AGE OF THE SENTRY #2 (w/ Carol Danvers and Silver Age)

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wolframbane
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AGE OF THE SENTRY #2 (w/ Carol Danvers and Silver Age)

Post by wolframbane »

Here is my review of AGE OF THE SENTRY #2. Note that AOS 1 and AOS 2/2 appear to be framing stories involving a father tellings his son a bedtime story about Sentry.

AGE OF THE SENTRY #2
November 2008
"Ursus the Ultra-Bear"
10 pages

Characters: Sentry (Robert Reynolds), Sentress (Carol Danvers, later Ms. Marvel), J. Jonah Jameson, Joseph "Robbie" Robertson, Truman Capote, Lolly, Harrison Oogar, Bear Radley, Harper (Lee?)
Villains: Cranio, Ursus

Synopsis:
(1:2-6) USAF officers Carol Danvers (the future Ms. Marvel) and Lolly visit the World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, as Sentry arrives after stopping an earthquake from destroying the Great Wall of China. The Sentry meets Truman Capote, a guest journalist with the Daily Bugle, and Harrison Oogar, the Caveman of Wall Street. Cranio, disguised as a ringleader, has his bear Ursus attack Carol, but Sentry hits the bear with his solar blasts. The blasts affect Ursus (chemically modified by Cranio) who mutates and becomes a giant monster. Sentry and the Sentress (actually Carol Danvers) battle Ursus and Cranio, who soon flee, and Capote writes a scathing article about Sentry. Daytime.
(5:2)-FB Cranio discovers a moon in the Antares star system which has radiation which creates giant animals. Flashback.
(5:3)-FB Cranio purchases Ursus the bear from a circus that is closing down. Flashback.
(7-8:1) Ursus heads northeast to feed in the ocean. Sentry unsuccessfully battles Ursus and Cranio. Daytime, setting sun. "Later...", probably same day.
(8:2) Sentry battles Ursus several more times, including by an Egyptian pyramid and by a city skyscraper. Four headlines from Daily Bugle. Assuming the Daily Bugle only publishes once a day, this would mean at least four more days have passed. If the Daily ugle runs to press more than once per day, perhaps less time (anyone know for sure?).
(8:3-9:3) Sentry arrives at the Daily Bugle and briefly encounters J. Jonah Jameson and "Robbie" Robertson. He talks to Capote, who has been writing scathing articles about him. Capote relates his childhood trauma about bears, which gives Sentry an idea. After meeting Sentry, Capote is inspired to write 'In Gold Blood' (his novel 'In Cold Blood'). Daytime.
(8:6-9:1)-FB Truman Capote describes how, when he was a child, a demented local named Bear Radley dressed up as a bear on Halloween and chased him and his friend Harper. Harper was inspired by this event to write a novel (apparently Harper was actually Harper Lee and the book was 'To Kill a Mockingbird'). Capote was left with a fear of bears and passed out whenever one was even mentioned, and he tried to work through his fear by writing 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. Flashback.
(9:4-10) Sentry and Sentress lure an attacking Ursus to a cave in Antarctica, where the cold weather causes Ursus to instinctively enter hibernation for hundreds of years. Probably same day.
NOTES: Aprroximately six days.
"The World's Fair at Flushing Meadows" is a topical reference to the historical 1964/1965 World's Fair, which occurred from April 22 to October, 1964, and April to October 17, 1965. I would suggest placing this event sometime between April to October.
The appearance of Carol Danvers as Sentress would seem to occur after she first gained her powers from the Psyche-Magnitron in Captain Marvel #16-18 (1968), but before she left the Air Force and NASA, and before she became Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel #1 (1977). Cranio mentions "your powers seem to originate differently than the Sentry's". The appearance of Jonah and Robbie is also likely before JJ offers her a job with WOMAN magazine in Ms. Marvel #1.
This appears to be, to the best of my knowledge, the first appearance of Truman Capote and Harper Lee in the MU. His counterpart on Duckworld was Truman Capoultry who first appeared in Howard the Duck v2 #4. Capote's fear of bears may have been inspired by reporter Stephen Colbert's infamous fear of bears.
The Antares star system also appears in Speed Carter #6 (w/ the Scorpeople of 2075), and Astonishing #56/2 (w/ Kartu Kon).


