Are you ready to see Norman Osborn as a superhero in Gold Goblin? I’m… not, I’ll admit it. But this CBR interview with the series writer Christopher Cantwell is giving me hope.

CBR: Starting off, let’s get this out of the way — seeing Norman Osborn as a hero is an inherently odd concept.

Christopher Cantwell: I know. It doesn’t feel right — it’s like oil and water. I feel like I had an easier time having Doctor Doom do heroic things than Norman because I feel like there are two different types of villains. I feel like Victor Von Doom at least has his own code of honor, which may seem extremely dishonorable to others, but he has a kind of unbending code for himself. He has a love for his people, even if sometimes he doesn’t treat them the best. He has his nationalism. He has an ideology. Norman is just this twisted motherfucker who’s just ambition and greed and a twisted, warped view of so many things.

The preview has gotten everyone talking because of Norman’s writing “The Baby” (i.e. Peter and MJ’s forgotten-for-years assumed-dead baby) on the list of people whose lives he’s ruined.

Is that an easter egg or will it actually form part of the plot? We’ll see I guess. Meanwhile, you’ll note that Norman’s list also includes the first direct acknowledgement of Harry the comics have made in over a year now.

The Cantwell interview also more or less confirms that Liz and Normie will appear in the series:

Can a man like that, who has done those things, be redeemed? Is there real forgiveness in that, and can it originate in the self? Where does it come from? Does it come from Peter? Does it come from Liz? Does it come from Normie? Does it come just in the way that these people look at him?

Though Normie’s got his own stuff going on now, of course.

Gold Goblin comes out Nov 16, I’ll see you there!