Humanizing villains is all well and good, but give me a villain doing villainous things story any day of the week, which is the case in Bring on the Bad Guys: Green Goblin #1. Marc Guggenheim kicked it off last week with Doctor Doom and Sister Sorrow, but this week, Spider-Man’s arch nemesis gets the main story. Headlining the story are Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan (don’t miss our exclusive chat with them), with Matteo Della Fonte, and it’s a story described in one word: Slasher.
Something Parker and Sheridan have proven time and time again with their comics storytelling is that they’re very good at pacing. You’re right there with the characters from the start, there are no bogged down exposition scenes, and you’re thrilled with new ideas. That’s the case with their main story, which opens with Mephisto giving Norman a knife that connects to the larger narrative, but then veers off as we delve deeper into Norman’s psyche.
Set in an earlier time in Norman’s legacy, this story features him as a CEO who is on the edge of madness at any given moment. He’s held things together, and most don’t know he’s Green Goblin, but his edging from evil maniac to controlled businessman is fun to see. He needs to find a target to use the dagger on, which seems to almost help him lean into the maniac side of himself.
Norman has to be one of the best supervillain capitalists ever, right?
Marvel Comics
Once a target is picked, the comic goes into full Mike Myers slasher mode, complete with a first-person perspective of Norman watching his victim, then entering a home. Two nine-panel grid pages have you grasping at your chair as he gets closer to his target. It’s a fun way to make him menacing and scary in a new kind of way.
Elevating this story is Della Fonte, who draws one of the best Green Goblin in years. He’s got big yellow eyes, a wispy purple mask, and the scales to prove he means business. From close-ups of Norman in the costume to a full-page splash of him flying on his glider, you’ll be delighted to see this version of Green Goblin back. There’s also some great use of shadow here, with Mattia Iacono’s colors adding a realistic vibe to the story.
Closing out the issue is a four-page backup revealing Sister Sorrow’s backstory. Guggenheim and Michael Sta. Maria reveal a woman who was brave, but also a victim. Ripe for the manipulation of Mephisto.
Bring on the Bad Guys: Green Goblin #1 is a triumph of tone and tension, turning Norman Osborn into a full-blown slasher villain in a story that’s as unnerving as it is exhilarating. Parker, Sheridan, and Della Fonte embrace the horror angle with confidence and style, offering a definitive villainous showcase that’s impossible to look away from.
You must be logged in to post a comment.