Hobgoblin IV (Macendale)
Attributes
| Eyes: | Brown |
| Features: | Macendale recently underwent a cybernetic re-working, with presumably-permanent facial and body implants. |
| Hair: | Black |
| Height: | 6' 1" |
| Weight: | 210 lbs |
Powers
| Abilities: | Macendale is highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat. His military experience included flight training. He can pilot most forms of airplanes and helicopters. |
| Equipment: | The vertical-thrust goblin glider, which was powered by a miniature turbo- fan. It can go up to 90 miles per hour and support 400 pounds. |
| Limitations: | A thirst for power that makes him continually overstep his capabilities. |
| Powers: | Enhanced physical abilities, courtesy of Kraven's formula and Gaunt's implants. |
| Strength Level: | He was subject to Kraven the Hunter's elixirs, and further on, to cybernetic implants. This made him very strong. |
| Weapons: | Macendale inherited the weapons of the original Hobgoblin: Jack O'Lantern bombs, razor-edged bat-wings, and gloves capable of conducting pulses of electricity upwards of 10,000 volts. |
Summary
| Citizenship: | His U.S. citizenship has been revoked |
| Created By: | |
| Current Occupation: | Dead |
| Dual Identity: | The public at large is unaware of the Hobgoblin's history, and assumes that Hobgoblin I and IV are the same man. |
| Education: | He studied at M.I.T. before being recruited by the C.I.A. |
| Former Aliases: | Jack O'Lantern |
| Former Groups: | The Sinister Six |
| Former Occupation: | Chronologically: Marine, C.I.A. operative, professional assassin and criminal-for-hire. |
| Known Allies: | Macendale has worked with the Kingpin, the Rose I, Hobgoblin III, the demon N'astirh, the Foreigner and Gaunt |
| Known Relatives: | Ex-wife, Karen (since re-married); Son, Jay |
| Legal Status: | Dead |
| Major Enemies: | Spidey, the 1st and 3rd Hobgoblins, the 2nd Green Goblin, DemoGoblin, Grim Hunter and his own massive power-driven ego. |
| Marital Status: | Divorced |
| Place of Birth: | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Real Name: | Jason Philip Macendale, Jr. |
| Usual Bases: | As an international terrorist, he remains mobile. |
Background
After Jason Macendale arranged to have the Foreigner kill the Hobgoblin (Ned Leeds, who had been brainwashed by the real Hobgoblin, Roderick Kingsley) he gave up being the Jack O'Lantern and took over Leeds identity as the Hobgoblin. First on his list was attempting to kill Richard Fisk, the Rose. This was presumably in retaliation against Richard's father, Wilson Fisk, whom had denied Macendale the opportunity to join his organization as a hired killer. Richard told the new Hobgoblin that his father had a file that contained information regarding his identity and Hobby went to get it.
The elder Fisk was unimpressed with Macendale and his threat against him. Kingpin told him he was "a pathetic little man, who, when beaten by a superior foe, runs like a whipped puppy to someone else to get his dirty work done. Who then obtains the equipment of his deceased enemy, makes some useless modifications, and uses this power to dispatch some hapless underlings. Whom are you trying to impress? Certainly not me." Hobgoblin threatened to kill him, until he saw the fifty guns pointed at him. Hobgoblin then fled. He found Spider-Man with the file of Leeds identity and a fight broke out. Spidey was injured and on the ground, when Flash Thompson saved him from a pumpkin bomb, throwing it back at Hobgoblin. Macendale fled, thinking the explosion must have cracked some ribs. (Amazing Spider-Man #289)
"Moving Up!"
