More people have taken on the role of Hobgoblin than almost any other character in Marvel Comics. When Hobgoblin first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #238 in 1982, he was a brand-new villain, and the mystery surrounding his identity immediately made him one of Marvel’s most exciting villains. Like the original Green Goblin, Marvel deliberately revealed nothing about who he was beneath the mask. Because he avoided capture for so long, fans were left guessing about his true identity. Unfortunately, a series of twists and turns left many readers dissatisfied. The reveal that Hobgoblin was one of Peter Parker’s close friends, only for that revelation to later be exposed as a misdirection, soured what was once a compelling mystery.
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Over the years, several different men have taken on the mantle of Hobgoblin, including one whose identity was never revealed at all. Below are the best versions of Hobgoblin to appear in Marvel Comics, ranked.
7) Lefty Donovan
Lefty Donovan was a small-time crook who worked for Roderick Kingsley. He became a test subject for the Goblin Formula while Kingsley attempted to refine it into a version that would not cause the mental instability that plagued Norman Osborn. Once injected, Lefty was mind-controlled and sent out as Hobgoblin to battle Spider-Man, while Kingsley watched and took notes. In the end, Lefty was nothing more than a disposable pawn. Before Spider-Man could uncover the truth, Kingsley murdered Lefty, erasing any trace of his involvement.
6) Daniel Kingsley
Daniel Kingsley was Roderick Kingsley’s twin brother and frequently impersonated him in order to keep people guessing about Hobgoblin’s true identity. Over time, Roderick decided to operate entirely behind the scenes, allowing Daniel to act as Hobgoblin in his place. Daniel eventually became part of the Kingpin’s criminal empire, which made him a legitimate threat. However, his career was cut short when he crossed paths with Phil Urich, who decapitated Daniel and claimed the Hobgoblin mantle for himself. Daniel never came close to living up to his brother, and his humiliating death only proved that fact.
5) Harry Osborn (Ultimate)
Much like his father, the Ultimate Universe version of Harry Osborn underwent a monstrous transformation. Norman Osborn became the Ultimate Green Goblin and played a major role in The Death of Spider-Man. Harry followed a similar path, becoming the Ultimate Hobgoblin, also as a massive, hulking creature. Like on Earth-616, Harry and Peter Parker were close friends, and Harry even dated Mary Jane Watson for a short time. Believing his father had been murdered in cold blood, Harry consumed the Oz Formula and transformed into a grotesque, fire-covered monster. In the end, he attempted to stop his resurrected father and died in the process, redeeming himself as a hero.
4) Jason Macendale Jr.
Jason Macendale Jr. is much more than just Hobgoblin. This Spider-Man villain began his criminal career as Jack O’Lantern and is easily the most recognizable Hobgoblin outside of Roderick Kingsley. He even served as Hobgoblin in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, memorably voiced by Mark Hamill. Macendale abandoned the Jack O’Lantern identity when he replaced Ned Leeds as Hobgoblin. Later, he offered his soul to the demon N’astirh in exchange for greater power, a deal that left him grotesquely misshapen. His story ultimately ended in prison, where Roderick Kingsley murdered him, continuing Kingsley’s pattern of eliminating his own replacements.
3) Phil Urich
Phil Urich was one of the “big three” characters to take on the Hobgoblin mantle. The nephew of reporter Ben Urich, Phil originally served as a heroic version of the Green Goblin after accidentally falling into a vat of the Goblin Formula. Like so many before him, the formula eventually eroded Phil’s sanity. After murdering Daniel Kingsley, he assumed the Hobgoblin identity and began working for the Kingpin, becoming a truly terrifying villain. His closest friends remained unaware of his secret for years. After Superior Spider-Man exposed his identity to the public, Phil later aligned himself with Norman Osborn, who would ultimately kill him.
2) Ned Leeds
Ned Leeds remains the most controversial Hobgoblin. As one of Peter Parker’s closest friends and allies, Ned was secretly brainwashed into becoming a villain, with no control over his actions for an extended period. Roderick Kingsley manipulated him as a pawn to protect his own secret. That arrangement ended when Kingsley abandoned Ned and leaked his identity as Hobgoblin, leading to Ned’s assassination by the Foreigner. This opened the door for Jack O’Lantern to take up the mantle. Ned’s story did not end there, however, as the Goblin Formula later resurrected him. Though he appeared to have returned to normal, recent Marvel Comics have placed Ned back in the Hobgoblin role, attacking Spider-Man, Norman Osborn, and Roderick Kingsley.
1) Roderick Kingsley
Roderick Kingsley is not only the best Hobgoblin in Marvel Comics history, but he is the definitive Hobgoblin. As the original man behind the mask, nearly every other version exists because of him. He is also the most calculating, dangerous, and unapologetically evil character to ever serve in the role. At the height of Hobgoblin’s original run, Kingsley rivaled even Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin in terms of menace. He has been a member of the Sinister Six and has occasionally acted as an antihero, but his most compelling moments come when he fully embraces his villainy. When Roderick Kingsley is at his deadliest, no other Hobgoblin comes close.
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