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- Marvel Comics recently introduced the Gold Goblin, a new variant that sees the classic villain redefined as a hero. This Norman Osborn seeks to undo his past mistakes and potentially offers a narrative path for the No Way Home variant should Willem Dafoe return in live-action. If he doesn't, countless Green Goblins from across the multiverse in comics could make it to the screen.
Spider-Man: No Way Home brought back the Willem Dafoe Green Goblin from the 2001 Sam Raimi film. This variant actually exists separate from those movies, meaning others could appear later in the MCU. If they do, the comics offer fans numerous powerful Green Goblin variants to read up on as the MCU heads into The Multiverse Saga.
The Green Goblin ranks perhaps as the greatest Spider-Man villain, a constant threat in the Wall-Crawler's sixty years of adventures in Marvel Comics. Multiple Spider-Man variants face off against different Green Goblins in regular Earth-616 continuity and beyond, with some Goblin versions more powerful than others.
Updated on November 17th, 2022, by Darby Harn:
Marvel Comics recently introduced the Gold Goblin, a new variant that sees the classic villain redefined as a hero. This Norman Osborn seeks to undo his past mistakes and potentially offers a narrative path for the No Way Home variant should Willem Dafoe return in live-action. If he doesn't, countless Green Goblins from across the multiverse in comics could make it to the screen.
Other characters took up the mantle in Earth-616, and Osborn himself held different titles at various points that provided him more power. The most powerful Green Goblin variants exact a heavy toll on Spider-Man in any universe, making his continued screen presence an inevitability.
Two-Faced Goblin
The Two-Faced Goblin features the same abilities as the original Norman Osborn Green Goblin introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #14. He relied mostly on his advanced technology. This version combines his greed and inventiveness with Harvey Dent's instability from DC Comics to form an entirely new villain.
Two-Faced Goblin originated in the Amalgam Comics crossover between Marvel and DC in the 1990s and he seeks vengeance against Dark Claw, a version blending Batman and Wolverine, for his injury.
Harry Osborn
After Norman Osborn died, his son Harry took on the Green Goblin mantle. As the Goblin, Harry possessed no superpowers, but he did gain superhuman strength, speed, and agility by taking the Goblin formula. He also relied heavily on his advanced intellect, improving and refining his father's technology.
Harry also proved a master manipulator, fooling everyone including his friends Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson into thinking he was a good guy until he turned on them.
Marvel Noir
The Marvel Noir Green Goblin wields no superpowers but in this alternate reality, Norman Osborn is born with a condition that gives him a reptile-like appearance. This leads him to take up work in a circus as an object of cruel fascination. His anger and alienation lead to a shocking willingness to use violence.
He tries to leverage his fearsome visage and ambitions to become the criminal underworld's leader in New York City but faces stiff competition from other Spider-Man's best comic book villains.
Six Men Of Sinestry
Norman Osborne becomes the Green Goblin on Earth-803, home of Lady Spider, among the best Spider-Woman comic book variants. Brilliant and ambitious, he enjoys no superpowers but gained advantages through technological innovations in this steampunk universe. He flew on a steam-powered jetpack and used Pumpkin Bombs.
He joined with the Six Men of Sinestry, a powerful take on the Sinister Six that included many steampunk variants, to fight Lady Spider in the Spider-Verse comics from 2014.
1602
The 1602 Green Goblin variant lacks the technological capability others share, but he's no less powerful. Norman Osborne from Earth-311 took a special formula, and he turned into a literal goblin, with wings that allowed him to fly. In appearance, he looked somewhat similar to Man-Bat, among Batman's best comic book villains.
Osborn stands as a key villain in the 1602 miniseries, driven as always by curiosity and greed. It ultimately leads to his death in a battle against the 1602 Spider-Man, Peter Parquagh.
Gwen Stacy Green Goblin
Green Goblin killed Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man #122, making for perhaps Marvel Comics' most shocking death. In Earth-3109, she becomes the Goblin. This Gwen Stacy variant took the Goblin formula and gained superhuman strength and stamina. She also wore slightly more advanced armor than the original 606 variant.
She turned to evil after her father and Norman Osborn died in a tragic event. Before that, this Gwen variant had fought alongside Spider-Man as a heroic figure in her universe.
