Elizabeth (Allan) Osborn
Attributes
| Eyes: | Blue |
| Features: | The prettiest student at Midtown High |
| Hair: | Blonde |
| Height: | 5' 9" |
| Weight: | 135 lbs |
Powers
| Abilities: | Drive Flash Thompson insane with jealousy. Endure a life surrounded by superpowered friends and relatives. |
| Limitations: | Parental responsibilities. |
| Strength Level: | Normal human |
Summary
| Citizenship: | U.S. |
| Created By: | |
| Current Occupation: | Unemployed |
| Education: | College Graduate |
| Former Bases: | New York City |
| Former Occupation: | Nurse, Executive of Osborn Industries |
| Known Allies: | Molten Man, Spider-Man |
| Known Confidants: | Harry Osborn (deceased), Peter Parker, Molten Man |
| Known Relatives: | Norman Osborn Jr (son), Harry Osborn (husband, deceased), Norman Osborn Sr. (father-in-law), Mark Raxton (step-brother) |
| Legal Status: | Arrested for attempted robbery |
| Major Enemies: | Green Goblin, Mysterio, Hobgoblin (Kingsley) |
| Marital Status: | Widowed |
| Place of Birth: | U.S. |
| Real Name: | Elizabeth (Allan) Osborn |
| Usual Bases: | Forest Hills |
Background
Liz Allan is remembered for being one of the popular girls at Midtown High School and for dating Flash Thompson. (She was also friends with Jason Ionello, Sally Avril, Seymour O'Reilly, Tiny McKeever and Carl King.)
”Nothing Can Stop the Sandman!”
Still, in her very first confirmed appearance Liz is reluctantly accepting a date from Peter because she just didn't have the heart to keep shooting him down. (Pretty gutsy of Peter to keep asking out someone's girlfriend, especially when he is standing right there listening.) Peter had to cancel suddenly, as he remembered that J. Jonah Jameson had told him to get pictures of the Sandman, so he could prove that he and Spider-Man were one and the same. Peter tells Liz that he has to cancel to study for the next day's test, to which Liz answers "Peter Parker! You're the top student in the class! If you can't spare one evening for a date, then I'm sorry for you! Goodbye!" After Spidey apprehends the Sandman (at the high school, in front of his classmates no less) she tells Flash to not be so cruel to Peter after one of his taunts. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #4)
”Marked for Destruction by Dr. Doom!”
Liz, Flash and others were at a bowling alley…and so was Peter, for some reason. The TV was broadcasting a show about Spider-Man, hosted by J.J. Jameson. Naturally he was bashing the wall crawler, which irritated Flash. Peter decided to take suspicion away from himself by agreeing with Jonah. Flash told Peter that he would faint if he ever saw Spider-Man and Liz sighed that Spidey was probably handsome under the mask. Peter left, and Flash decided to scare him by dressing like his hero. Later, Spidey was battling Doctor Doom.
The next day, Liz and the other girls gave Flash a homemade Spider-Man costume for him to scare Peter with. Naturally, Doom mistook Flash for Spider-Man and kidnapped him. Meanwhile, the girls waited for Flash to scare Peter but he never showed up. Liz called Peter for help, but didn’t tell him that he had been the target of the prank. Peter figured it out and told Liz he couldn’t help. He reluctantly changed his mind and saved Flash with the help of the Fantastic Four. The next day, Flash was bragging that he hadn’t been afraid of Doom at all. In fact, he ran from Flash. Liz told Peter that she wouldn’t blame him if he were jealous of a real man like Flash. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #5)
”Face to Face with...The Lizard!”
Liz wasn't totally averse to Peter but she did develop a crush on Spider-Man after he saved her from two ruby thieves at a natural history museum. Flash was concerned that Liz wasn't paying attention to him after her rescue and he was right to be. She was too busy swooning over Spider-Man's strong arms around her. After Peter returned to New York after fighting the Lizard in Florida, he gave Liz a call, who blew him off. She was waiting for Spider-Man to call her. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol.1) #6)
”The Return of the Vulture”
She was less kind to Peter after he showed up to school with his arm in a sling, a souvenir from battling the Vulture. Flash mocked Peter, saying he probably hurt himself turning too many pages in a book at once, which Liz thought was a riot. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #7)
”The Terrible Threat of the Living Brain!”
She was still in love with Spider-Man when Mr. Petty of the I.C.M. Corporation introduced the class to the Living Brain. The students decided to test the machine by asking it who Spider-Man really was. The class described the web swinger, and Liz called him "the most wonderful, heroic, glamorous man in the whole world!" (Amazing Spider-Man (vol.1) #8)
“The Enforcers”
After May Parker was in the hospital for a surgery, Liz and Flash showed up for moral support. The doctor told Peter that May needed a blood transfusion and Liz talked him into donating the blood, despite his discomfort with the radioactivity that gave him his powers being passed to her. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #10)
”Unmasked by Doctor Octopus”
At a later date, a weakened Spider-Man went after Doctor Octopus after he kidnapped Betty Brant. Peter was unmasked by the mad man and discarded as an impostor. Peter was humiliated when the story was printed in the Daily Bugle but Liz Allan read the story and told him how wonderful she thought it was that he tried to save Betty. Flash tried to cut Peter down to size and Liz blasted him, saying that Peter had both courage and brains but Flash had neither. After Peter successfully captured Doc Ock, Liz invited him to a party and he told her to go hang out with Flash because they deserved each other. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #12)
”Kraven the Hunter!”
Jameson told Peter about Sergei Kravinoff coming to New York and wanted him to get pictures. He and Betty waited at the docks for Kraven’s ship to unload when Liz and Flash showed up. Liz adjusted his tie for him, which Betty didn’t appreciate. He asked her if she had met Liz and Betty coldly said she hadn’t. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #15)
”The Return of the Green Goblin!”
