Previous Post Yay! This thread has nothing whatsoever to do with OMD/BND! Here's some Hobbie related questions for you: 1) What's your favourite all-time Hobgoblin story (you can choose any of them - Kingsley, Macendale, that female one from 2211 etc)? 2) What did you think of the Flash being framed storyline? 3) What was your initial reaction to ASM #289 (Hobbie revealed as Ned Leeds)? 4) If you're an old-time fan (or just an old fan) and were reading Spidey in the 80s - who did you think Hobgoblin was at the time? 5) If Stern's plan of the 'evil twin' Kingley was originally done in the 80s comics, how do you think you would have reacted to the revelation at the time? 6) What did you think of Hobgoblin Lives? 7) What's been best and worst Hobgoblin incarnation? (Kingley, mercenary Madendale, demonic Inferno Macendale, Demogoblin, souped-up clone saga era Hobgoblin, Bendis Secret War Hobgoblin, 2211 Hobgoblin... am I forgetting any?)

> Here's some Hobbie related questions for you:
>
> 1) What's your favourite all-time Hobgoblin story (you can choose any of them - Kingsley, Macendale, that female one from 2211 etc)?

My favorite single Hobgoblin issue is ASM #275 -- one of the first Spidey comics I'd ever read, with the drama of Peter telling MJ he's going to quit being Spidey, and giving a stark example of Spidey's sense of responsibility coming back to bite him (injuring himself rescuing Sha Shan from her fall, then having the injury cause him to fall victim to Hobby's barrage at the end). My favorite Hobgoblin arc is ASM #259-61, though admittedly I haven't read #249-51 in about 20 years so I don't remember much of that.

> 2) What did you think of the Flash being framed storyline?

Being a Spidey newbie, I liked it. Having since learned Flash had been Spidey's number one fan, it makes no sense now. As I recall (perhaps incorrectly, from having last read the issue about 20 years ago), ASM #276, the "unmasking" issue, itself revealed that Flash wasn't the Hobgoblin, so I don't think there was any suspense as to whether he really was him.

> 3) What was your initial reaction to ASM #289 (Hobbie revealed as Ned Leeds)?

As for the revelation of Leeds as Hobby, I was disappointed -- IMHO, from #275 through Gang War the writers had tried to make it really obvious that Leeds was Hobby, and I'd hoped that those were all just red herrings. As for the issue, I found it somewhat implausible (a bunch of non-superpowered assassins breaking a supervillain's arm and killing him?), though that aspect now makes sense in light of Hobgoblin Lives. As with most of Peter David's work, I thought it was well-written (e.g., "You don't stop fighting until ten minutes after you're dead"), liked the part where Flash saves Spidey at his own expense (a nice counter to Spidey usually saving everyone else), and was happy in general to see the mystery resolved. This was the new issue I most looked forward to during my days of collecting (1986-88) -- I went to the comic book store the day it came out and bought two copies (both of which were unusual for me). I was stunned by the Mad Goblin's designation of it as one of the ten worst Spidey issues of all time. Thanks for asking this question -- I'd been thinking of asking it myself!

> 4) If you're an old-time fan (or just an old fan) and were reading Spidey in the 80s - who did you think Hobgoblin was at the time?

Probably Lance Bannon, as Leeds seemed too obvious a suspect. It never occurred to me it was Kingsley. I figured it would be someone we'd seen before, but not the most obvious suspect of Leeds.

> 5) If Stern's plan of the 'evil twin' Kingley was originally done in the 80s comics, how do you think you would have reacted to the revelation at the time?

I haven't seen that so I can't comment on it.

> 6) What did you think of Hobgoblin Lives?

I haven't read it.

> 7) What's been best and worst Hobgoblin incarnation? (Kingley, mercenary Madendale, demonic Inferno Macendale, Demogoblin, souped-up clone saga era Hobgoblin, Bendis Secret War Hobgoblin, 2211 Hobgoblin... am I forgetting any?)

I haven't seen most of these, so I can't make a comparison.