Now that Norman Osborn has resumed the mantle of the Green Goblin, life has gotten much scarier for Spider-Man, who’s always been haunted by Osborn’s Goblin Legacy. While Norman is the first and arguably greatest Goblin, there have been many criminals who’ve followed in his footsteps, including Roderick Kingsley who became the evil Hobgoblin.
As dangerous as these Goblins are, they only assumed the appearance of demonic beings and did not become actual devils. One Hobgoblin, however, took things a step too far when he had the opportunity to become an actual demon — and took it. Things only got worse for him from there…
The Hobgoblin in question is actually Jason Macendale, the second (or fourth, depending on how you choose to count them) man to call himself Hobgoblin. Originally a costumed mercenary named Jack O’Lantern, Macendale took the Hobgoblin costume and identity from Ned Leeds, who later turned out to be a decoy for the real Hobgoblin Roderick Kingsley. Macendale hoped that the appearance and reputation of the Hobgoblin would enhance his career, but found it only took him so far.
For starters, although he was a gifted mercenary and killer, Macendale didn’t really have any superpowers of his own, just the Hobgoblin gadgets. Feeling he needed a greater edge, Macendale sought out power — and he got a chance to get it during Marvel’s Inferno event which saw Hobgoblin meet the demon N’astirh, a manipulative and powerful magic-user. Hobgoblin offered to sell his soul for greater power but N’atirh rejected the offer and transformed Macendale into a real demon with a horrifying fanged face, forked tongue, and oversized eyes.
While Macendale kept his soul, he now had the powers of a demon with superhuman strength, speed, and agility. He also had control over hellfire much like the demonic antihero Ghost Rider. Initially horrified by what was done to him, Macendale eventually embraced his monstrous new form and continued his career as a contract killer and criminal-for-hire. Later, he encountered Doctor Strange who cast a spell on him that made Macendale think his original face had been restored.
This led to the Hobgoblin walking around town in normal clothes, wondering why everyone was freaking out when they saw him. He even went back to wearing his old Hobgoblin mask over his face, not knowing that his real face was scarier than the fake one. Over time, however, Hobgoblin’s mind became even more warped than ever and he began seeing himself as a religious warrior who had to save a world full of sinners from themselves. During this time, he maimed a boy’s face to look like his and became even more violent and unstable.
Eventually, Spider-Man discovered Macendale hadn’t just been turned into a demon — he’d had an actual demon grafted onto him (again, similar to how Johnny Blaze was bonded with the demon Zarathos to become Ghost Rider). This demon ultimately rejected Macendale and separated from him, leaving Macendale human and creating an entirely new entity called the “Demogoblin.” This left Macendale with a new enemy, as his former demon half was intent on killing him. To survive, Macendale took Kraven the Hunter’s strength formula and defeated the Demogoblin in battle.
Although Macendale’s journey might be considered a literal representation of how someone can “beat his own demons,” the truth was that Macendale was already such a sick and twisted person that destroying his demonic side didn’t change him for the better. (Even N’astirh didn’t want his soul since it was so ugly). Macendale still sought greater power, eventually enhancing himself with cybernetics before the original Hobgoblin returned and killed him. Ultimately, Macendale’s role in Spider-Man’s Goblin legacy just showcased the futility of sacrificing your humanity for power.
