Issue(s): Marvels: Eye of the Camera #6
Cover Date: Apr 10
Title: "Closing the book"
Credits:
Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern - Writer
Jay Anacleto - Artist
Lauren Sankovitch - Associate Editor
Tom Brevoort - Editor

Review/plot:
As the title says, this issue closes the book on the Marvels series and the life of Phil Sheldon. This issue picks up soon after the end of the last one, with Maggie visiting Phil Sheldon in the hospital. It must be a little later, since last issue we saw the press conference regarding the Mutant Registration Act, and this issue has the X-Men's Fall of the Mutants battle in Dallas already in progress.

While they watch that on television, they talk about what happened to Maggie after she left the Sheldon household.

Upon hearing Bolivar Trask talking on television about hunting down mutants, she ran away so that the Sheldons wouldn't get hurt, and she wound up in New Guinea. Even there, you'll notice, she wasn't completely out of range of the Marvel universe.

She came back when she heard Phil had cancer.

On his side, Sheldon is feeling guilty that he didn't really do much for Maggie.

But she assures him that he became a role model for her during her brief stay with him.

In addition to the events in Dallas, they also see what's going on with X-Factor in New York.

And then they watch the X-Men die.

Sheldon also dies, soon after his family arrives at the hospital.

We then go to his funeral.

Phil's colleague Marcia Hardesty - seen earlier in the issue reporting on the events in Dallas - says that she'll help the Sheldon family finish Phil's second book.

And after all of Sheldon's concerns in past issues about the way the public has treated its Marvels, it's a fitting end to note that X-Factor got a parade for their efforts.

This issue is much lighter on references than past issues, and they're mostly confined to Fall of the Mutants. That works really well, both in terms of allowing more space devoted to Phil's goodbyes and death, and because the end result of Fall of the Mutants was an increased (if temporary) acceptance of mutants, which fits nicely with the themes of the series.

Quality Rating: A

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This must end the same day as Fantastic Four #312, since the events there cause Marcia Hardesty to be late to Phil's funeral.

References:

• This issue opens during the Fall of the Mutants, with scenes from Dallas from Uncanny X-Men #225-227.
  
• While keeping one eye on the news about that, Maggie and Phil share what happened to them after Maggie ran away after Marvels #2.
  
• In Maggie's story, we see her watching Professor X's appearance on television from Uncanny X-Men #14.
  
• She then moved to New Guinea where she used her x-ray eye powers to help the locals. While she was there she once saw Dr. Doom riding around on the Silver Surfer's surfboard, from circa Fantastic Four #57-60, and a swarm of Sentinels, probably from circa Avengers #102-104.
  
• Later, X-Factor's actions in X-Factor #24-25 against Apocalypse and also their rescue efforts in X-Factor #26 are shown.
  
• When the Empire State Building's antenna is brought up, Phil Sheldon remembers Sub-Mariner tearing it off back in Marvels #1 and Marvel Mystery Comics #8-10.
  
• A newspaper headline shows "Doc Ock on the loose", from Amazing Spider-Man #296.
  
• Marcia Hardesty was late to Phil Sheldon's funeral because she was covering the parade for X-Factor (and the attack by Latverian stormtroopers) in Fantastic Four #312.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? Y

My Reprint: N/A