5 Essential Comics That Define Sentry

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Sentry entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2025 with his debut in Thunderbolts. Though a long-standing character in Marvel Comics – originally an ally to heroes like the Avengers and Fantastic Four – he wasn’t widely known. His backstory, revealed in his 2000 solo comic series, explains this: the villain Mastermind had manipulated him into making the world forget he ever existed, even erasing himself from the memories of other heroes and comic book readers. This is why he seemed like a new hero when he first appeared.

Sentry is one of Marvel’s strongest heroes, and these five stories are a great place to start if you want to learn more about him.

5) The New Avengers Vol. 1

Once Sentry returned to the Marvel Universe and reconnected with his friends, he joined the New Avengers. This new team operated independently from the government and focused on tackling threats that were beyond the scope of individual heroes. Sentry was a great fit, as his immense power could turn the tide in nearly any battle.

What was so remarkable was that Sentry had willingly imprisoned himself in the Raft to shield the world from the dangerous Void. When nearly 90 villains broke out of the Raft and attacked the heroes, Sentry finally intervened. He effortlessly smashed through the ceiling, demonstrating he could have left whenever he wanted, and showed his incredible power by ripping Carnage in half after launching him into outer space. This was undoubtedly one of Sentry’s most impressive displays of strength.

4) The Sentry vs. The Void

I remember when Sentry vs. The Void came out in 2001 – it was a standalone story bridging the gap between the first Sentry series and the second, which didn’t arrive for another four years. It was a really intense story! The Sentry was devastated when the Void started causing chaos and killing people all over Europe. What was really sad was that he tried reaching out for help, but nobody remembered who he was… except for the Hulk, thankfully.

He finally persuaded Reed Richards to assist him and his old teammates in preparing for the Void’s return, both to defend himself and protect Manhattan. With Reed’s help, he managed to reactivate Sentry’s Watchtower, which defeated the Void and, as a side effect, caused everyone to forget about Sentry once more. The story was compelling and featured stunning artwork by Jae Lee, highlighting just how significant Sentry had been to the world before being lost to memory.

3) The Sentry/Hulk

A collection of stories highlighted Sentry’s past adventures with various heroes during his prime, including some of Earth’s most celebrated figures. The most compelling of these focused on his friendship with Hulk. Sentry was the only one who truly trusted Hulk, and Hulk reciprocated that trust – a connection so strong that Hulk remembered Sentry even after everyone else had forgotten him.

The story featured Hulk getting ready to fight the Void alongside other heroes, and it included flashbacks to a key moment in Hulk’s history. It was a compelling story because Sentry possessed the ability to soothe Hulk, letting Bruce Banner regain control without being afraid. When Sentry vanished, Hulk began to lose control and wanted isolation, mirroring his early appearances in Marvel comics. Ultimately, the story explored themes of lost hope and highlighted Sentry’s incredible power.

2) Sentry: Man of Two Worlds

The second series of Sentry comics, simply titled Sentry: Man of Two Worlds, brought the hero back after a previous storyline had everyone forget he existed. What’s special about this series is that it explored Sentry’s struggles with mental health and finally revealed how he first gained his powers.

As a teenager, Robert Reynolds struggled with drug addiction and unknowingly consumed the Golden Sentry Serum, hoping for a high. Instead, it gave him superpowers. He later lost control of a dark force within him called the Void, and built the Watchtower as a prison to contain it. The story culminated in a final battle between the Sentry and the Void, where the Sentry gained temporary control over his darker self, though the victory wasn’t lasting.

1) Sentry Vol. 1

The first volume of Sentry, released in 2000, is widely considered the best in the series and introduced the character to Marvel Comics readers. It presented a compelling mystery: the story claimed Sentry was once Marvel’s most powerful and influential hero, yet everyone had forgotten him. The narrative suggested he should have been part of Marvel’s classic history, but he had never actually appeared in a comic book before, making it one of Marvel’s most intriguing stories in years.

The story reintroduced Robert Reynolds, a forgotten hero, who felt compelled to save the world again. The first issue presented his origin story as a comic book—though it was a toned-down version of the truth—and then focused on his attempts to regain public recognition. Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee crafted a particularly strong superhero origin story with Sentry Vol. 1.

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2026-01-23 00:13