Norman Osborn the II grew up from a poor family, and saved every penny he earned growing up. The man was obsessed with obtaining power. After graduating from Empire State University, Norman married a lovely young woman named Emily. They had a child named Harry, but shortly after he was born, Emily died. Norman never forgave his son for the death of his wife. He holds that grudge with him to this day. Norman had studied both electrical engineering and chemistry at school, and put those things to use. He became partners with Mendel Stromm, and they formed a company called Osborn Chemical, later renamed, Osborn Industries. Stromm had borrowed money from the company, promising Norman to pay it back. Even so, Osborn had him arrested for embezzlement. Looking through his ex-partner’s notes, he had a formula that could increase someone’s physical and mental strength. While concocting it, the mixture turned green and exploded. Norman was almost killed, but after recuperating realized that it had indeed worked! Norman’s IQ was at a genius levels, and he could lift approximately ten tons! There was a side effect though, that he was not aware of – it had driven him criminally insane. He adopted an arsenal of weapons, complete with state-of-the-art means of transportation, and a costume, breathing life into his inner psyche and alter ego – The Green Goblin!

As the Green Goblin, Norman wanted to gain supreme power in the under-world, and believed he could achieve this goal by murdering Spider-Man. After it proved to be an impossible task for him, he teamed up the Crime-Master to finish the job. (See the Amazing Spider-Man #26) After that failed, Norman hid until he devised a new plan. He had hired a group of thugs to spray some chemical onto Spidey. It muffled his spider-sense for a period of time, so the Goblin followed him undetected. He watched as Spider-Man unmasked in an alley, and was shocked to find that his great enemy was a mere boy. (the Amazing Spider-Man #39) He followed Peter home, taunting him with his identity. He then managed to damage his clothing, revealing the webs beneath, and took him to his hide-out. Convinced that Spider-Man would be killed for sure, he decided to reveal his identity to the web-slinger. Peter was shocked to find the face of his class-mate Harry’s father, Norman. A battle ensued, resulting in an explosion at the warehouse that gave Osborn partial amnesia. He had lost all memory of his alter ego. The public believed that the Goblin had perished in the fire, and Osborn helped Spidey defeat him. (the Amazing Spider-Man #40)

Norman had regained memory of the Goblin on several occasions, and when the plot got old, the writers had new plans. Harry Osborn had started taking drugs, and when his addiction grew serious, Norman blamed Peter. He had once again taken up the identity of the Green Goblin, and had kidnapped Peter’s girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. He took her to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge, and when Spider-Man arrived, Norman gave his demands. A fight began, and Osborn reacted by knocking Gwen off the bridge into the waters below. Spider-Man caught Gwen with a web-line, but he when he reeled her up, she was dead. The Goblin fled, and the two caught up the next day. They fought, and when Spider-Man had almost killed Osborn, he stepped back, realizing what he could have done. Norman quickly reacted by ordering his glider to impale Spider-Man, but alerted but his spider-sense, he ducked, causing it to impale Norman, killing him. (All this happened in the Amazing Spider-Man #’s 121-122) Stromm’s formula had also Norman a healing factor that re-generated his heart over night bringing him back to life. Osborn fled to Europe, allowing everyone to believe he was dead, and letting his son live on his legacy. Osborn became part of a secret organization known as the Brotherhood of the Scrier. While in Europe, he also masterminded the Clone Saga, using Miles Warren, aka the Jackal, as his pawn. Peter was cloned, but believed that really he was the clone, and that Ben Reilly was the true Peter. Even so, the two became friends, almost brothers. Osborn had had enough. He hired a genetically altered actress to pose as Aunt May, while the real one remained in his hands. The actress had died, believed to be May Parker) When his son Harry was killed by an experimental goblin formula, Osborn returned to America. (the Amazing Spider-Man #418) He had killed Ben Reilly, proving Peter to be the original, and kidnapped Peter’s daughter, May. (Peter Parker: Spider-Man #75) Since then, Norman has resumed his identity as the Green Goblin, and is continuing to make Peter Parker’s life a living hell. He has even forced Peter to become his own heir to the Goblin Legacy, and has put his best friend Flash Thompson into a coma, giving him irreversible brain damage. Without a doubt, Norman Osborn/the Green Goblin, is Spider-Man’s greatest foe!