She later invited Peter to join the Spider-Man Fan Club, despite Flash's and Betty's disapproval. Her father owned the Avenue Dinner Club and let the club use it to hold their first meeting. When Flash whined about Peter coming, Liz threatened to tell her father to cancel the whole thing. Spider-Man arrived for the evening but Liz was disappointed when Peter was nowhere to be seen. The party was crashed by Liz's future father in law, Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin. The Human Torch also was in attendance but as the crowd slowly realized that what they were seeing was not a stage show, Liz wondered out loud why she never saw Peter and Spider-Man in the same place at the same time. Spidey overheard her comment and ran off to change into Peter, then "arrived" to say hi to Liz. Peter soon ran back to the fight between Goblin and Torch, making Liz think that he must be "part ghost." Spider-Man had to leave the fight suddenly when he heard an announcement that Peter's aunt was in the hospital from a heart attack. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #17)
”The End of Spider-Man!”
At school the next day, the students were talking about what a coward Spider-Man was and only Flash was defending him. Liz asked Peter how Aunt May was doing and he replied she was better. Liz asked Peter what he thought of Spidey, since he was the smartest boy in school. Then she asked if he wanted to see a Peter Sellers movie after school and he turned her down. Later, Flash decided to make people believe how brave Spider-Man was by dressing like him and running around town. Liz showed up at Peter’s house, worried about Flash, who wouldn’t be talked out of his stunt. Peter went looking for Flash and saved him from some crooks. Flash earned himself a black eye but was safe. At school the next day, Liz suggested Peter stay away from him. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #18)
”Preeeesenting…the Clown, and his Masters of Menace!”
After class ended, Peter’s nose was still in a book, having completely missed the bell. Liz pushed the book down and told him class was over. (Flash said he looked better with his face covered. Liz ignored him.) She told Peter he needed to relax more and suggested he walk her home. He declined, not wanting to run into Betty again. That was wise, as Betty was outside. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #22)
”Spider-Man Goes Mad!”
Peter agreed to tutor Liz for their science class but he was more interested in Betty and Flash became jealous. Later, a girl named Connie invited Liz to hang out and she agreed until she saw Peter. She talked him into helping her study, which irritated Connie. She decided to tell Flash what she had seen. As they walked away, Liz called him Petey, and thought to himself how much he hated that nickname. Later, Liz thought how Peter was so much more interesting than Flash and Peter thought about how he’d rather be with Betty. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #24)
”Captured by J. Jonah Jameson!”
Peter and Betty started drifting apart after she started seeing Ned Leeds and Flash grew increasingly jealous of Peter eventually going to his house to fight him. Liz was there to stop him and Betty came to make Peter tell Jameson to stop sending Spencer Smythe's robots after Spider-Man. They arrived at the Parker house at the same time and Aunt May introduced them to Mary Jane Watson. Both girls left in shock at the new girl's looks. (Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1) #25)
”The Menace of the Molten Man!”
Flash eventually caught up with Peter and taunted him into a fight. Finally fed up with him, Peter tackled the group, only to have Liz stop him from beating them senseless. Peter and Flash exchanged some harsh words and Liz said she was tired of both of them. They all soon graduated from high school and after the ceremony Liz told him that she was ready to move on. She didn't want to just be some dizzy blond anymore. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #28)
”The Molten Man Breaks Out!”
Liz returned several years later, shortly after the death of Gwen Stacy. She found Peter walking home and said that she needed to talk to him. Liz was exhausted and Peter took her to Mary Jane's apartment to get some rest. After she woke up, she told MJ that her step-brother, Mark Raxton, was also the criminal called the Molten Man. He had suffered the lab accident that changed him shortly before she had graduated from high school and she had disappeared for so long because she was taking care of him. Liz had become a nurse and was the only person he had contact with for months. Mark eventually lost patience with her and escaped from the hospital, trying to find a way to cure himself. He began stealing meteorites that he believed could make him into Mark Raxton again. His plan failed and he fell into the river from a bridge while fighting Spider-Man. (Amazing Spider-Man #133)
”Danger is a Man Named...Tarantula”
Peter, MJ and Flash Thompson welcomed Liz into their group and soon went on a day long boat ride up the Hudson River. Unfortunately, the boat was hijacked by Tarantula I and his thugs, who robbed the passengers and blackmailed the city for their safety. Spidey tried to intervene but was forced to leave the boat after a crew member was tossed overboard. Spidey made his way back to the boat but was poisoned by Tarantula's dagger shoes. As Spider-Man lay weakly on the deck of the boat, the Punisher showed up. The ship was saved when the Tarantula...escaped. (Amazing Spider-Man #134)
”The Green Goblin Strikes!”
Liz helped Peter find a new apartment after his previous one had been blown up in a bomb set by Harry Osborn, Peter's roommate. Harry became the second Green Goblin and kidnapped Aunt May, Mary Jane and Flash Thompson, threatening to kill the one that Peter cared about the most. Harry was eventually defeated and taken to a psychiatric hospital by the police. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #137)
”On a Clear Day You Can See...The Mirage!”
When he was eventually released after many months of therapy, he attended the wedding of Betty and Ned. The wedding was interrupted by Mirage, who robbed the guests. One of the thugs grabbed Liz's purse and Harry tried to grab it back. This was how they were introduced. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #156)
Sometime after the wedding, Liz ran into Harry and Flash outside of their apartment and invited Harry out for coffee. They quickly became a couple, as Peter and MJ found out as they visited Aunt May in the hospital. They double dated and went to an amusement park, where they dealt with the Punisher and Nightcrawler. Soon Liz and Harry were engaged.
”The Fiend From the Fire!”
The engagement was going smoothly until the Molten Man coerced Liz into stealing drugs and chemicals from the hospital she worked at. She was captured and sent to jail. Peter came to talk to her and she refused to say why she took the chemicals. Clues at her apartment made Spider-Man check Newhope Memorial hospital, where he found Molten Man taking a briefcase of materials from storage. Spidey was eventually trapped in a fire as Molten Man escaped. (Amazing Spider-Man #172)
”If You Can’t Stand the Heat...!”
Liz was later set free from prison after Robbie Robertson paid her bail but she was soon taken by the police to Fenster Pharmaceutical Labs, where Raxton was threatening to destroy the building. (The chemicals he stole didn't have the desired effect of curing him.) Liz went inside the building to talk to her step brother, as did Spider-Man. Raxton spotted Spider-Man and the following battle ended with M.M. falling into canisters of liquid oxygen, causing an explosion. Part of the building collapsed and Liz was trapped between the ledge and her delusional brother. Spidey swung in and saved her at the last moment. The rest of the building collapsed and Liz ran off, unable to cope. (Amazing Spider-Man #173)
"Who Was That Goblin I Saw You With?"
