PREVIOUSLY: Spider-Man was cleared of all charges relating to the murder rap hanging over his head. Having put the Prodigy identity aside, he was free to be the web-spinner again. But two enemies from his past seem determined to make his return a brief one. The Hobgoblin, though defeated by Spider-Man in their last encounter, testers in prison, scheming vengeance on his hated enemy. And the Green Goblin has, of late, reared his hellish head in the kidnapping of little Normie Osborn, grandson of Norman Osborn.

REVIEW: The issue opens with Spider-Man web-slinging near Times Square, where the face of Norman Osborn is plastered all over giant TV screens that loom over the area. Spidey explains, through his thoughts, that Norman has been making the rounds on the talk show circuit to promote his autobiography, which chronicles his time in Europe and what led him to return to New York City and reclaim his life. Very predictably, Norman blames Spidey for leaving in the first place, and attributes his triumphant return to his confronting his fears and the demons that drove him away.

At the Great Neck Maximum Security Facility, Roderick Kingsley, known by many as the Hobgoblin, is fuming over Norman Osborn's lies about him being the Green Goblin. Kingsley knows too well that Norman was exposed to a strength enhancing formula that drove him insane and enabled him to become the Green Goblin. He became aware of that by reading about it in his private journals, which found their way into his possession. It was from those same journals that Kingsley developed a variation of the formula, granting him superhuman strength as well – only without the insanity. Kingsley is angry, as he's stuck in prison, cut out from his financial empire, while Osborn is living it up, free to enjoy his power and wealth. Gripping the bars of his cell door tightly, Kingsley is suddenly sent flying to the floor when a jolt of electricity is discharged through the door. A voice is heard, presumably that of one of his guards, and he's told that he was warned not to touch the bars. Kingsley deems the situation unacceptable and asks to speak to his attorney immediately.

A short time later, at the offices of the Daily Bugle, Norman Osborn informs the Bugle's employees that he's decided to reward them all with across-the-board raises, as a result of the profits he's made with his autobiography. Everyone is elated. Norman turns to Ben Urich and apologizes for disproving his book about him – called "The Legacy of Evil" – which Ben wrote some time ago. He hopes he did not bruise his ego too much – he understands that Ben did the best he could with whatever information he had available at the time. Norman points out that he has faith in him, as evidenced by the fact that he is still working for the Daily Bugle, despite writing the book in the first place. Ben responds that it means a lot to him, though it is evident he does not mean it wholeheartedly. Norman then turns to J. Jonah Jameson and expresses his gratitude to his "old friend" for the kind words he said about him in his book. Their friendship means a lot to him. Jonah utters a few words but he is, evidently, not very comfortable with having Norman around. When Norman walks by Peter (Parker), he asks if he read the book, clearly taunting him. Peter sardonically answers that he's waiting for the movie. Peter turns to Jonah and scorns him for helping Jonah better his public image, knowing what the man is really like. Turning his back to Peter and walking away, Jonah tells Peter to mind his business and get back to photography instead of loitering around the newsroom. Just then, Flash Thompson and Betty Brant accost Peter and Flash comments about how great things have been for Osborn, after all he’s been through. Peter responds that Osborn is a real survivor; his thoughts, however, are thinking something entirely different.

Bent over his desk, J. Jonah Jameson is lost in troubling thoughts. He admits that Peter Parker is right about what he said to him back in the newsroom. In fact, Jonah feels humiliated. He hates Norman Osborn and only said glowing things about him in his book because Norman threatened his wife's safety. Jonah is even more ticked off at Norman for undermining Ben Urich's credibility and driving Joe "Robbie" Robertson away from the Daily Bugle. And Jonah knows that there exists some kind of cold war between Norman and Peter – he's become aware of how much Peter's changed since Norman turned up alive. Jonah understands Peter's anger and frustration but confesses that he's just a powerless kid while he – on the other hand – can do something about it. Jonah opens one of his drawers, revealing that it contains a gun.

At the Great Neck Maximum Security Facility, Roderick Kingsley is paid a visit by his attorney named Willis Gottfried. As soon as Gottfried sits down, Kingsley tells him that he no longer wishes to be stuck in prison while Norman Osborn walks freely. To that effect, Kingsley reveals that he has evidence that will prove once and for all that Norman Osborn was and still is the Green Goblin. Then comes the revelation that one of Norman's journals survived the fire that supposedly destroyed all of them years ago (in the now classic Amazing Spider-Man #251) and Kingsley has had it hidden in a safe place all this time. Kingsley is willing to reveal the journal's location in exchange for a special deal with the District Attorney. Gottfried tells Kingsley to keep quiet about it for now, until he’s had a chat with someone he knows inside the D.A.’s office.

