| Harry Osborn | |
Harry Osborn Art by Joe Quesada. |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965) |
| Created by | Stan Lee Steve Ditko |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Harold "Harry" Osborn |
| Supporting character of | Spider-Man |
| Notable aliases | Green Goblin, New Goblin |
| Abilities | Goblin serum grants: Enhanced intelligence and superhuman physical attributes identical to that of the Green Goblin Goblin-themed weapons and paraphernalia |
Contents |
Harry Osborn first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965), and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko.
Harry Osborn received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #5.
Harry is the son of industrialist Norman Osborn and his wife Emily. Unfortunately, the circumstances of Harry's birth weakened Emily, and she died after several years of illness. Heartbroken, Norman becomes a cold and unloving father; he either contemptuously dismisses Harry, or lashes out at him in fury. Harry spends much of his life trying desperately to earn his father's approval.
Upon graduating from high school, he enrolls in Empire State University. Among the wealthiest students in the school, Harry soon becomes one of the most popular as well, despite his aloof manner. He has a clique of rich, popular students around him; one of these is the lovely Gwen Stacy. Gwen is intrigued by a new student: bookish, studious and painfully-shy Peter Parker. Harry takes a dislike to Parker; he resents the attention Gwen gives to Peter, and he assumes that Peter's standoffishness is snobbery. After confronting Parker, Harry realizes that Peter is merely shy, and is also worried about his ailing aunt, May. Despite this rocky start, Harry and Peter became friends, eventually sharing an apartment.
Harry does not realize that Peter is the superhero Spider-Man. Harry's father became the Green Goblin in an accident while attempting to create a super-serum. Spider-Man and the Goblin had already battled twice when Peter and Harry become friends. In a later battle, the Goblin discovers Spider-Man's identity and captures him, revealing his own identity in the process. Horrified that his greatest enemy is also his best friend's father, Peter's loyalties are torn. When the Goblin falls onto an electric transformer during the resulting fight, the shock removes all memory of being the Green Goblin from Norman Osborn's mind. Spider-Man removes the Goblin's costume and equipment, hoping it will be the end of the Goblin menace, that Mr. Osborn will return to normal, and that no one else, especially Harry, will ever need to know the truth.
However, Norman's Green Goblin persona resurfaces from time to time; he then battles with Spider-Man, only to become Norman Osborn again when the fight is over. These are difficult times for Harry, as his father's periodic episodes are unexplainable. He had experimented with drugs in his teens, but he escalates his usage, as well as trying ever-harder substances. This affects his mental stability and his relationships with his friends. Spider-Man uses this to his advantage during one battle with the Green Goblin; he is able to stop the fight by showing Norman his son's emaciated condition, brought on by an accidental cocaine overdose. The sight shocks Norman so much that it brings him back to sanity for what is to be the last time.
It wasn't long after, though, that stress caused Norman to become the Green Goblin again. Harry's life had fallen apart. His relationship with Peter's friend Mary Jane Watson had come to an end when she dumped him, fed up with his self-destructive lifestyle. A disconsolate Harry turned to drugs and suffered an LSD overdose. He survived, but this tragedy, compounded by imminent bankruptcy, drove the Green Goblin over the edge. He kidnapped Gwen as bait for Spider-Man, and then threw her off the George Washington Bridge. When Peter pulled her back up with his webbing, she was dead. A vicious battle between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin ensued, with Peter barely able to control himself from killing the villain. The Goblin then directed his goblin glider to impale Spider-Man, but the wall-crawler jumped out of the way, and the Goblin was impaled through the chest himself, and seemingly killed. Peter was wracked with guilt and sorrow, but took comfort in the fact that the Green Goblin was finally gone.
