Board Thread:Site-Related Tasks/@comment-61022-20160927205025/@comment-61022-20170213193310

When certain writers have been playing it fast and loose with it (without providing proper explanation) I would agree. For the most part the timescale does work in, I'd say, at least 98% of all cases when trying to measure things.

I think in this case, even mentioning the timescale in such detail isn't necessary. Merely stating that there is a discrepancy in time between when her parents were killed and she was recruited into SHIELD (which happened two years prior to the Modern Age based on Secret Warriors #15) contradicts her statement that she was acting as a SHIELD agent prior to the birth of Tony Stark.

Tony's age would be the only real sticking point here, because that's kept pretty vague. Regardless of his physical age, if he's older or younger, placing Valentina as a SHIELD agent prior to his birth just doesn't fit what has been previously established.

I think we could communicate both conflicting points without getting into too much detail about how old Tony Stark really is.

I'd write it something like this:

Two years prior to the modern age of heroes, Valentina's parents were killed in a bomb blast because (insert reason why, I don't recall, to be honest). Two days after their death she was approached by agents of Leviathan who attempted to recruit her. On the day of her parents funeral she was approached by Timothy Dugan of SHIELD. She agreed to join SHIELD but operated as a double agent for Leviathan. (Insert any additional details as to why, how and so on, like I said I'm don't really recall, I just glossed over the story just now) Conversely, the Contessa has stated that she has worked for SHIELD for over 30 years. An explanation for this contradiction is not forthcoming at this time.

If that makes sense?