AGE OF THE SENTRY #2/3
November 2008
"The Secret of Area B"
10 pages

Characters: Sentry, Watchdog, Scout, Ant-Man, Captain America, Cyclops, Daredevil, Dr. Strange, Dum Dum Dugan, Hulk, Human Torch II, Invisible Girl, Iron Man I, Marvel Girl, Mr. Fantastic, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Thing, Thor, Wasp, Colonel Nick Fury of SHIELD AND Sgt. Nick Fury of the Howling Commandos
Villains: Super-Collider, Cranio

Synopsis:
(1:2-3:2) Sentry and Watchdog are on patrol and the Sentry briefly encounters Spider-Man, Thor and Quicksilver, but they all avoid him. Daytime.
(3:3-7:2) Sentry (w/ Watchdog) talks to Scout about how numerous heroes (X-Men, Dr. Strange, Iron Man, Ant-Man and Hulk) have been avoiding him. Scout leaves and Sentry happens across a battle between the FF and the Super-Collider ("a top-notch Soviet scientist who harnessed the secret of atomic power for his own evil ends"). Sentry and the FF defeat the villain, and Reed asks the Sentry to watch him as they depart in the Fantasticar. As SHIELD (w/ Fury and Dugan) arrive to take Super-Collider into custody, Sentry finds a folder left behind by Sue labeled 'Area B', which reveals a conspiracy involving numerous heroes to avoid him. Daytime, "a week later" (possibly seven days later).
(7:3-10) Sentry and Watchdog observe as numerous heroes enter a brownstone, when Dr. Strange comes out and yells at him for help. Sentry enters and finds they are throwing him a surprise birthday party (which includes Scout, Ant-Man, Captain America, Cyclops, Daredevil, Dr. Strange, Hulk, Human Torch II, Invisible Girl, Iron Man I, Marvel Girl, Mr. Fantastic, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Thing, Thor, Wasp, and TWO Nick Fury's). When confronted with both the modern Colonel Fury and WWII era Sgt. Fury, Sentry realizes that something is wrong, and the partygoers briefly fade, Sentry appears as he does many years later (without his mask and long blond hair), and Cranio (also appearing much different) appears, but things quickly revert back to the party and Sentry appears to have no memory of the event. "Two days later." Nighttime, full moon, trees with leaves.

NOTES: Approximately 10 days, ending the night of a full moon. The final night is Sentry's birthday.

The shift in reality at the end of the story appears to be a foreshadow of things to come, which will probably be revealed in later issues.

Placement for this story is complex. This is an early gathering of a large number of Silver Age heroes (such as in FF 25-26, FF 28, FF 36, FF@ 3, UX 9 and MARVELS 2), many of whom may or may not have encountered one another before. Below are some placement notes:
Sentry once fought alongside Thor against Zarrko, so after Journey Into Mystery #86 (1962), this was jokingly referred to as occuring in Journey Into Mystery Summer Special #3.
Quicksilver is an Avenger and has his green costume, so between Avengers #16 (1965) and #75 (1970).
Scarlet Witch still wore her full 'chin' headband, so before she used her 'chinless' headband in Avengers #36 (1967)
Henry Pym is still Ant-Man, so before Tales to Astonish #49 (1963).
Wasp wears her original costume with the 'pointy' skullcap, so before Tales to Astonish #59 (1964).
Captain America is awake, so after Avengers #4 (1964).
Marvel Girl still wears her full cowl, so before Uncanny X-Men #25 (1966).
Iron Man appears to be wearing his Mk III armor, so between Tales of Suspense #56 (1964) and #85 (1967).
Fury and Dugan work for SHIELD, so after Strange Tales #135 (1965).
Daredevil is "that new guy" and wears his yellow and red costume, so between Daredevil #1 (1964) and #6 (1965), Daredevil also has the single 'D' on his chest (as in earlier issues) rather than the 'DD'. The reference to "First issue out now! Guest-starring Spider-Man!" is probably an error.
Sentry has never met Spider-Man before, so before Sentry/Spider-Man #1-FB (2001).
Sentry is friends with the Hulk, so after Sentry/Hulk #1-FB (2001).
Sentry has apparently met the X-Men before, so after Sentry/X-Men #1-FB (2001).
Sentry already knows the FF, so after Sentry/Fantastic Four #1-FB (2001).
The FF are in their 'classic' costumes, and Thing appears in his 'lumpy rock' form. Does anyone know when Ben developed his more familiar 'rocky plate' appearance, and if he ever reverted back to the lumpy appearance circa 1964-1966?
Invisible Girl is still rather ineffectual ("Oh Reed! My darling! be careful! If something were to happen to you...").

Anyone care to give this a shot to narrow down placement?
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Re: AGE OF THE SENTRY #2 (w/ Carol Danvers and Silver Age)

Post by Paul Bourcier »

Wolframbane, there are obvious contradictions in chronological placement in this story, as you point out in your character-by-character analysis. I suspect what's going on with Fury in this story indicates some kind of temporal anomaly that hopefully will be explained in a future issue. Until we find out what that's about, it may be premature to place AOS 2/2.

