10 Comic Book Supervillains Who Created Their Own Worst Enemy
7. Ultimate Green Goblin And Spider-Man
Brian Michael Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man is one of the greatest comic book runs of all time, and my personal favourite Spidey series ever.
Joined by artist Mark Bagley and then Stuart Immonen and Sara Pichelli, Bendis was tasked with bringing the Lee-Ditko character into the 21st century, modernising aspects of the web-slinger's mythology both narratively and visually.
Among the more compelling changes made for Spidey's Ultimate makeover was Norman Osborn. Depicted as a costumed crook with enhanced abilities in the traditional 616 canon, the Green Goblin of Earth-1610 was a hulking monstrosity - a truly terrifying prospect for the young Peter Parker to come up against.
The other interesting wrinkle with the Ultimate incarnation of these characters is that the Spider that gives Peter his powers is directly tied to Oscorp's research. Peter is bitten by a genetically modified arachnid containing the OZ compound, a mutagen developed by Osborn intended to create super-soldiers for S.H.I.E.L.D.
Seeing the results of the drug on Peter, Norman then injects himself with the compound directly, turning him into the hulking version of the Goblin we all know and fear, and setting them both on a deadly collision course.