Issue(s): Marvels #4
Cover Date: Apr 94
Title: "The day she died"
Credits:
Kurt Busiek - Writer
Alex Ross - Artist
Spencer Lamm - Assistant Editor
Marc McLaurin - Editor
Tom DeFalco - Editor in Chief

Review/plot:
This issue is a great one, depicting the end of the Silver Age as represented by Sheldon's disillusionment with the Marvels. He starts off trying to 'give something back' to the Marvels, trying to make up for the fact that the majority of people take the heroes for granted and treat them poorly, by proving that Spider-Man didn't kill Captain Stacy but it all falls apart for him with Gwen's death.

The book he had been working on is published by the beginning of this issue and it's a success...

...but by the end of the story he's disillusioned.

The story depicts a man growing old and tired. Busiek's ability to step into people's shoes and show the way they work and think proves he's a master, and by showing the Marvel heroes from all different people's perspectives he provides us with a fresh look at them as well.

At the end of the issue, Sheldon, in a manic state now that he's decided to retire, asks his assistant, Holly McCann, to photograph him, his wife, and the paperboy (i guess as a substitute for his kids, who weren't around?). He talks about how the paperboy is just a nice ordinary boy, but the kid is Danny Ketch, who will grow up to be the second Ghost Rider. You can't get much closer to a symbol for the modern grim & gritty age than that.

Ross' artwork is impressive as always, although i think he makes people's costumes look too bulky.

His faces are great. I particularly like the way he depicts Dr. Octopus' instability when Sheldon catches him in a lie.

Superb stuff.

Quality Rating: A

Historical Significance Rating: 5

Chronological Placement Considerations: As usual with these sorts of books, it needs to take place after all of the references below.

References:

• This issue starts with the Avengers off in the Kree-Skrull War, in Avengers #89-97. The picture depicting the war never actually happened since all of those characters were never together at once; i suppose it's more a depiction of what the public thought was going on.
  
• Spider-Man was wanted for Captain Stacy's death in Amazing Spider-Man #90.
  
• The Black Widow's trial for the murder of the Scorpion is from Daredevil #83.
  
• The plot with Iron Man and the Guardsman firing on a crowd of protesters comes from Iron Man #44-46.
  
• Galactus attacked the Earth again in Fantastic Four #120-123. Also in that arc, Reed spoke to everyone in the world using Agatha Harkness' magic.
  
• The Baxter Building eviction sub-plot started in Fantastic Four #126.
  
• Luke Cage first appeared in Hero for Hire #1, and he's not sure about being photographed because he's an escaped convict.
  

• The Hulk's appearance in Greenwich Village is from Hulk #142.
  
• The Sentinels returned from the sun in Avengers #102-104.
  
• Spider-Man was thought to have kidnapped Dr. Jorgenson in Marvel Team-Up #4.
  
• Dr. Octopus was arrested in Amazing Spider-Man #115.
  
• Ant-Man and the Wasp were presumed dead after Whirlwind destroyed their home in Marvel Feature #6.
  
• Daredevil and the Black Widow battled the Indestructible Man in Daredevil #93-94.
  
• Thundra fought the Thing at Shea Stadium in Fantastic Four #133.
  
• The Sub-Mariner invaded NYC to rescue Tamara in Sub-Mariner #60.
  
• The battle between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin that resulted in both Gwen Stacy and the Goblin's deaths was in Amazing Spider-Man #121-122.
  
• The Vision & Scarlet Witch controversy has been brewing for some time, but it became a main plot in Avengers #113.
  
• Iron Man fought the Masked Marauder in Detroit in Iron Man #60-61.
  
• The Hulk and Hawkeye fought Zzzax in Hulk #166.
  
• Ant-Man and the Wasp returned in Marvel Feature #10.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? Y

My Reprint: N/A

The airship in the center of the invasion page is the Owlship from "Watchmen", and Nite Owl and Silk Spectre are seen in the left window.

On the page showing the newspaper article on Norman Osborn's death, the article is actually a rant against Stan choosing Norman as the Green Goblin and how foolish it was to drive Steve Ditko away. You'll need a magnifying glass for it.

