Why Is Harry Creating The Green Goblin Not Mentioned Often?

[Agent Z]

Why does the fact that Harry basically turned his father into a monster for not paying attention to him rarely ever acknowledged?

[LordUltimus]

For one thing, it was retconned in. Originally, Norman just mixed the chemicals on his own and it blew in his face.

[MajorHoy]

Why does the fact that Harry basically turned his father into a monster for not paying attention to him rarely ever acknowledged?

They're claiming that?

I always thought it was Norman who spent too much time focused on business to really pay attention to Harry? (Part of the whole "Harry on Drugs" controversial story line back in the early 1970s.)

[LordUltimus]

They're claiming that?

I always thought it was Norman who spent too much time focused on business to really pay attention to Harry? (Part of the whole "Harry on Drugs" controversial story line back in the early 1970s.)

Harry messed with the chemicals because Norman was focused on business and Harry was being a petty teenager.

[Venomous Mask]

I think you have it backwards.

[William300]

Norman was a corrupt evil man before he became the Goblin. So I don't think it ultimately matters. also, is it still even canon? I mean we've flashed back to Norman becoming the Goblin so many times that I wouldn't be surprised if other writer ignored it.

[Mister Mets]

I guess the retcon wasn't very popular.

[SuperiorIronman]

When you have all the awful things Norman has done retconned into his backstory Harry messing with the chemicals is kind of ignored on the basis that Norman should be the all around evil bad guy with a black hole for a heart. If a lot of those retcons didn't happen Norman could be a bit more sympathetic albeit a jerk but sympathetic and that is a problem because spider-man writers like to think of Norman as the anti-Christ when it comes to all the horrible things he did and does.

You could have sympathy for Osborn because he was so focused on keeping the family afloat he resorted to villainous tactics and ignored his son but it made sense given Norman's backstory so when the Goblin happens thanks to Harry you may not like Norman but you want to see him better.

Now the retcons ruin that. Osborn at this point is a rabid animal who should have been put down long ago and any sympathy the reader did have is long gone. Harry tampering with the formula is simply overlooked because in a way Norman has got what was coming to him and lost his world to the Goblin. You can't make him sympathetic after all this so I can imagine that is why it's ignored.

[MajorHoy]

I guess the retcon wasn't very popular.

Can Mephisto make that go away too?

[Tuck]

You could have sympathy for Osborn because he was so focused on keeping the family afloat he resorted to villainous tactics and ignored his son but it made sense given Norman's backstory

But that's not even the original version of the story. Norman paid extra attention to his and Harry's relationship after Harry's mother died. He was a great dad. All the shadiness and ignoring Harry started after the accident. You have to remember that ASM was being told in real time up until Peter started college. So, by the time Peter meets Harry, Norman had been out of his mind for a few years already.

[SuperiorIronman]

But that's not even the original version of the story. Norman paid extra attention to his and Harry's relationship after Harry's mother died. He was a great dad. All the shadiness and ignoring Harry started after the accident. You have to remember that ASM was being told in real time up until Peter started college. So, by the time Peter meets Harry, Norman had been out of his mind for a few years already.

Kind of makes me want to read some more early Norman.

[Tuck]

Kind of makes me want to read some more early Norman.

It's funny. The Sins Past retcon requires us to remember that Norman was a decent guy when he wasn't the Goblin in order to sell Gwen sleeping with him. But at the same time it requires us to accept the retconned version of Norman as being himself the villain, so that he could use the kids in a long term plan to screw with Peter. (Bearing in mind, the retcons that made everyday Norman evil are the same ones that made him evil since before the accident.)

[Venomous Mask]

But that's not even the original version of the story. Norman paid extra attention to his and Harry's relationship after Harry's mother died. He was a great dad. All the shadiness and ignoring Harry started after the accident. You have to remember that ASM was being told in real time up until Peter started college. So, by the time Peter meets Harry, Norman had been out of his mind for a few years already.

Actually, it was completely the opposite; Norman made sure that Harry got everything he wanted in terms of physical things, but was very cold emotionally.

[Tuck]

Actually, it was completely the opposite; Norman made sure that Harry got everything he wanted in terms of physical things, but was very cold emotionally.

In the present, as of the time of the issues.

However, Harry tells Peter at one point how that was a change that coincided with Norman becoming the Green Goblin (although Harry didn't know that was the catalyst). Prior to that . . . probably before Amazing Fantasy #15 even . . . Norman and Harry were close.

[Venomous Mask]

In the present, as of the time of the issues.

However, Harry tells Peter at one point how that was a change that coincided with Norman becoming the Green Goblin (although Harry didn't know that was the catalyst). Prior to that . . . probably before Amazing Fantasy #15 even . . . Norman and Harry were close.

After Norman was infected with the Goblin formula, he became obsessive and evil, but beforehand, there was clear evidence that Norman was not the most loving father, as seen in Amazing Spiderman #40. He wasn't bad, but quite aloof. In The Revenge of the Green Goblin, they showed the death of Norman's wife sapped alot of his ability to love his son (ironically, Eddie Brock had an almost identical childhood).