Characters : Norman Osborn, Jr.

 
 

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Attributes

Height: 4' 2"

Weight: 50 lbs

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Reddish brown

Features: Average 6 year old boy

Summary

Created By: Bill Mantlo and Al Milgrom

Real Name: Norman "Normie" Osborn Jr.

Current Aliases: None

Former Aliases: None

Dual Identity: None

Current Occupation: None

Former Occupation: None

Citizenship: US

Legal Status: No criminal record...yet

Place of Birth: New York City

Marital Status: None, that would be illegal

Known Relatives: Norman Osborn II, grandfather; Liz Osborn, mother; Harry Osborn, father (deceased)

Known Confidants: Liz Osborn, Peter Parker

Known Allies: Spider-Man, the Molten Man, Green Goblin IV, Clarence Fielding, Black Cat

Major Enemies: Hobgoblin I, Hobgoblin II, Green Goblin I, Green Goblin II, Angel Face, Scrier, Scarecrow, Will O'Wisp, Chameleon

Usual Bases: None

Former Bases: None

Current Groups: None

Former Groups: None

Education: Doubtless the best private grade school in New York City

 

Powers & Paraphenalia

Strength Level: Normal for a boy his age.

Powers: None.

Abilities: None.

Equipment: None.

Weapons: None.

Limitations: He's a little kid. What do you expect?

 
 

Background

Normie Osborn has led a very full life for someone so young. His life has been in danger since before he was even born, but that's an unfortunate consequence of being the son and grandson of two Green Goblins.

It was his notorious bloodline that caused his pregnant mother, Liz Osborn, to be kidnapped by the original Hobgoblin, who hoped to learn the secrets of the original Green Goblin and threatened to "spare the world the birth of another mad Osborn"(ASM 261). Hobgoblin's hopes of acquiring Norman Osborn's journals from Harry Osborn were ended by Spider-Man but Normie was nearly kidnapped a second time soon after his birth by none other than his own grandfather (PP: Spider-Man #25 vol. 2). Norman decided that Spider-Man would be the true heir to the Osborn Legacy and turned his attention away from Normie.

Normie was raised by his parents, unaware that his grandfather had faked his death and was living in Europe. As Normie grew older, he showed a strong hatred of Spider-Man, demonstrated by his repeated crushing of his Spider-Man action figure and muttering, "Kill the Spider...break his back...Kill the Spider...break his back." This hatred was probably caused by the fact that the second Hobgoblin attacked his home, also looking for the secrets of Norman Osborn (Web #47). Spider-Man fought off the attack, but all that the frightened child understood was that the man in the red and blue costume was part of a scary situation.

The experience also unhinged Harry, who began to remember his own brief stint as the second Green Goblin, shortly after Norman's "death." His memories returning, Harry railed against Spider-Man, no doubt deepening Normie's own fledgling hatred of the hero. Harry again became the Green Goblin, tried to kill Spider-Man and failed, losing his life in the process. Normie was at Harry's side and in Spider-Man's company when his father died, giving him one more reason to hate the wall crawler.

Unfortunately, Harry did even more damage to Normie's young mind posthumously, when a trio of robotic Goblin women kidnapped the boy and tried to expose him to the toxic, strength enhancing Goblin formula. Again, Spider-Man came to the rescue, with the help of the reformed Molten Man (Spider-Man: Legacy of Evil).

While Normie could have been killed (unintentionally) by a Green Goblin in his previous adventure, he was saved by one in his next. Liz Osborn became the CEO of Osborn Industries after Harry's death, which made her and Normie the target of a kidnapping and ransom plot by the criminal called Angel Face and her sidekicks: Salt and Pepper. Liz had set up a meeting with the heroic fourth Green Goblin (Phil Urich) and when she didn't arrive at the agreed time, the Goblin flew to her apartment and quickly disabled Salt and Pepper. Angel Face took the opportunity to flee with Normie to the parking garage, where he bit her, forcing her to let him go. She was ready to shoot the kid when the Goblin showed up and finger blasted the gun out of her hand. The Goblin's reward was a punch in the face from the angry brat, who screamed, "You're not my daddy! You're not!" (Green Goblin #8)

Peter Parker tried his best to steer Normie away from his dark heritage by being a positive role model (Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #14) but Normie was too aware of his father being the Green Goblin and eagerly awaited the Goblin's return. After Norman Osborn's self imposed exile in Europe ended, he had a bionic construct (I don't understand it, either) dress up as the Goblin and kidnap Normie. The boy willingly went along with the impostor Goblin, believing it to be his father and Norman offered a ten million dollar reward for the boy's safe return, all part of a scheme to prove that Norman wasn't the original Green Goblin. While Spider-Man battled the fake Goblin, a civilian named Clarence Fielding rescued Norman Jr. from the junk yard when he was being held, despite the boy's protests (Spectacular Spider-Man #255).

In a way, Normie's next kidnapping was a lucky turn for the boy. After Norman Osborn had been defeated after the Gathering of Five ceremony, the cult of the Scriers faced a sort of civil war over the role of their deposed leader. A rebel Scrier kidnapped Normie in an attempt to draw Norman out into the open and be killed, using a hologram of Harry Osborn to gain Normie's trust. After Spidey saved Normie yet again, the Harry hologram spoke to Normie in private, telling him that Spider-Man was his friend, that his grandfather couldn't be trusted and that Spider-Man had nothing to do with Harry's death. For the first time, Normie Osborn trusted Spider-Man and Spidey took the boy home to Liz.

That new found trust could easily be all that saves Norman Jr. from his increasingly unstable grandfather. In a subsequent battle with Spider-Man, Norman taunted Peter, saying "Fact is, the boy is too much like his father. Dirty genes cant be scrubbed out when the stain is that stubborn. Just imagine: The same pitiful traits as Harry, the same worthless soul, the same weakness...No. I cant have him weaseling his way in on all of the loot when I'm gone. I'll dispose of the little ape, as I should have done the day he was born." Filled with rage, Peter growled, "I'll kill you" (PP: Spider-Man #46). That's where the boys life stands, between two powerful men of equal determination, who are willing to kill for him.

Recently, a new threat, unrelated to Norman Osborn, attacked Norman Jr. After Peter Parker revealed his secret ID during Civil War, the Chameleon joined Scarecrow, Will O'Wisp and coerced the Molten Man into holding Normie and Liz hostage to draw out Peter. Peter saved Normie and Liz with the help of the Black Cat and returned to Avengers Tower just in time to see that Aunt May saved herself from the Chameleon.

Thanks To:

Some of the above information is extracted from the various versions of the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe and the more recent Marvel Encyclopaedias.

 

 
 

Character Appearances

Dec 1983 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #85
Feb 1985 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #261
Feb 1989 App: Web of Spider-Man #47
Aug 1991 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #179
Sep 1991 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #180
Jan 1992 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #184
Jun 1992 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #189 (Story 1)
Apr 1993 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #199
May 1993 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #200
No Month 1994 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) Annual #14
May 1996 App: Green Goblin #8
Mar 1998 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #432
Mar 1998 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #255
No Month 2000 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) Annual 2000 (Story 1)
Jan 2001 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #25
Jan 2001 App: Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #25
 

By Dave Sippel (E-Mail)


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