Phil Urich: Secret Villain? (MC2 Theory)

 

 

Phil Urich is something of an anomaly in the generations-long line of Green Goblin’s. Despite his alias, he strived to be heroic and help others. But what if I told you, that may not have always been the case in the history of the MC2? Today I want to discuss a theory that I am sure some readers have had. This theory might have even proved true at some point in the Main Marvel Universe’s own history, if not for editorial interference: Was Phil Urich secretly a villain?

 

First, a brief history lesson! Phil Urich was the fourth character to take up the mantle of the Green Goblin, but the first to primarily use his abilities for good. First appearing in Web of Spider-Man #125, we don’t learn Phil’s origin until his solo title in the pages of Green Goblin #1. While helping his uncle reporter Ben Urich investigate an old hideout of Harry Osborn’s during his latter stint as the Green Goblin, Phil inadvertently uncovers a hidden cache containing new Goblin equipment, costumes and designs. One such design of Harry’s included a Goblin mask which directly stimulating their brain to activate the wearers Goblin Formula-derived powers. Phil is accidentally drenched in the Goblin Formula and shortly after uses the high-tech Goblin mask to save his Uncle Ben by scaring the gang members and Phil makes the decision to use these powers for good. One of these new abilities includes his distinctive ‘Lunatic Laugh’.

 

After a brief stint as the good Green Goblin, including encounters with the likes of Angel Face, Phil’s Glider and Goblin mask was irreparably damaged during a battle with a Sentinel amid the events of Onslaught. Seemingly unable to access his Goblin powers without the mask to activate them, Phil soon after retired from heroics and returned to college after losing his intern job at the Daily Bugle (Green Goblin #12-#13, Amazing Spider-Man #422, #425).

 

The last time we see Phil Urich in the Main Marvel Universe prior to the major divergence of events we know occurred to lead into the MC2 is a small appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #433. Here’s where I pivot and discuss a mysterious new Green Goblin who debuts in Peter Parker: Spider-Man #88. This Goblin is next seen in Sensational Spider-Man #25; their face obscured as they are subjected to a ‘final treatment’ by Norman Osborn’s agent Dr Angst which will enable them ‘to become [The Green Goblin] again!’ Shortly after, Norman Osborn arranges for this Goblin to kidnap his own grandson Normie Osborn as part of a plot to distance himself from his villainous identity in the minds of the public. Notably, this new Goblin is a poor combatant and has difficulty on his glider.

This Green Goblin was also used by Norman Osborn during his conflict with the original Hobgoblin Roderick Kingsley in the fantastic ‘Goblin at the Gate’ story seen in Spectacular Spider-Man #259-#261. During this arc, we see more of this Green Goblin’s less than stellar ability in combat and while riding his glider but more importantly, he is apparently very much under the control of Norman Osborn. After performing poorly against Kingsley and being unmasked (though not identified) by Spider-Man, Norman threatens to ensure he ‘loses something far more valuable’.

 

This is the last time we see this incarnation of the Green Goblin prior the Spider-Man titles reboot where after going unmentioned for some time and despite the clues provided previously, the character is revealed to be literally no one at all; a genetic construct of Norman’s. Not only was this an unsatisfying resolution, it ignored the established information readers were given (Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: Spider-Man (vol.2) #18).

 

Now let’s look at an alternative resolution to this mystery, one that could have played out in the Main Marvel Universe if not for editorial interference and one that just might have occurred in the MC2! A flashback in Spider-Girl #97 depicts a scene from Spectacular Spider-Man #261 confirming that at least the events established prior to this occurred in both the MC2 and the Main Marvel Universe. What’s interesting- though possibly unintentional -is that the Green Goblin’s glove is depicted as fingerless thanks to the colouring. This is curious because Phil was the only Green Goblin to use fingerless gloves.

