooftop trying to fly. The boy jumps, but Spider-Man catches him. The police provide aid while Spider-Man, currently a wanted fugitive, flees. After his patrol, Peter meets with Harry, Norman, and their other friendsMary Jane Watson andRandy Robertson to see Mary Jane perform in a play. Randy, having seen the drug-addled boy, starts an argument with Norman about how the wealthy businessman Norman should use his influence to fight drug abuse. Norman, who previously owned the theater building, has a strong impulse after the show to go into a locked room where he finds hidden Green Goblin equipment and regains his memories. Peter investigates when his spider sense warns him of danger, and he finds the Green Goblin.[1]
The Amazing Spider-Man #97: "In the Grip of the Goblin!" continues the confrontation between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin. Spider-Man is conflicted about fighting Norman, who then wins the fight and believes he killed Spider-Man. Peter returns to his and Harry's apartment, where Harry is bitter because he thought Peter was flirting with Mary Jane. To Peter's shock, Harry takes some pills and goes to sleep. The next day, Harry sees Mary Jane spending time with Peter. A drug dealer notices Harry's despair and uses it to sell him drugs. Peter tries to track down Norman, and when he returns to his apartment he finds that Harry has overdosed and that the Green Goblin has arrived.[2]
The Amazing Spider-Man #98: "The Goblin's Last Gasp!" begins with the Green Goblin crashing into Peter and Harry's apartment. Peter shows him that Harry is overdosing. The Green Goblin is unable to withstand memories of Norman's life, and he flees while Peter gets Harry to the hospital. In London, Peter's estranged girlfriendGwen Stacy regrets leaving him and decides to return home. The drug dealer approaches Peter and asks him where Harry is, so Peter beats up the dealer and his friends. Meanwhile, newspaper editorJ. Jonah Jameson is afraid to report on Harry's overdose because Norman is a major advertiser for the paper, but his employeeRobbie Robertson scolds him and makes him change his mind. Spider-Man continues his search for the Green Goblin until they engage in another fight, and he leads the Goblin to the hospital to show him Harry's current state. The shock causes Norman to faint, so Spider-Man takes him home as the amnesia sets back in. Peter then reunites with Gwen as she arrives home.[3]
"Green Goblin Reborn!" is a comic bookstory arc written byStan Lee featuring theMarvel Comics characterSpider-Man.[4] It was published by Marvel Comics in 1971 across issues #96–98 ofThe Amazing Spider-Man,[5] the most popular Marvel Comics publication at the time.[6] Issue #96 was illustrated byGil Kane andJohn Romita Sr.,[1] while the following two issues were illustrated by Kane andFrank Giacoia.[2][3]
In 1970, theDepartment of Health, Education and Welfare asked Marvel Comics to publish a story about the dangers of drug use.[7] This was part of an anti-drug campaign launched by theNixon administration in response toan increase in use ofpsychedelic drugs in the United States.[8] Lee and Romita shared the concern about youth drug culture and wanted to help discourage drug use.[9]The Amazing Spider-Man provided an opportunity to reach college students, who had been predominant users of psychedelic drugs in the previous years. The series was popular among the demographic, and Spider-Man was seen as a counter-cultural figure for his use of vigilantism to make up for weaknesses in the criminal justice system.[10] Lee and his publisherMartin Goodman chose to run the anti-drug story inThe Amazing Spider-Man, and Lee wrote "Green Goblin Reborn!".[8]
Acknowledging that young readers do not like being lectured to, Lee wrote the story intending to focus on the entertainment value and avoid preaching.[11] Romita later said he had trouble developing the story because he was "a little bit of a square" and had never used drugs.[12] To portray Harry's unpleasant experience with drugs, Kane drew a collage in which Harry was swarmed by pills.[12][13] The original cover of issue #97 featured a similar image, but it was replaced by a more typical cover featuring Spider-Man and the Green Goblin.[14]
The staff at Marvel Comics worried that theComics Code Authority (CCA), a regulatory body within the industry, would take issue with the story because it depicted drug use.[9] Lee appealed to the CCA, prompting a rare meeting between the publishers of theComics Magazine Association of America that oversaw it.[14] After review, it stood by its decision that depicting drug use was "immoral" and refused to approve the story's publication.[13] The final decision to reject the story was made byArchie Comics publisherJohn L. Goldwater, as CCA administrator Leonard Darvin was unavailable.[15]
