I have questions about ASM #697

[Fanofthegoblins]

I enjoyed the issue, but there some things that bugs me.....

1.) What is Kingsley's plan at the end? What is he planning and what is with the monitors?

2.) Why didn't Peter go after Roderick Kingsley? He is the man who killed Leeds and he BROKE out of PRISON. He just lets him go. It's like seeing the original Hobgoblin was no big deal to him.

3.) Shouldn't Pete know Leeds or Macendale are dead?

[E. Wilson]

I enjoyed the issue, but there some things that bugs me.....

1.) What is Kingsley's plan at the end? What is he planning and what is with the monitors?

The monitors are him keep tabs on his other super-villain clients. The idea was seeded during No Turning Back when we saw him posing as "Devil Spider". The reveal is that since fleeing the country in "Goblins at the Gate", Roddy has been co-opting other supervillain identities like he did with the Green Goblin. Then, after establishing them as credible threats, he apparently sells the rights to use the name, reputation and equipment to interested parties.

Essentially, he's franchising super villainy; he doesn't kill Phil Urich because he found it more profitable to sell him the Hobgoblin identity.

2.) Why didn't Peter go after Roderick Kingsley? He is the man who killed Leeds and he BROKE out of PRISON. He just lets him go. It's like seeing the original Hobgoblin was no big deal to him.

Pete wasn't in a position to immediately pursue him, and it can be assumed that while he probably tried off-panal, Roddy covered his tracks fairly well. Remember, Peter is under considerable mental and physical stress during the entire arc, due to Max being involved and the spider-jammers Tiberius Stone was using.

3.) Shouldn't Pete know Leeds or Macendale are dead?

He does, but at this stage of his life, Pete's just not surprised by people spontaneously returning from the dead. Alternately, he could have just been trying to get under Roddy's skin, since he knows how much the "pretender" Hobgoblins offend him.

[Rob London]

2.) Why didn't Peter go after Roderick Kingsley? He is the man who killed Leeds and he BROKE out of PRISON. He just lets him go. It's like seeing the original Hobgoblin was no big deal to him.

Kingsley didn't kill Ned Leeds - the Foreigner's men killed him, acting on the orders of Jason Macendale.

[Fanofthegoblins]

Kingsley didn't kill Ned Leeds - the Foreigner's men killed him, acting on the orders of Jason Macendale.

I know, but he still is responsible for his death.