THE SENTRY #1 (MARVEL COMICS)
Robert Reynolds is back….
The “Golden Guardian of Good” is Marvel’s most powerful and polarizing superhero. Debuting in 2000’s “Sentry” series by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, Reynolds was a “lost” hero who’s powers were immeasurable. He also had an alter ego known as The Void. Being the dark version of the hero, their conflict put the universe in danger. To defeat him, Reynolds teamed up with Dr. Strange and Mr. Fantastic to wipe his memories and legacy from existence.
This lasted many years until Bob started to remember. From that point on, The Sentry returned and became a major player in the 616 universe. He’s been an Avenger and Dark Avenger under Norman Osborn. Reynolds has also played a part in many events such as “World War Hulk”, “Civil War” and “Siege”. In certain cases, The Sentry has died to stop the Void from existing.
Reynolds has been absent from the Marvel Comics Universe since Knull killed him in the 2020 “King In Black” storyline. Since then, There was also a Sentry series in 2023 that anointed a possible successor in Solarus. Reynolds made the jump into the MCU movies with “Thunderbolts*” in 2025 and appears to be taking the mantle back with an old friend steering the ship.
THE SENTRY #1 by Paul Jenkins, Christian Rosado, Matt Milla & Joe Caramagna (Marvel Comics) reunites Jenkins with the character he created for an all new tale.
Let’s take a deeper dive into what is unfolding now.
THE SENTRY #1 by Paul Jenkins, Christian Rosado, Matt Milla & Joe Caramagna (Marvel Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Jenkins’ return with Bob comes with many layers to peel back. The opening ties into Reynolds’ own internal struggles. Bringing up an actual event such as Laika and her space mission is a deep dive. It moves events into exposing his broken soul and what lurks with it. Events shift to the present and a very unlikely encounter. The Void’s shakedown of the Kingpin is a bold move. It allows the readers to fully grasp the levels of the dark side of the Sentry. Dialogue is cold and unhinged. It makes the following events all that more complex.
Entertaining a press conference with the Avengers and Fantastic Four exposes Bob’s defenses of his other half. The tone is very uncertain in how he’s handling the burden. This carries over to a more personal look with Lindy, his wife. Their interaction skims across the underlying theme of loss. Readers get a small break from this as Sentry and co. handle a natural disaster caused by the Void. This spirals into a more personal reflection of events that opens Bob up to a dire destiny. Even with an event happening in NYC, the closing shows how far Bob has fallen and there’s no easy way getting up.
Rosado & Milla start with a very dire look at Bob reflecting over loss. The single tear coming down his face sets the tone for what lies ahead. Seeing the flashbacks of the Laika is a unique sight. It shifts to the Void/Kingpin shakedown. The panels displays Void’s manic actions with a devilish smile. Kingpin’s look of fear is a statement maker. This moves into a more brighter look at the MCU. The press conference with the Avengers comes off like smoke and mirrors. Heroes are happy to see Bob back. His reactions show the struggles in dealing with it.
Once the cameras are gone, Bob’s vulnerability is on full display. The panels with Lindy open him up with great sorrow. Readers get taken into a more dangerous place with the disaster on the coast. A half panel lets the Sentry make a grand entrance to stop it. While brief, it gives the story some classic superhero scene. This all gets upstaged by a more personal time with a confidential meeting. The art unloads on the weight Bob attempts to carry. Readers get one more injection of suer heroics before coming back full circle. Bob’s world is ever complex and time seems to be slipping out of grasp via the last panel.
FINAL GRADE: 8
Robert Reynolds returns with an introspective look at life and loss in this debut chapter. Jenkins pens a through examination of his thoughts with the writing. The art team brings out the emotional gravity on each page. In dealing with the Sentry, nothing is ever easy. Jenkins’ return looks to set forth a new course that long time fans have been waiting for.
Let me know your thoughts on THE SENTRY #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
