Sentry gets no respect

[spider-neil]

kill him already, and make sure venom is standing behind him so you kill to duds with one stone.

 

[chamber-music]

Sentry is the Beyonder thing all over again.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyonder

 

[.: The Cal :.]

Maybe they just need to make Sentry more popular.

 

[random_havoc]

But he's unlike the beyonder in that the beyonder (at least originally) had no real weaknesses. Sentry on the other hand has some key weaknesses that would make him very possible to use (though admittedly sparingly) in regular continuity if done properly.

I still stand by the fact that sentry could be used magnificently in regular MU if it was handled right. The only problem is that they're letting him get abused in various ways (one such way is that they're having him get beaten just to try and show how powerful some other character is, ie blue marvel, etc)

 

[Gamma Goliath]

he needs a personality and involvement, every great hero has a unique personality and an extensive rouges gallery. he cant just be an avenger and just fight off their threats, he needs more personal villians and friends.
who is the sentry?
who are his friends?
who are his foes?
once these questions are answered effectively, we may just have a decent hero.

 

[LouFerignoDemon]

His foe is Lucky the Charms cereal mascot.

The General, a French hating guy.

The Void. And others.

His friends are the Fantastic Four and the Avengers (back when Tony was a drunk), the Hulk, and apparently Norman Osborne. o.o

And the Sentry is Robert Reynolds. (Had to throw that last one in there. Sorry. =( )

 

[Docker2.0]

He could be a great hero if written correctly. JMS is great in making you see how a hero thinks or how he is WHO he is. I think if you put JMS on this guy or even take it darker by putting Warren Ellis on him, the sky's the limit.

 

[random_havoc]

he needs a personality and involvement, every great hero has a unique personality and an extensive rouges gallery. he cant just be an avenger and just fight off their threats, he needs more personal villians and friends.
who is the sentry?
who are his friends?
who are his foes?
once these questions are answered effectively, we may just have a decent hero.

All of this was set up a long time (and BEAUTIFULLY I MIGHT ADD) by the original mini.

There's an arch villain, a secondary villain, supporting characters which include a wife who both admires, is scared of, or at times is terribly frustrated with her husband, and even a former kid sidekick who was terribly mutilated by the Void!

I for one would love to see something take place where the kid sidekick (scout) now an adult gets his memories back, but now realizes that it was his former partner/mentor/hero that mutilated him.

 

[random_havoc]

He could be a great hero if written correctly. JMS is great in making you see how a hero thinks or how he is WHO he is. I think if you put JMS on this guy or even take it darker by putting Warren Ellis on him, the sky's the limit.

I would love either of those options.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

I do think Sentry has great potential. I like that he is both a really powerful hero AND an immensely powerful villain.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

The Sentry really only works as a sometimes character. It's always better watching him worry about WHAT he'll do, rather than him crying.

Originally, having him as this semi-sane person worried about his own worst enemy was probably the best for him.

Unfortunately, since the Sentry is so horribly powerful, rarely would anything stand a chance against him other than people on the lines of powerful magic users, or super cosmics.

If they broke him back down to someone who bars his power (as he had before) to someone only on Thor's or Hulk's level to prevent often Void emerging, it would probably work much better. Have him more like someone who's hesitant, not broken down and crying.

Unfortunately, his insanity, and the Void, are his most interesting attributes ("What if God were nothing but a big insane child"), and it doesn't work on a constant basis. He's much better off as someone who guest stars from time to time when applicable, not someone in the spotlight.

I agree. I actually liked it in WWH when he refused to help because he was afraid that if he used all that power to stop Green Scar Hulk, he'd completely lose control...and like it.

And that indeed did nearly happen.

This mentality of "He's the new guy and they make him the most powerful? He's gotta EARN his place amongst the heavyweights!" is a load of old cobblers. That's just sour grapes.

So yea, I think he shouldn't be a regular member of the Avengers or anything. But don't get rid of him completely, he has LOADS of potential with a decent writer. You know who I'd like to see have a go at Sentry? Mark Waid. His Irredeemable series' main character the Plutonian has a lot of similarities to Sentry, and it is a ****ing great series. Make Sentry a bad guy or have him completely lose control and everyone has to stop him or something.

 

[LouFerignoDemon]

I know, he's gotta earn his way back.

It's not like he was the first, the original powerhouse or anything. :P

The Sentry belongs on a nonteam like the Defenders. Called up every once in the while.

 

[Raiden]

he needs a personality and involvement, every great hero has a unique personality and an extensive rouges gallery. he cant just be an avenger and just fight off their threats, he needs more personal villians and friends.
who is the sentry?
who are his friends?
who are his foes?
once these questions are answered effectively, we may just have a decent hero.

I agree that Sentry needs a better personality, and I think Marvel was probably too fixtated on his powers and appearance but not who he is supposed to be. Until Marvel makes him a compelling and interesting character, not just a superhero, I think fans will continue to shun Sentry.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

I think a "superman" with mental problems is interesting though. The problem is how Bendis addresses those mental problems.

