Red Goblin #2

But Why Tho?

Red Goblin #2 refuses to let readers settle. The concept of such a young protagonist is still very unnerving considering the subject matter and brutality of some moments. It is very surprising that the Osborns have their own small corner of the Marvel Universe at the moment, but both books are tapping into regions that haven’t been explored yet. They may be leftover pieces of a storyline but they are being transformed into a dynamic story that is filled with identity. And at the centre of this one is a figure who defies any expectation or regulation. Normie is something very different among the other leads of Marvel books due to the combination of his age and the genre of the book he headlines.

First Comics News

Normie Osborn continues to find a way to co-exist with this symbiote, Rascal, but he has to face off against Phil Urich, who’s dubbed himself “The Goblin King” and wants revenge against Norman Osborn himself. I like how the script for this issue puts a strong focus on Normie’s psyche as any Spider-Man fan would know, he;’s never had a normal life so his interactions with Rascal further complicate that and I feel that really helps in making him an interesting character to where the readers are torn between liking him and being turned off by his personality traits. Yes, Normie is very different as a protagonist due to his age but besides that, he could very well be another great hero that could very well win over the readers…even with ‘Osborn’ as his last name.

Comic Watch

RED GOBLIN #2 is nowhere short of fun, fresh, and engaging. In a bloated sea of superhero comics, this series stands out with it's raw quality. This is a comic book that wants to be nothing else than a comic. It's emotional but not heavy. Fun, but not sugary. It is one of the best books the Spider-Man world has to offer right now, and deserves every morsel of attention and praise it receives.

COMICON

Paknadel takes what he was able to accomplish last issue and improves on it. This doesn’t feel like just a spin-off but an exploration of a character that’s been traumatized by circumstance more than pretty much any other Marvel character. It’s given Normie an incredible amount of depth, and helped him live up to his potential. Even better, it’s deepening the lore of the Goblins, turning Spider-Man’s greatest villains even more frightening. (...) Normie might be Marvel’s newest young hero to watch, especially if this team keeps it up. I’m excited to see where this all goes.

ComicBook.com

I'm not going to lie... I have a thing with drawing blood. Like, hey I might feint type of thing to be more specific. I tell you that because Red Goblin #2 has quite a bit of that in it, and I was immediately conscious of it. It might surprise you then that I enjoyed the issue anyway haha, which is credit to the creative team of Alex Paknadel, artist Jan Bazaldua, colorist David Muriel, and letterer Joe Caramagna. The need to find out what happens next was strange than the nausea, though even when the story shifts over to Normie's school life the story never loses steam. Normie's dialogue and relationship with Rascal is so unique amongst the many symbiotes in the Marvel Universe, and having them in the mix makes everything else, including Norman's own conflicts and struggles, that much more compelling. Bazaldua and Muriel knock it out of the park throughout, especially when things get chaotic, and issue #3 promises a jump to 11 if that last page is anything to go by. Red Goblin came out of nowhere for me, but so far I'm immensely enjoying it, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Multiversity Comics

“Red Goblin” #2 uses an incredibly unique script to highlight the differences between Normie and Norman. Normie is an innocent, but kindhearted young person trying to help his Grandfather. While Norman is delusional and doesn’t even realize the status quo shift with Normie in the issue due to the drugs from The Goblin Nation. Over the past couple of months, Marvel has done a great job adding more subtext to Norman and Peter’s relationship but ”Red Goblin” #2 crafts a beautiful layer of subtext between Normie and Norman. “Red Goblin” #2 enriches a young character in The Marvel Universe and strengthens relationships from “The Amazing Spider-Man.” A kinder Norman Osborn shakes up the pages of ”Red Goblin” #2!