Count me among the innumerable fans who really don't care for The Sentry.That's not so much because of the original version, which appeared in a mini-series, but more because of what's been done with him since then. He's become a whiner, a nut job, completely undependable and, for reasons unknown until this issue, willing to work with Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers.
Perhaps we don't like him because he's too powerful (he was apparently designed to be "Marvel's Superman"), or because he's not all there, or perhaps it's because his origin is so convoluted - he got his power from a freakish experiment, he's in constant fear of his dark side, The Void, taking over and destroying the world, he keeps getting destroyed and coming back to life.
So after all that we come to this issue, which focuses entirely on The Sentry. "Oh great," I thought to myself. But then I read the issue, and I have to say, I'm impressed.
Because here we finally get some answers. Not only does writer Brian Bendis explain the character's backstory and true origin, but he clears up some of the big questions, like: How did The Sentry survive being shot in the face by his wife? And why is he working with Osborn?
On top of all that, he sets some story events in motion that will absolutely shock some readers, as he walks a very fine line between storytelling and... well, sacrilege. It's a brave move, and it's going to be interesting to see where it goes from here.
The art by Mike Deodato is tremendous as always, and he uses a stunning black-and-white style for the flashback scenes (it looks like it's reproduced from the pencils, but I may be wrong there). Outstanding work.
It looks like Bendis is using the "parallel stories" method in the titles that run alongside Siege - or at least in Dark Avengers - and so far, it's very good indeed. Recommended!
Grade: A
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