Gold Goblin #2 Review

Written by: Christopher Cantwell
Art by: Lan Medina
Colors by: Antonio Fabela
Letters by: VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover art by: Taurin Clarke
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: December 28, 2022

Gold Goblin #2 finds Norman confronted with the essence of his sins, now made flesh in the body of Queen Goblin. Can Norman stay on the straight and narrow, or will he return to his goblin-ish ways to kill another goblin?

Is It Good?

Gold Goblin #2 is just okay. The cover and preface pages label this issue as a Dark Web tie-in issue, but this contents have almost nothing to do with Dark Web, and the beating Norman takes from Chasm in the Dark Web #1 issue is barely a factor in the plot here. In effect, this is a Dark Web tie-in issue in name only.

When last we left Norman, he was struggling to fill the void in his mind left when all his sins were taken away by Sin Eater. Cantwell paints an interesting picture of a man struggling to come back from rock bottom, much like the way an addict struggles with recovery every day. Just as an alcoholic never stops being an alcoholic, Norman never stops being the Goblin. It’s simply a part of his life that he keeps contained. On that count, Cantwell takes an interesting approach to Norman as a man in recovery from his past.

Here, the recovery aspects are still front and center, but the arrival of the Queen Goblin puts pressure on Norman’s sobriety efforts. Can Norman maintain his new hero role and defeat the Queen Goblin without resorting to Goblin tactics? To continue the analogy, it’s like taking a recovering alcoholic and putting him in a car accident with a beer truck. Again, it’s an interesting approach.

For now, Cantwell’s story is leading Norman Osborn into new directions with broad potential. Will Norman crack under the pressure? Will he come through this current challenge stronger? Right now, it’s a wait-and-see game, but I’m still on board.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces

Gold Goblin #2 puts pressure on Norman’s recovery efforts, much like an addict tempted with his elixir of choice. The character work is intriguing, and the future potential is rife with possibility. Just don’t expect much as a Dark Web tie-in, since the event is barely a factor in this issue.