The Amazing Spider-Man #249

SECRETS!

Peter Parker has web-slinged to a housewarming party being thrown by Harry and Liz Osborn. His secret identity is almost blown when one of the partygoers catches him changing in the Osborn house. Thankfully, the woman has poor eye-sight and puts her glasses on just as Peter finishes doffing most of his Spider-Man costume. Slightly embarrassed, Peter ushers the woman out of the room so he can continue getting changed. Outside he is surprised by the number of attractive and single women that he was told would be in attendance. When he meets up with Liz, she gives him the tour of the house. Out on the driveway, Harry returns from a motorcycle ride with one of the neighborhood kids. He tells Liz that he was just practicing for their coming child. Rejoining the party, Peter is not surprised to see Mary Jane flirting among with the men at the party. He pulls her aside so they can catch up. While Peter thinks about how he once proposed to Mary Jane only to be turned down, she tells him how her Aunt Anna is returning to Florida, while she has opted to stay in New York as she has lined up some modeling gigs. Suddenly, Peter is jolted by a massive buzz from his spider-sense. This confuses him as there is no apparent danger. Seeing that Peter is preoccupied, Mary Jane decides it would be a fun idea to push him into the pool. However, Peter manages to grab her and pull her in along with him.  Meanwhile, at the Daily Bugle, publisher J. Jonah Jameson grimly looks out the window of his office. Soon, his girlfriend Marla Madison enters the office and asks Jameson is he is ready. She scolds him for smoking a cigar, as he said he was trying to quit, but he tells her it isn't lit and it was helping him think. When she asks what's wrong, he confides in her that he once used his wealth to create the Scorpion to stop Spider-Man. However, the Scorpion became an even larger menace than Spider-Man. The authorities weren't aware of the extent of his involvement and thankfully the only person who is alive and knows the truth is the Scorpion himself, but he is too insane to tell anyone. Marla tells Jonah not to worry about it as it happened so long ago, but that's when Jameson reveals that someone is being blackmailed.  At that moment, an envelope is delivered to Harry Osborn, and after he looks over the contents he abruptly leaves the party on his motorcycle, worrying Liz. When she tells Peter and Mary Jane about this, Peter volunteers to follow after Harry and see what's wrong. Thanks to his spider-powers, Peter is able to catch up to Harry, finding him parked in the woods. Harry says that he can handle what is bothering him is nothing he wants to talk about. However, Peter convinces him that he can confide in him. That's when Harry tells Peter that his father was the Green Goblin. Although Peter already knows this, he pretends like this is a shock. Peter recalls how Norman Osborn became the Green Goblin, and how the Goblin discovered his secret identity and was responsible for the death of Peter's girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. Lastly, he recalls how Norman seemingly died during their final battle. Peter tries to ease Harry's mind by telling him that it is all over with, but that's when Harry reveals that someone is blackmailing him. Peter offers to help Harry, even though he knows everything that his father has done.  The next afternoon, Peter joins Harry for the blackmailer's meeting at the Century Club in Manhattan. Peter is taken aback by how posh the club is, figuring it would cost a fortune for membership. Harry explains that he inherited his father's membership and the two sit at the bar before they wait for Harry's meeting in the Booker Room. While there, Peter scans the room and spots the Kingpin among the patrons of the club. When the club members begin lining up to enter the Booker room, Peter also notices fashion designer Roderick Kingsley as well as J. Jonah Jameson in attendance. However, when Harry tries to bring Peter in with him, he is refused admittance. Peter tells Harry that it's okay and that he will wait outside. Suspecting that the Kingpin is responsible for this meeting, Peter fears that the Hobgoblin might have found Peter's secret identity in one of Norman Osborn's old journals and possibly sold it to the Kingpin. As Peter slips into the meeting room next door, the wealthy men in the meeting all tensely await who is responsible for blackmailing them all, and suspect one another.  Suddenly, a curtain pulls back revealing the blackmailer to be none other than the Hobgoblin himself. They are shocked to discover that the Hobgoblin is still alive, and he tells them that he intends to make a hefty sum from the millionaires gathered in order to buy his silence. Watching from the vents is Spider-Man, who wonders why his spider-sense isn't going off with the Hobgoblin in the room. However, not everyone is afraid of the Hobgoblin, as J. Jonah Jameson refuses to give in to blackmail and tells the Hobgoblin that he will be stopped. Harry also refuses to surrender and confronts the Hobgoblin. When the villain mockingly tells Harry that he is crazy as his father, Osborn takes a swing at him. They're all surprised when the Hobgoblin's head comes off, revealing that it is actually a robot of the villain.  Suddenly, the real Hobgoblin comes crashing through the window and attacks Harry. This prompts Spider-Man to leap into action to save his friend. At the back of the room, the Kingpin's bodyguards are about to get into the mix, but their employer tells them to wait as there is no immediate danger to him. During the battle, the Hobgoblin lobs some pumpkin bombs at the wall-crawler. Quick thinking, Spider-Man fashions a bat out of his webbing and smashes them. However, the Hobgoblin planned for this as the bombs are filled with a gas that completely dulls Spider-Man's spider-sense. This gives the Hobgoblin the upper hand and he trounces Spider-Man. Struggling to stay conscious, Spider-Man attempts to tag the Hobgoblin with a spider-tracer but blacks out. The tracer rolls harmlessly toward the Kingpin's foot. The Hobgoblin attempts to kill Spider-Man with one of his finger blasts, but the Kingpin tosses a silver tray to block the shot. Fisk then tells the Hobgoblin has done enough and Spider-Man is under his protection. Hobgoblin is shocked to see the Kingpin, thinking to himself that he forgot he was a club member. Deciding to leave things be for now, the Hobgoblin tells the millionaires that he will be in touch soon and flees. As he does so, the Kingpin manages to tag him with the spider-tracer.  Using smelling salts, the Kingpin revives Spider-Man and tells him what he has done. When Spider-Man asks the Kingpin why he helped him out, the crime boss explains that the Hobgoblin is a threat to his criminal operations and having Spider-Man apprehend him is good for business. As the Kingpin departs, Spider-Man fears that this effort was for nothing as he can only follow his spider-tracers with his spider-sense, and now it's gone -- possibly for good!