The Hobgoblin IV
First appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15 (as Flash Thompson); Amazing Spider-Man #275 (as Hobgoblin IV)

Destined to become one of Peter Parker's closest friends, and the best man at his wedding, Eugene "Flash" Thompson first entered the life of a young Parker as a bully, and tormenter during their time spent as high school classmates. But Flash's bullying techniques weren't motivated by pure hate. Growing up, Flash, his mother Rose and sister Jessie, had to contend with Harrison Thompson, the patriarch of the Thompson family, respected police officer, and alcoholic. Harrison would often drink himself into a stupor before going to work, working off his frustration on a defenseless Flash. By the time Flash Thompson reached high school and began attending Midtown High, he'd already developed a reputation as a football hero, one that suited him well and allowed him to bask in egotistical glory, while hiding his own fear and loathing of his father.

The primary target of Flash's attention towards picking on was nerdy Peter Parker, who even had his friends turned against him by the persuasive Flash. Flash also began dated the wealthy and beautiful Liz Allen and formed a clique of his own, consisting of the energetic Sally Avril, unlucky Jason Ionello and slow-witted jock "Tiny" McKeever. Flash continued to bug Peter, though after a few years of making Peter's life miserable, Flash finally got some payback when Peter challenged Flash to a boxing match to settle their differences. What Flash didn't know was that Peter was Spider-Man, who Flash had become a great fan of. With his spider-strength, Peter quickly mopped the floor with Flash. Nonetheless, Flash continued to bother Peter, with a brief interval of friendship when Flash found out Peter took pictures of Spider-Man and tried to make nice, and Peter found out the hard way that the only thing worst than being Flash's enemy is being his best friend.

In time, Flash graduated from high school, though by this point much had changed in his life. Liz broke up with him, fed up with his temper and bullying, Jason had become withdrawn, Tiny dropped out of school only to later return but without rejoining the football team, and Sally had been killed in a car accident. Things were looking up for Flash though. He'd gotten the football scholarship to Empire State University he wanted, and despite the fact that "puny" Parker was going to be a classmate, things were looking up. Flash quickly formed friendships with Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy, and began pushing Peter around again, but soon a call to arms came, that Flash would not turn down. Flash, who had enlisted in the army, got a call to arms, and went overseas about eight months, serving proudly for America. This experience changed Flash, and by the time he returned he had become a changed man, less prone to anger and slightly less bitter towards Parker. In fact Flash even welcomed Peter to live with him after Gwen, who had become Peter's steady girlfriend, died, and a temporarily insane Harry blew up Peter's apartment. This sparked what would become a close friendship between the two former rivals. Flash's love life would also get a much needed shot in the arm, when the followers of a man Flash was accused of murdering while in the service, sought vengeance against him. Amongst the followers was the Holy One's daughter, Sha Shan, who aided Flash in his escape, and eventual clearing of his name, as it turned out that the Holy One had not died but went into a mystical trance to save his life during the war. Despite their initial attraction, not much happened between Flash and Sha until a while later when she and her new husband Achmed Korba relocated to New York and following Korba's death, she and Flash began dating.

After a lengthy courtship, Sha and Flash broke up after he had been framed as the Hobgoblin and became involved in an illicite relationship with Betty Leeds, the wife of the man brainwashed into being a stand-in for the real Hobgoblin. It was after Flash went on public television denouncing the Hobgoblin as a loser and a creep, that the real Hobgoblin, industrialist Roderick Kinglsye, drugged Flash and placed him in a Hobgoblin suit into the waiting arms of the polie. While in police custody, Flash, who many thought to be the true Hobgoblin, was attacked by the Scourge, a vigilante bent on murdering as many criminals as he could. Thinking he could do away with the Hobgoblin once and for all, the Scourge, in one of his many disguises, went into the police station to gun down Flash, but instead murdered the misunderstood hero the Wraith. Flash's name was soon cleared and he resumed a normal life, breaking off his relationship to Betty Brant, since now it seemed that Betty's husband Ned was in fact the true Hobgoblin and further more, had been brutally murdered by enemies of his. Flash would serve as the best man at Peter Parker's wedding next, and began dating Felicia Hardy, who as the Black Cat, dated Peter for a time and was jealous at his marriage to Mary Jane Watson. While at first using Flash to make Peter envious, Felicia was genuinely hurt when Flash broke up with her.

