Summary
Created By: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
Real Name: Norman Osborn II
Current Aliases: The Goblin-Lord
Former Aliases: None
Dual Identity: Once secret, revealed years after his "death", covered up again upon his return
Current Occupation: Professional supervillain, leader of the Order of Goblins
Former Occupation: Owner and president of Osborn Industries, Inc.
Citizenship: U.S.
Legal Status: No known criminal record
Place of Birth: Hartford, Connecticut
Marital Status: Widowed
Known Relatives: Harold "Harry" Osborn, son(deceased); Norman Osborn III, grandson; Norman Osborn I, father(presumedly deceased); Emily Osborn, wife(deceased),Liz Osborn (daughter-in-law)
Known Confidants: The Scriers, Mendel Stromm (Robot Master / Gaunt), Spider-Man, Donald Menken, Kolina Frederickson
Known Allies: The Crime-Master, Kraven the Hunter, the Scriers, Gaunt, the "Host"
Major Enemies: Spider-Man
Usual Bases: New York City and an unidentified European location
Former Bases: none
Current Groups: leader of the Order of Goblins (derivative from the Cabal of Scriers)
Former Groups: The Enforcers, the Scriers
Education: College

Powers & Paraphenalia
Strength Level: Somewhat less than Spider-Man's (lift (press) 10 tons)
Powers: The Goblin formula dramatically increased Osborn's intellect, although not to superhuman levels. His reflexes, and coordination are heightened. His strength is superhuman.
Abilities: Adept at organization. A genius when it came to chemistry and mechanical gadgets.
Equipment: The vertical-thrust goblin glider, which was powered by a miniature turbo-fan. It could go up to 90 miles per hour and support 400 pounds.
Weapons: Concussive, smoke, gas and incendiary bombs. Gloves capable of conducting pulses of electricity upwards of 10,000 volts. Gas and chemicals able to numb Spider-Man's spider-sense.
Limitations: Not quick enough to avoid malfunctioning goblin gliders. Insanity (mitigated by medicated dermal patches)

Background
After having his business partner, Professor Mendel Stromm, imprisoned for embezzling, industrialist Norman Osborn experimented with one of Stromm's formulas in an attempt to increase his intelligence. The formula had not been tested thoroughly, and blew up in his face. Norman nearly died, but discovered that the formula increased both his intelligence and strength. It also drove him insane. Plotting to become leader of the underworld, Osborn created his Green Goblin personae and decided to establish his reputation by killing Spider-Man. He came close but failed many times. Devising a compound that would weaken Spider-Man's spider-sense, he followed the Web-slinger undetected. Snatching Spider-Man while he was in his civilian identity of Peter Parker, the Goblin carted him back to a secret hideout. There he revealed to Peter his own secret identity. During the battle, the Goblin came in contact with live wires, which seemed to jolt him into partial amnesia. Since Osborn had no memory of his criminal past, Spider-Man let him go.

The amnesia, however, proved temporary. Osborn several times regained the memories of the Green Goblin and, knowing Spider-Man's own secret identity, came after Parker each time. For what would be the "final" time, deciding the direct approach wasn't working, the Goblin kidnapped Gwen Stacy, Parker's girlfriend, and killed her throwing her off of the Brooklyn Bridge. Although Spider-Man came close to exacting the ultimate revenge for this act, he pulled back before killing the Goblin. The fight may have continued, but the Goblin was accidentally impaled by his own goblin glider.

Numb with shock after witnessing the event, his son Harry Osborn removed the Goblin's costume so that the arriving authorities found industrialist Norman Osborn, not the Green Goblin, dead. His secret identity was thus preserved for many years after his apparent death.

Though he was in the morgue, Norman Osborn's tale did not end there. According to his journals, the chemicals that altered Norman Osborn's strength, intelligence, and sanity also gave him superhuman healing ability. Despite being impailed through the chest, Norman regenerated, and escaped the morgue replacing his body with that of a drifter he murdered (and impaled through the chest). To cover-up the shame of his father's alter-ego, Harry bribed the coroner to fake the autopsy ensuring there would be no record of the Goblin formula in his blood.