Publication without approval from the CCA presented the risk that the series would have to be canceled, or that Marvel Comics could be expelled from theComics Magazine Association of America, which would pressure sellers away from carrying any publications by the company.[6] Lee had previously worked withChip Goodman to urge the CCA to allow the depiction of narcotics, but it voted against the proposal.[16]
Lee recalled in a 1998 interview:
I could understand them; they were like lawyers, people who take things literally and technically. The Code mentioned that you mustn't mention drugs and, according to their rules, they were right. So I didn't even get mad at them then. I said, 'Screw it' and just took the Code seal off for those three issues. Then we went back to the Code again. I never thought about the Code when I was writing a story, because basically I never wanted to do anything that was to my mind too violent or too sexy. I was aware that young people were reading these books, and had there not been a Code, I don't think that I would have done the stories any differently.[17]
Despite the risks, Lee received permission from his publisherMartin Goodman to release the story.[7][16] By 1971, the CCA had lost some of its influence and retailers will willing to ignore its lack of CCA approval.[18]The Amazing Spider-Man #96 was the first issue of a major comic series to be sold without CCA approval since its inception in 1954.[15]
"Green Goblin Reborn!" conveys an anti-drug message by depicting negative effects of drug use, showing that it can causepsychosis,overdose, and reckless life-threatening behavior.[19] The story depicts Harry as falling into drug use because of pressures in every aspect of his life,[20] while his father, the Green Goblin, uses a drug to gain superhuman powers at the cost of his sanity.[6] The story never describes what drug is used by Harry.[14]
The first issue of the story challenges the idea that law enforcement is unjust, which was a widely held belief by the predominantly college-age readers. It depicts police officers saving the life of a drug addict while refusing to pursue Spider-Man, who was considered a fugitive at the time, because they saw him save a life.[20]
The story features a defining moment for the characterJ. Jonah Jameson, showing him for the first time making a principled decision at the expense of his newspaper's profits. Jameson's willingness to publish a story despite the risk of losing advertising income mirrors Lee's own decision to publish "Green Goblin Reborn!" despite the associated risks.[21]
The use of Spider-Man as the vehicle for pushing social change reflects the overarching theme of the character that individuals with influence have a responsibility to use it for good, which is phrased by the series as "with great power, there must also come great responsibility".[22][9] Within the story, this sentiment is expressed when Peter Parker demands that Norman Osborn use his own wealth and influence to combat drug use.[23]
"Green Goblin Reborn!" was highly regarded by readers.[6][7][24] Upon its publication, Lee and his story were given positive media attention.[16][14] Marvel Comics editor-in-chiefJoe Quesada was introduced to comic books through "Green Goblin Reborn!" as a child after his father bought the comics to teach him about the dangers of drug use. Quesada was later responsible for ending Marvel Comics' participation in the Comics Code Authority.[25]
The story is recognized for the shift that it caused in how stories are told in superhero comics, especially in their depiction of crime.[6][26] When outlets ignored the lack of certification and stockedThe Amazing Spider-Man #96, the CCA held a meeting and decided to loosen its restrictions.[18] Under the new rules, illicit drug use could be depicted so long as it was portrayed as "a vicious habit" and avoided any positive connotations.[24] A few months after "Green Goblin Returns!",DC Comics published the "Snowbirds Don't Fly" story inGreen Lantern/Green Arrow, whereGreen Arrow's sidekickSpeedy is addicted toheroin. The CCA approved the story.[27] Restrictions were also loosened for horror comics, allowing Marvel Comics to publish series likeWerewolf by Night andThe Tomb of Dracula.[16][28] Lee reflected positively on the effect of "Green Goblin Reborn!" later in his life, saying that it "finally gave the publishers the gumption to stand up to any critics when their objections were nonsensical".[28]
"Green Goblin Reborn!" was one of three stories republished in the 1979The Amazing Spider-Man collection.[29] It was later republished inEssential Spider-Man Vol. 5, which collected issues #90–113.[30]
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