 

In Part 33 of the brilliant Life of Reilly column (which can still be found online here and here) editor and writer Glenn Greenberg discussed with Andrew Goletz his brief mention of Phil’s Green Goblin in the one-shot Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal (I refuse to misspell it!) and his personal belief that Norman should have ‘taken action against Phil for daring to take on the Goblin identity’. Further to this, Greenberg adds he ‘had plans for this to happen in a later Spider-Man story line I wrote, called “Goblins at the Gate.” The story line saw print, but the Phil Urich element was dropped at the request of the editor.’ With this in mind, Norman’s new Green Goblin lackey makes far more sense, don’t you think? Due credit, this point was brought up by Minor Irritant in a profile for this fifth Green Goblin over on the Marvel Appendix.

 

So, I propose that Norman Osborn took his revenge on Phil Urich for taking on the mantel of the Green Goblin and stealing from his son Harry’s hideout by either coercion or brainwashing. This would not only provide Norman a method for distancing himself from his villainous identity in the public eye, but also allows him to psychologically target the reporter largely responsible for outing him to the public: Ben Urich, Phil’s own uncle. Obviously, this is just a theory that fits nicely with the ongoing stories being published at the time but I feel it does help to fill in the gaps for Phil’s own curiously undisclosed past in the MC2 between his tenure as the ‘good’ Goblin and his later attempt at heroism as the Blue Wail (Spider-Girl #3).

 

Considering we never learn how Phil regained his ability to use his ‘Lunatic Laugh’ without his Goblin mask (as seen in Spider-Girl #5), nor the details of how he obtained the distinctive scar upon his right cheek I feel there is a lot that could be explored here. If Phil were the fifth Green Goblin, it would stand to reason that he had some or all of his abilities reactivated following the treatments by Dr Angst and new gear provided by Norman Osborn. Supporting this, Norman’s grandson, Normie Osborn states ‘He [Norman Osborn] designed the special mask for us’ (Spider-Girl #93).

 

What doesn’t fit here is that the hideout containing the mask was Harry’s, not Norman’s. But Normie was a child at the time and wouldn’t know all the details, so why does he think Norman designed the mask at all? It would make sense for Norman to make his own version of the hi-tech mask so that the treatments Dr Angst used to re-empower Phil could be just as easily stripped away, allowing him more control over his lackey? I can certainly imagine a climactic battle wherein Phil’s mask is again damaged (and along with it his face scarred) in battle with Spider-Man. Wild speculation here but this could also help to strengthen the connection between Peter and Phil, explaining how they came to be such close friends and colleagues.

 

As I mentioned, I can’t take credit for this one because I’m certainly not the one who conceived of the idea but it is one I enjoyed expanding upon and working into an MC2 theory. It neatly ties up loose ends from a period in the Spider-Man books that were abruptly cut short. Furthermore, I like the way it deepens Phil’s connection to the Goblin legacy without him being outright evil and it would go some way toward explaining his overwhelming desire to do good afterwards under various monikers. Anyway, it’s just a theory, an MC2 Theory. Thanks for reading!

 

Until I find a crazier theory to outdo this one, I remain

 

frogoat

Who Saved Peter's Life? (MC2 Theory)

While I’m not entirely satisfied with my post about Peter’s Lost Leg, upon my revisiting of it recently I was at least pleased that I had made my points well. I also realized I had made mention of an unexplained plot point regarding the MC2 Spider-Man’s final battle with the Green Goblin: Who saved Peter Parker’s life?

 

Let’s review the facts we do know of the situation:

 

•  Norman Osborn, for unknown reasons does not enact the Gathering of Five ritual until much later in the MC2, likely as a result of setting up other schemes and masterplans in the meantime.

•   Eventually, Kaine rescues and returns Peter and Mary Jane’s baby May Parker to them.

• Spider-Man has several adventures while raising May including those seen in the Mr and Mrs Spider-Man stories.

• Mattie Franklin, Norman Osborn, Greg Herd, Cassandra Webb (aka Madame Web) and Morris Maxwell willingly agree to participate in the Gathering of Five ritual. This ritual is interrupted by Spider-Man before it can reach its completion.

•  As Spider-Man, Peter Parker battles Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin. Mattie Franklin stands by watching her favourite hero as the other participants of the Gathering begin to flee.

•  Mattie Franklin is the last to flee, taking the pieces for the Gathering of Five ritual with her. Spider-Man loses his leg and Norman Osborn dies in their final battle.

