In an attempt to save his enemy-turned-ally, Norman Osborn, Spider-Man recently took the Green Goblin's disembodied sins into himself. Norman, with the help of Kraven the Hunter, removed the sins from Peter and secretly took them back to save Peter.
However, while possessed, the "Sinful Peter" (a.k.a. the Green Goblin) rewrote part of his own mind with a trigger phrase to revert him to his evil form. The Green Goblin uttered the phrase, and Peter is now the Spider-Goblin!
An agent of pure chaos, Spider-Goblin attacked the Sinister Six at their base, beating them more savagely than Spider-Man ever has. But there's only room for one chaotic Spider in New York, and Chasm, a.k.a. Ben Reilly, arrived to defend his title in the closing moments of the previous issue.
Amazing Spider-Man #52 picks up where that left off with Spider-Goblin and his clone battling it out as Kraven watches on. Completely unhinged, Peter doesn't hold back, making short work of Ben while taunting his doppelganger for trying to "steal" his life.
However, using the "Psycho-Reactive Goo" he was gifted with after becoming Chasm, Ben manages to clear up Peter's mind and rids him of the Goblin...temporarily.
Taking the spear which originally contained Norman's sins, the web-slinger vows to cleanse the Green Goblin all over again...only to realise he's not completely free of that brainwashing. Spider-Goblin is still there, though that's a problem for another time.
Elsewhere in the issue, Ms. Marvel deduces that Norman is the Goblin again and teams up with Dr. Curt Connors, J. Jonah Jameson, Doc Ock's old arms, and the Walking Brain to try and save Spider-Man.
The robot has enlisted Rek-Rap to help, while we learn that Norman has been buying up new companies and expanding the Oscorp empire...in Peter Parker's name. He's either planning to frame the wall-crawler or we're looking at another Parker Industries-style change to his status quo here.
Earlier today, it was revealed that writer Zeb Wells is leaving Amazing Spider-Man after his final arc begins this September and there was no mention of Spider-Goblin in that. We'd assume Peter will eventually rid himself of the Goblin's programming, but where this story will leave the real Green Goblin obviously remains to be seen.
You can check out some highlights from Amazing Spider-Man #52 below.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #52
Written by ZEB WELLS
Art by ED MCGUINNESS, TODD NAUCK
Cover by ED MCGUINNESS