The other thing that makes me pause is the framing scenes in AOS. I wonder if those scenes are canonical Earth-616 scenes and if the Sentry stories are actually fictional stories published in Earth-616 comic books. I haven't read anything about this series, so I don't know what's been said about canonicity.
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Re: AGE OF THE SENTRY #2 (w/ Carol Danvers and Silver Age)

Post by dimadick »

wolframbane wrote:The FF are in their 'classic' costumes, and Thing appears in his 'lumpy rock' form. Does anyone know when Ben developed his more familiar 'rocky plate' appearance, and if he ever reverted back to the lumpy appearance circa 1964-1966? Invisible Girl is still rather ineffectual ("Oh Reed! My darling! be careful! If something were to happen to you...")
Per reviewer Gregg Allinson the transition was gradual. But "Ben became more "rocky"" as of "Fantastic Four" vol. 1 #21 (December, 1963). The result of combining the artwork of Jack Kirby with the work on new inker George Roussos.

The depiction of Susan under the pen of Stan Lee tended to include rather stereotypical dialogue and roles. So the dialogue may not be that helpful. Even in her early appearances she has moments of self-confidence andq competent use of her invisibility powers to escape traps or spy on opponents. For example in #3 she instruct the Thing and various troops to fall back and let her take the Miracle Man on her own. "One Invisible Girl can sometimes accomplish more than a battalion!"

That still does not prevent her playing damsel-in-distress time and again in those stories. Captured by Namor and negotiating marriage terms in #4, held hostage by Dr. Doom in #5. Not to mention appearing overly timid in non-battle situations. In #7 the Four are "going to Washington for a government-sponsored dinner to be held in the FF's honour. " Sue is "worried that during the dinner, she'd get so nervous she'd fade away and "...simply DIE of embarrassment!" "

Her forcefield power was added in 22 (January, 1964). The same issue where the thing first uses the phrase “It’s clobberin’ time!" Her powers grow but this does not prevent her being used as a lesser member of the team. In #23, Ben, Johnny and Susan want to replace Reed as leader. But each wants leadership for themselves. Reed shuts them up in minutes. "Now hear this, all of you! If you think I like being the leader of a group of temperamental prima-donna's, you're crazy! But someone's got to do it, and I'm the only one who can stand you!" ... "As far as we know, Doctor Doom is still at large, and he'll never rest until he's destroyed us! I've been trying to trace him... to strike first... while you've thought only of yourselves! Now take these [brooms] and clean this place up! And if anyone wants to quit... you know where the door is!"
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Re: AGE OF THE SENTRY #2 (w/ Carol Danvers and Silver Age)

Post by Somebody »

Paul Bourcier wrote:Wolframbane, there are obvious contradictions in chronological placement in this story, as you point out in your character-by-character analysis. I suspect what's going on with Fury in this story indicates some kind of temporal anomaly that hopefully will be explained in a future issue. Until we find out what that's about, it may be premature to place AOS 2/2.

The other thing that makes me pause is the framing scenes in AOS. I wonder if those scenes are canonical Earth-616 scenes and if the Sentry stories are actually fictional stories published in Earth-616 comic books. I haven't read anything about this series, so I don't know what's been said about canonicity.
I would go further and say that it's premature to place the whole series - given the ending of AOS 2/2, this may end up going between two issues of Mighty Avengers as a mindwarp experience rather than something representative of the actual ("Sentry-infected" :)) MU past.

As for the framing sequence... that could be a flashforward, and the dad could be the Sentry himself. Or it could be representative of whoever's manipulating him in the guise of Cranio in AOS 2/2. Or it could be fictional stories representative of actual events that the MU denizens still can't quite remember.

For all those reasons, I think placing before the release of AOS 6 is premature.
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Re: AGE OF THE SENTRY #2 (w/ Carol Danvers and Silver Age)

Post by Paul Bourcier »

Somebody wrote:
For all those reasons, I think placing before the release of AOS 6 is premature.
Agreed.
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Re: AGE OF THE SENTRY #2 (w/ Carol Danvers and Silver Age)

Post by Enda80 »

"Daredevil is "that new guy" and wears his yellow and red costume, so between Daredevil #1 (1964) and #6 (1965), Daredevil also has the single 'D' on his chest (as in earlier issues) rather than the 'DD'. The reference to "First issue out now! Guest-starring Spider-Man!" is probably an error"

Spider-Man appeared on the cover of Daredevil I#1, as did the Fantastic Four; however, that only served as promotional blurbs informing customers that the same company had produced these two other series; neither DD or the FF appeared in the story in Daredevil I#1. Seems as if we have somebody who only looked at the cover again (remember the thread about the Central City/New York confusion and that the Mole Man never got shown as attacking North America in FF I#1?).
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