Plot: A seriously stirred pot keeps boiling over.

Comments: I've commented before on one particular mode for Warren Ellis is "The Rant." This is where the comic he’s writing becomes a platform for Warren to chatter about whatever is pissing him off that moment. Doctor Sleepless lapses into rant quite often and Transmetropolitian did too during its run. If it was just about any other writer such a mode would easily lapse into tedium. The last thing you want from your entertainment, comics or otherwise, is preaching. Warren Ellis is (in my opinion) the exception to the rule. Warren is at his best when angry. He has a sardonic funny brilliance to his rants which drives whatever point he has home. But usually packages it with twisted hysterical imagery. It’s hard not to enjoy dialogue that uses terms like “Goat Rape” especially when ranting about political process. Simply put, Warren Ellis’ rants are damn entertaining.

So what happens when Warren turns his ranting powers on a character that is demented past the point of sanity and doesn’t give a rat’s ass about anything but wholesale destruction? What if Warren’s rants unhinged themselves from the social concerns, bruised optimism or even a coherent point? You’d get darkly humorous articulate madness given form. You get the return of the Green Goblin! Ellis gleefully unleashes the snarling ID that’s in his head. That form has a green face, hurls bombs the look like jack O’ lanterns, and flies around on a jet board. Finally paying off a slow burn that has been building up on his entire run, the Goblin rampages through Thunderbolt Mountain and it’s the most fun you could possibly imagine. The first five pages are a rant. Osborn, stressed out, consuming placebo meds and most likely psychically manipulated, finally snaps. Its five pages of Norman talking to himself as he moves through the facility to his goblin gear. It’s an internal monologue that is, in turns, hysterical, chilling, and a true glimpse into a seriously sick mind. “Norman will make the girl pregnant and then snap her neck in public. Norman won’t mind. Norman will do what it takes.” You chuckle at his imagery while feeling the pull of his insanity, a deft little move. The character of Norman Osborn, a brilliant, egotistical, megalomaniac is perfectly summed up in this monologue all leading into the personification of that dark drive: A gorgeous reveal of the Green Goblin. The words, pencils, inks, and especially the colors work in tandem to give us the scariest most effective Green Goblin in years.

And Stormin’ Norman is just getting started! He beats the living crap out of the Swordsman (not to say swordsman didn’t have it coming) with pumpkin bombs and funny quips, nothing like a man enjoying his work. He then moves on to killing anybody that gets in his way and some that happen to be in the general vicinity. The powers of the super beings have been used quite effectively in recent issues of Thunderbolts. I never thought the Swordsman could trump Venom but he did and it was believable. Now it looks like the Green Goblin could take down the whole mountain. That’s just good, smart writing. It would be excellent to see him face off against Venom and make some pithy comments relating to their common enemy. I’m sure the Goblin has some constructive criticism to give Mac on his attempts to kill Spiderman as Venom or the Scorpion.

There is plot advancement also; Songbird and Radioactive Man figure out that the four telepaths in their prison might have something to do with all the chaos breaking out and there are a few panels of Doc Sampson and Penance working stuff out. But make no mistake, this is the Goblin’s show and his rampage raises the level of an already great book to a greater height. Its sick fun exactly what you want from a mountain full of sociopaths and criminals.

The art has never been more effective either. Mike and Rain have always created a mood for this book but the shadows seem to have gotten darker in the last few issues as the story builds to a head. Norman’s rant is beautifully interpreted, not one right angle in any of the panels. The comic itself seems to be spiraling into madness. The first look at the Goblin is probably one of their finest moments. The action is crackling, Goblin’s sound ass-kicking of Swordsman is brutal and you feel every explosion in your gut.

Final Word: It’s been a long time coming but the return of the Green Goblin pays heaps of dividends. Warren and company have masterfully stoked this fire into a blazing chaotic inferno. The comic has something for everyone. If you don’t dig Warren’s way with words (inconceivable to me) Deodato and Beredo’s visual work should bring you to the party. If, for some reason, you haven’t been reading this book get it for the glorious return of one of Marvel’s best villains. Then go back and discover what you’ve been missing these long months. But by all means necessary, get this book.

"Crazy Mary on Myspace"

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