Ned Leeds

Profile

  • Real Name: Edward “Ned” Leeds
  • AKA: –
  • Family: Elizabeth “Betty” Brant Leeds (wife); Bennett Brant (brother-in-law, deceased)
  • Base of Operation: Formerly Daily Bugle Building, Manhattan, New York City, New York.
  • Identity: No Dual Identity
  • Citizenship: American
  • Martial Status: Married
  • Occupation: Newspaper reporter
  • Education: –
  • Gender: Male
  • Height: 5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
  • Weight: 205 lbs (92.99 kg)
  • Eyes: Blue
  • Hair: Brown
  • Unusual Feature: Burn scars on back of neck from an attack by the Molten Man
  • Origin: Human
  • Universe: Marvel Prime Universe (Earth-616)

He is someone forced into a role he didn’t want. Introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #18 (1964) by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Edward “Ned” Leeds was a field reported for the Bugle, where he met Betty Brants, Peter Parker’s ex-girlfriend. He comforted her after the loss of her brother and, even though he was away on assignment for a while, the two fell in love and were engaged. After being kidnapped by the Jackal, in the villain’s plot against Spider-man, Ned and Betty were married.

Ned was later assigned to investigate the Hobgoblin. After one of Hobgoblin’s fight with Spider-man, he followed the villain, only to be kidnapped and brainwashed into believing he was the Hobgoblin. Roderick Kingsley, the real Hobgoblin, used this to get close to Richard Fisk, then going by the Rose. When the Kingpin gang war became too intense for Kingsley, he leakde Ned’s identity to the Foreigner in Germany. Ned was kidnapped and brutally killed. The Hobgoblin role was taken over by Jason Macendale and Kingsley went into hiding.

Jackal (Reilly) later cloned him along with many of the former allies and villains of Spider-man. He would survive the mass clone decay but remained hidden. He would aid Spider-man and protect his wife from the shadow acting as a vagabond during this. He would reveal himself to Betty, which would result in Betty getting pregnant. However, she wouldn’t discover this until she returned from assignment, but by that time, Ned had lost his life saving Aunt May from falling debris caused by the Rhino. Betty didn’t know of the clone’s death but would meet with Peter to tell her of her pregnancy. He thought she was talking about the clone but was shocked to discover that the real Ned was alive, having been saved thanks to the healing properties of a Goblin formula he created.

Despite not being said on any of the figures, we have gotten a few Ned Leeds figures throughout the years. Confused? Well, this is because while Ned was running around as the brainwashed Hobgoblin, he wore the classic Hobgoblin costume, so whenever you have gotten the figure, you could have used it as Ned Leeds.

Hobgoblin decoy

Recommend Figure:  Hasbro Marvel Legends Spider-man Space Venom wave – Evil Adversaries Hobgoblin

  • Background:
    • When Ned was investigating the Hobgoblin, he was kidnapped and brainwashed by the villain into believing he was the Hobgoblin all along. This led to Ned continuing on as Hobgoblin while Kingsley would work in the background, controlling events as he saw fit.
  •  Why you need it for your collection?:
    • You will probably just be getting this for the Hobgoblin character rather then just Ned but this is just showing you who might be under the masked when you are poising him in your fight recreations.
  • Does it need a remake?:
    • No, but I wouldn’t mind if they release it with this head.

Needs

Below you will find a gallery of suits that still need to be made. I have included what I think are the possibilities of them being made. Note that these are my personal opinions and not facts. Please let me know if I have missed anything.

Alternates: Goblins | Hobgoblins | Ned Leeds (Multiverse)

Universe: Prime Universe (Earth-616)