 

[Danger_Boy]

K guys, here's the ticket. The entire point to the Sentry is that he IS a god level superhero among street level. Sure, he can take a hit from anyone, and he has the Power of a million exploding suns...boring...sure...except that he's INSANE. Big twist. Multiple personality disorder, Agoraphobia, Social anxiety. What if any decision you took just happened. for a mortal man (bob reynolds) it's a HUGE deal! and his supporting cast (I.e. His wife, Lindy, remember? She spent 6 months being terrified of him - Uma thurman movies aside, dating a superhero would suck...a lot) is fairly decent. what has mary jane done lately? And with dark reign, with Norman Osborn manipulating him, It adds layers upon layers of awesome to an amazing character. send him into space and he'll just be boring. Split sentry and Void into two characters and you'll just have everything else you 've ever seen in comics.

 

[random_havoc]

K guys, here's the ticket. The entire point to the Sentry is that he IS a god level superhero among street level. Sure, he can take a hit from anyone, and he has the Power of a million exploding suns...boring...sure...except that he's INSANE. Big twist. Multiple personality disorder, Agoraphobia, Social anxiety. What if any decision you took just happened. for a mortal man (bob reynolds) it's a HUGE deal! and his supporting cast (I.e. His wife, Lindy, remember? She spent 6 months being terrified of him - Uma thurman movies aside, dating a superhero would suck...a lot) is fairly decent. what has mary jane done lately? And with dark reign, with Norman Osborn manipulating him, It adds layers upon layers of awesome to an amazing character. send him into space and he'll just be boring. Split sentry and Void into two characters and you'll just have everything else you 've ever seen in comics.

Well put Dangerboy. I completely agree.

And welcome to the boards btw. I think we're gonna get along just fine

 

[CantThinkOfAName]

K guys, here's the ticket. The entire point to the Sentry is that he IS a god level superhero among street level. Sure, he can take a hit from anyone, and he has the Power of a million exploding suns...boring...sure...except that he's INSANE. Big twist. Multiple personality disorder, Agoraphobia, Social anxiety. What if any decision you took just happened. for a mortal man (bob reynolds) it's a HUGE deal! and his supporting cast (I.e. His wife, Lindy, remember? She spent 6 months being terrified of him - Uma thurman movies aside, dating a superhero would suck...a lot) is fairly decent. what has mary jane done lately? And with dark reign, with Norman Osborn manipulating him, It adds layers upon layers of awesome to an amazing character. send him into space and he'll just be boring. Split sentry and Void into two characters and you'll just have everything else you 've ever seen in comics.

Yeah, people complain that he's too powerful while at the same time complaining he *****es out all the time because of his agoraphobia. That's the point. You can't have it both ways. (I mean, you can, but really, you're just being picky then, and basically making him a lame character who's only characteristic is being powerful).

While him on New Avengers and Mighty Avengers was ok, I really like what Bendis is doing with him in Dark Avengers, making a connection between him and Norman Osborn. The only problem I guess is that he is apparently killed like every other issue.

 

[THANOSRULES]

The issue is that Bendis has had plenty of time to do cool stuff with Sentry and he has failed.

Bendis needs to just let go of him and let someone else use him....I hate how characters are some damn protected/ hogged nowadays.

Killing Sentry doesnt accomplish anything...he's been killed like every issue with little explanation. Sentry's probably the easiest character to write back to life aside from Mr. Impossible.

 

[CantThinkOfAName]

He's done plenty of cool stuff with him. That issue where Norman and Sentry have a conversation throughout the entire issue was like favorite of Dark Avengers.

And in any case, it looks like the DA Siege tie-in is going to be fully-focused on Sentry, so there you go.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Yea I have to admit the convo Norman and Sentry had in issue 3 was great. Norman calling out the Void the nut case! haha

And when Sentry ripped Morgana Le Fay's head off I was like WOW!

But other than that I've been a bit disappointed with Bendis' writing of him, hopefully it will improve as the Dark Reign comes to a climax

 

[JewishHobbit]

I've been disappointed with Bendis' writing of Sentry as well, but I kinda have a feeling it's been the way its been for a purpose. All this death of one character in nearly every arc is just bad writing unless there's a purpose, and it's really starting to feel like there is. It may all pay off when the Siege plays itself out.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Yea maybe Sentry is gonna be like...

"Right that's ****ing it!!! Enough with this exploding ****! Now you're all gonna pay!"

*enter Void*

 

[random_havoc]

Just read my advanced copy of DA #12, and what is in it changes a lot. I'm not 100% happy about it though, to be honest.

Can't wait to hear everyone else's opinion on it.

 

[runawayboulder]

Spill the beans and throw some spoiler tags around it.

 

[runawayboulder]

Does

Spoiler

Steve Rogers show up

?