Iron Goblin
The Iron Goblin emerges from the 2015 Spider-Island miniseries that sees history play out differently. The Spider-Virus infects Tony Stark, transforming him into a human-spider hybrid. While this fails to give him superpowers, he does take the Goblin formula, gaining superhuman abilities similar to Norman Osborn's.
He uses his singular intelligence, inventiveness, and determination to craft a powerful Goblin armor and glider. He then menaces the world as a servant to the Spider-Queen.
Hobgoblin
After Green Goblin died in The Amazing Spider-Man #122, the villain left a void in the comics. Hobgoblin filled that void, using the Goblin formula Osborn developed to attain superhuman powers. Roderick Kingsley gained super speed, durability, and reflexes, putting him on par with the original villain and in some cases, exceeding him.
He also used an upgraded glider and armor against Spider-Man. The demonic glider Hobgoblin flew into battle and appeared more like a bat than Osborn's, however.
Gold Goblin
The Gold Goblin's powers remain a mystery for the moment, with his limited series set to debut in November. The comics so far make clear Osborn retains his standard powers derived from his patented Goblin formula. He gains superhuman strength, speed, and agility from the serum, as well as a regenerative healing factor.
He also wears a new golden armored suit. This suit appears to generate energy blasts, which would be a significant upgrade from his go-to weapon in the past, the iconic Pumpkin Bomb.
2099
Jennifer D'Angelo serves as the Green Goblin in the 2099 universe, a dark future Marvel timeline. She flies and endures considerable stress in her very advanced Goblin armor. The 2099 suit also possesses other advantages the original Green Goblin didn't have. She can turn invisible and also induce holographic hallucinations in others, confusing them as she attacked from above.
Comic book fans know Spider-Man 2099 faces off against this Goblin variant enough that she could also appear as he does in the upcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One).
Goblin By Night
Goblin By Night fuses the technological terror from Norman Osborn with the supernatural power of Werewolf By Night. This Goblin variant from the 2018 Infinity Wars: Arachknight comic book shares Osborn's intellect and abilities, with a dark twist. Thanks to a werewolf bite, he gained lycanthropic powers as well.
His green-furred werewolf form only comes out during the full moon, but when it does, he gains substantial strength, speed, and agility, including heightened senses.
House Of M (Peter Parker)
The Green Goblin from House Of M, a Marvel comic that inspired WandaVision, shares Spider-Man's powers and abilities. Peter Parker counts among the strongest and fastest characters in the Marvel Universe, and his Spider-Sense alerts him to danger before it manifests.
In the alternate reality created by the extremely powerful Scarlet Witch, Peter Parker lives a good life. He married Gwen Stacy, his Uncle Ben never died, and he works for J. Jonah Jameson. But he sabotages his life as the Goblin over the realization that his good fortune is all an illusion.
MC2 Normie Osborn
Normie Osborn, Norman's grandson in the MC2 universe, started out with no superpowers. He inherited only the legacy of the Green Goblin to wield against Spider-Girl, AKA May Parker, Peter's daughter with Mary Jane Watson. He later bonds with the Venom symbiote, giving him the alien creature's incredible powers and abilities.
Super-strong, fast, and resistant to most physical attacks, the Venom Green Goblin also inherited Spider-Man's powers that the symbiote originally copied in the past. He gained even more powers when the symbiote tried to also bond with Spider-Girl.
Ultimate Green Goblin
The Ultimate Green Goblin ingested the OZ formula, Earth-1610's take on the Goblin formula that gave Osborn strength and power in later versions. The Ultimate Green Goblin transformed into a hulking brute with razor-sharp claws that appeared more like the strongest Hulk variants than the Goblin.
The formula's most frightening side effect makes Norman Osborn immortal. He returns from death and continues to evolve into more powerful and terrifying forms. Eventually, he succeeds in killing the Ultimate Spider-Man.
Red Goblin
The Red Goblin combines Norman Osborn's dangerous intellect with the Carnage symbiote. Red Goblin Carnage possesses superhuman strength, speed, and endurance. Unfortunately for Spider-Man, his powers make him blind to Peter Parker's Spider-Sense. He also demonstrates an immunity to any sonic attack, which proved effective against Venom.
The Carnage symbiote effectively overwrote Osborn's personality. This drove him to greater and greater evil, making this Goblin variant arguably the most powerful.