After his break-up with Felicia Hardy, Flash found work as a paramedic, and had to deal with a broken back after an unpleasent encounter with crimeboss Tombstone. After this, Flash moved on to much simpler work as a high school gym teacher in New Jersey, but sadly his downward spiral in life, led to an unfortunate drinking problem that mirrored his father's. After nearly running over a small child when driving under the influence, Flash began to cleam up his life, and in doing so caught the eye of Norman Osborn, the founder of Osborn Industries and then owner of the Daily Bugle. Osborn, who was also known as the Green Goblin, the greatest of Spider-Man's foes, hired Flash to be his right hand man, which Flash did until Osborn went temporarily insane following a botched plan of his. Flash continued to date Betty, until eventually breaking it off with her, and has since continued to clean up his life. Despite a brief period of irritability towards Peter, Flash continues to be one of Peter Parker's closest and most unlikely friends.

Powers and Abilities: Flash isn't the brightest of individuals and often has trouble seeing things right in front of him. Nonetheless, Flash is a loyal friend and with stand up for those he loves. Flash is also a former award winning high school football player.

REFERENCES: Amazing Spider-Man #-1, Spectacular Spider-Man #-1, Amazing Fantasy #15-18, Spider-Man: Parallel Lives, Amazing Spider-Man #2-10, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #1-11, Amazing Spider-Man #12-15, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #13, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #15-16, Sensational Spider-Man Annual '96, Untold Tales of Spider-Man: Strange Encounters, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1, Amazing Spider-Man #17-22, Untold Tales of Spider-Man Annual '97, Untold Tales of Spider-Man '96, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #18-25 Amazing Spider-Man #24-26, Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man #7-9, Amazing Spider-Man #28, Amazing Spider-Man #30-31, Amazing Spider-Man #36-39, Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man #1, Amazing Spider-Man #41-47, Amazing Spider-Man #52-53, Amazing Spider-Man #72, Amazing Spider-Man #78, Amazing Spider-Man #80, Amazing Spider-Man #82-83, Amazing Spider-Man #105-110, Amazing Spider-Man #112, Amazing Spider-Man #114, Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man #1, Amazing Spider-Man #123-128, Giant Size Superheroes, Amazing Spider-Man #134-135, Amazing Spider-Man #137-138, Amazing Spider-Man #140, Amazing Spider-Man #143, Amazing Spider-Man #151-153, Amazing Spider-Man #156-157, Amazing Spider-Man #162-163, Spectacular Spider-Man #1, Spectacular Spider-Man #3, Amazing Spider-Man #165-167, Spectacular Spider-Man #5, Spectacular Spider-Man #7-8, Amazing Spider-Man #173-174, Amazing Spider-Man #176-177, Spectacular Spider-Man #12-15, Spectacular Spider-Man #18-22, Amazing Spider-Man #183, Amazing Spider-Man #185-186, Spectacular Spider-Man #24, Amazing Spider-Man #188, Spectacular Spider-Man #26, Spectacular Spider-Man #28-29, Spectacular Spider-Man #32, Amazing Spider-Man #192, Amazing Spider-Man #194-196, Amazing Spider-Man #199, Amazing Spider-Man #203-204, Spectacular Spider-Man #63, Spectacular Spider-Man #78, Spectacular Spider-Man #85, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #17, Spectacular Spider-Man #91-100, Web of Spider-Man #11, Amazing Spider-Man #273, Amazing Spider-Man #275-281, Amazing Spider-Man #283, Amazing Spider-Man #288-289, Spectacular Spider-Man #128-129, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21, Spider-Man: Parallel Lives, Web of Spider-Man #38, Amazing Spider-Man #300, Web of Spider-Man #40-43, Spectacular Spider-Man #148, Amazing Spider-Man #314, Spectacular Spider-Man #151-152, Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #9, Amazing Spider-Man #321, Spectacular Spider-Man #155-157, Amazing Spider-Man #326-330, Amazing Spider-Man #333, Amazing Spider-Man #335, Amazing Spider-Man #337, Amazing Spider-Man #341, Amazing Spider-Man #343, Amazing Spider-Man #346-347, Web of Spider-Man #77-78, Spider-Man #23, Amazing Spider-Man #359, Amazing Spider-Man #369, Amazing Spider-Man #372, Spider-Man Unlimited #6, Spectacular Spider-Man #222, Web of Spider-Man #123, Amazing Spider-Man #400, Spectacular Spider-Man #225, Web of Spider-Man Super Special #1, Spider-Man: Redemption #1, Sensational Spider-Man #7, Sensational Spider-Man #11, Peter Parker: Spider-Man #75-76, Peter Parker: Spider-Man #78, Spectacular Spider-Man #242-251, Sensational Spider-Man #25, Spectacular Spider-Man #255-261, Sensational Spider-Man #27-28, Peter Parker: Spider-Man volume two #3-4, Amazing Spider-Man volume two #6-8, Peter Parker: Spider-Man #6, Peter Parker: Spider-Man #14, Peter Parker: Spider-Man #18, Peter Parker: Spider-Man #31

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