The Goblin King briefly impersonates the original Hobgoblin. The hobgoblin, once a friendly household spirit, became classed as a wicked goblin. Demogoblin directs the Doppelganger in a grudge against Hobgoblin, whom the altruistic Spider-Man protects. Peter punches Fury for ignoring his questions for why Harry Osborn became the Hobgoblin. He battles Osborn who uses his own father's weaponry against the Hobgoblin. Tiberius Stone sabotages the Hobgoblin, ruining him. The name Hobbes is an obvious pun on the word "hobgoblin". For his failure, Osborn fired the Hobgoblin. She evicted some females who formed the Asphodel and Hobgoblin groups. Kingsley captured Leeds and brainwashes the reporter with Winkler's device into being the Hobgoblin. Hobgoblin took revenge by abducting Flash and framing him as Hobgoblin's true identity. Most of the members are again incarcerated, but Vulture and Hobgoblin escape. Spider-Man publicly reveals Phil Urich as the new Hobgoblin. Peter and Fury's relationship became strained after the "Hobgoblin" arc. Upon reviewing the clues, DeFalco decided that the Hobgoblin was Richard Fisk.