Liz stayed away for a while, not showing up until after Harry and Peter defeated the third Green Goblin, Dr. Barton Hamilton. (Amazing Spider-Man #180)
"Spider-Man Night Fever"
Liz and Harry both seemed fairly stable, considering she witnessed her brother's death and he was betrayed by his therapist. They felt good enough to go to a disco with Peter, MJ and Sha Shan where the Hypno-Hustler was performing. (Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 1) #24)
"The Long Goodbye"
Later, during the Doctor Octopus/Owl War, the Black Cat had been injured and was recuperating in the hospital. Ock had sworn revenge on both she and Spider-Man for their interference in the gang war. Felicia was vulnerable in the hospital and before the inevitable final battle Peter went out for what could have been his last lunch with Flash, Harry, Liz and Sha Shan. In his way, he said goodbye to them before he went back to the hospital to await Octavius. (Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 1) #78)
”The Return of the Hobgoblin”
She was nearly ready to give birth when she and Mary Jane were kidnapped by men working for the Hobgoblin. The women had finished having lunch at a restaurant when they were taken as incentive for Harry to hand over his father's Green Goblin journals to Hobgoblin. They were held captive in a warehouse used by the Rose and Harry was also held there after he brought the final journal to Hobgoblin. Spidey followed the kidnapped Osborn to the warehouse and distracted Hobgoblin while Harry tried to lead Liz and MJ to safety. A fire caused by an errant pumpkin bomb meeting a propane tank trapped the three civilians. Spidey was forced to let Hobgoblin go to save them. (Amazing Spider-Man #261) Liz soon gave birth to their son, Norman Osborn, Jr. (Amazing Spider-Man #263)
"Goblin War!"
Harry and Liz lived in New Jersey but decided to move back to Manhattan after Osborn Chemical was destroyed during the demonic invasion called Inferno. During Inferno, Liz and Normie were attacked at their home by the Hobgoblin (Jason Macendale), who demanded to talk to Harry. After Spider-Man fought the Hobgoblin off, Harry found a spare Green Goblin costume in the attic. She just missed seeing the Green Goblin fly out of the attic vent to take on Hobgoblin. (Amazing Spider-Man #312)
”Dead Meat”
This was fortunate for Peter and Mary Jane, as they had recently been evicted from their previous apartment by Jonathan Caesar, who was obsessed with MJ. Harry offered to let them move into an upstairs loft and the Parkers accepted the offer. (Amazing Spider-Man #316)
Liz was soon blackmailed by her stepbrother, who demanded $10,000 from her. Peter agreed to look after their apartment while Harry and Liz stayed in hiding. Mark came to the Osborn residence looking for her and Peter changed to Spider-Man. After the fight, Mark calmed down and was willing to talk with his stepsister. Harry offered Mark a job, which he accepted.
"The Last Act of Vengeance"
While babysitting Normie one day, Mary Jane found a Green Goblin costume in an alcove in the Osborn home. She and Peter confronted Liz, who was indignant that they would suggest that Harry was unstable again. After they tried to prove their point by going to get the costume (which was now gone) Liz demanded an apology. Harry had told her that he had destroyed the costume after he went after the Hobgoblin. Peter was suspicious of her, as she seemed more scared by all of this than she would be, unless she were also concerned. Her fear was well founded, as Harry's memories of being the Green Goblin began to come back, as did his memory of Peter's secret. The Goblin tried to kill Spider-Man but Harry still didn't fully have the sadistic drive to kill Peter and let him go. Harry stayed away for a while, leaving Liz and Mark wondering what he would do next. (Web of Spider-Man (vol. 1) #65)
"The Osborn Legacy"
He made his move by kidnapping the two of them and Normie, telling them that they were all Osborns and that things were going to be wonderful from that point forward. Liz, in a panic, tried to run but found all of the doors in the Osborn mansion were barricaded shut. She resigned herself to listening to Harry's ranting about the future and tried to talk sense to him after Spider-Man arrived. Spidey hesitated to beat the Goblin in front of his wife and son but Liz told Harry that she understood how hard it was for him growing up with Norman's abuse but that it all needed to change. They couldn't go on that way and she wouldn't let Harry hurt their son the way that Norman had hurt him. Little Normie, not knowing better, sided with his father and Harry told him that he was a real Osborn, unlike his mother. Spider-Man defeated the Goblin and he was taken away. (Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 1) #189)
”More Bad News”
He ended up in The Vault, a prison in Colorado. Liz went to see him, telling him that their lawyer claimed that the evidence against Harry was circumstantial and related to Norman's crimes as the Green Goblin, not Harry. The police wanted her to testify against Harry for the kidnapping but she refused. She also nervously told him that Peter’s parents had come back and hadn’t died after all. Harry didn’t believe it. People didn’t come back from the dead. He became violent after she mentioned that he seemed feverish and he broke out of his restraints to prove he was still strong. He choked Liz, telling her that no one knew how strong he really was and he wanted her to promise that she wouldn't raise Normie to be weak. The Guardsmen at the Vault subdued Harry and took him away. Liz proclaimed that she still loved him. Alone in his cell, Harry smirked and said “Poor Peter.” (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #369)
"Falling!"
