“Green Goblin” #11 isn’t the last issue. But it might as well be. Next issue will be the ‘Onslaught’ crossover. The following one is an epilogue. This puts today’s story in the unique position of having to end the series before the series actually ends. Any pieces that haven’t been moved into position need to be before the next issue; particularly with the line wide event taking the penultimate installment’s spotlight. Interestingly enough, Angel Face returns this time around. And if issue #8 was any indication, she was intended to be a major threat for years to come. How DeFalco revolves this with the ending series will be interesting.
Written by Tom DeFalcoCover by Josh Hood
Pencils by Josh Hood
Inks by Derek Fisher
Letters by Jim Novak
Colors by Gregory Wright
Color Separations by Malibu HuesAngel Face returns to take revenge on the Green Goblin, capturing Lynn Walsh in the process.
So, spoiler alert, but Angel Face gets blown up. Granted her death was a typical supervillain death with no body, just in case. But yeah, she’s dead. DeFalco nods to his potential long term plans for the character, with Phil comparing their feud to “Carnage and Spider-Man,” as well as “Captain America and Red Skull.” Clearly this was supposed to be the character’s archnemesis for years to come. That is, if DeFalco didn’t already know the book was canned by issue #8. It’s hard to tell, though I expected Angel Face to play a bigger role in whatever the series’s endgame would be. But the only real ending she brings about is helping end the Lynn subplot for good. Which already kinda happened. But it’s for real this time.
The book opens after Angel Face escaped psychiatric care. A surprisingly bloody flashback shows the villain murder her therapists, as well as two security guards, with a letter opener. Reporter Ken Ellis investigates the escape with the help of Lynn Walsh. Ellis suggests she reach out to Ben Urich’s nephew (our hero Phil) for background information on the story. This as opposed to Ben himself, in case he’d try to steal his lead. Ben doesn’t play those games, but Ellis is a bit of a cutthroat. Meanwhile, Angel Face also has her sights set on Phil, believing that the Urichs are the best way to get to the Goblin. She kidnaps Phil, who throws out Ellis’s name to fend off torture, getting both the less-than-ethical reporter and Lynn captured as well. After managing to escape, he battles Angel Face, who blows herself up using her cattle prod weapon thing too close to some barrels. This ends with him saving both Ellis and Lynn. And with Lynn kissing him for his efforts.
But wait! While speaking to Merry, she confesses it was all an act! She laments having to kiss the “hideous” and smelly goblin, saying she was only playing him for a potential interview. Heartbroken, Phil asks Merry if she’d like to get together after work. Merry confesses that she thought he’d never ask.
First of all, the romance in this book is weird. The romantic subplot seemed more or less wrapped up two issues ago. All this extra bit does is make Phil and Lynn both look worse. After it’s implied Phil and Merry went on a date back in issue #9, Phil uses the money he got for surviving Murderworld to buy a nice suit and some flowers, so he can look his best when he finally asks out Lynn. When he does, two things happen. The first is that Merry “suddenly looks real bummed.” Phil doesn’t have time to worry about this, because he’s “about to be secluded with the girl of his dreams.” He even adds a quick “hubba hubba” in the narration. But Lynn only wants to talk about Angel Face (while trying to get his uncle’s files). Plus she mentions that Ellis knows they’re “friends.” This enrages Phil, who dramatically throws his flowers in the garbage. Because while the term “Friendzone” didn’t really exist in 1996, it was an idea that Phil clearly 100% bought into.
But then we have the implications about Lynn. The plot starts with her trying to get Ben Urich’s files from Phil, admitting that Ellis wants her to con a friend. And it ends with her admitting she’s trying to play the Goblin to further her career. Lynn hasn’t been the most well developed character in the series, oftentimes existing solely for Phil to pine after. But it’s a weird note to end the subplot on that again; one that needlessly makes Lynn look manipulative as a character, possibly playing into some really unfortunate tropes in the process. Side note: Phil thinks his new suit looks “Ssssmoking!” Which not only feels super dated, is kind of hilarious when you remember “The Mask” is a Dark Horse comic. I don’t know about you, but I’m old enough to remember when Dark Horse had more cinematic success than Marvel.
We have another fill in artist this month, with Josh Hood taking over for Scott McDaniel. Typically when someone fills in, the art improves on a technical level, while losing some of the energy that McDaniel brings to the material. This isn’t necessarily the case, as Hood doesn’t quite improve on the book in terms of draftsmanship. At least not throughout. Some panels look great, while others make Phil and friends look more like B-movie Martians, mostly due to some wonky anatomy. It’s also a swap from McDaniel’s Frank Miller-meets-Bruce Timm style to scratcher, more McFarlanesque art. It’s not a bad style by any means, even if it feels a little dated. It just could have used a bit more care in a few places. And it still lacks the spark of McDaniel’s work.
This was an odd issue to lead into the penultimate one. We had a grand finale for a character we’ve only seen other time, and a romantic subplot that makes two of the principle cast since the beginning look weird and selfish, with our lead coming off as much worse. Especially over a subplot that had already more or less been resolved. I can’t blame them for wanting a definitive ending, but what they came up with didn’t quite work. Either way, next issue, ‘Onslaught’ arrives.
