Sentry Appreciation 2024 - The Man with the Power of a Million Exploding Suns

[MasterDebater1]

Thanks again, I really appreciate the kind words!

And I'm afraid not. Mostly because nowadays I put my creative time and energy into my own ideas. With one of those ideas being an original character based on the Sentry where I intend to explore all of the ideas I had. But that's slowly in the making and will take many years before I attempt to make something out of it. Free time doesn't come as easy for me as it did way back in the day when I was much younger and wrote those Sentry scripts.

That's fair, and yeh it must suck to grow up and lose time to other responsibilities, but oh well if you do release your ideas about an OG character based on the Senntry, hope you let us know and we'll happily read it

[Tendrin]

Seems to me Marvel's approach has always been, "You'll eat whatever we cook, or you won't eat at all."

But at least we'll get some version of the Sentry in the MCU. He'll probably start out as an unrecognizable, rail thin, grossly disheveled and unkempt homeless drifter with mental health issues (which if you live anywhere near metropolitan areas are sadly fairly common), but it shouldn't be too difficult to cast the part. I do worry about the movie script and overall characterization, though. Marvel movies are generally hit or miss for me.

Pretty much. There are a times a targetted 'take that, fanboys!' can work for me but after the early cancellation of Lemir's run and the immediate treatment of Sentry in Agents of Wakanda, Annihilation Scourge, King in Black and the Valkyrie stuff post death, seeing his corpse made into a joke in Thunderbolts, followed by his brief zombie resurrection in Strange and now this, it's been a very bad time for Sentry fans for six years now.

I get that Sentry is a tough, introspective character to write and Marvel has, for years now, only seemed interested in 'OMG HE'S SO POWERFUL!!!!" but come on. B level characters like Bob are rarely afforded the luxury of something other than superficiality, unfortuantely.

[Anthony W]

That's fair, and yeh it must suck to grow up and lose time to other responsibilities,

I used to think this too until I looked around and it occurred to me that almost every franchise I have grown up with is a dumpster fire now.

Back to Marvel. Lately I have been thinking that if Marvel can take everything post 2011 and toss it in the trash and never speak of it again the company would be better off. I always used to say everything post 2010 until it was pointed it that Miles Morales was 2011.

[MasterDebater1]

Thanks again, I really appreciate the kind words!

And I'm afraid not. Mostly because nowadays I put my creative time and energy into my own ideas. With one of those ideas being an original character based on the Sentry where I intend to explore all of the ideas I had. But that's slowly in the making and will take many years before I attempt to make something out of it. Free time doesn't come as easy for me as it did way back in the day when I was much younger and wrote those Sentry scripts.

off-topic, but have you ever watched The Lighthouse? its a good movie, and imo a lot of the themes in it would fit the Sentry, like the eldritchy, the is it all real or a hallucination along with the self hate and guilt that the protaganist has type of themes, and itd be really cool if there were comics or even visual medias exploring Sentry's pysche the way the Lighthouse was written and shot and incorparting some of the themes in it

[ENTRYS]

off-topic, but have you ever watched The Lighthouse? its a good movie, and imo a lot of the themes in it would fit the Sentry, like the eldritchy, the is it all real or a hallucination along with the self hate and guilt that the protaganist has type of themes, and itd be really cool if there were comics or even visual medias exploring Sentry's pysche the way the Lighthouse was written and shot and incorparting some of the themes in it

Hell yeah, I've seen it, brother. I don't think there is a single Lovecraftian or even just slightly Lovecraftian movie that I haven't seen.

And I agree. Personally speaking, I think that a Sentry medium (be it a movie, show or comic book) should always steer towards something dark and eerie. You have this character whose can change reality with his mind. Who sees and hears monsters. And you don't really make all too much out of it. In Sentry VOL 1 the story starts with the Void manifesting on the other side of the planet - as a black cloud of darkness with tendrils coming out of it - and racing towards America. And on his way Void kills peoples live stock, destroys their homes, kills European superheroes and causes unnatural forces of nature. But in the story you only see the aftermath so you have to imagine all of it while reading it. And while I think that can be effective, it still doesn't do much to establish a visual tone for the Sentry.

And I think making the Sentry more Eldritch in nature would be

a) fitting because he is a man who gained power beyond his own comprehension,
b) there is the Void who has taken on many scary Eldritch forms,
c) it would separate the Sentry even more from the usual Superman-inspired suspects such as Hyperion, Gladiator and others.



