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Spectacular Spider-Man #200 inks. Sal Buscema.
A commission by artist Sal Buscema.
I started reading the famous poem Goblin Market, and the heroine is called Lizzie, so this just sort of happened.
Harry, stop trying to make “gotcha” happen.
Spectacular Spider-Man #189, 190, & 204, J.M DeMatteis & Sal Buscema.
Spider-Man: Liz went upstairs. I’ll take care of… Norman.
The Osborns have really taken the concept of “daddy issues” and run with it in every direction, I’ll use the analogy of a cat unwinding a ball of yarn across an entire house. Normie really doesn’t get enough — or any — narrative credit beyond this arc and a handful of other issues (I’m not including MC2, since obviously that is the best universe for a Normie fix) but he is the most psychologically fascinating fictional 5-or-6-or-7-year old I have ever encountered. Not to mention the one with the best reaction faces.
Spectacular Spider-Man #189, J.M DeMatteis & Sal Buscema.
”...Had a wife and couldn’t keep her.“
And to think it was BND/OMD that brought Harry back, too… uncanny. I mean, gotcha?
Spectacular Spider-Man #190, J.M DeMatteis & Sal Buscema.
Dr. Kafka: Did you think I didn’t know he’d react like that? That’s just the reaction I wanted!
To think he came into the session all collected and smug. Harry, Harry. So contrary. Rejoice in the fact you aren’t Norman, really. And one day you’ll look back on all this and…
Oh.
Spectacular Spider-Man #190, J.M DeMatteis & Sal Buscema.
Dr. Kafka: I understand the power of masks. The freedom. Slip behind a false face — hide our weakness from the world — and we can become everything we’re not. Everything our mothers and fathers, wives and friends, told us we never could be. But there’s a problem with masks, Harry. It gets a little dark in here. A little hard to breathe. A little scary. And very alone. You feel very alone, Harry, don’t you?
Harry: It’s mine! IT’S MINE! Give it to me!! GIVE IT TO ME!!
Spectacular Spider-Man #190, J.M DeMatteis & Sal Buscema.
Spider-Man: I want to help you, Har. I don’t want you to go through all that pain again.
Harry: Oh, Peter… Peter, I’m so confused! I… I don’t know what’s happening to me!
Spider-Man: It’s all right, buddy. I’m here. Whatever’s wrong… I’m your friend, and I won’t let you down.
Harry: Oh, yes, Peter… help me. Help me by dying!!
A well-utilized tactic in Harry’s arsenal: just when it seems like he might be going for the world’s most mopey embrace, you get backhanded by the most straightforward malicious catchphrase of all time instead. Gotcha!
Spectacular Spider-Man #180, J.M DeMatteis & Sal Buscema.
Favorite Harry Osborn artists in alphabetical order:
Sal Buscema, Marco Checchetto, Ron Frenz, Gil Kane, Marcos Martin, Pat Olliffe, Paolo Rivera, John Romita Sr., John Romita Jr., Tim Sale
