InsaneJournal

Before I go into the actual posting I have to admit, I love this finish to this Saga. I loved the art and some of the quotes from this issue. Mackie got it so right of the relationship between Peter and Norman. To me this was the definative issue of Norman until Warren Ellis got his hands with Norman and did some spectacular things with him in his Thunderbolts run.

Anyway I start with Amazing Spider-Man #418, Norman's grand return. When he finally steps out of the shadows and take's on Ben Reilly, who had just defeated Gaunt aka Mendel Stromm.




The birth of MJ/Pete's child of course goes wrong. All thanks to someone Norman bribed into making sure it was a miscarry or kidnapped the child.



The next part to this was in Spider-Man vol. 1 #75 (a double-sized forty page issue). It opens with Norman paying his grandson a visit:




Meanwhile, a select group of people are being invited special Halloween party at the Daily Bugle. J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson, Ben Urich, Liz Allen (w/Foggie Nelson), Flash Thompson, and Betty Brant all being the key guests. Peter returns to the hospital to go check on MJ, but then is gassed and knocked out by one of Norman's stooges.

Waking sometime latter, Peter is greeted by Norman and obviously is horrified to see his old nemesis is very much alive. Enter some naked monologuing by Norman explaining to Peter the entire scenario:




Norman goes into full Green Goblin gear fully explaining that Pete is the real deal and wanted to crush his spirit, yet of course was more angered when Pete endured. He then leaves Pete ready to tear asunder those "guests" at the Daily Bugle.

Ben reveals he was awake the entire time and informs Pete that Norman has placed pumpkin bombs all over the floor of the Bugle to wipe out everyone there. The two heroes then set out with Pete to take on Norman while Ben goes after the bombs.

After making a grand entrance, Norman yanks JJJ out and dangles him outside berating him before Pete appears. Using his finger blasters Norman cuts off Pete's webline. Then throws Jonah back onto the building. He slaps Liz Allen for making Harry weak and goes off more onto everyone.

Just to note he fully admits and doesn't hide at all to everyone he's Norman Osborn during this. I just want to note that because Flash joins up and it costs the poor man dearly during "Death in the Family". Back to the story:



By this time, the battle between the Green Goblin and Spider-Man has gotten everyone's attention in New York. The NYPD rush onto the scene while Ben enters the Bugle to get the pumpkin bombs. Pete and Norman do battle above and Norman lands a nasty hit on Pete. However...











Ben's body then begins to decompose rapidly as the final nod that he indeed was the real clone. Pete take's the body away leaving the police with lots of questions. After Ben's body is nothing more than dust, Pete mourns his "brother's" death. Not soon after he goes back to the hospital to see MJ.





So concludes the Clone Saga.