The Sentry #2 – Tragedies You Can’t Fix

The Sentry, Bob Reynolds, is teetering on the edge. Despite being one of the most powerful beings in the universe, Bob’s depression threatens to push him over the edge. The impending loss of his dog and an infection wreaking havoc across the world threaten to overwhelm Bob, unleashing The Void, Bob’s alter ego. Bob and his AI computer C.L.O.C. work to identify the cause of the threats. As Bob rushes to help those already infected by the crystals, the forthcoming loss of Normie, his dog, brings up deep-seated memories that often lead to depressive episodes.

This review is brought to you by Matt and Shawn from Nerd Initiative. Click on their names for more reviews!

Creative Team

Writer: Paul Jenkins
Artist: Christian Rosado
Color Artist: Matt Milla
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Alex Maleev

Writing

Matt: This issue takes the emotion we experienced with Bob in issue 1 and doubles it. Paul makes Bob relatable in a manner that only one can when someone has dual personalities with superpowers, and that is by losing his dog. As someone who lost their dog a few months ago, I felt every ounce of what Bob is going through. His inability to talk about it to anyone at all seeps from the panels even when he isn’t speaking.

Reed Richards, no matter who writes him, is still the worst, and I love that Paul highlights that a bit in the intro, and then we get parallels with Hulk at the end of the book, as Hulk, even in his most simplistic form, understands what Bob is going through and puts words to it. Overshadowed entirely, however, is the fact that Wilson Fisk has Ebola?? That was not on my bingo card, and Jenkins even goes into how, despite being awful, Fisk employs a lot of people, and the impact is going to be felt like a ripple effect across the city and beyond.

Shawn: Paul Jenkins continues to be my favorite writer for Bob. I feel like Paul might find Reed Richards as insufferable as I do. Jenkins continues to give us a glimpse into the day-to-day life of someone dealing with severe depression who is also expected to function not only as a productive member of society but as society’s hero.

One of the things that I really appreciated about this issue is Jenkins giving us context. Most comic fans are not going to be sad about Wilson Fisk losing money, but Jenkins also gives us a great reminder that with Fisk’s businesses damage comes lots of economic impact in the form of lost jobs. Jenkins isn’t going to make you feel bad for Wilson Fisk, but he is going to make you think twice about what the damage to Fisk’s enterprise means for the everyday citizen of the city. Jenkins continues to give us an eerie look at someone battling with the throes of depression while also trying to be everything to everyone.

Art

Matt: Even with no words spoken, there is a moment in the final panels where Sentry rests his head in his wife’s arms, and you can see the depression and the sadness and even guilt across his face. Rosada and Milla have it drawn perfectly while Joe helps deliver the whimper of Bob saying how The Void may have completely taken over. It’s such a simple scene; however, it speaks volumes through the art and the detailing.

AS someone who struggles with depression, there is a haze or a grey-like void of color in every page and the way the book is drawn that I feel captures what depression is like. Even the sunniest days have a twinge of gloom to them, and the way the team can capture it through the pages is well done and it hits hard.

Shawn: Christian Rosada and Matt Milla continue to set a high standard for this series in issue two. Rosada continues some of the best use of shading and negative space in a comic I’ve seen in a long time.

Milla’s coloring is perfect in this issue. As great as the narrative and Rosada’s art are, the colors from Milla really set the tone for each issue. Between Rosada’s shading and Milla’s colors, you really feel the darkness creeping into each panel, even the “happy” ones. Caramagna captures the feeling perfectly with the lettering and SFX, allowing the story to flow easily and building on the tension created.

Final Thoughts

Matt: 9.7/10. Sentry #2 captures the feeling of hopelessness and despair that someone with depression struggles with, and brings us a line of empathy as Bob is fighting what he feels is a losing battle. Losing his dog and not being able to help despite having all of these abilities on top of his mental illness hits extremely deep for me, and this issue is emotional in every way.

Shawn: 9.5/10. This issue sent shivers up my spine. Jenkins, Rosada, Milla, and Carmagna crafted a story that feels wrapped in darkness. I love how the art combines with the narrative to make you feel like the Void is following you, just like it’s following Bob. This series is spectacular. It’s shaping up to be another masterclass in how to approach a series subject like depression in a way that feels strangely relatable, even though we aren’t superheroes.

Overall Grade: 9.6/10

What do you think about Jenkins and company’s work on The Sentry so far? Let us know in the comments.