However, Harry had secretly witnessed the battle. Wanting to protect his father's identity, he stripped Norman's body of the Green Goblin costume and hid it. Blaming Spider-Man for his father's "murder," Harry swore vengeance. Having inherited his father's company, Harry managed to get the business back in shape as he planned his revenge. One day, to his shock, he found a Spider-Man costume in Peter's apartment, and realized that his best friend was the man he blamed for his father's death. Using his father's old equipment, Harry confronted Peter as the new Green Goblin.[1]
Not wanting to hurt Harry, Peter avoided fighting his old friend. Eventually Harry was knocked unconscious and taken into police custody. There he raved that he was the true Green Goblin and Peter Parker was Spider-Man, but was dismissed as a lunatic. He was put in the care of criminal psychologist Dr. Bart Hamilton, who extracted the secrets of the Green Goblin from Harry through hypnosis, and buried the knowledge deep with Harry's mind. However, this was not altruistic on Hamilton's part - he then raided one of Harry's hideouts and became the third Green Goblin, hoping to become the new boss of the underworld. However, his power was no match for his enthusiasm - he never even bothered to use the strength-enhancing formulas on himself, seemingly believing that just being the Green Goblin would enable him to defeat Spider-Man, and, despite an elaborate plot to kill Silvermane, the power-mad psychologist was killed by a bomb he had planted for Spider-Man. Although he suffered a brief setback during the confrontation with Hamilton, Harry was released and considered cured, sustaining a concussion that made him forget his knowledge of Spider-Man's identity, and he and Peter rekindled their friendship.
For a while, Harry's life seemed back on track; His company began turning profits once more, and he developed a romance with Liz Allan, whom he met at the wedding of Betty Brant and Ned Leeds. Not long after, the two were married, and eventually they had a son, whom Harry named Normie in memory of the boy's grandfather. Harry also gave his blessing to the marriage of Peter and Mary Jane. However, Harry started regaining his memories when he was being blackmailed by the original Hobgoblin, who mailed him a package which contained evidence that his father was the original Green Goblin. When the Hobgoblin learned he had raided all of Norman's hideouts, he left Harry alone, knowing he had nothing more to offer him. Later Harry was forced to act as the Green Goblin a few times, once to defeat Jason Macendale, the second Hobgoblin. Macendale sought the Goblin formula that gave the Green Goblin superhuman strength; Harry was able to defeat Macendale by doubling back during an aerial chase and emptying his entire supply of pumpkin bombs onto the Hobgoblin. Harry even wondered if he could use the Goblin persona for a career as a superhero, but Peter convinced him that the Goblin had too much baggage for such a role, and Harry buried the Goblin menace within his mind once more, and focused on his business and family.
This tranquility was shattered when the aftereffects of the Inferno crisis sundered the barrier between Harry's conscious and subconscious minds. Once again, he remembered being the Green Goblin - and his irrational hatred of Spider-Man (Harry had now convinced himself that Peter resented the Osborns' 'stable family life' due to never having been wanted by his own parents or guardians, when in fact it was the complete opposite). His sanity shattered, he declared that their next confrontation would be their final one, and only one of them would be alive at the end. To ensure that he was the victor, Harry researched his father's chemical notes, hoping to recreate the original Goblin's superhuman strength. Harry made his own modifications to the formula, and upon ingesting it, it proved better than he had dreamed. The Green Goblin II Formula had made him stronger than both Spider-Man and his father. Now a physical match for Spider-Man, Harry planned his final revenge.
Harry took to stalking Peter Parker on his Goblin Glider, claiming that there was no law against just soaring around town in a colorful costume, and taunting Peter that someday he would destroy him, but he relished keeping Peter in suspense in the meantime. After weeks of this, Peter finally lost his nerve and struck at Harry, only to be sent flying when Harry hit back, demonstrating his new strength. He then rocketed away, taunting Spider-Man's inability to stop him.
Not long after, Harry held a prestigious dinner at his townhouse, inviting many of his father's old business associates. However, it was actually a trap, and Harry had planted explosives throughout the townhouse, which he planned to detonate, thus destroying everybody who had slighted the Osborns.
