Marvel Cinematic Universe

ASM 2's mistake wasn't that it had a Goblin. It's that it had the wrong Goblin, that it rushed too quickly to get him into play, and that it embraced the Crazy.

There are two takes on Norman Osborn that can be effectively summarized as Lex Luthor or the Joker. Norman Osborn can be a brilliant, conniving mind or a pants-on-head lunatic. The latter was popular in the early days of comics because going Full-Ham was the spirit of the Silver Age in general, while the former has received a much warmer reception in the Modern Age due to the more serious nature of modern comic-book storytelling.

The best approach, ultimately, is to marry the two. Spectacular Spider-Man did a fantastic job of demonstrating just how terrifying Norman Osborn can be. That series captured the character like none of the films ever have, because it understood the way Osborn parallels Peter. Just as Spider-Man is to Peter, the Green Goblin is Osborn's escapist fantasy, and just like how Spider-Man's powers and activities are supported by the super-genius scientific mind of Peter Parker, the Green Goblin is supported by the super-genius political mind of Norman Osborn.

They're a pair of brilliant, dueling intellects buried under the bright and colorful masks of the over-the-top extroverts they wish they could be. The Green Goblin would be just as neutered and uninteresting as Spider-Man would if they cut all the excited hyperactivity from the character, but at the same time, like Spider-Man, Osborn is a much more threatening and compelling character as a brilliant, lucid man in full control of his faculties than a gibbering loon.

tl'dr: "The Goblin made him do it" is the worst way to play Norman Osborn.

edited 20th May '15 12:20:31 PM by TobiasDrake

Wait, you didn't think Willem Dafoe did a good job as Norman?

It's not like that's an uncommon opinion. Most people love Dafoe as Norman.

I actually loved that ''Siege'' had◊ Norman pretend to be sane while actually talking to his Goblin persona/mask behind everyone's backs◊(and wearing Goblin warpaint under his Iron Patriot helmet) only to reveal in the Thor book(that also set up Journey Into Mystery) that yes, Norman is still mad but the voice coming out of his old mask wasn't the Goblin but a scheming Loki taking advantage of Osborn.◊

edited 20th May '15 12:37:21 PM by LordofLore

I'm also tired of Spidey vs. Goblin, but he would work very well as a general MCU villain a la Dark Reign.

Dafoe was fantastic as a Silver Age take on the Goblin, but wouldn't sell nearly as well today as it did in 2001. The Spider-Man Trilogy was good for its time.

edited 20th May '15 12:38:28 PM by TobiasDrake

That face Loki makes at the end, though.

"The best approach, ultimately, is to marry the two. Spectacular Spider-Man did a fantastic job of demonstrating just how terrifying Norman Osborn can be. That series captured the character like none of the films ever have, because it understood the way Osborn parallels Peter. Just as Spider-Man is to Peter, the Green Goblin is Osborn's escapist fantasy, and just like how Spider-Man's powers and activities are supported by the super-genius scientific mind of Peter Parker, the Green Goblin is supported by the super-genius political mind of Norman Osborn."

Yes, this perfectly gets at what is so great about the Spectacular Goblin and I've noted the same theme can be seen with the show's version of Mysterio. Although he's of course a good guy, Peter does have a bit of a power fantasy going on in how when he puts on the mask, he acts differently, particularly in how he mocks people in a way that Peter Parker wouldn't. The same GIFT idea is visible in his villains.

What a dick.

edited 20th May '15 1:02:56 PM by Hodor2

x2 I still think Douchebag Peter holds up.

Hey, if you want to beef up Spider-Man, make him really do everything a spider can: have him bind up criminals and suck their internal organs out.

Maybe we can get Matthew Mc Conaughey in the Iron Patriot armor.

x5 Loki loves that face◊(or rather the copy of Classic!Loki loves that face since he has taken over Kid!Loki). Pretty much the only things that can make him stop smiling are his plans not working, when he has to act like his plans doesn't work, his family and Kid!Loki's◊ ex◊ girlfriend◊.

edited 20th May '15 1:09:42 PM by LordofLore

Rudd and Mackie on set◊.

I would really like it, if the introduce Norman and Harry early, but don't immediately use them as the villains. Why not showing their complicated relationship and how they were before Norman got crazy while Peter fights someone else? Make the audience like them. This way it will have a way bigger impact when they slip away.

Oh my god, Loki used to date Shrek?!

A better look at Crossbones◊' fucked up face◊.

Ooh, fancy.

He sure seems happy hanging out with Cap.

They probably only applied some of the makeup for when he had the mask on. But with it off, he does look like pizza. Better than looking like toast, perhaps.

Freddy Kreussbones.

x5 Hey! It's the Odin given right of everyone connected to Thor in some way to have some headgear!◊

She switches to different headgear later in her life when she becomes the ruler of Hel, Hela.

Edit: I should really do a effort post for the thread of all the cool helmets the MCU doesn't want to feature.

edited 20th May '15 2:42:49 PM by LordofLore

Yeah they only applied makeup to the skin around the eyes since that's all you see behind the mask. It's easier and less time consuming that way. Sorta like how Jason's mask in Friday the 13th Part III came about because the crew didn't want to spend hours getting his face ready for shots.

edited 20th May '15 2:25:26 PM by comicwriter

Probably also so they can avoid the same problems that befell Hugo Weaving.

Community just did a Winter Soldier homage.

... I haven't been keeping up with the latest season. They did paintball again?

The paintball episodes are all Russo directed episodes.