Sentinels #1 Review- Expanding the X-Men Universe With Marvel’s Next Great Team
From Marvel Comics
Written by Alex Paknadel
Art by Justin Mason
I am calling it early here that this was yet another 10 out of 10 week for the vast and wonderful world of comics. Which makes my self appointed role as a reviewer difficult, because I really just want to say, “Go read comics, they are so cool.” However, the objective and analytical side of me also wants to make you hyper aware of some of the great comics you might not have on your radar, which is the function of this review.
Sentinels is an enlightening and entertaining addition to the burgeoning new X-Men universe that Marvel has been developing in the latter half of 2024. I (like many of you I imagine) have been dipping my toe into this new slate of X-Men after the end of the complex, meandering, socio-politically focused era of Krakoa, and I think I have finally found my niche in the world of X-Men for the first time in my comic book readership, primarily with Gail Simone’s, The Uncanny X-Men title which has been consistently excellent (though I have also been enjoying Phoenix by Stephanie Phillips and NYX by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing). Which is what makes Sentinels such an exciting release, allow me to further explain-
If you have been keeping up with The Uncanny X-Men, then your readership will be immediately rewarded with the addition of Sentinels which broadens aspects of the new X-Men universe specifically featured in that comic. However, Sentinels could also just be read as a stand alone issue, with only some minor plot or structural details for you to explore further. I think it is particularly noteworthy to have this new era of the X-Men narratively expanded upon so soon with a new title, in such a unique, surprising way. Sentinels is proof, for the first time, that Marvel Comics has learned to engage their readers sooner rather than later. Additionally, it shows that Marvel Comics is not relying on the diehard old school fans of X-Men to carry the franchise forward week to week on their backs as they have done in the past. I can’t help but feel that if this new slate of X-Men had come out even five years ago, then Sentinels would have been a title released 2 years into The Uncanny X-Men right before it concluded its’ run and all of the engagement and hype surrounding the property had all but died- but that’s just me being cynical.
What is most important is that Sentinels is one of the most fresh, organic new Marvel titles that has been released in recent memory that provides some great foundational world building that should have been explored in this manner years ago. Additionally, as Alex Paknadel put it best himself on Twitter, that it is encouraging to see comics fans pick up this title which features a brand new cast of characters with every few “legacy” character inclusions that would be traditional draws to the book.
Moreover, it is a really approachable series for new readers to step into with a small ensemble of repurposed soldiers given a second chance at life as Sentinel nanotech infused Androids which is reminiscent of action packed pulp sci-fi like Robocop or Terminator. An experience that is then enhanced even further by the detailed, graphic, emotionally laden artwork by Justin Mason who has certainly created a haunting, artistically specific comic book world worth exploring.
Let’s talk more specifically about Issue #1, which means,
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Sentinels begins by throwing us, and our intrepid heroes, straight into the action, as we meet Lockstep, Shellback, Sawtooth, and Voivod as they descend through the air from a flying Sentinel colossus. Additionally, in this short introduction, we learn that the Sentinel Fire Team is an attachment of the Graymalkin Facility, which is an anti-mutant organization repurposing the iconic, “Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters,” into a prison and that the Sentinels are led by a “Mr. Trask,” which should ring some bells if you know anything about the bigoted history of the Sentinel program.
From the outset of the Sentinel team’s arrival in the frozen outskirts of Russia, they are plagued with mechanical and interpersonal issues, perhaps a foreshadowing of the team’s longevity. Or perhaps, more indicative of the haphazard management and implementation of the team by their superiors. As the team of armored androids makes their way through the abandoned Russian town, we learn that one of the agents, Shellback, is distracted by the memory of his father who passed away the night before. It is a humanizing moment as the other Sentinel team members express their sympathies in their own way and their discomfort with the inhuman way that they are treated. Establishing a deep seated conflict between the way the Sentinels view themselves versus how they are viewed by others.
However, the team does not have long to revel in the emotional and philosophical complexities of their existence, as they uncover their target- Omega Red. If you are unfamiliar with Omega Red, then this comic does a fairly decent job of contextually demonstrating who he is without overtly explaining which is nice- but essentially he is a serial killer and mutant with the ability to drain life force with his secreted pheromones that was experimented on by the Russian government and then awoken from suspended animation by the ancient evil ninja clan, The Hand and trained as one of their own. You know- just a basic Marvel villain (sarcasm implied).
The preceding pages showcase an inventive and engaging fight scene in which the transformative abilities of the Sentinels are put on full display, with Sawtooth transforming into a giant mechanized robot to fight the terrifyingly unhinged Omega Red. Ultimately, it takes Voivod, who is hilariously the “grenadier” of the group, blowing himself up in order to incapacitate the Red menace. However, instead of heroic fanfare and a rescue, this comic takes another dark turn as Lockstep discovers just how badly Shellback was infected by Omega Red’s life-draining abilities, essentially turning him into just a broken machine. As Lockstep calls in Shellback’s “full grafted” state, he aims his rifle at his allies head saying, “I can’t do this again.” However, Voivod does step in to take the shot, blowing out Shellback’s overloaded brains.
We then cut back to the Graymalkin Prison Facility where we see Director Corina Elis arguing with the Sentinel program director Lawrence Trask, the son of the Sentinel founder, Bolivar Trask. Here we see firsthand the schism between the intentions of either leader, as Corina rebukes Lawrence for selecting his own targets without her permission. She also hints at Larry having been revived by Xavier on Krakoa, which is certainly a complex moral decision on Xavier’s part.
Next we see the Sentinel team in the lab as they are administered their routine mood regulators and awkwardly meet their new teammate, Drumfire. Feeling undermined and emotionally ignored, Lockstep barges into Trask’s office and demands an explanation of Trask’s intentions with the team. Trask explains his stance in a rather poignant metaphor, citing the historical eradication of the wolf population in England by King Edward I, that led to a blood feud between neighboring townships. Trask views the Sentinels as the “wolves,” the necessary evil that will keep humanity from destroying mutant-kind and potentially itself in the process.
This philosophy places the Sentinels in an intriguing morally gray position in the Marvel Comics universe which feels organic rather than stylized or forced. Even some iterations of Thunderbolts at Marvel Comics, which inherently elves into the morally gray, have felt burdened by a shallow sense of anti-heroism, which is not the case for Sentinels. I am curious to see how this tedious position develops, coupled with the Sentinels personal psychological division between man and machine, which may very well develop further into a more apparent conundrum between hero and villain.
In the final pages of the issue, we see Lawrence Trask defend himself to his board of peers who wish him to step down as operations director, as Omega Red attempts an escape at the Graymalkin Prison, battling Sawtooth and Drumfire. Trask inevitably leverages his precognitive mutant abilities as a bargaining tool to improve the interests of the company, further explaining that he is using the Sentinels to hunt mutants who he saw as a danger to the future of humanity, which seems much more altruistic than the Graymalkin initiative.
Meanwhile at the Prison, we learn that Drumfire’s battle with Omega Red has led to the premature release of a dangerous mutant test subject, Onslaught. The appearance of Onslaught is a HUGE cliffhanger to leave us with, as they are one of the strongest characters in Marvel Comics that has not seen the light of day for awhile.
Sentinels is a nuanced exploration of the dark side of X-Men comics that introduces a host of new characters that feel capable of becoming important figures in the Marvel Comics universe to come. If you want to help support genuine, polarizing, imaginative, fun new choices at Marvel Comics then please support your local comic book store and pick up Sentinels #1 on shelves now!
-Nicholas Aaron Hodge
