Well, here we are, the first story in over a year to feature Harry in any capacity whatsoever! This is the first issue of Gold Goblin by Christopher Cantwell and Lan Medina. As Norman tries to adjust to life as a “good guy” (mark my words, it won’t last) he finds the ghost of his son haunting him along with many others. Many MANY others.

It’s good to see Harry of course, but this is just a vision… albeit a vision who gives Norman a long-deserved slap in the face.

This is refreshing to see after clone-Harry, let us not forget, died saving the man who abused him all his life. Interestingly the Kindred arc seems to have been completely forgotten about at this point: absolutely nothing about Kindred and the convoluted mess which happened there is mentioned. When Norman has a flashback to Harry’s death, it’s his original death in the ambulance-

-(odd, since Norman wasn’t there to witness it) and not his death at the hands of Kindred. The deal with Mephisto, the one where Norman traded in Harry’s soul, likewise isn’t mentioned.

Still, Christopher Cantwell has said Harry will be in the series more than the preview indicated, so who knows what we might get in the next few issues?

I’ve heard people saying this is one of the best Spider-Man stories of recent years, but admittedly it doesn’t have much to compete with. I did like it but it’s just really hard for me to buy the central premise of all this: not that Norman is now a “good person” but that people are treating him like he is. The comics have tried to justify several times over why Peter is working with the man who ruined his life and the lives of all his loved ones, but I just can’t believe it no matter how hard I try. And I also find it very hard to believe that Liz would let her son see Norman at all, never mind be alone with him. You know?

I do absolutely love the image this issue ends on, though. Norman meets two kids (of about Normie’s age) who’ve witnessed his heroics and are totally fans. They offer him something to sign from the debris on the ground… A human skull.

And from there, as the ghosts watch Norman in the street, the story is To Be Continued.

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What did you think of this one, fellow Harry stans? Yay or nay?