I've been working through my comic back log recently and came upon this gem. Back in '95, comics were at a crazy peak of variants and new #1s and holofoil covers and...oh hell I just realized I'm also describing today. ...anyway, Green Goblin was one of those new #1s. Part of a new 13 issue long ongoing, a new man takes on the mantle of old GG, and it's not who you think!

Written by Tom DeFalco, we meet Ben Urich's nephew, Phil Urich, who has just scored a job at the Daily Bugle helping his uncle out. Phil is currently aimless and bounces between doing some pretty good research work for Ben while simlutaneously handing out with some old street toughs that he used to run with. He comes off as a bit of a brat, so when he stumbles upon Osborne's secret Goblin lair, it was hard to be excited for it. Even by the end of the issue, I don't really care what he does, he's just not worth rooting for. I guess he's supposed to be a hero, but he's not very good at it.

Scott McDaniel provides the art, and while I'm not really familiar with his other work, it's pretty good stuff. For an issue with a lot of table setting and talking, he's able to switch up the angles on scenes and is able to show the action in a fun and eclectic way. The colors really let the book down though. It's all really flat shaded seems like places the colorist was supposed to add depth instead look like colorful blobs. There's a particular unfinished feel to it, which may have been a case of the times, but does not hold up well.

It's not a terrible book by any means, but it's also not a good one. If you come across this in your back issue bin diving, you can save your dollar. Try and find some old She-Hulk instead if you're really hankering for something green.

2 out of 5 Urichs