I’m bringing the MC2 Family Tree series back and I’m
doing it in a big, labour-intensive, research-heavy way by tackling a small
time Spider-Man villain’s family tree. Without much further ado, I
present The Osborn Family Tree.
For the purposes of these family trees, I accept that MC2 characters
share their published history (up to a point) with their 616/Main
Marvel Universe counterparts. I make exceptions for any retcons
implemented after the point the MC2 diverges from the 616 and
in cases where it's explicitly or implicitly different (Aunt May really
died) or when a writer later introduces a previously unheard of relative
(the Lang
family and likely the Pym family) who is never
mentioned, seen or heard of in the MC2. With the last exception, I
would add them to the family tree in later updates should they be mentioned
in MC2 material at any point.
With regard to this particular family tree, we have some
examples of characters who weren’t a part of the established history of the 616/Main
Marvel Universe prior to the MC2’s introduction. As they’ve been
mentioned or alluded to in the MC2, they’ve been included in the family
tree. Additionally, I’ve taken a slight leap and assumed other characters who
share appearances with these confirmed characters. I’m more inclined to do so
as MC2 co-creator Ron Frenz also worked on these characters’ 616
appearances so it lends credence to this notion.
Brace yourself for spoilers, folks: Norman Osborn is
the original Green Goblin. The Green Goblin first appeared in Amazing
Spider-Man (vol. 1) #14 and Norman made his first civilian
appearance in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #37. I won’t go into too much
detail about Norman’s Legacy of Evil as it’s well-known and I’ll
no doubt end up doing a focus post on him at some point. Suffice to say, Norman
plays a major role in the Spider-Man mythos either directly or indirectly.
Harold ‘Harry’ Osborn, who first appeared in Amazing
Spider-Man #31, is the son of Norman and after a rocky start becomes
close friends with Peter Parker aka Spider-Man. Harry would
succumb to mental illness and follow in his father’s footsteps after the latter’s
death. Fortunately, Harry recovered and eventually fell in love with and
married Peter’s former Midtown High classmate, Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Osborn.
Oddly, their wedding occurs off-panel and Peter Parker himself only learns
of it after the fact in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 1)
#63.
Speaking of Liz, she apparently first appeared as an
unnamed student way back in Amazing Fantasy #15 and was identified as Liz
Allan in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #4. Liz and her family
will probably need a separate family tree somewhere down the line too, so stay
tuned for that in the next million years.
Let’s jump around a little bit to cover some history. We
learn a lot about Norman and Harry’s earlier life in Spectacular
Spider-Man Annual #14 thanks to a recorded family tree left by Harry Osborn
himself following his death in the legendary Spectacular Spider-Man #200.
Norman’s father Amberson Osbon was an alcoholic who lost the
family fortune and took it out on his wife and son. This led the young Norman
to kill the family dog in order to reduce the number of mouths for his father to
feed. We do not learn the name of Norman’s mother.
In this same story, we learn that after the death of his mother, Harry was neglected and abused by his father, left to fend for himself while his father toiled on his work. While his father was apologetic after hurting Harry, he continued to do it. After being neglected in favour of his father’s work, Harry apparently sabotaged Norman’s chemical formula. Harry blamed himself for the explosion which (originally unbeknownst to Harry) granted Norman Osborn his abilities as the Green Goblin. It should be noted this account is from Harry’s perspective and may not be entirely accurate.
Harry’s mother is first seen in Spectacular Spider-Man
#180 in a photo album, but we don’t learn her name until years later in the
Revenge of the Green Goblin mini-series from writer Roger Stern and
artist’s Ron Frenz and Pat Olliffe. As mentioned above, normally a
series published after the MC2’s launch isn’t considered part of the
history of the MC2 but as it is referenced within MC2 stories, I’ve
included aspects of it here. Anyway, Norman loved his wife Emily dearly,
only for her to die within a year of Harry’s birth.
It’s also in this mini-series that we get more of the Osborn
family history, with Norman utilizing the mansion built by his
great-grandfather Alton Osborn in the late 1800’s. Explaining to his
private nurse Kolina Frederickson, Noman mentions that Alton
built the family fortune which led to many enemies calling him a ‘robber baron’.
Elaborating on early stories here, Norman explains that his own father
eventually lost the family fortune and home. Norman would spend his life
reclaiming the family fortune and estate (Revenge of the Green Goblin #1-#2).
Harry and Liz eventually have a baby together
in Amazing Spider-Man #263 whom they name Norman Harry Osborn in Amazing
Spider-Man #265. If you are reading this post you almost certainly know the
significant roll ‘Normie’ plays in the MC2 beginning with What
If #105 where he initially assumes the mantle of his father and grandfather
before him, the Green Goblin.
As I’ve noted in the History
of the MC2: Daredevil post, following her husband Harry’s death,
Liz dates lawyer Franklin ‘Foggy’ Nelson (Daredevil (vol.1)
#354). While in the Main Marvel Universe the couple break up in Daredevil
(vol. 2) #8, in the MC2 they stay together and eventually marry (Spider-Girl
#63). Normie resents Foggy for marrying his mother following
his real father’s death. Things deteriorate further between them when Liz
falls ill which leads to Normie’s spiral into madness leading to him
assuming the Green Goblin identity and targeting the Parker family.
We learn in Spider-Girl #17 that Liz does in
fact die from her illness and shortly after Normie re-assumes his
villainous identity in Spider-Girl #19-20 before seeking psychological help
and attempting to make amends following the events of Spider-Girl #27.
While still staying in a sanatorium, Normie meets and
begins dating Brenda Drago aka Raptor, former villain and daughter of “Blackie”
Drago aka the second Vulture. After some time, the two marry
in the pages of Spider-Girl #100.
Their courtship was not without complications, as in Spider-Girl
#73 we first met a woman named Elan DeJunae who claimed to be Normie’s
wife. We soon learn that Elan’s father Philippe DeJunae had organised
an arranged marriage with Normie’s grandfather, Norman Osborn
while both Elan and Normie were toddlers. While this marriage remains valid in Elan’s
home country of San Mardeo, it is not legally recognized in the United
States(Spider-Girl #74). It’s soon revealed that Elan
is Fury the Goblin Queen, a member of a cult founded by Norman
called the Order of the Goblin when she kidnaps and attempts to expose Normie
to the Goblin formula (Spider-Girl #79) and shortly after
succeeds in bonding him with the Venom Symbiote
(Spider-Girl #82-84).
Hopefully now the reason for including Osborn family members
established in the Revenge of the Green Goblin mini-series makes more
sense. With the extended family via marriages etc I’ll have to work on further
family trees, there’s just too many to include here! A huge thanks to my good
friend Jesús for all his help. And a shout out to The Green Goblin’s Hideout,
which is an excellent source for all things Norman Osborn and proved
invaluable to my research.
Until I perfect the Goblin Formula and go just a little bit
crazy, I remain
frogoat