The Animated Series
Real Name: Jason Phillip Macandale
Voice: Mark Hamill
First Appearance: The Hobgoblin, Part 1
The Hobgoblin was created by Norman Osborn to kill The Kingpin. Due to Peter Parkers interruption, and a run in with Spider-Man, he failed and Osborn fired him. Tired of being treated like a nobody, Hobgoblin used the information he had required from Norman and double crossed him, and sided with The Kingpin. The Kingpin fired him for double-crossing him in order to get more weapons from Osborn. Sick of his talents being wasted, he attacked Kingpin and declared himself the new Kingpin of crime.
Spider-Man carried a strong hatred for The Hobgoblin; he injured his Aunt May and kidnapped his best friend and roommate, Harry Osborn.
Hobgoblin was an ambitious villain, he wanted to be respected and feared and he wanted cash. It was later revealed that he was Jason Macandale, Felicia Hardy's fianc̤ he was promptly arrested.
Reviews
Episode #11 - The Hobgoblin, Part 1
Original Airdate - May 20, 1995
Norman Osborne hires a petty crook, who calls himself the Hobgoblin, to kill Wilson Fisk (the Kingpin). Peter saves Fisk and does battle with the Goblin as Spider-Man. Harry Osborne asked Peter to move into an apartment with him. However, when Hobgoblin does a deal with Kingpin, he double-crosses Norman Osborne and sets out to kidnap his son Harry. Aunt May is injured by a gas bomb, and Spidey goes seeking revenge.
Review:
Once again production troubles come into play with this series. Anyone who's read any Spider-Man comics in his or her lifetime will know the Green Goblin debuted over 20 years before the Hobgoblin did. However, it went the other way in this cartoon; it would be another 2 seasons before he appeared. The reason behind this is one left from an apparently clueless previous producer, which couldn't be changed as once again, toys where being produced, and money was being made.
However, this didn't leave a huge plot hole in the series, far from it, the introduction of a new Goblin later came across flawlessly, The Hobgoblin angle benefited it all. It worked as a prelude to Norman becoming the Green Goblin, and set up Peter learning that Wilson Fisk was actually The Kingpin.
The Aunt May is a coma is nothing new, as it's been done in the comics hundreds of times, but the reason behind it was especially lame, as she went into a full coma because his room was a mess. Even though she just saw her nephew attacked by a Goblin on a glider, she gets shocked over his room. After a party no less.
The animation in the fight in the air between Spider-Man and The Hobgoblin shined, especially some of the explosions. While this episode was simply a set up off what was to come in part 2, it did it very well.
Episode #12 - The Hobgoblin, Part 2
Original Airdate - May 27, 1995
When Aunt May is slightly injured by one of the Hobgoblin's pumpkin bombs during the kidnapping of Harry, Spider-Man enters the fray with a vengeance. After several battles, the trail leads Peter to Oscorp and Harry's own father.
Review:
Following exactly where part 1 left off Spidey clashes with Hobgoblin in style, meaning that once again, the animation was spectacular. The story had a lot going for it, as it all seemed to tie in with each other, as the episode reflected the choices each of the central characters made.
Spider-Man perusing the Hobgoblin in a blinding rage instead of being there for his ill Aunt, Kingpin being stupid enough to trust a man who tried to kill him a few hours ago and Osborn using Spider-Man to fight his battles for him and Hobgoblin, now king of crime central believes himself untouchable, with Spidey sending him crashing down to earth, in what was actually a very good fight scene, despite minimal, if any fighting being allowed to take place.
I've always liked the Hobgoblin, I'm glad to see he didn't get shafted in this series, as he has done in the comics since they (stupidly) brought back Norman Osborn. It was great to see him animated, and with Mark Hamills fantastic voice work, they didn't go to far wrong.
The Hobgoblin appeared once again in season 2 and also in season 3 when he was easily defeated by the "new" and more powerful Green Goblin. He appeared last in the finale teamed with the Green Goblin in a bizarre story that featured alternate realities.