These are the vibes I envision for a resolution to Sentry stories. If it's just ONE movie, then it's that from the beginning. Otherwise, it's a slow descend to madness. I know not everyone is into that but IMO it's a great way to build up something new for the Sentry. Something that he makes his own because the clash of Superhero and Lovecraftian Horror is really not something we see all too often in media. And for the Sentry it has always been there, just not really elaborated on because the character got reduced to either punching really hard or crying all too often.

[MasterDebater1]

Hell yeah, I've seen it, brother. I don't think there is a single Lovecraftian or even just slightly Lovecraftian movie that I haven't seen.

It was a really good movie, very underrated, the slow descent into madness, Ike Sentry's backstory, you dont really know whats going on because its such a mess and it could encapsulate what the mind of a schizophrenic reality warper would be like. Along with the implications of the ID, the EGO and the Superego is all very interesting dynamics that can even be added to the Sentry, and we can even add something like the Lighthouse to the Sentry, where maybe he believes he deserves damnation, and he ends up in a Purgatory like I think what happens in the Lighthouse.

And I agree. Personally speaking, I think that a Sentry medium (be it a movie, show or comic book) should always steer towards something dark and eerie. You have this character whose can change reality with his mind. Who sees and hears monsters. And you don't really make all too much out of it. In Sentry VOL 1 the story starts with the Void manifesting on the other side of the planet - as a black cloud of darkness with tendrils coming out of it - and racing towards America. And on his way Void kills peoples live stock, destroys their homes, kills European superheroes and causes unnatural forces of nature. But in the story you only see the aftermath so you have to imagine all of it while reading it. And while I think that can be effective, it still doesn't do much to establish a visual tone for the Sentry.

And I think making the Sentry more Eldritch in nature would be

a) fitting because he is a man who gained power beyond his own comprehension,
b) there is the Void who has taken on many scary Eldritch forms,
c) it would separate the Sentry even more from the usual Superman-inspired suspects such as Hyperion, Gladiator and others.



These are the vibes I envision for a resolution to Sentry stories. If it's just ONE movie, then it's that from the beginning. Otherwise, it's a slow descend to madness. I know not everyone is into that but IMO it's a great way to build up something new for the Sentry. Something that he makes his own because the clash of Superhero and Lovecraftian Horror is really not something we see all too often in media. And for the Sentry it has always been there, just not really elaborated on because the character got reduced to either punching really hard or crying all too often.

You make a lot of good points, just wish Marvel execs would listen to this instead of it being on a forum. At this point, I have no clue what disney even wants with marvel anymore, seeing as theyve lost millions pushing out marvel crap and expecting everyone to like it or else be called terms that dont mean anything anymore.

I also agree Sentry needs like some movies to flesh out his character, otherwise hes gonna end up like Gorr, who was meant to be a very compelling and tragic character that got deconstructed so badly during the Thor movie.

Sentry imo has always been a better fit as a horror type superhero like Ghost Rider and Immortal Hulk instead of like always being on the sidelines cos he was too powerful and a team player type of character that he was forced to be since his conception. But looking at Marvel, I'm almost certain we're never gonna get that, unless better companies like Image or even Valiant decide to buy the rights for the Sentry and introduce a mentally ill Nyarlothep type of character, who has the Void when his episodes become too unbearable, along with smaller hallucinations that come to life and it all just looks like a mess.

[ENTRYS]

I also agree Sentry needs like some movies to flesh out his character, otherwise hes gonna end up like Gorr, who was meant to be a very compelling and tragic character that got deconstructed so badly during the Thor movie.

The bold parts are some of the aspects that you would need to get the maximum out of a Sentry movie (franchise). But knowing Marvel it's all about the:
VOID! VOOOOOID! VOID, VOID, VOID, VOID, VOID, VOID, VOID!!! VOOOOOOOOOOOID!!! VOIDVOIDVOIDVOIDVOIDVOIDVOIDVOIDVOIDVOIDVOIDVOID!! ! (We'll get to this.)

This is what I would have done if it was up to me. A Sentry movie trilogy focusing on three characters: Robert "Sentry" Reynolds. Lindy Reynolds. And his therapist. Throw in Sentrys dog for good measure.