Sources page for this issue from the trade paperback for cross-referencing:

p. 2-3
Kree/Skrull War - #92-97

p. 5
Black Widow trial - Daredevil #83

p. 6
"Four Sounded in Stark Riot" - Iron Man #45-46
Attitude toward Falcon in Harlem - Captain America #151
"How Spider-Man killed George Stacy" - Amazing Spider-Man #90
Editorial in Bugle - Daredevil #84

p. 7
Galactus in New York again - Fantastic Four #120-123
"Landlord Wants Fantastic Four O-U-T!" - Fantastic Four #120
FF arrested, picketed, out on bail - Fantastic Four #113-116

p. 10
Cage taking out dope dealers - Hero for Hire #1
"I'm having Fox check it out" - Hero for Hire #4

pp. 11-12
Spider-Man/Dr. Octopus battle - Amazing Spider-Man #90

p. 13
"Hulk in New York" - Marvel Feature #2

p. 14
Astro-Nuts/Xemnu TV show - Marvel Feature #3
News of Sentinels approaching - Avengers #102

p. 16
"Accusing Spider-Man of Kidnapping Dr. Jorgenson" - Marvel Team-Up #4
"not stopping a crime wave" - Amazing Spider-Man #112

p. 17
Avengers in Australia - Avengers #104

p. 18
"Dr. Octopus Captured" - Amazing Spider-Man #115
Fire destroys Pym Home - Marvel Feature #6
File photo of Pym wedding - Avengers #60
Daredevil & Black Widow vs. Indestructible Man - Daredevil #94

p. 19
"Torch's new costume" - Fantastic Four #132-133
"--called Solarr, I think--" Captain America #160
Thundra's challenge - Fantastic Four #133

p. 22
"as if you'd lost control of your Tentacles" - Amazing Spider-Man #90

pp. 26-30
Atlantean Invasion - Sub-Mariner #60

pp. 31-37
Kidnapping & death of Gwen Stacy - Amazing Spider-Man #121-122

p. 38
Death of Norman Osborn discovered - Amazing Spider-Man #123

p. 41
Black Panther photo - Avengers #77
Lizard photo - Amazing Spider-Man #44
Vision/Scarlet Witch romance public - Avengers #113

p. 42
Shocker photo - Amazing Spider-Man #72
Hulk & Hawkeye vs. Zzzax - Incredible Hulk #166/Avengers #114
Triton in truck photo - Avengers #95
Thing/Hulk battle photo - Fantastic Four #25

p. 44
"Ant Man and Wasp Alive!" - Marvel Feature #10

Jay, thanks so much for posting these!

You're welcome!

That should be "Four Wounded in Stark Riot" of course. Aargh. Sorry about that. lol!

For all the kudos that the series had earned, this was where the Marvels became real for me. For all the cosmic powers and tampering with time, we could have had 500 pages of Phil talking to Gwen, and we'd still have to reach the point where the Goblin is hauling her unconscious body out the window. The look of fear on Phil's face mirrors our own, because we know how it's going to end. For all the impressive looks at the Marvel Universe, this is where we are horrified to realize 'this has all been written down long ago.' There's no escaping it. That panel of the Goblin carrying Gwen out the window is one of the most horrifying scenes in comics, for my money. I'm not easily frightened, but you identify with Phil, praying "Please, God, someone save her" and knowing in advance that she's going to die.

Fnord, I must respectfully disagree with you about Ross' "bulky" costumes. I love that he shows the folds and creases in clothes that are indicative of a character being in motion. Also, Spider-Man's wrists and forearms bulging due to the web shooters under his costume is a great touch, showing how it would look like in real life. It's also refreshing to not see the exaggerated musculature so customary to the medium. Personally, I always found it funny to see the rippling abs of Tony Stark through his Iron Man armor, as a for instance. All this attention to detail makes Alex Ross, in my estimation, the "Anti-Liefeld". Cheap shot? Sure, but someone had to take it.

Such a beautiful love letter to Gwen Stacy, and one of my favorite books because of it. (And Phil's vicious cynicism after she dies.) I mean, I've always been Team Gwen, but this just cemented it.

Since he's blond I always thought the boy at the end was Danny Rand not Danny Ketch. Although your explanation makes more sense in a metacontext.

Lol. Just checked my copy and saw that he's actually called Danny Ketch in full name in that issue and his hair is not blond.... so much for my memory.
Must have mixed that up with sth else...