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On top of possessing the Goblin Formula, many Goblin villains are armed with gliders, pumpkin bombs, and razor-sharp shurikens, making them incredibly versatile and deadly. Some of these Goblin-themed criminals will simply wear a mask to give themselves a monstrous appearance. While others will undergo a full mutation into terrifying beasts. With their striking appearances, diverse weapons, dark humor, and cruel schemes, the Goblin villains have been the foes in some of Spider-Man’s most quintessential storylines.
10) Demogoblin
Unlike other Goblins on this list, Demogoblin is an actual mythical creature. Initially, Demogoblin was the result of Jason Macendale Jr., the Hobgoblin, possession by a demon during a botched ritual which he had undergone to become stronger. When the demon was eventually exorcised from Hobgoblin’s body, it remained in the mortal realm and became the new Demogoblin. Now obsessed with redeeming himself and going to Heaven, Demogoblin will punish anyone who sins, no matter how harmless their actions are, leading to him fighting Spider-Man. In addition to possessing the superhuman strength and agility of other Goblin villains, Demogoblin wields deadly magical abilities and weapons, including Hellfire and emotionally paralyzing pumpkin bombs.
9) Monster
After the controversial events of “One More Day” retconned Spider-Man’s marriage to MJ, the Wall-Crawler tried to get back into the dating pool by starting a relationship with the forensic specialist Carlie Cooper. However, even after Carlie broke up with Spider-Man, she still found herself in danger from Norman Osborn and his Goblin Nation. To make Carlie do his bidding, Norman doused her with chemicals that gave her a monstrous appearance and warped her mind. As the villain, Monster, Carlie tries to kill her former love interest while Spider-Man desperately tries to find a way to cure his friend. Although Carlie has now been cured, her time as a villain was incredibly tragic.
8) Ultimate Hobgoblin
For every universe with a Spider-Man, there will be a Goblin to challenge him. Instead of masks, pumpkins, and gliders, the Goblins of the Ultimate Universe are giant pyrokinetic monsters mutated by a serum. As in many universes, Harry Osborn started as Peter Parker’s best friend before becoming his hated enemy. Mistakenly believing that Spider-Man murdered his father, Norman Osborn, Harry Osborn took the Goblin serum and became the hulking Hobgoblin to get revenge on the Wall-Crawler. With his immense strength and pyrokinetic abilities, Harry was a deadly enemy of Spider-Man. However, Harry eventually reformed and died a hero, fighting his resurrected, villainous father.
7) Menace
Anyone who gets close to the Osborns is bound to become a Goblin villain. Lily Hollister was Harry Osborn’s fiancée, and she came across Norman Osborn’s old Green Goblin equipment. After accidentally touching a new type of Goblin Serum, Lily went insane and developed the power to shapeshift into a goblin. Taking on the name Menace and raiding Norman Osborn’s assortment of Green Goblin weapons, Lily began attacking her father’s mayoral reelection campaign to garner sympathy for him. She became a frequent enemy of Spider-Man and joined Norman’s Goblin Nation. However, when Lily was cured of insanity, she gave up her supervillain career and became the hero, Queen Cat.
6) Hobgoblin (Jason Macendale Jr.)
Initially acting as the supervillain and mercenary Jack O’Lantern, Jason Macendale Jr. upgraded his criminal enterprises by becoming the third Hobgoblin. In his quest to kill Spider-Man, Jason has undergone many different alterations to gain more power, from becoming a cyborg to being possessed by a demon and becoming the first Demogoblin. Although it seemed like Jason met his end when the original Hobgoblin, Roderick Kingsley, killed him to reclaim his mantle, no one in comics stays dead for long. Jason was eventually resurrected and has once again begun terrorizing the streets of New York in his eternal quest to squash the Wall-Crawler. Jason is also well-known for being the incarnation of the Hobgoblin in the hit show Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
