Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #418
Background
This has to be the most awaited Spider-Man story Ever. If you don't know the background to this story, then you probably spent the last three years in a country which only recently discovered language.
Story 'Torment'
Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #418
| Editor: | Ralph Macchio |
| Writer: | Tom DeFalco |
| Pencils: | Steve Skroce |
| Inker: | Bud LaRosa |
| Cover Art: | Steve Skroce |
| Reprinted In: | Marvel Super Heroes 1996 Winter Special |
| Reprinted In: | Spider-Man: Revelations (TPB) |
Mary Jane is going into early labor, triggered by drugged food from the Daily Grind. Peter and Spider-Man, meanwhile, are battling the armored menace known as Gaunt, who was recently found to be Mendel Stromm, the Robot Master! With some typical Spider-fast thinking, our boys manage to defeat Stromm and his robots. Peter rushes off to be with his wife and newborn, and Ben sticks around to query Stromm about Seward Trainer. Ben is caught off-guard and knocked unconscious by an unknown assailant, Gaunt's boss. Stromm, then, is killed (again) for failing to kill Reilly.
Switch, then, back to Mary Jane and the wonders of child birth. MJ delivers her baby and expects to hear the sound of little May stretching her lungs. Instead, she hears only silence as one nurse - Alison Mongrain, the waitress from the Grind - wheels a cart out of the hospital. As Mary Jane cries, Mongrain drives to the pier with a certain "delivery" for her employer. So who is this nasty guy, who's made Peter's life so miserable? None other than Norman Osborn, the original Green Goblin!
General Comments
Well, I'll say this right now... I miss Mark Bagley! As much as I complained about Ron Garney when he was on ASM, I'd rather have him than Steve Skroce.
Also, the revelation that Norman Osborn was still alive was a little disappointing. Sure, he's a great villain, but his death was a critical point in Spider-Man's life. If they were going to bring back the Green Goblin, (which I'm glad they did,) I would've rather seen Harry return.
And, finally, the kidnapping of little May is one of the worst ideas I've ever seen. Will she be back in a few years, or in the much-hyped Spider-Man #75? We'll have to wait and see...
Overall Rating 
Three webs for part three, just because I like the Green Goblin.