The Osborns lawyer must have been worth his paycheck, because he was able to get the prosecution to drop all charges and release Harry. Liz was clearly uncomfortable with being in Harry's presence but nervously played along with his charade that everything was wonderful. Her anxiety was justified, as Harry's fever made him act erratically and violently. After she suggested that he get some rest he shoved her against a wall a screamed at her to stop talking to him like he was weak. Mary Jane tried to talk reason to Liz, who steadfastly maintained that it was the Parkers that were making everyone upset. Liz asked MJ to leave, telling her that she was as bad as Spider-Man. (Spectacular Spider-Man #199)
”Cycles and Circles”
Naturally, Liz took becoming a young widow very hard and even started drinking. Luckily she stopped after Normie asked her if she was going to leave him like Daddy did. She repeatedly called the Parkers for a friendly ear but Peter only reluctantly agreed to see her and Normie. He was moved to be a positive role model for Normie after encountering a hologram diary of Harry's, which explained the generations of familial abuse in the Osborn house. (Spectacular Spider-Man Annual (vol. 1) #14)
”Legacy of Evil”
Liz was soon exposed to a similar holographic/mind control device, part of a plan that Harry left behind if he were killed by Spider-Man. Three robotic Green Goblin women kidnapped Normie and tried to expose him to the Goblin Formula, the same one that killed Harry. Spidey was aided in the search for Normie by Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich and Mark Raxton. (Spider-Man: Legacy of Evil)
”My So-Called Superhero”
Liz was later forced to deal with a fourth Green Goblin: Phil Urich. Phil's uncle was, incidentally, Ben Urich, the Daily Bugle reporter that wrote a book about the Osborns and the Green Goblin, called "Legacy of Evil." As the Osborns were so closely linked to the Goblin, Liz wanted to know who this new glider-rider was. Ben, Phil and Liz searched the warehouse where the Goblin first appeared, a warehouse that once belonged to Harry. They found the warehouse cleaned out. Meanwhile, a thief calling herself Angel Face heard that Liz was likely to inherit a fortune after Harry's death and planned to kidnap Normie as ransom. Angel Face demanded that Liz hand over her electronic financial information when the Green Goblin burst through the hotel window. He quickly disarmed Face's assistants, Salt and Pepper but Face escaped with Normie. The Goblin recovered the boy and Liz said that she didn't know why the person behind the mask became the new Green Goblin but she hoped that he would somehow make amends for her husband's crimes. (Green Goblin #8)
”Revelations”
The new Goblin didn't stay in the vigilante business for long but Liz did have to deal with her returned father-in-law, Norman Osborn. Liz was one of the many people (including Jonah Jameson, Flash Thompson, Robbie Robertson, Betty Brant, Glory Grant, "Foggy" Nelson, Ben Urich, Ken Ellis and Angela Yin) that has been mysteriously summoned to the Daily Bugle on Halloween night. It was a trap set by Norman, who was busy battling Peter and Ben Reilly as the Green Goblin. The Bugle offices, unknown to the occupants, was fully of high explosive pumpkin bombs, disguised as Halloween decorations. The Goblin gave Liz a hard smack as he told the captives that they all had earned his hatred and disgust. Liz was singled out because Norman claimed that she had catered to Harry's weakness and prevented him from acting like a man. Spider-Man forced the Goblin outside and the hostages were freed by Ben Reilly. The Green Goblin escaped after killing Ben in front of Peter. (Peter Parker: Spider-Man #75)
”Hobgoblin Lives”
Liz was soon called on by her friends to help solve the mystery of the original Hobgoblin's identity. A captured Jason Macendale had made claims to the media that Ned Leeds had been the original Hobgoblin, which caused a furor in the criminal underworld and amongst the Hobgoblin's victims. The Hobgoblin came out of retirement and killed Macendale in prison, then later murdered George Vandergill, who was attempting a hostile take over of OsCorp. Betty Brant suspected that a corporate angle was the major thread running through the Hobgoblin's crimes, as Vandergill's murder and rumors of a big corporate shake up pointed in that direction. Flash went to Liz to get her opinion of Betty's theory, as Liz became the CEO of OsCorp after Harry's death. Off the record, Liz suspected that Donald Menken, an employee left over from Norman's ownership of OsCorp, was still loyal to the elder Osborn, a concerning possibility after Norman was found to still be alive. (Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives #1)
Liz was right to be suspicious of Norman and Donald but for the wrong reasons. Donald was playing both Norman and Roderick Kingsley, hoping to come out on top. Norman returned to OsCorp after the Hobgoblin was unmasked and sent to prison and took back his company from Liz. He simply sauntered into his old office and threatened Liz, saying he would have OsCorp and Normie as his grandson...or no one would. Norman quickly walked all over Liz in front of Normie and her new love, "Foggy" Nelson, an associate of Daredevil. Both Foggy and MJ said that Liz needed to stand up to Norman and not let him use her like chess pieces. Afraid for her safety as well as her son's, Liz stormed away.
"Spider-Hunt"
Liz followed Norman's orders and didn't stand in his way but this silent assistance didn't keep Normie safe from his grandfather. She did eventually argue with her father-in-law, telling him that she refused to move herself and her son into his home for their own safety. Norman's temper was what the boy needed to be protected from, not some obscure outside threat. After that argument, Norman tried to clear his name and used a surrogate Green Goblin (Green Goblin V) to kidnap the boy and hold him for ransom. Norman made a tearful plea on TV asking the Goblin to bring Normie home safely. The boy was soon rescued by Spider-Man, the Punisher and a civilian named Clarence Fielding. (Spectacular Spider-Man #255)
"Guardian Devil"
Liz's relationship with Foggy ended soon after, as part of a master plan concocted by the master of illusions, Mysterio. Mysterio manipulated Foggy into having an affair and then murder his mistress, thinking she was a monster. Liz broke up with him. (Daredevil (vol. 2) #8)
”The Curse of Spider-Man?”
