Bring on the Bad Guys: Green Goblin #1 – Do Mind the Goblins

Bring on the Bad Guys: Green Goblin #1 can be read either as a continuation of the ongoing Mephisto retcon—exploring his unseen influence over Marvel’s villains—or as a bite-sized reaffirmation of Norman Osborn’s inherent evil, shaped not only by supernatural meddling but by his own twisted psyche. On principle alone, the latter interpretation is far more compelling than what Marc Guggenheim contributes in the underwhelming backup feature. Yet, neither the main story nor the connective tissue tying these villain-focused one-shots together offers much new to say about the moral complexities of devils or the damned.

The core narrative, crafted by the team behind the excellent Kill Your Darlings, focuses on Norman’s first civilian murder—a moment both devastating and eerily quiet. It’s a gripping story, full of crackling tension and sharp character beats that manage to capture just how irredeemable Norman is at his core. Rather than framing his descent as a tragedy sparked by Mephisto’s corruption, the story positions his evil as something deeply human: an extension of ambition, resentment, and repressed sadism. That choice lends the piece a grim authenticity, even if it stops short of exploring those motivations in any deeper way.

Where the issue falters is in its unwillingness to interrogate Norman’s psyche beyond the surface. It portrays his capacity for evil in unflinching detail, yet doesn’t ask why that evil takes root—or why it persists. That absence feels especially glaring when considering the character’s current continuity status: a man “redeemed” through mystical means, now living a second life as a hero. In contrast, this story paints his villainy as immutable. And while that contradiction could be fascinating, it’s left unaddressed, ultimately making this flashback feel less like a challenging reframing and more like a grim reminder that Norman’s redemption never really had a leg to stand on.

That disconnect also dulls the impact of an otherwise powerful character study. With five years of morally gray storytelling now behind him, Norman is ripe for stories that confront the tension between his worst instincts and his recent attempts at change. But this one-shot doesn’t lean into that tension—it sidesteps it. For all its narrative polish, the issue avoids the messiness that makes the Green Goblin such a rich character to explore. The result is a story that’s well-crafted, but strangely safe.

Visually, however, the book is anything but. Matteo Della Fontana delivers artwork that walks a fine line between the retro sensibilities of the Goblin’s Silver Age roots and the nuanced storytelling demanded by modern comics. His use of visual motifs—subtle horror elements, fractured perspectives, and haunting body language—recalls the discomfort of Psycho as much as it evokes classic Marvel. Every panel feels loaded with dread, culminating in a chilling final image that captures the Green Goblin’s ethos in a single, unforgettable frame.