Issue(s): Marvels: Eye of the Camera #2
Cover Date: Feb 09
Title: "Making sense of the world"
Credits:
Kurt Busiek - Writer
Jay Anacleto - Penciler
Jeanine Schaefer - Associate Editor
Tom Brevoort - Editor
Joe Quesada - Editor-in-Chief

Review/plot:
Phil Sheldon's cancer has metasized and he's got to make the choice between radio- and chemotherapy and having six months to a year to live.

Meanwhile, his book publisher is pushing for a sequel. The publisher wants the second book to focus on super-villains.

You can't help but wonder if the idea of a sequel being pushed on Sheldon is in any way auto-biographical for Busiek. Even if it's not, the idea of a middle-aged man facing cancer and looking back on his life, wondering what his legacy will be, is a recognizable theme, and it's done very well.

Sheldon attends an award ceremony honoring Peter Parker's contribution to photography. We saw in Marvels #3 that Sheldon doesn't have a lot of respect for Parker's MO of deliberately depicting Spider-Man in a bad light just so he can sell pictures to JJ, so he leaves the party early feeling crotchety. But when he's attacked by muggers and rescued by Spider-Man...

...Sheldon makes some important decisions. He's determined that he will publish another book, but instead of focusing on super-villains or the "dark side of the Marvels" the point of the book will instead be to explain why the "Marvels" deserve the public's respect, and in order to stay alive long enough to put the book together, he's going to take the cancer treatment.

It's a nice turning point, but we'll see in later issues that Sheldon will have his resolve challenged a few times, so it's not as neat a transformation as it seems, which actually serves to make the story more realistic.

On an art note, since the story is much more focused on Phil Sheldon, there's not a lot of epic scenes being depicted. Most of the super-hero events referenced in this issue are not actually shown; it's usually reporters talking or similar off-panel situations. The art fits the story well enough, though. One complaint: i don't really love the idea of Spider-Man's nose being so visible; no matter how realistic that may be, it's not how he's ever been drawn, so why do it that way here? Make the stuff you are representing work; don't try to "fix" it in this series.

Quality Rating: A

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: A casual reader of the Eye of the Camera series alone might not realize the time gap between issues #1 and #2, but it's clearly there based on the difference in Sheldon's age. All of the reference points and the fact that his book has already been published confirm it. This has to take place after all of the references below, including Marvels #4, since at this point his first book has been out for some time. It's worth noting that many of the references below are rumors or reports mentioned under discussion by reporters at the Bugle or their after-work hangout, and that the events referenced therefore don't necessarily have to occur in the order mentioned.

References: Thanks to Michael in the comments for helping me out on some of the references.

• On the title page, there's a shot of Phil Sheldon holding a copy of Time with a scene from Avengers #102.
• Phil Sheldon's book was published right before Marvels #4.
• Phil Sheldon's publisher Empire Books has also put out:
  • Life on the Gridiron, by the coach from Johnny Storm and Wyatt Wingfoot's college, Sam Thorne. Thorne was first seen in Fantastic Four #51. Thorne had previously played football with Wyatt's father.
  • The Making of Star Kings by Grant Marshall. Marshall is an actor from the supporting cast of It, The Living Colossus.
  • Fangs: A Confession of Hate by Montague Hale, who was one of the leaders of the Sons of the Serpents from Avengers #73-74.
• The public's ability to believe that Captain America was guilty of killing the Tumbler, from Captain America #170, figures heavily into Phil Sheldon's disillusionment.
• There's a photo of Magneto at the UN from Avengers #49.
• Around the same time as Cap's arrest, there's some more references including the Avengers fighting the Zodiac (Avengers #120-123), the Hulk busting up an army base (Hulk #171), and reference to Iron Man being in Detroit, which could be a reference to Iron Man #63 through Iron Man #67.
• From the same scene some news references to Fantastic Four #143, Giant-Size Super-Stars #1, and Daredevil #108.
• Later, there's a reference to the dinosaur rampage from Marvel Team-Up #19-20.
• Around the same time, there's a reference to "werewolves in LA", "a hundred-foot tall stone guy playing King King on the Capitol Building (Astonishing Tales #21), "zombies", "that swamp-monster in Florida", and "vampire attacks in England". Most of those references don't require a specific issue number; the point is that this is a time when Werewolf By Night, the Man-Thing, and Dracula are all active. The zombie reference could be to either Brother Voodoo's series or Simon Garth.
• More quick references: the world invaded by demons (Avengers #118, part of the Avengers/Defenders War), Sub-Mariner at E.S.U. (circa Sub-Mariner #68), "Spider-Man has a dune buggy now" (first seen fully built in Amazing Spider-Man #130).
• A little later, Cap's team-up with the X-Men against SHIELD in Captain America #173 is shown on a TV report. It's said that the footage was released by SHIELD.
  

• Then the Hulk's team-up with the Juggernaut in Hulk #172 is referenced.
  
• The Sheldons took in the mutant named Maggie in Marvels #2. She ran away during the same issue. While Phil is thinking back on his life, he berates himself for not doing more for her.
  
• There's this scene with the giant bunny rabbit, which escaped from Dr. Strange's house in Doctor Strange #1 after the Silver Dagger enlarged it.
  

• The scene with Daredevil trying to stop the Mandrill's agents from flooding the streets of New York with counterfeit money, from Daredevil #108-109, is shown.
  
• The Invisible Girl filing divorce papers (Fantastic Four #147) while the Human Torch and the Thing fought the Sub-Mariner is referenced on a television show.
  
• Some more from Jay's list below, often photos and magazine covers:
  • Son of Satan on St. Louis Arch - Marvel Spotlight #15.
    
  • Peter Parker nominated for photographer of the year - Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1.
    
  • "Captain America defends Who?" - Captain America #166.
    Thing vs. Blastaar - Fantastic Four #63.
    
  • Yellowjacket & Wasp - Avengers #60.
    
  • Death of Captain Stacy - Amazing Spider-Man #90.
    
  • Iron Man vs. Titanium Man - Tales Of Suspense #83.
    
  • Dr. Strange and the empty lot - Strange Tales #120.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? Y

My Reprint: N/A