Spidey had been fighting the fifth Green Goblin, whose identity to him was unknown. He had gotten pictures of their last confrontation and tried to sell them to Robbie Robertson, who turned them down. Liz had spoken to him and asked him to stop publishing stories that connected the Goblin to Osborn Industries. (Why would he agree to something so unethical?) Peter tried to speak with her but she was busy. As Liz was leaving the Bugle, the Goblin attacked and was quickly beaten by Spider-Man. (He wore literal rags as a costume, as his normal costume had been stolen.) After being unmasked, the Goblin melted away, revealing itself as a genetic construct and not human at all. Peter went to check on Liz, who told him to stay away from her. Everyone that got close to him always got hurt. (Peter Parker: Spider-Man (vol. 2) #18)
”Old Acquaintances”
Normie was kidnapped a second time in their apartment by a group of Scriers, led by Matthew DeRoma. DeRoma was a member of the cult of Scriers but was leading a breakaway faction. While the old school Scriers were loyal to Norman, DeRoma saw him as a blight on their mission. He planned to use Normie against his grandfather. Before Spider-Man went looking for Normie, Liz blamed him for all of her family’s troubles. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual (vol. 2) 2000)
"Venomous"
Liz met with Peter and Mary Jane at their high school reunion, and she said how strange it was that their roles had been reversed. All of the classmates were flocking around MJ, making Peter the cool one. She said that after all of the chaos of having so many superhumans in her life, she was glad to have ordinary Peter Parker. Peter then had to fight Venom (Angelo Fortunato) when he attacked the reunion. (Marvel Knights: Spider-Man (vol. 1) #7)
”The Deadly Foes of Peter Parker”
After Peter revealed his secret on live TV during the Super Human Registration Act, his loved ones became targets. At Normie’s baseball game, Chameleon approached Mark and threatened to have Electro kill the entire team unless Molten Man agreed to help kill Peter. Mark soon appeared at Liz’s home and apologized for what was about to happen. (Sensational Spider-Man (vol. 2) #29)
Peter arrived at Liz’s home after being told that Normie had been kidnapped. She wasn’t happy to see him, outright saying that after her son was found, she never wanted to see Peter or Spider-Man again. She was both disgusted by his secret and hurt that he hadn’t talked to her about it. He had wanted to protect her from his secret life and she said she could have handled it, especially after she had told him at graduation how she felt about him. They were interrupted by Normie, who wasn’t kidnapped and walked into the living room. In the kitchen, there waited Scarecrow, Will O the Wisp and Molten Man. He was saved by the arrival of Black Cat and was furious when he learned that Chameleon went after his aunt. (Sensational Spider-Man (vol. 2) #31)
”Mind on Fire”
Harry, as Osborns tend to do, turned up alive years after everyone thought he was dead. His "death" was faked by Norman, who wanted to get Harry cured of his drug addiction, with help from Mysterio. Harry's return caused some problems with his life insurance policy (I wonder if they had to pay the money back to the company...) and Harry and Peter drove to her home in New Jersey to sort it out. Liz wasn't happy to see Harry and neither was Normie. The insurance money paid for her new house and Mark Raxton's medical treatments and Harry's return to New York ruined all of it. In the heat of an argument, Liz asked him why he couldn't just die like a normal person. Mark, in deteriorating health, came out of his treatment room and tried to kill Harry as payback for all the suffering he caused Liz. Harry tried to cure Mark with an antidote in a harpoon gun but Liz pulled it away from him, calling him her "insane Green Goblin/ex-husband." She eventually trusted Harry to use the antidote, which cured Mark of being the Molten Man. Afterward, she told Harry that the scales were balanced and she gave him back her wedding ring, hoping that he had better luck with it in the future. (Amazing Spider-Man #582)
”Necessary Evil”
Liz soon became the CEO of "Allan Chemical." She also became the majority shareholder of Horizon Labs, the employer of Spider-Man (Octavius). The take over was made possible with the help of Tiberius Stone, a former scientist at Horizon. Otto's spider sense buzzed the entire time that Liz and Tiberius were at Horizon and he followed them as Spider-Man. He stopped the limousines and threatened Stone, just in time to be stopped by the Spider-Man from the year 2099. (Superior Spider-Man #17)
Put off by Spider-Man's arrogance, Miguel O'Hara (Spider-Man 2099) insulted his technology, calling it low tech. This enraged the prideful Octavius and he attempted to squash the intruding Spider with a car, but his spider sense went into overload when Tiberius activated a device meant to do just that. The car nearly fell on top of Normie, who was saved by O'Hara. Liz left with her son, having nothing more to say to Spider-Man. (Superior Spider-Man #18) Soon, Liz and Tiberius were toasting the creation of the merger of her father's chemical company with Normie's share of OsCorp. The addition of Horizon created the super corporation named Alchemax. Little did they know, but Stone's personal assistant was Miguel O'Hara, who had been stranded in the past and decided to keep an eye on the company that he knew was destined for human rights abuses. (Superior Spider-Man #19)
Shortly after Alchemax was established, Liz soon faced an attempted robbery from The Wrecking Crew, a group of thugs powered with Asgardian weaponry. The Wrecking Crew had been hired by Lightmaster. The theft was averted by the Superior Spider-Man and his Superior Six (Vulture, Sandman, Chameleon, Mysterion and Electro.) (Superior Spider-Man Team Up #5) Liz was also approached by Mayor Jameson to build spider slayers. Both Spencer and Alistaire Smythe were dead, so Jameson wanted her to use Alchemax to take over and improve the spider patrol. Liz was hesitant to use the research created by murderers but since Jameson was positive that he wanted her to cooperate, she agreed. Soon, Tiberius and Miguel were put to work. (Superior Spider-Man #23)
”Goblin Nation”
As the Goblin King began his assault on New York, Mayor Jameson called for the spider slayers to be put into action. Liz warned him that they weren't ready but he demanded that they be used. (Superior Spider-Man #27) After the spider slayers were deployed to fight the Goblin army, they were hacked into and used to attack Spider-Man and the police. Jameson blamed Alchemax for the disaster during a press conference and Liz responded by severing ties to the Jameson administration. She also reminded Jameson that he had signed waivers agreeing that any malfunction of the robots would his fault alone. After she had sent her message, Liz hid a Goblin mask from Normie when he came into her office. (Superior Spider-Man #30)
After Otto was removed from Peter's mind and Pete regained control, he and Miguel O'Hara headed for Alchemax to confront the Goblin King. They found Tiberius Stone, Liz, Normie and Lily Hollister at the Alchemax building and as Miguel helped the four evacuate, Stone set off a device that sent Peter's spider sense into overload. Miguel stopped him and Liz promised that Stone would pay for what he did. After the Goblin King was defeated, Liz "accidentally" set off the same spider sense device that Stone had used, allowing Norman Osborn to escape from Spider-Man. Spidey claimed to believe that it had been an accident, but secretly told himself to watch her. (Superior Spider-Man #31)
”The Graveyard Shift”