For seven years Norman was in hiding - planning, plotting, waiting for the day to arrive when he would strike back. He joined a legendary society, the cabal of Scriers. There, he quickly rose up the ranks, and made an "unorthodox hostile takeover," expanding his powerbase.

After Harry disgraced the Osborn family name, ending up in a mental institution, Norman sent a Scrier to one of Parker's college professors, Dr. Miles Warren (aka, the Jackal). The Scrier promised Warren with recreating his beloved student, Gwen Stacy, while funding his cloning research. One of Warren's assistants, Seward Trainer, was caught stealing files by the Scrier. The Scrier promised to keep Trainer's secret in exchange for a future favor.

Norman saw that the Jackal's plans for revenge were interfering with his own plans. After the explosive conclusion during the battle between Spider-Man and his clone at Shea Stadium, the Jackal retrieved his clone and put who he thought was the real Peter Parker into a state resembling death. Actually, Norman's Scrier called in his favor from Trainer, having Trainer tinker with the Jackal's equipment such that the Jackal had the identities reversed. Norman allowed the real Peter Parker to walk away from the battle, and dump his clone (in the near-death state) into a smokestack in Brooklyn. The Jackal retrieved the clone's body, and replaced it with the corpse of a earlier failed Parker clone. The clone wandered the country calling himself Ben Reilly.

Later, hearing of the return of his old partner, Mendel Stromm, Norman sent his Scriers to investigate. Althought this "Stromm" was just a robot, the Scriers checked the corpse of the real Stromm and discovered he was decayed, withered, yet still alive. Stromm had used the original "Goblin" formula upon himself before his "death". Norman revived Stromm, and outfitted him in a life-support suit where he became known as "Gaunt". Through Gaunt, Norman gained technology that allowed his Scrier to appear as a single mystical being.

Norman became infuriated over news of the Hobgoblin's aquision of his equipment and journal notes. But before acting, he remained in the shadows, sending a Scrier and a team (the Host) to befriend criminal psychologist and deranged mutant, Dr. Judas Traveller.

Upon the death of his son, Harry, from the toxic effects of an updated Goblin formula, Norman accelerated his revenge against Parker. When Ben Reilly returned to New York and the Jackal resurfaced, Norman returned to New York as well. Norman had Gaunt coerce Trainer to tamper with the Jackal's equipment again, so that Ben Reilly will think he was the original Peter Parker.

After the Jackal's second apparent death, and the true Parkers (with Mary Jane pregnant) moving to Seattle, Ben Reilly became the new Spider-Man. Norman was not pleased with the happy ending. In Revelations, Norman returned as the Green Goblin revealing himself as the mastermind behind the clone saga. Ben Reilly was killed by the Goblin, and disintegrated revealing that he was truly the clone. Mary Jane was poisoned into a premature labor by Osborn employee Alison Mongrain. It appears Norman somewhere still has custody of the child.

Later, Norman revealed that he had Aunt May held captive, admitting that he had sent a genetically transformed actress to take her place (and die in spiderman_amazing.400). Norman organized and participated in an ancient ritual called "the Gathering of the Five" where he hoped to obtain ultimate power - but instead received insanity.

In The Final Chapter, Norman was defeated as the Green Goblin by Spider-Man once again, though in his madness, he believed he had triumphed. He was taken off to jail, but rescued by the Scriers. His sanity maintained by medicated dermal patches, Norman has since organized the Order of the Goblin, fell in love with his nurse, Kolina Frederickson, and attempted to brainwash Peter Parker into becoming his rightful heir to the Goblin legacy

Thanks to Spiderfan.org for the above.

For more and a chronological history of The Green Goblin, check out Leader's Lair.

Young Norman

In recent years we've learned more details about Norman Osborn's childhood and young adult life, things that helped shape him into the twisted, schizophrenic, evil man he would become.