Upon leaving the penitentiary, Gottfried calls his friend at the District Attorney's office, indicating to him that Roderick Kingsley has a possible proposition for the DA, something involving Norman Osborn. Gottfried's friend finds the information very interesting. Neither he nor Gottfried are aware that someone is eavesdropping on the call in another office. A phone call later, the information is transmitted to another party, who in turns calls Norman Osborn directly to notify him of what he's been told. Upon hanging up the phone, Norman appears resolute to keep Kingsley quiet.

Later that evening, at the Daily Grind Coffee bar, Peter and Mary Jane are discussing Norman's recent lie-filled autobiography – in Peter's eyes anyways – when Jill Stacy walks in and comes over to them. Jill asks if they saw Norman Osborn on TV earlier that day and comments that he gives her the chills, regardless of the history between him and her father. Peter admits to not knowing that they knew each other. Jill reveals that her father used to be in charge of security for Osborn many years ago and that it ended pretty badly. Jill indicates that she saw a darkness in Norman's eyes, upon watching him on the talk show circuit earlier that day. She thinks Osborn is bad news. Her words sounding great to Peter, he tells her that he likes her. MJ smiles understandingly.

The next morning, at the Great Neck Maximum Security Facility, Roderick Kingsley is visited by his attorney, Willis Gottfried. Gottfried informs Kingsley that the District Attorney is interested in hearing what he has to say so he's arranged a meeting for that night at midnight at a secret location. Shortly before midnight, Kingsley will be removed from his cell and transported to the secret meeting area where he’ll have the opportunity to talk with the DA and see what kind of deal can be worked out. Ecstatic to have a chance to talk to the DA, Kingsley yells that he's going to give the DA the journal and Osborn on a silver platter, in exchange for immediate parole. Gottfried tells Kingsley that the DA is aware of his terms so they now have to hear his. Unbeknownst to either Gottfried or Kingsley, one of the guards picks up a phone and makes a call to someone about what he just heard.

Later that evening at the Parker home in Forest Hills, Queens, Peter and MJ are enjoying a nice quiet evening together when the doorbell rings. Peter opens the door and there stands Betty Brant. Before Peter can say much, Betty explains that she has a lead on a major story and needs his help. She tells him to grab his camera and she'll explain everything on the way up to Great Neck (thus revealing that the guard was calling her when he overhead Kingsley and his attorney).

A couple of hours later, hidden in the hills overlooking the Great Neck Maximum Security Facility, Betty relates the information she's obtained from her source inside the prison. Camera in hand, Peter zooms in onto the prison grounds and spots a shackled Kingsley, flanked by his attorney, and surrounded by armed guards. Suddenly, his spider-sense kicks in, warning him that something bad is about to happen. Telling Betty he's going to try and get closer to get some better shots, he quickly disappears into the shadows before Betty can even say anything. She wonders how he was able to get away so quickly.

Kingsley is in the process of getting into the transport vehicle when his guards suddenly come under attack. Unimpressed, Kingsley remains graceful but his attitude quickly changes when he realizes that the Green Goblin is behind the attack. Telling Kingsley that the two of them have to talk, the Green Goblin grabs hold of him and starts to fly off, just as Spider-Man arrives on the scene. Wasting little time, Spidey attacks the Green Goblin and his passenger. At ground level, Betty Brant watches on, praying that Peter is taking pictures of the battle. Encumbered by Kingsley's presence, the Green Goblin has a difficult time defending himself. When it appears that the Green Goblin has finally achieved getting rid of Spidey, the wall-crawler manages to grab hold of his opponent's glider. But, in an unexpected turn of events, Kingsley attacks his would-be savior and kicks him off the glider, which then speeds off into the distance. Spidey lands on the ground down below. Sighing, Spidey resolves to switching back to Peter Parker and meet up with Betty Brant before she gets suspicious. Peter wonders what Kingsley and the Hobgoblin are going to do to each other.

As Kingsley is taken to an unknown destination, he mentions to the Green Goblin, assuming that Norman Osborn is under the mask, that he had no idea Norman would take such a "hands-on" role into his kidnapping. Coming to a stop somewhere in the mountainous range, the Green Goblin tells Kingsley that he has a lot to learn about him, but he'll see that for himself. As the Green Goblin drops Kingsley off, a voice is heard coming from behind them. The voice belongs to Norman Osborn. Seeing both Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin standing side-by-side, Kingsley commends Osborn's evilness: "Ah...I see. You're good. You're real good!"!

To be continued.