Liz was next seen at a meeting with the Department of Corrections, making a case for them to purchase Alchemax technology for their new prison facility. Along with her were Tiberius Stone and her stepbrother, Mark Raxton. They promised that their prison design would rehabilitate inmates while keeping costs low and not sacrificing quality. The Corrections officials were impressed by their plans but Liz was still worried about their competition, Parker Industries. While Peter hurried to his meeting with the Department of Corrections looking disheveled (he had been fighting the Iguana), she knew he had been doing that sort of thing since high school and still making the grade. She wished there were a way to guarantee Alchemax's success over Parker Industries, but Stone and Raxton already had a plan for that. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #16)
"The Land Before Crime"
Liz was taking a call about a situation at Alchemax when she was paid a surprise visit by Eddie Brock. He had captured a reptilian creature in the sewer that had killed a pair of teenagers and terrified a third, a creature wearing clothing with the Alchemax logo. She was unimpressed by him, and assumed he had come for hush money. His mercenary days were over, he told her, but he did want her help. The alien symbiote had been acting strangely violent and he wanted her scientists to find out why. After getting a sample, Liz informed Venom about a program Alchemax had been working on for the military involving rapid cell growth for use on soldiers in the battlefield. Her company had been given Dr. Vincent Stegron, the Dinosaur Man, for use in the research. Naturally, Stegron escaped with $70 million of scientific equipment and many transformed volunteers. Liz told him that his payment for returning Stegron and the equipment would be the cure for the symbiote. (Venom #151)
After Venom escaped from Stegron, he reported back to Liz, who was unhappy to hear that there were far more people affected by Stegron than they first thought. Her good news was that her scientist had discovered what made Venom so aggressive. While working with the FBI, Brock had been bonded to Toxin, and the feds kept him full of chemicals to keep the younger symbiote docile. These drugs were still in Eddie and were causing physical and mental deterioration in the alien. The doctors created a drug to balance out what was happening and it would have to be taken every 36 to 48 hours. They would give him more, after he captured Stegron. He wasnt happy to go back after the dinosaur man and Liz reassured him that Stegron had telepathic control over the transformed people and they would rebel against him once the mental control was broken. (Venom #152)
After Stegron was defeated, Liz supplied a month's worth of drugs for Eddie. He wanted to be hired by her, and she refused, saying Alchemax was already under enough scrutiny without employing a federal fugitive. She suggested he steal from the crooks he beat up. She wanted to know what happened to the dino men Venom fought. She wanted them captured so they couldn't be traced back to her and he lied and said they were mentally animals and ran off. They couldn't be traced to Alchemax. She told Eddie he should get a job telling stories, he was good at it. (Venom #153)
"The Fall of Parker"
During the Secret Empire event, Liz and Harry were trapped together at home, thinking that the world was ending. They became a couple again but hadn't told Normie yet. (Amazing Spider-Man #789) Liz was with Harry after the company called Humanitech collapsed. Alchemax bought Humanitech and all of its intellectual property, including its robots. Back at home, the nanny said Normie and Stanley had gotten hurt while rough housing, explaining the bandages on their arms. She had actually taken blood samples from both of them. (Amazing Spider-Man #791)
"Threat Level: Red"
After seeing security camera footage of Flash Thompson being exposed to Anti-Venom serum at Alchemax, Liz offered him a job watching over a science demonstration. She had heard chatter of a possible robbery of tritium, the substance which she was going to use as an alternative power source. The chatter was correct, as the demonstration was attacked by the Goblin King (Phil Urich) and his goblin henchmen. After the theft was over, she exasperatedly told everyone to leave. (Amazing Spider-Man #796)
"First Host"
Alchemax was keeping the latest spawn of Venom, Sleeper. Liz found Venom bonding with the creature in the lab and then asked him to come sign a contract, allowing the company to use the young symbiote for "pharmaceutical applications." Dr. Steve explained to Brock that human trials found that the symbiote's sweat gave users a sense of euphoria, some sedative qualities and loosened inhibitions in high dosages. Brock protested the experiments and Liz reminded him that she didn't run a charity but was going to be fair and cut him in. She suggested that he buy a steak dinner, or a house with a shower. Brock argued that she was offering a payoff, not a cut in. She wanted him to be kept quiet when people ask where her new drugs were coming from. Brock left, saying it was her job to keep Sleeper safe and if she didn't, she'd see that she isn't the only one with teeth. (Venom: First Host #1)
Venom returned later, after being attacked by a Kree secret agent (Tel-Kar) that claimed to have been the Venom symbiote's first host. The Kree had also been attacked by a Skrull warrior (M'Lanz), who accused Tel-Kar of crimes against the Skrulls. Venom and Tel-Kar escaped but the Kree agent was injured and taken to Dr. Steve for medical attention. After being bandaged, Tel-Kar explained his history with the Venom symbiote and asked for it to return to him. It refused and Tel-Kar decided to go after Sleeper instead. He threw Liz out of the office window to distract Venom while he went after the young alien. (Venom: First Host #2)
Liz ran into the lab, furious that Brock let Tel-Kar escape with the symbiote. Except, it wasnt really Liz but M'Lanz posing as her. The real Liz showed up with a security team that forced her to drop the disguise. M'Lanz explained that she had come to earth to keep the symbiote away from Tel-Kar. Eddie bonded to Sleeper and he joined M'Lanz to go after Tel-Kar and Venom. (Venom: First Host #3)
”Recursion”
Liz dealt with Sleeper again as it became an accomplice to Eddie’s son, Dylan Brock. The world was on edge about symbiotes after their god, Knull, tried to destroy humanity. The threat that the creatures presented renewed interest in the long defunct organization called the Life Foundation, a group dedicated to preserving the lives of the rich and powerful from humanity ending dangers. (The Life Foundation’s leader, Carlton Drake, had made an agreement with Senator Krane to protect humanity from the symbiotes.) Other political and corporate entities also had interests with the creatures, such as Alchemax. Using a former friend and colleague of his father, Archer Lyle, Liz lured Dylan and Sleeper to the Alchemax labs, where they were subdued. Liz told Archer that Dylan was on the front lines of a symbiote arms race whether he knew it or not. (Venom (vol. 3) #3)
As Dylan was being subjected to testing at an Alchemax research hub, Liz asked a scientist what they'd learned. Symbiote tissue degraded when attempting to bond to his DNA. Liz asked if Dylan was badly suffering and the scientist replied that she was trying to keep any pain to a minimum but they were pushing Dylan to his limit. Liz said to continue testing but to monitor his vitals. She didn't make this decision lightly but hoped it would save lives during what was coming. After walking away, she asked herself what she had gotten herself into.