Macendale again attacked the Kingpin, demanding to know why he had been blacklisted for any hit jobs in New York. The Arranger told him that Fisk still wasn't impressed by this new Hobgoblin and could only change his mind if he proved himself. Arranger suggested that Hobgoblin kill Spider-Man, an idea that Macendale enjoyed. Hobgoblin was then unceremoniously toss out the skyscraper window by Arranger's bodyguard, Tombstone. Later, Hobgoblin tried to flush Spider-Man out by causing mayhem with traffic. Harry Osborn called Peter to tell him that he and Liz Osborn will be late for a party due to the Hobgoblin. Spider-Man, a little tipsy from spiked punch at the party, went after the Hobgoblin. Even thought he was off balance and slurring his words, Spider-Man managed to defeat Hobgoblin. (Web of Spider-Man #38)
"The Awakening"
At a later date, the Hobgoblin began stalking Harry and the Osborns. He eventually attacked Liz and Normie Osborn, demanding to know where "it" was. Spider-Man arrives but Hobgoblin only leaves after Harry told him that the Green Goblin formula was at Oscorp in Manhattan. Spider-Man followed Hobby into the city and so did Harry...as the Green Goblin. (Web of Spider-Man #47)
"Goblin War!"
Harry held his own against Hobgoblin but was still no match for the professional killer. Hobgoblin escaped, but without the strength enhancing Goblin formula. (Amazing Spider-Man #312) Still enraged by his humiliating defeat, Macendale took notice of the demonic invasion of New York (funny how a person could not notice that) and decided to make a bargain with the demons master, N'astirh. He wanted to sell his soul for more power. The demon laughed at the idiotic bargain, but granted his wish for more power out of amusement. Macendale awoke to find himself possessed by a demon. (Spectacular Spider-Man #147)
"Inferno"
While the possession did grant him greater physical strength, Hobgoblin was not happy with the results of the deal. By then, Spider-Man was dealing with the demonic horde and had gone into the sewers. Hobgoblin followed him, and easily over powered his enemy. Spidey was saved by Mary Jane Watson, whom had fled the demons at her photo-shoot with her camera crew and stumbled onto the fight. She lit Hobgoblin on fire and Spidey got everyone to safety just before the roof collapsed. Hobgoblin was seemingly buried. (Web of Spider-Man #48)
Naturally, Macendale escaped the sewer. The demon had changed Macendale's appearance, making him look like a hideous monster. This change was driving him insane, making Hobgoblin even more violent and erratic. Doctor Strange tried to calm Macendale by casting a spell that made him think he looked like himself, while he was still demonic looking. (Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #11)
"The Hobgoblin Returns!"
He showed up at Hammerhead's club, responding to a job to kill Joe Robertson. Hammerhead was concerned that Robertson would make trouble for his new associate and Macendale gladly accepted the job. He was less happy when he arrived at the Robertson home and was distracted from the hit by Thomas Fireheart, aka the Puma. (Fireheart had been at the home to offer him the position of President and and Publisher of the Bugle, which he owned at the time.) Spider-Man also joined the fight, but it was Tombstone that forced Hobgoblin away from afar with a sniper rifle. (Spectacular Spider-Man #161)
”The Carrion Cure”
Still bitter after losing the Robertson contract, Macendale broke the creature known as Carrion (Malcolm McBride) out of a prison transport to use as an ally. In their sewer hideout Hobgoblin reminded Carrion that he once was McBride and lost his previous identity in a lab at Empire State University. After his memories slowly began to return, McBride went to his mother's home, where he was intercepted by Spider-Man. Spidey was caught by the duo and dragged into the sewers. (Spectacular Spider-Man #162)
Later, Hobgoblin left Spider-Man with Carrion and offered the web swingers head on a plate to Hammerhead. The mob boss reluctantly agreed, thinking Macendale a liar. By then Spidey had escaped from Carrion and a fight broke out when Hobgoblin returned. McBride's mother arrived at the scene and Malcolm saved Spidey, Mary Jane and his mother when Macendale was about to kill them all. The pumpkin bomb explosion lit a gas leak, seemingly incinerating both criminals. (Spectacular Spider-Man #163)
"Return of the Sinister Six"
