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1974-09-01 00:03:50
Previous:
Tales of the Zombie #6 (Simon Garth)
Up:
Main

1974 / Box 8 / EiC: Roy Thomas

Next:
Defenders #15-16

Marvels: Eye of the Camera #2

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

Characters Appearing: Bennet Schwed, Beth Sheldon, Doris Sheldon, Hawkeye, J. Jonah Jameson, Jenny Sheldon, Joe 'Robbie' Robertson, Mary Jane Watson, Nick Katzenberg, Phil Sheldon, Spider-Man

Previous:
Tales of the Zombie #6 (Simon Garth)
Up:
Main

1974 / Box 8 / EiC: Roy Thomas

Next:
Defenders #15-16

Comments

The rabbit is from Dr. Strange 1- Clea created it and Silver Dagger cast a spell to make it grow larger.
The world being invaded by demons might refer to Dormammu's invasion at the end of the Avengers- Defenders crossover.

Posted by: Michael | December 27, 2011 7:53 AM

Thanks, Michael. You're right on both counts, although i'm disappointed to be reminded of the Doctor Strange issue because it means there isn't a "giant bunny on a rampage" story that i was missing.

Also, at the end of the Avengers/Defenders War, Dr. Strange was supposed to have wiped the world's memories of what happened. However, in Avengers #119, Iron Man and the Vision videotaped a report on the event for the news networks, so i guess that's how Sheldon knows about it.

Posted by: fnord12 | December 27, 2011 10:47 AM

Just thought I'd type out the "Sources" section from the Trade Paperback for cross-checking.

Page 1
Time cover - Avengers #102

Page 5
Sam Thorne - First Seen: Fantastic Four #50
"Star Kings" - First Mentioned (Under Its Original Title, "Star Lords") Astonishing Tales #21
"Marvels" - First Published: Marvels #4
Montague Hale - Co-Led The Sons Of The Serpent In: Avengers #73-74

Page 6
Magneto at U.N. - Avengers #49

Page 7
Human Torch upstate/Dr. Doom - Fantastic Four #143
Hulk/Thing battle - Giant-Size Super-Stars #1
Foggy Nelson shot - Daredevil #108
Avengers vs. Zodiac - Avengers #120-122
Hulk at army base - Incredible Hulk #171-172
Captain America arrested - Captain America & The Falcon #170

Page 8
Dinosaurs on Broadway - Marvel Team-Up #20
Werewolves in L.A. - In Werewolf By Night
"Hundred-foot tall stone guy on the Capitol building" - Astonishing Tales #22
Zombies - In Tales Of The Zombie
"That swamp-monster in Florida" - In Adventure Into Fear and Man-Thing
"Vampire attacks in England" - In Tomb of Dracula

Page 9
"World was invaded by demons" - Avengers #118
Sub-Mariner at E.S.U. - Sub-Mariner #68-69
"Spider-Man has a dune buggy now" - Amazing Spider-Man #130
Captain America and X-Men - Captain America & The Falcon #173

Page 10
Hulk and Juggernaut - Incredible Hulk #172

Page 12
"Giant white rabbit" - Dr. Strange #1

Page 13
Maggie - Marvels #2

Page 15
Daredevil vs. Black Spectre - Daredevil #109
Son of Satan on St. Louis Arch - Marvel Spotlight #15
FF battle Sub-Mariner - Fantastic Four #147

Page 16
Peter Parker nominated for photographer of the year - Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1

Page 17
"Captain America defends Who?" - Captain America & The Falcon #166

Page 22
Thing vs. Blastarr - Fantastic Four #63
Yellowjacket & Wasp - Avengers #60
Spider-Man trying to save George Stacy - Amazing Spider-Man #90
Iron Man vs. Titanium Man - Tales Of Suspense #83
Dr. Strange and empty lot - Strange Tales #120

Posted by: Jay Demetrick | March 24, 2014 12:23 AM

I confess that I just found this site, and I may not be understanding all the rules of your ordering, but even though you note that this references the bunny from Dr. Strange 1, you still have it placed well before it. Even though you have the first five issues of Dr. Strange grouped together, based on your synopsis they don't seem to cover a wide range of time. Is something making it impossible for this to be at a later date?

Posted by: Icthyander | October 1, 2016 12:12 AM

You seem to understand the rules correctly, Icthyander. I think i missed this when i was adjusting things relating to Dr. Strange's chronology a while back. I've moved this forward in publication time. Thanks.

Posted by: fnord12 | October 3, 2016 9:52 AM




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