The Sentry (Vol. 2) #2

Background

The Sentry is a very strange kind of superhero. He is in fact really three people. Robert Reynolds (his human self), The Sentry (his superhuman self) and The Void a strange kind of alter ego of 'pure malevolent evil'. Sentry is a schizophrenic and only through the tireless efforts of his psychiatrist and his loving wife Lindy, does his three entities remain as a whole.

Story Details

We begin inside The Watchtower (The Sentry's home) where Sentry and Lindy are enjoying a night in. After returning from a quick flight to Libya, Lindy suggests they take an early night. But Lindy is expecting The Sentry to join her. To her obvious dissapointment he is now the rather average Robert Reynolds. She suggests that "just for tonight" Robert be The Sentry. He doesn't understand. "That's the problem" she says. It is obvious there is certain problems in their relationship.

The next day, Sentry and Lindy are visiting the Fantastic Four to have a barbecue. Lindy is discussing the wierdness in her's and Rob's relationship recently. Robert and Reed are doing the same.

Robert flashes back to a battle he had with Xeniac a week earlier. Just before he finishes him off, Xeniac says that Lindy is dead. Dead before The Sentry can even reach home. Reed dismisses it as nothing more than bravado but The Sentry is worried. He explains that The Void's recent threats have been very cryptic, perhaps trying to influence Robert from within.

The Sentry and The Void are having a discussion deep withing The Watchtower. The Void is taunting Sentry, mocking the gaps in The Sentry's memory. The Void also warns that The General (The Sentry's greatest enemy) is loose again. He says he went to New Zealand "at least initially".

Over the next couple of pages Robert is seeing his psychiatrist, fighting Doctor Octopus, stopping jet planes and doing general world-saving things. All the time doubting his and Lindy's relationship. He thinks they're drifting apart. Until eventually The Sentry finds out where The General is REALLY hiding. "Initially" means N.Z. and N.Z. also stands for The Negative Zone; the place where The Sentry is at his very weakest.

He sends some flowers to Lindy and prepares to enter the Zone, knowing full well that he could never be coming back...

General Comments

Whereas last issue was introducing us to The Sentry, his wife and his powers this issue scratches deeper beneath the surface. We read about the friction between the two and how difficult it is to live with a man that is constantly changing between personalities. And it is a very interesting read. Three dimensional characters, good dialouge and good pacing show that Paul Jenkins really knows what he's doing with The Sentry. The psychological battle between The Sentry and The Void is also very well written with The Void always speaking in riddles and never confirming or denying anything.

The art by John Romita Jr. is equally excellent. The crisp, unique and colourful art conveys Jenkins script very well, even without many fight scenes which is undoubtedly Romita Jr.'s strongest point (then again, he doesn't really have a weak point).

Overall Rating

It only features Spider-Man in a one-panel cameo but it's a very interesting read with brilliant art. It deserves four webs.