Spider-Man, worrying the most, dropped in to investigate, only to be confronted by Harry as the Goblin. The two former friends engaged in a dangerous battle, which ended when Harry injected Peter with a drug that left him immobile but still alive. However, even as he celebrated over his victory, he realized that Mary Jane and his son Normie were also in the townhouse, and that the explosives would detonate in thirty seconds. Despite protestations that he was not a hero, Peter convinced Harry to use his damaged glider to get the two to safety. After rescuing Normie and Mary Jane, Harry finally returns to his senses and realized that he had left Peter to die. Harry rescued Peter from the explosion just in time. However, as his friends thanked him, he suddenly collapsed. The Goblin Formula was damaged by the explosion, and while it had increased his strength, it was also lethally poisoning him. Paramedics were called, but Harry died en route to the hospital. With his final words, he apologized to Peter, and confirmed that despite everything, they were still, and would always be, best friends.
Sometime before his death, Harry had created a computer system with copies of his and Norman Osborn's minds programmed into it; after Harry's death, the computer system activates and abducts Normie Osborn with the intent of subjecting him to the Goblin serum (the same one that caused Harry's death) and making him the newest Green Goblin. This computer facsimile of Harry and its robotic drones (which resemble female versions of the Green Goblin) are all destroyed by Spider-Man and the Molten Man, who manage to save Normie from it. [2]
However, Harry had one last trick up his sleeve. Sometime before his final confrontation with Spider-Man, Harry had employed the Chameleon to construct Life Model Decoys of Peter's parents to play with his emotions. The plot ended with both constructs revealed to be fake when both "died," shattering Peter's mind. After nearly killing the Chameleon, Peter found a tape Harry had left before he died, revealing his role in the plot and mocking Peter. Peter went temporarily insane from the shock, which proved that Harry could be as manipulative and cruel as his father ever was when gripped by insanity; Peter even briefly rejected his identity as Peter Parker, until the return of his clone Ben Reilly snapped him out of his "mood".
Following the events of One More Day, Peter and Mary Jane's decision to accept Mephisto's offer to erase their marriage from history (and all knowledge of it) in exchange for Aunt May's life, has seemingly resulted in the alteration of the timeline to an undetermined degree. The now altered reality is told in Brand New Day, where Harry is now alive and is seen celebrating his birthday party with his previously-unseen girlfriend Lily Hollister, Peter, Flash, and other friends.
Harry no longer remembers his time as the Green Goblin, but Peter still does. Harry also apparently still has hostile feelings about Spider-Man.[3]
Harry has parts of his character changed during the retcon also. Osborn is now far more of a womanizer having already married more than three times according to Peter (Liz Allen was one of them according to the writers). Harry also wastes his money in order to help out his friends and to impress Lily. Harry is still as arrogant as he was during the seventies as clearly shown during his appearances.
Harry has tried to help his new girlfriend's father run for Mayor of New York. Funding the campaign only because he wants to help Lily. Harry is a leading suspect to being the new Goblin Menace leads to the suspicion include his prior history and in "New Ways to Die" Menace battled Norman Osborn and was enfuriated by Norman stating that all he cared about was killing Spider-Man. New Ways to Die has Norman put back on the Green Goblin costume, Norman mentions that Harry has been in the Goblin's Lair. Norman calls Harry who recognizes from Norman's distorted voice that Norman is wearing the Goblin suit which horrifies and disgusts Harry. Harry vows to stop his father. Harry angrily confronts his father who wants Harry to follow in his legacy and become a greater man. The confused Harry is saved by Spider-Man. Spider-Man, wanting to kill Osborn stops when he see's an area of Human Testing. Harry is claimed to be the one responsible for the atrocious acts although he attempts to plead innocence. Harry later states that he wants to talk to Peter who moments earlier was kissed by Lily, while seen leaving with a mysterious canister labeled "Prometheus X-90".