 

By now, you’ve probably guessed where I’m going with this. With the Goblin dead and Peter haemorrhaging quickly from what remained of his right leg, I propose Mattie Franklin provided life-saving first aid to her fallen hero. There isn’t evidence, per se, but I’m going to try to form a convincing enough argument for why I believe Martha ‘Mattie’ Franklin was the one to save Peter’s life and in doing so become a hero in her own right.

 

As I’ve noted above and in previous posts, in the MC2 this Gathering of Five ritual took place far later than it did in the Main Marvel Universe. Naturally, this would mean Mattie was slightly older and presumably more mature. Additionally, if we assume the trajectory of young Mattie’s personal life played out similarly to how it occurred in the Main Marvel Universe, things quickly took a sharp turn toward the tragic. Firstly, with an additional in-universe year or two it can be assumed Mattie’s father Jeremy Franklin died at this point just as he is said to have died in the Main Marvel Universe (Alias #20). If you want to discard this point, there is still the fact that Mattie has obsessive and depressive moods when thinking about her mother who died in unrevealed circumstances while she was very young (Spider-Woman vol.3 #15).

I mention Mattie’s early parental losses because evidently it informs her morality and outlook. Seeing a dying man in front of her, particularly her favourite superhero Spider-Man would surely have provided the impetus for her to turn around and attempt to help him. Additionally, Norman reveals his duel identity as the Green Goblin to the other participants of the Gathering of Five. In her very first cameo appearance from Spectacular Spider-Man #262, we learn that Mattie’s father Jeremy Franklin is an unwilling associate of Osborn’s which must surely have made this reveal doubly confronting; the enemy of her recently deceased father is also the enemy of her close to death idol.

 

 

 

From a different perspective I also find the idea that Mattie’s heroic side emerged in this moment quite meta-textually satisfying. For those unfamiliar, Mattie Franklin’s introduction coincided with the rebooting of the Spider-Man titles of the time which saw the premature end to many creative team’s runs, with many plot threads left dangling. With the reboot, Mary Jane suddenly returned to modelling, Peter quit being Spider-Man and Aunt May was suddenly returned to life while baby May was brushed under the carpet. Empowered by the Gathering of Five ceremony, Mattie took over briefly as Spider-Man in the hero’s absence and soon after took on the Spider-Woman mantel with her own title under creator John Byrne’s writing pen. Along the way, Mary Jane was supposedly killed in a plane explosion and we got this infamous cover:

 

Now, imagine if instead of an extremely inappropriate kiss between a teenage girl and a married/widowed man, in the MC2 events might have depicted Mattie instead performing life-saving first aid and ‘the kiss of life’ via CPR on a dying Spider-Man? Instead of exploiting the potential death of a spouse, Mattie serves to save one of the Parker's. Seems way more heroic and endearing to me, but I’m no writer.

 

But let’s also back track again to discuss Norman Osborn during the post-Clone Saga era of the Spider-Titles, before they were rebooted. Norman Osborn had manipulated his way into a place of even more power and influence when he took control and ownership of the Daily Bugle and was even making private threats to J Jonah Jameson. With the reboot of the titles, these plots fell by the wayside and were I believe never satisfactorily resolved. Jonah and his wife Marla later became adoptive parents to Mattie when she ran away to New York and this tie was strengthened when Jeremy Franklin died in unrevealed circumstances leading the Jameson’s to adopt Mattie officially.

 

So, let’s really dive into the realm of fan theory here for a bit. We know Mattie’s mother died when she was young. We know Jeremy Franklin was unwilling to participate in the Gathering of Five, but still felt compelled to due to threats Norman made against him. Jeremy even swore to himself he’d make Osborn pay dearly. We know (thanks to references in the Mattie’s own series and some errors in continuity in Bendis’ Alias #20) that both Marla and Jonah knew Jeremy well. We know that Jeremy died without explanation. I propose Norman, at least in the MC2, held a dangling threat over the Franklin family. When Jeremy disobeyed, he was soon after killed and this led to Mattie moving in with the Jameson’s. This would also go some way to explaining why Jonah held back exposing Norman, fearing his adoptive daughter Mattie would be killed like her father (and perhaps her mother) before her. If Jeremy held off handing over the piece he had which was needed to complete the Gathering of Five ceremony, this might also have contributed to its delayed occurrence in the MC2 as well.