First movie

Bob gets his powers. He slowly learns how to control them. He is dealing with the General (played by Nic Cage because let's make things crazy here) who has these crazy military gadget toys that can hurt even powerhouses. Lindy plays a big supporting role and is built up as much as Bob.
Throughout the entire movie, Sentry constantly hears evil voices talking to him and instigating him to do vile things. We learn about Bobs schizophrenia and the Void. Make it rated R because why not??? Sentry isn't Deadpool or Joker so it would hurt the box office performance but eh... I think it could be done if you put the focus on making it truly different. And not the like "The Marvels is totally different than all the other Marvel movies, please watch our movie." At the end of the movie Sentry sees the Void for the very first time which is the post-credit scene.

Second movie

Sentry has established himself as a hero. Now he is in full control of his powers and operates on a global scale. But all the responsibility and the horrible crimes he is seeing are wearing him down. Lindy and his therapist are trying their hardest to support him but he is growing more and more distant. And now the voices in his head have taken shape. Every now and then Sentry sees monsters in the corner of his eyes. The Void is starting to manifest as an entity. The antagonist in the movie is Cranio (played by Jim Carrey because let's keep the crazy streak going). It is revealed that Cranio was creating all of the crazy military gadget toys for the General. These are the ideas I already used in my scripts and I'm sticking to them because I like the links between the characters. At the end of the movie the Void interacts with the Sentry. It has now become a real entity. Maybe it's a Lovecraftian Ctuhlhu-like monster coming out of a lake while Bob and Lindy are on a walk. That way she sees the Void as well and Bob knows the Void has become real.

Third movie

The movie switches over to Lindys perspective and focuses on her in the third movie. She is the main protagonist and building her up as an actually good female character in the first two movies doesn't lead to people crying "wokeness, wokeness". But you have to do it since that's the best way to showcase the themes you would see in a Lovecraftian movie, which the third movie has become. Lindy is helpless against whatever is happening to Bob, just like relatives are often helpless when they're dealing with a severely mentally ill family member. She is witnessing Sentry trying to defeat his inner demons and to support him but there is only so much she can do. Same with Sentrys therapist. How about Brendan Fraser as the therapist? Everyone likes Brendan Fraser, right? In the end of the movie Sentry loses to the Void. Be it him getting lost in all of the power he has and the madness he creates, it doesn't really matter. And we have our next phase boss. Someone with powers like that of the Scarlet Witch, just in the body of an absolute powerhouse. Someone who doesn't have a twisted goal like Thanos or a mothers wish like Scarlet Witch. As the Void he is chaos incarnate with Bob oozing through every now and then to keep the Void in check for a moment. You have a scary villain with something good deep inside him. And you have a scary villain who is an actual threat unlike Kang.

Why like this?

Thunderbolts will already be all about the Void. So we know that the Sentry won't get the development he deserves as a character. My suggestion slowly builds up to the Void, which is something the Sentry has NEVER had, no matter who wrote him. Lemire tried it but was seemingly cut short. Usually, it's always about the Void, Void, Void, Void. But by showing the descent to madness slowly, you give the character more breathing room.

And more importantly, that's how we see the deconstruction of a character. A hero becoming a villain. That's not something we see all too often in media and when we do, it works great. Anakin Skywalker turning into Darth Vader is such an instance. Or what we saw in the last Joker movie with Joaquin Phoenix. And in Sentrys case it would be even more impactful because you see this broken man trying to be a hero and do the right thing but at the same time being his own worst enemy. I think that's very relatable. And if done right it could result in one of the greatest villains in cinema history. And if you don't want to make him a phase boss, you can always have Sentry beat the Void. But you do it in a way where Doctor Strange time shenanigans are involved. And we see the Sentry lose his powers in the end only to then gain them back like at the beginning of the very first movie. So the end is this tragic character being trapped in a time loop where he descends to madness over and over again. A bitter ending but also something that gets people talking.

I don't think there is a necessity for twists like in Sentry VOL 1 and 2 or the need to make it so that Sentry has always been around. We've already seen that and it would only make things more convoluted.

Potential Thunderbolts spoilers incoming:

But what we're getting in Thunderbolts is probably 20 minutes of Sentry time in total where he becomes the Sentry, hears voices and... creates a separate Void realm where the heroes go to stop Void..? What?

I don't know. To me it feels like the creativity and artistic ability of people working in creative industries such as movies, comics and games has gone downhill in the last 3-5 years. But maybe I'm also just talking completely out of my butt here and my ideas are even worse than what we've been getting from superhero shows in the last 3 years. Maybe I'm being a prime example of the Dunning-Kruger effect where incompetent people overestimate their abilities and underestimate the ability of others.

