Issue(s): Marvels: Eye of the Camera #4
Cover Date: Apr 09
Title: "Deep wounds"
Credits:
Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern - Writer
Jay Anacleto - Penciler
Jeanine Schaefer - Associate Editor
Tom Brevoort - Editor
Joe Quesada - Editor-in-Chief
Review/plot:
We saw at the end of Eye of the Camera #3 that Spider-Man's failure to save the Hitman in Amazing Spider-Man #175 hit Phil Sheldon hard, greatly affecting his opinion of the Marvels that he had been idolizing even through periods where the public had turned against them. Now, any reading of ASM #175 shows that Spider-Man was injured and was barely able to rescue J. Jonah Jameson from falling, and that even the Punisher intended to save the Hitman once he saved Spider-Man. So Sheldon's whole worldview is based on an incorrect fact. But surely Kurt Busiek and Roger Stern were well aware of that. So the decision to base a major plot point in this series on a mistake had to have some significant meaning. And of course there's the fact that J. Jonah Jameson, the only one that could clear the record on that event, wouldn't do so for Spider-Man. But we're not just dealing with a "Spider-Man is misunderstood" story here. Both the original Marvels and Eye of the Camera are meta commentary on super-hero comics history. And the point therefore is that it doesn't really matter that Spider-Man wasn't in a position to save the Hitman. It's that the writer of that story put Spider-Man in a position where he was unable to save the character, and that there really weren't any consequences or examination of the fact that Spider-Man let the character die.
As far as signifying the beginning of a trend towards darker comics, that's not necessarily the one that i'd pick. But that's definitely what the writers are going for, and you can see more concrete examples come up as this issue goes on (see the References, with Frank Miller's Daredevil series especially coming up multiple times, as does Henry Pym's fall from grace).
Much of the book is a trudge through those various events from the perspective of the sick and retired Sheldon (few events are shown, just talked about).
Most of the events fall into the period from 1979-1983 and then there is a jump to Secret Wars, which has Sheldon wondering what value the heroes bring if there isn't much of a difference when they aren't around...
...and then from there another quick jump to Secret Wars II.
So this issue does cover the period through mid-1986, but very few events beginning in 1984 are mentioned, in contrast to the 1979-1983 References.
Secret Wars II, or rather the epilogue in Avengers #266 provides a major turning point for Sheldon, though. His disillusionment is such that he's given up on his work and resigned to die quietly at home, but he grudgingly accepts an offer to go photograph the damaged Rocky Mountains.
And seeing the mountains restored by the Molecule Man and the Silver Surfer, well, "I can still recognize a damn metaphor when you hit me in the face with it".
Unfortunately the upturn in spirit is countered by a downturn in Sheldon's physical health, although he doesn't become aware of it yet.
I am a fan of Busiek (and Stern, ofc) and i always enjoy these Marvels issues. But we're at a period where i think Busiek doesn't really like what's happening to comics, and through Sheldon we get a lot of negative, even moralizing commentary.
And it works really well coming from this sick, bitter old photographer. But it's not commentary that i personally agree with. Of course, we're only in the middle of the series and a spiritual low point for Sheldon.
In the Easter Egg category, a glimpse of a magazine cover that had a profile on Rupert Dockery.
Also, it's Tracy Burke, a recurring character from Ms. Marvel where she was an editor at Now Magazine, who comes and recruits Phil to go to the Rockies to take the photographs that change his outlook.
Quality Rating: A
Historical Significance Rating: 1
Chronological Placement Considerations: As always, for issues like these than span a large period, i place it after the last reference. In this case, the finale of this issue is the fixing of the Rocky Mountains in Avengers #266.
References:
- Spider-Man failing to save the Hitman from falling off the Statue of Liberty from Amazing Spider-Man #174-175 remains the core moment in Phil Sheldon's disillusionment.
- Other moments that Sheldon found disheartening include:
- Some of the above events have some explanation (Cap was brainwashed by Dr. Faustus, Justin Hammer took control of Iron Man's armor), but no reason is given for Spider-Man letting the Hitman drop (even though we readers know Spider-Man literally had his hands full with J. Jonah Jameson), and Sheldon complains that Spider-Man continues to work alongside the Punisher, as was next shown in Amazing Spider-Man #201-202.
- Sheldon next gets word that Ben Urich was stabbed by Elektra in Daredevil #179.
- A Daily Bugle poster advertises an article about the Black Cat's escape from Amazing Spider-Man #204-205.
- Some people on the street gossip about Henry and Janet Pym's divorce, and the fact that he hit her in Avengers #213.
- That triggers Sheldon to think about "this tawdry... celebrity scandal" and he goes back to review old photos of Pym and Janet, including a scene from their wedding in Avengers #60, going on a cruise in Avengers #75, and the iconic Giant-Man shot from Marvels #2 (and Avengers #6) that became the cover of Sheldon's book.
- About this time it's reported that Pym was arrested for stealing materials from a government facility, in Avengers #217 (worth noting that the announcement about that happens during election coverage that announces the withdrawal of the Kingpin's candidate, Randolph Cherryh, in Daredevil #180. This is a good time to remind people that because my Daredevil issues are in trade format, they are meant to span a period of time concurrent with other issues.).
- Not long after that, Bullseye's television interview, escape, and stabbing of Elektra from Daredevil #181.
- In addition to Daredevil crippling Bullseye after that, Sheldon is surprised by Galactus restoring Manhattan after "some renegade alien hijacked the city into space" in Fantastic Four #242-244 and upset about Spider-Man throwing Mr. Hyde off a roof in Amazing Spider-Man #231-232. You can see that the information that gets to Sheldon stacks the deck, since both of those events could have the positive spin of heroes fighting to save the lives of even villains (Galactus and Cobra, respectively). Also included in that scene is the Hulk's pardon from Hulk #278.
- Thinking about the above, Sheldon walks past an ad for the latest issue of People magazine, which shows Janet Van Dyne dating Tony Stark, from Avengers #224.
- Pym is exonerated after Avengers #228-230, but Sheldon correctly thinks to himself that "The controversy... it'd never go away. A permanent shadow. A stain on his record."
- The Punisher shooting litterbugs in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #82 is of course brought up.
- The heroes all disappearing for Secret Wars is big news (i'm not listing all the individual issues where the characters leave and return, but see Jay's comment below.). What's funny is that Sheldon says the "crime ramped up a little, but not too much." There is a reference to the Avengers that got left behind keeping things under control, from Avengers #243. But i guess Busiek and Stern never read Code of Honor #3, which shows a major super-villain uprising while the villains are away and undermines the "do super-heroes really help?" question that Sheldon raises.
- The scene from Secret Wars II that is depicted is a battle between the Beyonder and Phoenix over the island of Alcatraz, circa Uncanny X-Men #202.
- The scene with the Molecule Man and the Silver Surfer repairing the damage done by the Beyonder in Secret Wars II #9 is from Avengers #266.
- The last Sheldon heard of the Molecule Man, the Avengers stopped him from leveling half of Jersey in Avengers #215-216.
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? Y
My Reprint: N/A