It is apparent from the solicit for Amazing Spider-Man #581 that Harry's return from the dead was not a part of Mephisto's deal. The upcoming issue will explain the "completely logical, non-magical, and totally plausible way he came back from the dead." The solicit also confirms that Harry's son, Normie, was not retconned out of existance.[4]
For most of his life, Osborn had no superhuman abilities. However, when he took the reigns of the second Green Goblin and in Spider-Man 3, the New Goblin, he becomes exposed to the Goblin formula, causing Harry to become much stronger, cunning, and agile. The glider he carries stores pumpkin bombs, a flamethrower, missiles, spears, and has the ability to home in on its rider if he falls off. Many of the abilities Harry has lie within his glider.
In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Harry Osborn is the rich son of Norman Osborn who meets and befriends Peter Parker. Norman eventually subjects himself to the Oz Formula, and he becomes the Green Goblin. He kills his wife, and attempts to kill Harry. Harry is placed into the custody of his uncle, but he eventually returned to his father and brainwashed by Miles Warren to forget the previous events. During another battle with Spider-Man, Harry stops his father, and he is taken into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody. He is later used as a bargaining piece to negotiate with Norman.Harry begins to blame everyone around him for the situation, and a second personality introduced by his father after many years of hypnotic therapy, Shaw, begins to take control. He eventually consumes the serum and becomes the Hobgoblin. Harry tries to stop himself during a battle with Spider-Man, but Shaw takes over and he is wounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. He is once again used by S.H.I.E.L.D. to attract his father, but the two end up doing battle, which leaves Harry dead. Norman is then killed by S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers at his own request. Peter later honors Harry with a speech about him being a good friend and a true hero
Harry is first mentioned 1981 Spider-Man cartoon as Peter's friend and roommate. Harry, voiced by Gary Imhoff, later appears in the 1994 series, He meets Peter and the two become close friends. His father, as the Green Goblin, becomes trapped in the Negative Zone and appears to Harry. Harry then becomes the Green Goblin under a promise to see his father again, though after many failures to kill Spider-Man, he learns that his father is the Green Goblin. This soon leads to Harry slowly becoming insane. After continuing his villainy, he attempts to ruin the wedding of Peter and Mary Jane, though Liz Allan is able to calm him down, allowing him to leave peacefully and seek help in a hospital.
Harry, voiced by Ian Ziering, also appears in the Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, loosely based after the first Spider-Man movie, constantly blaming Spider-Man for his father's death.
Currently, Harry Osborn appears in the The Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced by James Arnold Taylor. While constantly trying to appease his father, he takes the "Globulin Green" serum to boost his physical abilities, but this causes the development of a second personality, the Green Goblin. The Goblin is voiced by Steven Blum and symbolizes Harry's notion of "the man his father wanted to be". After various battles with Spider-Man, his identity is revealed, and his father takes him away on a European tour to help him forget about the serum.
In the Spider-Man film series, Harry, played by James Franco, is Peter Parker's closest friend. He constantly tries to appeal to his father, who very invested in his work, and he is jealous of Peter's intelligence. He dates Mary Jane Watson during the first film, though she eventually falls for Peter, and he manages to somewhat reconcile his feelings with his father. After his father's death as the Green Goblin, Harry believes that his father was murdered by Spider-Man and seeks revenge. Harry takes over Oscorp in Spider-Man 2, forming an alliance with Doctor Octopus to get his revenge. Though it fails, he learns that Peter is Spider-Man. Afterwards, he begins to hallucinate, seeing his father's image in a mirror, demanding that Harry avenge him. He finds a hidden room with the Green Goblin equipment and serum. Becoming the New Goblin in Spider-Man 3, he attempts to take revenge, which eventually leads to a pumpkin bomb scarring the right side of his face. After learning the truth of his father's death, he helps Spider-Man save Mary Jane from Venom and Sandman, although he is mortally wounded by Venom in the ensuing fight. He dies with Peter and Mary Jane at his side, just after he and Peter forgive each other at last.
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