[ENTRYS]

Sites are now reporting that Lewis Pullman has accepted the offer to play the Sentry. How are we feeling about the casting, fam?

lewis-pullman.jpg

I specifically searched for a picture where I can see Robert Reynolds and a little bit of Sentry in there. So I don't hate the casting. It's a major improvement over Steven Yeun and the other two guys who supposedly got the offer.

[Wildling]

I only remember Pullman from Top Gun Maverick, where his codename was, seriously, "Bob". He played a more low-key pilot who was the only one self-conscious enough to wear a shirt during the beach football scene because according to Pullman Bob wasn't the type to go shirtless. I feel he could play a good Robert Reynolds, only needs to get a little more dishevelled, like being stubbly.

[MasterDebater1]

Sites are now reporting that Lewis Pullman has accepted the offer to play the Sentry. How are we feeling about the casting, fam?

lewis-pullman.jpg

I specifically searched for a picture where I can see Robert Reynolds and a little bit of Sentry in there. So I don't hate the casting. It's a major improvement over Steven Yeun and the other two guys who supposedly got the offer.

I personnally think he fits the part of Bob pretty well, and if he gets into shape, he could potentially be a really good Sentry, so I'm pretty happy about the casting so far, I just hope the Thunderbolts movie is actually good and that it does Sentry's character justice, although looking at the track record, its not looking good at all

[Tendrin]

Fine by me, even if I'd prefer someone a bit older.

[numberthirty]

Sites are now reporting that Lewis Pullman has accepted the offer to play the Sentry. How are we feeling about the casting, fam?

lewis-pullman.jpg

I specifically searched for a picture where I can see Robert Reynolds and a little bit of Sentry in there. So I don't hate the casting. It's a major improvement over Steven Yeun and the other two guys who supposedly got the offer.

Easy...

This guy or Yeun don't mean a whole lot either way without having any idea exactly what sort of Sentry they will be playing.

[Thor-Ul]

Easy...

This guy or Yeun don't mean a whole lot either way without having any idea exactly what sort of Sentry they will be playing.

Most probably tje villian of the movie.
I mean, c'mon! On one side you have a team of morally dubious mid power super soldiers, in the opposite side you have a over powerful classic superhero like figure who evidently will not be what he seems to be.
I will not be surprised than the script takes a lot of Homelander and Optiman in theie construction of Sentry as a mad/evil "Superman" figure.
Now there is hope than the writers get imaginative and make a last moment twist and save Sentry. But I doubt it.
The movie name is Thunderbolts. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

[MasterDebater1]

Most probably tje villian of the movie.
I mean, c'mon! On one side you have a team of morally dubious mid power super soldiers, in the opposite side you have a over powerful classic superhero like figure who evidently will not be what he seems to be.
I will not be surprised than the script takes a lot of Homelander and Optiman in theie construction of Sentry as a mad/evil "Superman" figure.
Now there is hope than the writers get imaginative and make a last moment twist and save Sentry. But I doubt it.
The movie name is Thunderbolts. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

The one thing that befuddles me out of everything else is how guys like @ENTRYS, @Tendrin, and even other fans of other characters manage to be able to have ideas and put them forth in a manner that is more consistent and interesting for Sentry lore compared to what Marvel comic writers havent been able to do properly for the past decade or two? Like how is it us fans are able to see ideas for new Sentry comics that these so called professional writers havent been able to creatively think up lmao. It just show how creatively bankrupt hollywood has become, along with the nepotism and activistic culture thats infesting right now.

[Golden_Guardian]

Most probably tje villian of the movie.
I mean, c'mon! On one side you have a team of morally dubious mid power super soldiers, in the opposite side you have a over powerful classic superhero like figure who evidently will not be what he seems to be.
I will not be surprised than the script takes a lot of Homelander and Optiman in theie construction of Sentry as a mad/evil "Superman" figure.
Now there is hope than the writers get imaginative and make a last moment twist and save Sentry. But I doubt it.
The movie name is Thunderbolts. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

I am definitely worried about this. Tone is going to be important. The Sentry really would not work with the usual action-slapstick approach that seems to permeate all MCU films at the moment.

It would require a much more sombre, introspective vibe for The Sentry. Bob Reynolds is a very tragic character.

The film also needs to avoid the "mentally ill = potential villain/dangerous and needs to be stopped" trope that seemed to follow Bob round during the Bendis years.

I don't have the highest hopes for it - likely the character will be another one-and-done if he is the villain.

At least it might possibly mean we get Bob back in the comics. I am at least hoping for that much out of it.