Being possessed by the demon must have saved Macendale's life, because he showed up soon after when he joined the Sinister Six. (Kraven the Hunter had committed suicide since the previous gathering of the Six and Hobgoblin was his replacement.) Hobgoblin was strong armed into joining the Six by Doctor Octopus but quickly adapted to the team. Ock sent Macendale and Mysterio to steal a mineral called Burundite from Empire State University. A scientist threw the rock into a titanium safe, which Hobby blew open with a blast. The explosion alerted Peter Parker and while Hobgoblin and Spider-Man fought, Mysterio hypnotized a group of students into thinking that Spider-Man was beating up and old woman. The students attacked the webhead and the crooks escaped with the mineral. (Amazing Spider-Man #337)
At a warehouse in New Jersey, Doc Ock told Hobgoblin to be careful with the canisters of poisonous chemicals he was carrying as they readied for an attack on the Cordco space facility. The canisters contents made Hobgoblin curious and he took one for himself. At the facility, Hobgoblin and the Vulture began their aerial attack. After Spider-Man took out Electro, Vulture and Hobgoblin dove in to respond. Doc Ock arrived to the control center of the facility and ordered the technicians to launch the satellite, which carried the poison canisters. As Spidey took on the remaining Sinister Six, Hobgoblin doused him with the canister he stole previously. (Amazing Spider-Man #338) The poison turned out to not have any effect on Spidey and Ock explained how he had set up the rest of the Six. At that moment, the police started to arrive and the Six fled, promising Octopus that they wouldn't forget what he did to them. (Amazing Spider-Man #339)
”Masques”
After the defeat of the Sinister Six, Hobgoblin began to go further insane. The demon that possessed him was slowly taking over and Macendale's rantings took a more religious fundamentalist tone. He took a group of people hostage in a church but claimed that he wanted to put his mercenary past behind him and be a better person. Meanwhle, the hostages were sickened by his demonic appearance and he imagined that they were taunting him. He killed them all, except a young boy named Adam, whom wasn't afraid of him. Spidey tracked them down after the church was destroyed and the bodies found. Hobgoblin had made young Adam his apprentice in cleansing the world of its sins and mutilated the boy's face as a sign of their allegiance. When Spider-Man arrived at their new hideout, he was stunned by what Macendale had done to the boy. (Spider-Man (vol. 1) #6)
Little do any of them know, but the Ghost Rider had also heard about the Hobgoblin's crimes and came to do his own brand of justice. The two demonic beings fought it out, while Spider-Man tried to get Adam to safety. Unfortunately the boy had a nasty case of Stockholm Syndrome and demanded to stay with Hobgoblin. For some reason, Spidey put him down and went to fight Hobby with the Rider. Eventually the warehouse collapsed with Hobgoblin inside it and Spidey took Adam to a hospital. (Spider-Man (vol. 1) #7)
Spidey and Darkhawk later faced Hobgoblin together, and Hobgoblin again fought the Ghost Rider. This was the second person to be called Ghost Rider and came to pay a visit to the family of the original. Hobby got involved and kidnapped Mrs. Ketch when he saw her praying the rosary. Thinking her to be a righteous woman in an evil world, he took her to become one of his faithful. Danny Ketch and Spider-Man teamed to get her back. After Hobgoblin was captured, he was turned over to the police. (Ghost Rider vol. 2 #17)
”Half Life”
Under the control of the demon, Hobgoblin decided to begin killing other mercenaries. He found and battled Frenchie, the sidekick of Moon Knight. Spider-Man interrupted and Hobgoblin escaped but Frenchie realized that he’d be going after Marc. Hobgoblin attacked Marc Spector in his home, still randomly transforming between demon and human. Moon Knight even recognized Jason from when they worked together as mercenaries. (Marc Spector: Moon Knight (vol. 1) #32)
”Torn”
Moon Knight tried to reason with him but was interrupted by Frenchie and Spider-Man. Hobby attacked Marlene with a pumpkin bomb and escaped but was chased down by Moon Knight. (Marc Spector: Moon Knight (vol. 1) #33)
"Revenge of the Sinister Six"
At another time, he rejoined the Sinister Six and plotted against Doctor Octopus for his betrayal of them in their previous partnership. Ock, who had upgraded his tentacles with adamantium metal, easily convinced them to join him instead of fighting him. Ock managed to take the Six to another dimension to steal alien weaponry and even brought back the enormous monster known as Gog. The monster was a valuable ally, as Spider-Man had the Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, the Hulk, Dethlok and Solo on his side. Solo took Gog out of commission and the Six were defeated. Hobgoblin and Vulture escaped. (Spider-Man #23)