Dylan managed to escape from his restraints with the help of the Life Foundation symbiotes (Lasher, Riot, Agony and Phage), who were under Eddie's control. (Eddie had become the new King in Black after Knull was destroyed and could communicate with any symbiote, anywhere.) Dylan fled to where Sleeper was being held and was confronted by Liz and her guards. She tried to reason with him but at that moment, Venom arrived and bonded to Dylan. (Venom (vol. 3) #4)
"Too Late for Heroes"
Six days after the event at the Alchemax laboratory, Liz went on TV and declared that what happened had been an unprovoked attack by a symbiote on a peaceful facility. She declared symbiotes to be an "organized and hostile threat" and turned over all of Alchemax's resources to Senator Krane. Krane then told the media that he had been in discussions with Congress and national security organizations to deal with the symbiote threat. The Life Foundation's history with symbiotes gave it the ability to advise the government on policy. Liz told herself that she knew that Dylan was an innocent but was also at the center of the changes that the aliens were going through. Seeing the damage done by Venom and Sleeper made it clear that they were at war. (Venom (vol. 3) #6)
”Dark Web”
Liz found Norman out in the street after being beaten as the Gold Goblin during the Dark Web event. She took him to his lab at Alchemax, telling him that they needed him at home during the demonic invasion. He needed to recuperate, and they all needed to keep each other safe. Normie had already lost his father, she didn’t want him to lose his grandfather too. Later they drove home through Central Park (not using the roads) when a dog appeared in front of them and Norman swerved to avoid it. The car crashed into a tree and Norman stumbled out. It turned out to be a hallucination of his childhood dog that he had killed, taunting him about its death. Norman wasn’t sure if the dog appeared from his guilt or if it was a trick, part of the demonic plague. He suddenly came to, with Liz asking what he was doing. They had six blocks to go to get to their apartment. (Gold Goblin #2)
Normie was having a birthday party, despite the chaos outside. Liz would have preferred that the party be held at Alchemax but Norman refused to let his grandson have a birthday party in a panic room. Someone had ordered a performer to act as Spider-Man, which caused Norman to flip out. Once the confusion was ended, told him to go rest. When the party was crashed by Jack O’Lantern, Liz hurried Normie and Stanley to safety. This was after she chided her stepbrother for wishing that he could protect them as the Molten Man. (Gold Goblin #3)
”Red Goblin”
Liz didn’t know it, but Normie had bonded to portion of the Carnage symbiote, calling himself the new Red Goblin. (He had gained it from Dylan Brock.) One night she scolded him for not being helpful, which she needed him to be after the death of Harry’s clone. He told her to throw money at the problem, which was the Osborn way. He apologized for the remark. They went to the grand opening of the Harold Osborn Addiction Treatment Center, hosted by Norman. During the opening ceremony, the newly rebuilt Goblin Nation attacked the crowd and Norman. A guard began to hurry Liz, Normie and Stanley away but both the guard and Liz were stopped by the Goblins. Norman was taken away. (Red Goblin #1)
Liz dropped the kids off at school the next day and told them to keep up appearances, since they were a prominent Manhattan family. Normie got beat up by other kids and another classmate gave him his blazer to trade Normie’s torn uniform. Normie became the Red Goblin to find his grandfather. (Red Goblin #2)
After Normie disappeared, Liz went to the school principal and told him about Alchemax’s lawyers. Her company had committed terrible crimes but they were unknown to the public. The company’s lawyers had viciously destroyed any litigation against them, as well as the plaintiffs. The lawyers scared her and she would unleash them on the school and principal if her son wasn’t found. (Red Goblin #3)
”Cult of Carnage”
After Harry’s clone died, Liz found a secret room in her penthouse containing Green Goblin equipment. The next day she had Guardsmen take the weapons away, which Normie protested. He said that his dad had left it there to protect them. The weapons were taken away and Liz comforted Normie, who still missed his father.
At Alchemax labs, Dr Steve was explaining to her that the Carnage symbiote was the most difficult of the creatures but also had the most potential for regeneration and weaponization. Carnage killed any other symbiote strains it was bonded to. Even Anti-Venom only had limited success. Steve believed that only if Carnage and Anti-Venom were both bonded to an aggressive host could they co-exist. He had bonded Carnage to a chimpanzee named Grace and then attempted to introduce Anti-Venom but the attempted bond was more than Grace could take. As they looked at the containers for Toxin, Lasher, Scream and Phage, Liz asked about the potential for the other symbiotes. Steve said they all showed promise but it would take time.
The next day, Liz met with Carlton Drake, who had purchased a large amount of Alchemax stock. Liz was curious why he had spent so much in her stock and he replied that he was interested in her research and development department. Liz refused to sell to him and after their staff left the office, he told her that he was interested in the symbiotes. She had shut him out before but he wouldn’t let it happen again. If Alchemax were to go bankrupt, he would be there to take over.
She met an old friend for lunch, hoping to persuade him to join Alchemax but he wasn't interested. She showed a sample of the Carnage symbiote to Dr. Zafar Hakim, who realized what it was. She said it could be used for instantaneous regeneration but he interrupted that it was a killing machine. He warned her that no good could come of it.
At Alchemax, she was explaining to Stanley that he could keep one toy but had to give up another. He had a hundred toys and other kids had none. A mercenary named Corwyn Jones arrived and forced Liz to put Stanley into a panic room and flee to the laboratory. She was gunned down and the symbiotes were stolen, leaving her with Dr. Steve. She used the sample of Carnage and Anti-Venom that she had taken to lunch to heal herself, despite Steve's anger at the recklessness. He asked how she felt and she replied that it felt like Misery. (Misery #1)
She offered to get Steve help but he told her to stop the mercenary. He told her that with the two symbiotes, she was a forced to be feared. She agreed but had no idea how to use them. She was attacked by Grace, who had escaped from her cage. Grace ripped Misery in half but she reconnected her top and bottom torso, to Liz's shock. Grace continued to attack and Misery threatened to put her down for good. She stopped pummeling the chimpanzee when Stanley arrived. Grace was returned to her cage and Liz agreed that treating the animal they way they had was unethical. Steve said he'd find a home for her once the symbiotes had been removed. Meanwhile, neither Carnage or Anti-Venom were goading her to violence. The aggression that Liz had shown had been her own. Steve wanted to perform more tests but Liz wanted the symbiotes back. Misery found Jones's home on a boat, according to his employment records. His creepy doll collection blew up the boat and Misery escaped.