We know, for example that The Osborn family has long been prominent, but it was Norman's father, Amberson Osborn, who squandered the family fortune. In Spectacular Spider-Man Anuual #14, we see him  hitting Norman.Norman?s mother steps in to stop Amberson, his father, from yelling at him. His father hits his mother, and Norman runs to his room. Amberson pounds on the door saying he isn?t done talking to the boy. The next morning Norman sees his father apologizing to his mother, and whining about how they stole his invention and the company went bankrupt. Norman runs out of the house thinking about how he has to start earning his keep. He takes a stick and beats his dog to death so there will be one less mouth to feed.

Revenge of the Green Goblin #2- flashback-Norman watches as his drunken, abusive, failure of a father hits his mother.

Revenge of the Green Goblin #1- flashback-  Norman?s father shouts at a young Norman that there are no monsters under his bed. Later when Norman comes out again his father throws him back into the room. He yells at Norman to get over this foolishness.

Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #25- flashback- Norman?s father pulls him along by the shirt into the house built by Norman?s great-grandfather. He tells Norman that he only has to stay there one night. He says that he will pick him up in the morning and Norman will wonder what he was ever afraid for. His father leaves and says that he will thank him for this one day.

Peter Parker: Spider-Man vol. 2 #25- flashback- Norman pounds on the door screaming for his father to let him out. Norman imagines that there are the ghosts of his ancestors and a goblin near him. Each time the lightning strikes Norman thinks that he can see the goblin waiting to eat him. Norman starts to hope that each time the darkness will last a little longer. Eventually Norman grows to hate the light. The next morning Norman is sitting calmly on the floor when his father opens the door. Norman walks out with a smile on his face.

Revenge of the Green Goblin #1- flashback- Norman walks along as the sunsets with his wife Emily.

Revenge of the Green Goblin #2- flashback- As they walk Emily tells Norman that they should take a vacation, and that he needs to relax. Norman says that he wants to make her proud and restore honor to the Osborn name. Emily tells Norman that she didn?t marry him for a name.

Revenge of the Green Goblin #1- flashback- Norman stands with a pregnant Emily in what is to be Harry?s room.

Revenge of the Green Goblin #1- flashback- Norman stands by Emily?s bed as she lies in the hospital delivering Harry.

Revenge of the Green Goblin #3- flashback- Norman stands by Emily?s open casket.

Revenge of the Green Goblin #1- flashback- Norman kneels in front of Emily's grave in the rain. Harry was born less than a year ago. Norman does not regard it as a fair trade.

For more as well as a complete chronological breakdown of Green Goblin's history go to The Leader's Lair.

The Movie

Norman Osborne is a powerful and world-renowned scientist. When a lab experiment goes terribly wrong, Osborn's intelligence and strength are enhanced. But he is also driven insane. Norman Osborne adopts the ghoulish persona of the Green Goblin, Spider-Man's arch enemy.

The Goblin goes Hollywood in the 2002 Sony Movie.

Batman has The Joker. Superman has Lex Luthor. And Spider-Man has The Green Goblin, his arch nemesis - the villain who has caused more pain and suffering in his life than just about any other (perhaps with the exception of the original burglar who killed Peter Parker's Uncle Ben).

Originally introduced in Amazing Spider-Man no. 14 back in July 1964, and created by Spider-Man's original co-creative team (writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko), The Green Goblin's first few appearances were shrouded in mystery. For a long time no-one knew who the Goblin was, and in fact it took two years of comic books before Norman Osborn was finally revealed to be The Green Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man no. 39. It took another 80-odd issues before the infamous 'Death of Gwen Stacy' storyline was played out, in which Spider-Man's true love was thrown from the Brooklyn Bridge and died; racked with guilt, Spider-Man almost beat The Green Goblin to death as a result.

Later on in his comic life Norman Osborn's son, Harry Osborn, took over his father's role for a while, after being driven insane by his father's apparent 'death'. In the 1980s The Green Goblin's legacy lived on as the Hobgoblin, a new villain who plagued Spider-Man for years. The wheel has turned all the way around now though, and Norman Osborn, as The Green Goblin, is once again tormenting Peter Parker and Spider-Man in the pages of various Marvel comics.