By now, both Macendale and the demon were displeased with their pairing. The transformations between Macendale and becoming Hobgoblin were growing increasingly painful and frequent. The demon was becoming the dominant personality, killing sinners at every opportunity. Still, the constant battle for control of Macendale's body forced the demon to separate from him. The creature, which Spider-Man dubbed "Demogoblin," was about to kill the weakened Hobgoblin when Spider-Man chased him off. (Web of Spider-Man #86) Macendale escaped and went back to Richard Fisk to resume their previous partnership. Hobby hired a group of mercenaries called the Praetorian Guard to capture Spider-Man, and they took him back to Richard Fisk and the second Rose, Sergeant Blume. (Web of Spider-Man #89)
"Infinity War"
While Macendale was free of the demon, he still had nightmares about the thing that had tormented him. He decided to go kill the creature and the fight between the two goblins drew in Spider-Man. However, the presence of Spider-Man also caught the attention of his own double, Doppelganger. Hobby and Spidey were forced to work together against their foes, with Macendale even saving Spider-Man's life when he shot and killed Doppelganger. He had used his last shot on Dopple, and Hobgoblin fled. Spider-Man also left, wanting to check on Mary Jane. Later, Demogoblin returned and restored Doppelganger to life, thinking the creature could be useful. (Spider-Man #24)
Hobgoblin set about improving his combat skills after being separated from the demon and took a job from the Foreigner to test his mettle. Foreigner sent the mercenary after Nick Katzenberg and Moon Knight. It all turned out to be a ploy by Foreigner to send Spider-Man after Hobgoblin, to test Macendale on his abilities. Meanwhile, Hobgoblin had found Moon Knight and shot down his air craft. He nearly killed the vigilante until Spidey showed up. Hobgoblin then left to make the kill on Katzenberg. (Web of Spider-Man 93) Hobby showed up at his apartment but was stopped by Moon Knight and Spider-Man. Spidey webbed him up and swung off to take him to jail. (Web of Spider-Man #94)
"Spirits of Venom"
They never made it, as they were intercepted by Demogoblin and Doppelganger. Spidey and Hobgoblin escaped to a nearby church but are chased into the catacombs with a priest and the bad guys. Venom showed up in the catacombs, tracking creatures called Deathspawn, whom had killed the guards that had been escorting Brock to prison. Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze were also there, looking for the Deathspawn. Soon everyone started fighting everyone. (Web of Spider-Man #95) Eventually, the priest was saved, Venom was taken back to The Vault, Hobgoblin went to jail and Ghost Rider and Blaze saved Spider-Man. (Spirits of Vengeance #6)
"Beware the Rage of a Desperate Man"
If Macendale learned anything from all of that, its that he was badly underpowered in the super villain set. An informant named "Worm" brought him to the apartment of Kraven the Hunter and told him about a journal of Kraven's he had found there. This journal had a code to be found by Kraven's son He traveled to Russia and enlisted the aid of Vladimir Kravinoff, the son of Sergei Kravinoff. He accepted the offer to become a guinea pig for Vladimir's attempt to recreate his father's strength enhancing formula, which succeeded. Vladimir then attempted to have his goons kill Macendale, to prevent word of his success from escaping back to New York. Macendale escaped, thanks to his remote controlled goblin glider that was packed with pumpkin bombs. Back in New York, Macendale tracked down and killed Demogoblin in a church. (Spider-Man #48)
Feeling confident again, Macendale wanted to reunite with his estranged family, his ex-wife and young son. Neither of them were happy to see the Hobgoblin at their home and Macendale ended up kidnapping the boy. His son's crying enraged him and he threatened to kill him unless he stopped it. Naturally, Spider-Man showed up but he had help. A female vigilante named Coldheart was also looking for her son and aided Spidey when she learned that Hobgoblin had kidnapped his own son. (Spider-Man #49)
"Funeral for an Octopus"
