Amazing Spider-Man #251

Issue Details

Synopsis

ENDINGS! A clash between Spider-Man and the Hobgoblin has resulted in a massive explosion within the villain's hideout. As the fire department arrives on the scene, the Hobgoblin recovers from the blast before Spider-Man. Hoping to recover the Norman Osborn's journals, the Hobgoblin discovers, that they have been utterly destroyed in the flames. As he had not made copies of the journals, the Hobgoblin fears that their secrets are now lost. Seeing Spider-Man on the ground, he begins beating the hero with a block of wood. Before he can finish the hero off, the building begins to collapse, prompting the Hobgoblin to take a more direct approach to kill his foe. Getting into his battle van, the Hobgoblin attempts to run over the wall-crawler as he makes his escape. Smashing out of the building and hitting to the streets, the Hobgoblin presumes that Spider-Man is dead, unaware that the groggy super-hero manages to latch onto the bottom of the battle van instead.  Seeking to stop the Hobgoblin once and for all, Spider-Man climbs up onto the windshield of the van and begins punching. As the Hobgoblin gloats over how the window is indestructible, he is stunned to silence when the wall-crawler manages to start breaking through with the force of his blows. Trying to splatter the hero, the Hobgoblin drives his battle van through a bar. However, Spider-Man survives this attempt by flipping up to the roof of the vehicle for cover. While the villain basks in his apparent victory, Spider-Man rips his way into the battle van. At first, the Hobgoblin has the advantage over the wall-crawler, but his spider-sense begins to return. As they two battle it out, the battle van drives off a pier into the Hudson River. As the van begins filling with water, Spider-Man suggests they get out, but the Hobgoblin is determined to kill Spider-Man, even if it means his end as well. Spider-Man stuns the Hobgoblin with a powerful blow. However, the water short circuits the battle van's controls activate the self-destruct system.   Spider-Man tries to pull out the Hobgoblin, but fearing that his defeat would be a disgrace to his family, the Hobgoblin fights back. Above the surface of the river, a police boat arrives on the scene just as the battle van explodes. Spider-Man rises to the surface alone and procures a flashlight from the officers. Diving back into the river, he looks for any trace of the Hobgoblin, but all he finds is the remains of the villain's mask. With the battle over, Spider-Man goes to the Daily Bugle where he tells J. Jonah Jameson that he doesn't have to worry about the Hobgoblin blackmailing him with his involvement in the creation of the Scorpion. Jameson reveals that not only did he confess this publicly on the front page of the Bugle, he has also stepped down as Editor-in-Chief. This comes as a shock to the wall-crawler, but Jameson assures him that as the Bugle's publisher, he will see that the public realize Spider-Man for the menace that he is. Their conversation is interrupted by Joe Robertson, who has come to move into Jonah's office as he has been appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief of the Bugle. Shocked, Spider-Man gives him weak congratulations to Robertson for the promotion.   Hours later, Peter Parker meets with Harry Osborn to fill him in on what became of the Hobgoblin and his blackmail scheme. Harry thanks Peter for telling him everything, but this doesn't change the fact that his father, Norman Osborn, was a monster. When he asks Peter what he can do, Peter assures him that he isn't anything like Norman and he should set an example to his children by being a better father than Norman Osborn ever was. Harry thanks Peter for his advice, and departs. As soon as Harry is gone, Peter is stricken by another powerful warning from his spider-sense. Unlike the last two bombardments, Peter is now able to track their location. Changing into Spider-Man, he tracks the source to Sheep's Meadow in Central Park and is surprised to spot a massive alien structure there. Unable to resist it's pull, Spider-Man finds himself swinging into the archway of the structure and is suddenly teleported away to points unknown.