Later, Liz met with Dr. Hakim and he asked if she missed working in a hospital. (They'd had a relationship at the time.) He tried to kiss her but she pulled back, saying it felt right but she had two boys and a company to look after. He said she still wanted to fix everyone but he didn't need fixing and he left. She became frustrated at the lack of progress in locating the symbiotes and went after them herself. She was confident that if Cletus Kasady could webswing than she could too. Instead, she slammed into the side of a building. She regenerated, not at all traumatized by the incident. At the lab, Steve said the two symbiotes were consuming each other and regenerating constantly and now her body was fair game. Meanwhile, Jones had been found and Liz was going to get him. She also asked Steve to look at a secret phone of Harry's that she had found. She wanted to know who he'd been calling.
Liz confronted Corwyn at his shabby apartment, surprised that he hadn't spent his money from the Alchemax job on something fancy. She realized that after his time in the Marines, he was dying. She came to him as a nurse, not an angry employer and offered to help him. He told her he had bugged Steve's wheelchair with a listening device and learned that he had missed a few symbiotes. He showed her that he had bonded to all of the symbiotes he had taken and called himself Madness. He told her that no good deed goes unpunished. (Misery #2)
She mocked him for collecting dolls and he tore her in half. She regenerated quickly, happy to be getting the hang of the ability. She tried to burn the symbiotes from him with Anti-Venom and it only momentarily worked. He ripped her to pieces, then his robots froze her body. She was placed, reassembled, into a fluid tank at the Life Foundation.
At Alchemax, Grace told Dr. Steve that she knew who Harry had been calling on the secret phone. She had deduced the phone calls just by listening. Harry had wanted to keep this person from Liz but also to protect her. Grace offered to help them find that person and possibly not cave in Steve's skull.
At the Life Foundation, Corwyn explained to new recruits that they were the future of defense. Combine symbiotes with cybernetically enhanced human and you had the perfect creature. A hooded figure emerged from the ventilation system and spoke with the unconscious Misery, telling her that she hoped Liz still had some fight or they were both dead. (Misery #3)
Unconscious in the tank, Liz dreamed of her life, from high school to marrying Harry to becoming CEO of Alchemax. Misery taunted her, saying she had tried to save Harry but when he died, she felt relief. She had tried to be a nurse, a wife, a mother and a CEO but which of them was the real Liz? The symbiotes also forced her to come to terms with the fact that Harry had abused her. They comforted her, saying that she could wallow in misery, or she could become the misery. Liz and the symbiotes burst from the tube and were met by the hooded woman, welcoming her back. Misery wanted to know who had saved her and the woman didn't expect her to recognize her, she'd been through a lot of changes since the last time they'd met. Lily Hollister removed her cloak, saying she was Queen Cat. (Misery #4)
Misery recognized her as the person that had been stalking her and Stanley. Lily reminded her that Stanley was her son and that he called her "Aunt Liz" because he knew she wasn't his real mother. Liz realized that Harry had been using the secret phone to stay in touch with Lily but Lily claimed that she never answered the calls due to her amnesia. Lily said that Harry had issues but still loved Liz. Liz wanted to know what Lily wanted and she just wanted to be in Stanley's life, not to take him away. She warned Liz that Stanley had been attacked twice in a month by dangers that Liz was unaware of because they were too close. Liz wanted details and Lily only said that Liz was a CEO connected to Norman Osborn, so she'd never be safe and neither would Stanley.
They were both attacked by Madness, who had been losing control of his bond with the multiple symbiotes. He quickly disemboweled Queen Cat and then tore Carnage and Anti-Venom from Liz. She told him that he must be having a hard time focusing, considering the multitude of voices in his head. Two more voices was even worse, especially since Anti-Venom could burn away the others. Anti-Venom defeated Madness and Misery rejoined with Liz.
She tracked down Carlton Drake, telling him that he would sign over all rights and progress made with the symbiotes to Alchemax. Her company would take all credit for the Life Foundation's accomplishments. A week later at Alchemax, Dr. Steve confirmed that the symbiotes had been successfully weaponized but by compromising human beings. Having experienced being bonded to symbiotes, Liz couldn't allow the experiments to continue.
She went to Harry's grave and was met by Peter. Peter said Harry would be proud of her but she told him that Harry had hurt her. He wished he had done something but Liz took responsibility. She had seen how Harry had threatened Peter and his family but had done nothing. He said it didn't matter and they needed to move forward. Liz went to visit Lily, who was in a coma in the hospital. She wanted to talk to her once she woke up. The doctor told her that someone was paying for Lily's bills, making sure that she was getting excellent care for her memory loss. (That someone was Kolina Frederickson, who had wanted Lily to bring her Stanley.) Liz went to meet with Dr. Hakim, saying that if he was willing to make a relationship work, then so was she. (Misery #5)
”Venom War”
As the fight between Eddie and Dylan Brock began at Grand Garden Arena, Liz and Carlton Drake held a meeting. (Alchemax had just acquired the Life Foundation and was now focused on symbiotes.) Liz wanted Brock contained, not killed, and wanted to know who sent the mercenaries. Carlton mentioned that Liz had resources of her own and she warned him against airing dirty laundry. Carlton introduced one of the Life Foundation’s top consultants, Mister Meridius. Meridius claimed to know Brock as well as he knew himself and had planned for today’s events. Liz wanted details and was told that Alchemax had accidentally leaked a chemical called K-43 that was toxic to both humans and symbiotes. Meridius introduced them to chemical K-44, an improved version. It was the ultimate weapon in the war between humans and symbiotes. (Venom War #1)
As New York was swarmed with symbiotes (again), Misery was pursued up the side of the Alchemax building. As she ran, she made a phone call to Silver Sable, saying she was pulling the priority card to have the Wild Pack come to New York's aid. She fell during the fight, along with other symbiote infected hosts. (Venom War: Lethal Protectors #1)
"Strange Love"
Liz attended the funeral of her former teacher, Raymond Warren, after it was revealed that he had been killed by his brother, Miles Warren. (Spectacular Spider-Men (vol. 1) #8)
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.