For the last few years, Spider-Man‘s greatest enemy, Norman Osborn, has been stripped of his Green Goblin serum and forced to go on without his powers. In the build-up to next year’s Amazing Spider-Man #800, it looks like Osborn is going full Green Goblin again, and he’s not alone. Marvel has dropped a new teaser trailer for the upcoming “Go Down Swinging” storyline, which introduces a new villain in the closing seconds.
The early part of the trailer revisits some of the classic confrontations between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin, including the infamous death of Gwen Stacy. At the end of the Superior Spider-Man storyline, Peter Parker found a way to keep Osborn from becoming the Green Goblin again, but he couldn’t keep Osborn down for long. The video also unveils the Red Goblin, and it leaves us with a few questions about Spidey’s new adversary.
While it wouldn’t be unusual for a new person to take up a Green Goblin-inspired identity, somehow we suspect that the Red Goblin is none other than Osborn himself. During his quest to restore his ability to use his Goblin formula, Osborn discovered that he had an innate talent for the mystic arts. And while his would-be teachers shunned him for his evil inclinations, it’s entirely possible that Osborn found a way to gain magical power. Note that the Red Goblin has a demon’s tail and he seems to literally have a fire within him. If Osborn made a deal with the devil (Mephisto), this is probably what it would look like.
The “Go Down Swinging” storyline will begin in Amazing Spider-Man #797, which will be released in March 2018. According to Marvel’s solicitations, this will be writer Dan Slott’s final storyline on the title after spending over a decade on the book. Stuart Immonen will provide the art for this story, while Alex Ross serves as the cover artist.
Who do you think will be under the Red Goblin’s mask? Share your theories in the comment section below!
Images: Marvel Comics