Around this time, the Clone Saga had begun and Ben Reilly had returned to Peter's life. This caused all sorts of chaos, especially when the faulty clone named Kaine killed Doctor Octopus. Hobgoblin and other criminals saw Octavius's death as an opportunity and tried to steal his adamantium tentacles for their own use. They were stopped when Spidey was the one to use the tentacles against the criminals. (Spider-Man: Funeral for an Octopus)
"The Mark of Kaine"
He tried to play the part of the mastermind once, after forming a new rotation of the Sinister Seven (Vulture, Shocker, Mysterio, Scorpia, Electro and Beetle) to combat Kaine. It was a poor pairing and Macendale had none of Octavius's leadership ability. He and Vulture squabbled and Kaine remarked on how they fought poorly as a team. They were saved by Peter's (dressed as the Scarlet Spider) fortunate appearance. (Spider-Man Unlimited #9)
"Hobgoblin vs Phil Urich"
Macendale wasn't finished with his former family, however. Karen Macendale married a wealthy accountant, Ronald Vancolder. Ronald was the accountant for the New York Transit Authority and was to hold a press conference on the "money train." Jason and a band of goons attacked the train in order to rob and humiliate his ex-wife's new husband. Hobgoblin was delayed by the Green Goblin (Phil Urich) and finally defeated by the Fantastic Four's Ben Grimm. (Green Goblin #4)
"Blood Brothers"
Having apparently learned nothing from the demon-blending experience, he underwent physical alteration during his tenure with Gaunt, allowing himself to be implanted with cybernetic devices. Hobgoblin was hired by Gaunt to intimidate Peter Parker, who had retired from being Spider-Man and left the webs to Ben Reilly. A skeleton of another Spider-Man clone had shown up, and Peter and Ben set out to find the truth behind this new twist in the Clone Saga. When they got too close, a cybernetic mercenary team called Cell-12 assaulted and badly beat a powerless Peter. Peter believed that Ben's friend, Dr Seward Trainer, to be behind the attack but Ben wanted to prove Seward innocent. (Amazing Spider-Man 411)
Spider-Man tracked Seward down to a Multivex factory and was ambushed by Cell- 12, whom he quickly defeated. However, he was taken by surprise by the enhanced Hobgoblin. Spidey barely managed to stay ahead of him, and was eventually beaten down and knocked unconscious. Hobgoblin was about to kill him, but was stopped by Dr Trainer. Seward pleaded with Ben to forget about him. Hobgoblin obeyed Trainer but warned "Listen to the man, Spider-Man, otherwise even HE wont be able to stop me next time." (Spider-Man #68)
”It Begins With a Bang Not a Whimper”
"Next time" wasn't far away. Still determined to get answers as to whom was manipulating their lives, Peter went to Mulivex to confront Dr Trainer, but was again thwarted by Cell-12 and the Hobgoblin, even after Ben showed up to help. Frustrated by his carefully assembled team's failure to kill one man, Hobgoblin left them with this carefully worded farewell before pumpkin bombing them to atoms: "As for you living with my disappointment? I don't think so." Macho bravado aside, Macendale was not a happy man. In yet another warehouse hideout, he asks himself "What am I doing all this for? I have no home. I have no friends. My ex-wife would just as soon see me dead...my son hates and fears me...when it comes right down to it...I've...got...NOTHING!" Gaunt (who was under orders from Norman Osborn) then arrived to tell Hobgoblin that their business together was complete and not to ever attempt to contact him. Also, Spider-Man was on his way, and to not, under ANY circumstances, kill him. Spider-Man arrived soon after, and learned during the following battle that Macendale wasn't the mastermind of the recent attacks on Ben Reilly and Peter Parker, but was merely a pawn. Naturally, Hobgoblin was defeated and sent to prison. (Spider-Man #69)
"Hobgoblin Lives"
Little did he or Spider-Man know it, but it would be the last meeting between the two. Roderick Kingsley returned and killed Macendale in his prison cell. He feared that the recently loose lipped criminal would start telling everything he knew to the press, which could lead to the public becoming aware that Kingsely had been, in fact, the original Hobgoblin. (Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives #1)
Image Gallery
Appearances
Thanks To
The assistance of the Marvel Chronology Project is gratefully acknowledged.
Some of the above information is extracted from the various versions of the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe and the more recent Marvel Encyclopaedias.