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

[Anthony W]

That said, it's really too bad that the Montessi Formula stopped working. I really hoped that we'd finally moved beyond the vampire craze in pop culture. They ruined a good thing with so many entertainment platforms having their own version of a bloodsucker apocalypse.

I have no issues with vampires. I just want the dumb zombie craze to end. Zombies are the lowest rung on the horror ladder. Doing a zombie story is the creative equivalent of wearing sweatpants. Doing a zombie story is admitting that you're not doing anything of merit today so the sweatpants will work. At least you have to try with vampires.

[Oberon]

I've lurked here a bit, not many comments.

I may be a fair-weather Sentry fan. I generally like the real/original Sentry but admit to not following the complicated run of stories or re-imaginings.

I liked the original concept, as clever, but didn't notice Sentry to much until the Avengers, after AD. I don't think he made much of an impression, good or bad, mostly because I really hated what the B person did to Scarlet Witch prior to that.

Anyway, the next time I noticed Sentry he was in the Uncanny Avengers and though I don't remember the whole tale I was very engrossed in it, various aspects. Sentry came across as rather detached from most things. Somber, sober, mysterious as I remember.

Not much since then but I've recently, very recently wondered

Has Sentry ever met/fought/etc Adam Warlock?

Certainly their other/evil/opposite selves have never met either perhaps.

It would need a complex plot and maybe involve some deeper reflections on the nature of persona and comic/serialized characters.

[MasterDebater1]

Did I miss something?

Jed MacKay who wrote a bald, salivating zombie Sentry and mentioned how Sentry was powerful and that he deserved more than being a manipulated corpse?

Even if you want to read something meta into it: as Jed implying the mistreatment of the Sentry in the last few years prior to that... that's still not enough. There is nothing there to go off of.

I don't know who the perfect writer for the Sentry would be. IMO maybe Alan Moore if you begged him to not forget about the superhero aspects of the Sentry. When Paul Jenkins wrote Sentry VOL 1 he was already heavily inspired by Alan Moores work in Miracleman. Rightfully so. Alan Moore is a genius who thrives when it comes to complex characters and he also happens to love Lovecraft, where I personally see the Sentry.

If you want someone who actually likes the Sentry you get Donnie Cates. He would be able to put Sentry into interesting (visual and thematical) situations for sure and push him as a character. But at the same time you have to ask him to dial back on the "cutsieness" he used on Cosmic Ghost Rider and at times even Venom.

I think Al Ewing did a great job on Immortal Hulk. Or at least early on.

I've made the argument... and I'm willing to die on that hill and take that argument to the grave: I've made the argument that when it comes to lesser known / popular superheroes you absolutely, positiviely need a strong and distinct sub-genre to attract an audience. Superman, Spider-Man and Batman can be just superheroes. Their name sells. Hulk sells as well but even Immortal Hulk was superhero + horror and I would argue that it was better because of it.

What would Sentry be? Superhero + ??? And is Jed MacKay the writer who can pull off an effective sub-genre? I don't know.

And that was handled a lot better than Jason Loo's Vol 4, plus Jed has experience writing mentally ill characters like Moonknight and making bangers out of it. If I hadd to trust anyone out of Marvel to write the Sentry and do right by the character, It would be him.

Sentry's genre should be Superhero + Eldritch Horror + Psychological Thriller.

[Wildling]

I agree MacKay seems to be at the top of Marvel's current talent to write Sentry because while Alan Moore's body or work speaks for itself it might be more likely for him to run for President than go back to write for DC or Marvel ever again, we can only rely on his influence.

The Sentry Legacy comic was short and underdeveloped (it only showed in one panel the abusive relationship I immediately assumed Ryan had with his parents) but I think planted the seeds for Bob's eventual return. Beyond the Greatest Hits fights Mallory learned Sentry was at odds with his worst Void nature, and Ryan learned Sentry was at odds with the ACD and the Avengers before he died, which is the thread all over Man of Two Worlds. Bob could eventually be summoned back to Earth by her as much as she did Farhad and company, only permanently. It shouldn't be hard to write.

[Tendrin]

Honestly, between MacKay, Hickman and Ewing, I'm not really sure who has the hottest pen in marvel right now but I'm loving all three. Immortal Hulk and Thor have been delightful, I've absolutely loved Moon Knight and MacKay's Avengers, and Hickman is, well ... Hickman.

[Wildling]

Hickman and Ewing are reliable for high concepts stories that could fit a Sentry comic but I've had the impression Hickman was never interested in Sentry at all, maybe that could change with a good enough pitch.

[MasterDebater1]

my reaction to pretty much everything Sentry-related since KiB

https://youtu.be/b6xoL76TbnQ?si=m3vhDv-7nxQH42u5

[numberthirty]

my reaction to pretty much everything Sentry-related since KiB

https://youtu.be/b6xoL76TbnQ?si=m3vhDv-7nxQH42u5

Just to point this out...

This feels kind of like some of what I have seen during the current stretch of "X.." titles. Same with the "New52..." era of the "Wonder Woman..." IP.

Sometimes, there will be a stretch where there just will not be a single thing for you happening in the title/titles of an IP that is really close to your heart.

There's just times when you need to be able to step away while keeping enough of an eye on what is happening to be able to know when it might be time for you to come back for a bit.