Hobgoblin Panel Tribunal

Was directed to this auction at Comiclink of a page from Amazing Spider-Man#238 via lurking the CGC boards. Some discussion came up regarding the asking price (10k–not mine BTW) and it got me thinking a bit on how drastically different our perceptions are depending on what era we grew up in. Unlike some opinions expressed, and indeed in stark contrast, the Hobgoblin – whose first appearance occurs in this issue – is perhaps the definitive Spidey villain of my childhood. I know that for many people he wouldn’t rate in the top 10 when considering the webslinger’s rogue gallery, favoring characters to me that are tired and overrated (like the silly ass Vulture for instance) whose claim to fame is that they debuted in the ’60s, or even worse viewing Hobgoblin as an unsuccessful Green Goblin knock-off. I do, however, have conflict.

I first want to talk character and not the art debate itself. My Spider-Man reading era started – when Amazing was one of my two favorite titles (along with G.I. Joe) in the mid-200’s issues. I LOVED Spidey, and we are talking about the era of and leading into the black costume (remember Spidey whipping a former herald of Galactus’ ass on a cover? Let me remind you:

Now, obviously it’s rather ridiculous as Firelord should be able to beat the hell out of Spidey rather easily–but it’s still awesome! My villain team wasn’t the Sinister Six, it was the Sinister Syndicate. The girl wasn’t Gwen Stacy, it was Mary Jane. My classic stories featured Kraven* not the Vulture. My maniac super villain with a hoverboard and tossing holiday grenades was Hobgoblin not the Green Goblin.

Old and busted. New hotness.

Admittedly I stand sit in a precarious position as there does exist those whom would use the same argument on me now regarding my own thought that Anti-Venom is very the height of stupid. I should also admit that I would be hard-pressed to defeat such a claim with anything as useful as facts, as my knowledge of the character is based on a half of a glance at promos and solicitations (which is to say nothing). It doesn’t matter though, right? He’s wack and that’s that. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Hobgoblin suffers from the same treatment from some quarters.

I want to set up my ’scene’ a bit. My era of reading Spidey went from the aforementioned mid-200 issues through just right after McFarlane’s run on ASM. Those were my joints, because we are talking Gang War, the wedding, Kraven’s Last Hunt, and the rise of said-McFarlane. It is in the earlier parts of my reading history where my appreciation for the character developed, as among my earliest favorite true ’stories’ that I remember in comics (beyond just the kicking of ass) is the whole Ned Leeds/Hobgoblin mystery-fiasco. The situation as I read it – at the time that I read it – was not nearly as convoluted (it’s become in some sense part of comic-lore), but its strength makes this cover (ASM#289) remain as one of my personal, completely nostalgia-driven, favorite covers ever.

I had to know!

I loved the whole Gang War arc and the then Jason Macendale (then Jack O’ Lantern) competition (obsession) with the Hobgoblin. People have to realize that we are talking a lot of writing by Jim Owsley (who many people know as Christopher Priest – not the novelist – the writer of such awesome like Quantum and Woody. This was effectively my Golden Age of Spider-Man

So what was this post about? Oh yeah, the art page depicting the first costumed Hobgoblin. Only it doesn’t, because the cover itself has him front and center.

The question of the price interests me. Absolutely non-key Spider-Man comics in ultra-High grade sell for nearly as much (or a percentage that’s still close enough considering we are comparing it to the original art–and taking into account that at Comicklink an asking price is often much higher than what a piece will eventually actually go for). Thus, the 10k while without question on the high end of scale, isn’t something I find insulting. I’m more concerned with what I mentioned above: The cover. Perhaps because this books is more collected and has more notoriety than the surrounding issues because of the Lakeside Skin Tattooz insert, which gives the issue that added appeal of finding a ‘complete’ issue, it makes it even tougher. If that page is 10k–what is the cover worth? While OA pricing is no science (which is why I tend to wonder when people ask for ‘precedence’ to back more modern comic book art pricing) it’s tough for me see a reasonable ratio when considering the relevant character in question is on the cover. The cover is a Romita family job, so it does have that appeal regardless, but I’d still have come down on the side that the price listed for the page is ambitious. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s sweet as all hell and would certainly appreciate it owning it much more than some Silver Age fill-in issue in highest grade.

If nothing else, I appreciate the peace for getting me to think on past Spidey reading days, and it has actually caused me to look for and target other pages from this era. After all, nothing is better than our own MY Spider-Man.

Old busted hotness.

_{*Yes, I am aware that his roots are in the Silver Age.}

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