In a case of pure coincidence, check out this conversation from Machine Man #19.
For context, while out on business, Machine Man spotted a known criminal and followed him back to his hideout, and ended up getting in a fight with the whole gang. Jack O'Lantern's gang. These two are his friends, and are worried about why he hasn't come back yet:
"Hobgoblins" isn't exactly the most common word in the world, even in 1980, so the term appearing at all in the comic that was the first appearance of a character who would later trade his villain identity away and become the new Hobgoblin is a fun little coincidence (keeping mind that the Hobgoblin identity wouldn't even be created until 1982). But the fact that, in a way, Aaron was late because Hobgoblin grabbed him is happenstance of incredible proportions!
