I just don't think I could live in the UK and be a comic book fan. It takes not several months but several YEARS before material that debuted in the United States to finally become available across the pond. And how the stories are chopped up into smaller pieces for weekly releases instead of monthly, with some non-vital art deleted would just infuriate me to no end. This hardback annual from London's Marvel Comics LTD is proof in point.
This annual contains material set in the early days of the Hobgoblin. The usurper to the Green Goblin throne has been in operation for a while. But Spider-Man has no idea who is behind the mask. It's so new in the Hobgoblin's career, poor Harry Osborn thinks it might be him operating under some sort of fugue state like his evil father did prior as the original Green Goblin. But an early encounter with this new Spidey villain puts Harry at ease for that. But what's with the personal vendetta that the Hobgoblin has against the Osborns?
Meanwhile, Peter Parker is trying to adjust his life to a series of changes. Recently freed from the Venom symbiote, Parker learns that Mary Jane Parker knows he's Spider-Man! Plus, thanks to the destructive nature of his alien parasite, Petey quit college and it's caused a strain between him and Aunt May.
Along with the story, this annual is full of fun and games. There's a couple of mazes, a valuable fact-file about the back-story of the Hobgoblin (without revealing the identity of the baddie), a search-a-word and much more.
Though this annual was released in 1991, it contains material that was originally published in 1984 in the pages of America's Amazing Spider-Man. Was British Marvel books devoted to Spider-Man really behind by 7 years? Or do English annuals reprint fan favorite stories? I'd really be interested to know.
Another mystery I want to know more about: how did this book end up here? I found this at a book warehouse for only a buck. That store was in Raleigh, NC. How did it get there? Too bad books don't speak because I bet there's an interesting tale behind it's travels.
Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.
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