Amoral billionaire fashion designer Roderick Kingsley was obsessed with Norman Osborn (aka the original Green Goblin) after discovering locations of various hideouts. Decided to create a name criminal himself instead of just being another Goblin, he altered the formula, the costume and improved the Goblin equipment in order to become the Hobgoblin. Kingsley then frames Ned Leeds for his crimes, and murders his successor Jason Macendale years later.