NERD INITIATIVE

The Sentry’s battle continues. As Bob Reynolds fights his alter ego, The Void, he finds it harder and harder to keep the darkness at bay. While Bob is in internal turmoil, the world is under attack by some sort of crystal infection. Some of the world’s most brilliant minds are unable to figure out what is driving the infection. Meanwhile, in New York City, Wilson Fisk may be on his deathbed after an encounter with The Void as his potential loss begins to ripple amongst the city’s criminal elite. Meanwhile, Bob prepares to say farewell to a piece of his heart.

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Matt and Shawn!

Creative Team

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

Writing

Matt: I’m going to be honest, this issue was deeply emotional for me. I had to put my dog down in November last year, and Paul captured word-for-word what was said to me as I held him, as well as what was being said to Bob in this issue. However, you may think that is a bad thing, but it didn’t bring me closer to this issue and to Bob with how he was feeling on a deeper level. You realize, as this issue unfolds, that Bob has little control over The Void, and the crystals appear to be an emotional reaction. I’m very invested as to how that plays out because Reed Richards is not known to be logical despite being the smartest man ever.

Perhaps, though, there is something in this issue that I hope people walk away with. It’s the fact that Bob has created a therapy for himself and has acknowledged his needing of help and is seeking it out. As a man who alone can be a mountain to climb, let alone one of the most powerful beings in the universe. It’s a beautiful addition to this run that wraps up with the next issue, and there is beauty amongst the darkness.

Shawn: Paul Jenkins crafted some of the darkest stories I’ve ever felt in a Marvel comic, and I loved it. This issue was genuinely depressing, but in a narratively satisfying way. Bob has been through a lot and at any given moment could be any of us. We are all fighting our own darkness inside of us, even if we aren’t superheroes. The Sentry works so well because Jenkins carefully crafts that connection.

While Jenkins has not shied away from the depression and darkness of Bob’s life, this feels like it’s ramped up to a new level. I’m not sure if it is Jenkins’s intention, but by the end of this issue, I feel as overwhelmed by everything going on in Bob’s life as Bob does. That’s the real selling point of this story. As someone with depression and anxiety, it’s hard not to see myself in Bob when Jenkins so masterfully crafts a story. The Sentry #3 shows why Paul Jenkins continues to be one of the best writers in the comics world at making you feel like you’re seeing the world through the character’s eyes.

Art

Matt: The artwork is so haunting in an incredibly beautiful manner that pulls the emotions off the page and into our souls. Milla and Rosado do wonderful work with their shading and use of shadows that have just enough light across Bob’s face that the pain is apparent. I love the back and forth on how they do The Void and The Sentry, it’s subtle facial tones showing that Void is breaking through and Bob is fighting his hardest to keep it back. The scene where he holds his dog at the vet is truly heartbreaking, and the background being darkness and the panels focusing on that moment were beautifully done.

Shawn: Christian Rosado and Matt Milla continue to stun me with every issue of this series. It takes true artists to create the dark, gritty feel of this series in a way that allows you to feel like it’s intentional, and Rosado and Milla nail it. Rosado’s line work is so refined that even when it needs to appear jagged and broken, it still feels intentional. The use of shadows, darkness, and negative space throughout this series by Rosado continues to be a highlight.
Matt Milla takes what Rosado lays down and runs with it, really leaning into the shadows to not only build depth in the scenes but to make the colors that are present pop. Milla helps draw you into this story by using darkness as the default. Milla’s colors make it feel like the light is being drowned by the darkness, as what you see on the pages are places where light won the battle and broke through. Joe Caramanga’s crisp bolded lettering helps drive home the impact of this story.

Final Thoughts

Matt: 9.5/10. This was perhaps the heaviest issue of a comic that I have read in some time. Bob’s inner battle with The Void and doing the right thing leaps from the pages in a haunting and emotional way. If you or someone you know is struggling, do not be afraid to reach out for help!

Shawn: 9/10. This series continues to stun. This is by far the darkest issue yet, but it’s dark in a meaningful way. Jenkins really grabs you by the collar and makes you feel the darkness inside of Bob. When the words and the art combine, you find yourself drawn into a story of darkness and hopelessness that you can begin to feel in your own way. It sends a shiver up your spine.

Overall Grade: 9.25/10

Did this issue of The Sentry take your breath away? Let us know in the comments.