Warning: contains spoilers for The Sentry #2!Marvel has just highlighted the complicated legacy of an upcoming MCU hero. Next year, mainstream audiences will meet the Sentry in the Thunderbolts movie, but the character’s comic history is rich and complex. The Sentry, a Marvel pastiche of Superman, is also one of the publisher’s most divisive characters. Now, in The Sentry #2, the character’s nature gets a callout ahead of his MCU debut.
The Sentry #2 is written by Jason Loo and drawn by Luigi Zagaria and David Cutler. Around the world, random people are suddenly finding themselves with the powers of the Sentry. One such person, Mallory Gibbs, finds herself on the moon after her power flares up. She meets Ryan Topper, another human granted the Sentry’s powers. Mallory tells Ryan the Sentry is “terrifying” and he confesses that the Sentry can be divisive, even if he is the strongest Avenger.
Ryan attempts to recruit Mallory but she declines.
The Sentry Exploded Onto the Marvel Universe in the 2000s
The Sentry had a unique introduction to the Marvel Universe. Created by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, the Sentry was initially billed as a “lost” creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Marvel ran with this idea, ingeniously working him into their universe. The Sentry shared adventures with many of Marvel’s top icons–only to have his time as the Sentry purged from everyone’s memories. Going into exile, the Sentry would later join the Avengers during the breakout at the Raft. He served the team for a short while, but ultimately fell prey to Norman Osborn’s manipulations.
The Sentry embodies the spirit of 1960s Marvel Comics. Like other Marvel heroes of that era, the Sentry has real world flaws, yet in his case it is taken to the extreme. As Bob Reynolds, the Sentry was just an ordinary, middle-aged man, albeit one with a deep secret. He wanted desperately to be a hero, and his powers should have allowed him to do just that. Unfortunately, the Sentry’s demons claimed him, causing him to attack his friends and taint his legacy. As seen in this issue, the public is not sure what to make of the Sentry.
Marvel’s Original Hulk vs Sentry Fight Settled Who The Strongest Hero Is
The original plans for the fight between the Hulk and the Sentry in the World War Hulk event would have settled who Marvel’s strongest hero is.
How Divisive Will the MCU’s Version of the Sentry Be?
How much of this will make it into the Sentry’s MCU depiction remains to be seen, but the comics are at last acknowledging the character’s potentially abrasive nature. In this issue, as if to prove Ryan Topper’s point, fans see the recipients of the Sentry’s power do a variety of things with it. Ryan really wants to be a hero, but is coming across as a glory hound, while Mallory is unsure of it all. These people represent the various aspects of the Sentry’s personality, showing just how divisive he can be.
The Sentry #2 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!