Would an older, more mature and freshly orphaned Mattie take the initiative and attempt to save her idol from certain death? I think so. With some first aid, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation and quick decision-making Mattie could have not only saved Peter, but also preserved his secret identity by contacting the Fantastic Four instead of regular emergency services.

 

This theory allows Mattie to be characterised in a more heroic light, saving her hero from certain death and presents a better origin story and perhaps some more rationale for other aspects surrounding these otherwise unexplained events. We also already know Mattie goes on to become Spider-Woman and contacted Peter (Spider-Girl #39), but with this context we can speculate that she may have known his secret identity and kept it quiet.

 

 Again, this is just my wildly expanded theory to try to make sense of several dropped plotlines from that era of Spidey comics while also figuring out how it could all line up in the MC2 where things turned out drastically different. If you disagree, please tell me why and I’d be happy to have a discussion!

 

Until I stop dwelling on 20-year-old plotlines everyone would rather forget, I remain

 

frogoat

 

Why Can't Hope Pym Shrink?

While doing research for my post about the Pym Family Tree in the MC2, I noticed that various sources claimed Hope Pym aka The Red Queen appears to lack the ability to alter her size. At first, I doubted this claim because no references were cited, so I did my own investigation of all of Hope's appearances from A-Next #7 all the way through to her most recent appearances in Spider-Island. Here's a selection:

This is the first time we see Hope with wings but judging by the dialogue, it appears she doesn't possess the ability to shrink down in size like Stinger. In fact, the mention of size changing actually seems to anger her further with her saying 'Stop shrinking on me! That power is rightfully mine--' when Stinger questions why Hope isn't changing size (A-Next #12).

There are a few examples in the Last Planet Standing mini-series where we see Hope at full size in flight or simply using her wrist mounted blasters, but no instances of her shrinking or even growing in size. It's also worth noting Hope is sometimes depicted in flight without her wings.

Another example of (potential) wingless flight from American Dream #3.

And here we have more examples of winged flight with no apparent change in size from Hope. Except for the last page-I just really love the art! (American Dream #5) And last but not least we have Hope's appearances in the Spider-Island mini-series....

...Where I don't think Hope actually does anything super human at all. So, I think it's fair to say Hope lacks the ability to change size in any manner. So what's the deal? Obviously if there was a definitive answer on the page, there wouldn't be a need for all this, but I do have a possible theory.

In A-Next #12 and various other appearances we clearly see Hope's twin brother Henry Pym Jr aka Big Man demonstrating his super human ability to increase in size. Henry even mentions he usually grows to twelve feet in height but can grow significantly larger, similar to his father Hank Pym aka Giant-Man's own abilities. I propose that despite Hope and Henry being twins, only Henry was born with super human abilities from his parents frequent exposure to Pym Particles.

Hope may have developed an inferiority complex growing up in a super powered family. Perhaps Hope's lack of super human powers, coupled with the death of her parents led to her disproportional hatred for the Avengers and her desire to humiliate and kill the next generation of the team.  Hope notably focuses much of her rage on Cassie Lang aka Stinger and  clearly despises the hero's own ability to change size. Presumably this is because Cassie and her father Scott Lang utilize Pym Particles to change their size while Hope either doesn't have access to or does not understand her father's method or formula.

Given the fact that in her civilian identity she oversaw the project that granted Ion Man his abilities and that as Red Queen she maintains a rather sophisticated looking headquarters or laboratory, we can deduce that Hope has both money and intellect. I don't think it's a stretch to assume that what Hope lacked in super powers, she compensated for with high tech gadgets, such as her wrist mounted blasters and artificial wings. Given that we've seen Hope fly both with and without the wings, it's possible they are merely an affectation to honour her mother, and that the ability to fly is achieved through other methods.  

Of course, I could be completely wrong. Let me know what you think! Who knows, maybe one day this will be cleared up and I can move on....

Until I stop dwelling on obscure plot points in 20 year old comics at 3am, I remain

frogoat