| Sentinel | |
|---|---|
Cover of Sentinel #1 |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Vol. 1: Ongoing series Vol. 2: Limited series |
| Publication date | Vol. 1: April 2003 – February 2004 Vol. 2: November 2005 – March 2006 |
| Number of issues | Vol. 1 12 Vol. 2: Five |
| Main character(s) | Juston Seyfert Robot |
| Creative team | |
| Creator(s) | Sean McKeever UDON |
Sentinel is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics as part of the Tsunami imprint. It is written by Sean McKeever and illustrated by UDON.
Contents |
Sentinel was originally launched in 2002 as part of Marvel Comics' Tsunami imprint. Despite its popularity, the series was cancelled after its 12th issue. However, it returned in November 2005 with the original creative team for a five-issue limited series.
Sentinel is the story of Juston Seyfert, a ordinary human teenager tormented by the seniors at Antigo High School in Wisconsin. He lives with his younger brother Chris and his father, who operates a junkyard which their house is adjacent to. Their mother walked out years ago. Being poor, Juston must find his own fun, and spends the days playing in the salvage yard or constructing robots from spare parts.
One day, he finds a micro-processor which he then places into a Battle-Bot that he and his friends use. During the battle however, the robot disappears into the junkyard. Unbenownst to Juston, the processor was actually the remains of a giant robot programmed to exterminate mutants: a Sentinel.
During this time, Juston has also met a senior girl at his school named Jesse, who he immediately falls for.
A few days after the event, Just discovers the battle bot and the half re-built Sentinel in his junkyard. Initially frightened by the discovery, he begins to assist rebuilding and reprogramming the Sentinel. The two form something of a bond.
The good news does not last however, as Juston soon discovers the Sentinel's original purpose while searching online and coming across an article featuring the X-Men. Additionally, some bullies that had plagued Juston earlier in the series strike back, hurting one of his friends and turning his crush against him with lies that he had told the school body the pair had "hooked-up". Hurt and humiliated after the bullies reveal themselves, Juston returns to the Sentinel, contemplating using it for revenge.
The next day, Jesse tries to find Juston to talk with him, and while talking to his two friends, the Sentinel arrives and begins to attack the school, targeting the two bullies specifically. Before they can be hurt, Juston smashes a hot-wired jeep into the Sentinel, causing it to fall and retreat. It is later revealed that Juston staged the entire attack to earn positive standing at school and in the community, but he begins to feel guilt for the physical and psychological repercussions of his actions. He decides the best course is to use his Sentinel for good.
Juston soon discovers it is not as easy as it looks, as he and his Sentinel are almost caught trying to save the survivors from a plane crash. The CSA, investigating the Sentinel attack on the school, arrive on the scene and begin attacking the Sentinel in an effort to reclaim it. The Sentinel fights back, despite Juston's orders, which puts their relationship in further strain.
Unaware that the Sentinel was secretly repairing its prime directive, the robot begins to hunt mutants once again, leading to a final confrontation with the head CSA Agent, who figured out what Juston was up to. The agent is killed, and although Juston is free of suspicion, his Sentinel is damaged and confiscated.
After going to free it, Juston decides to run away and use the Sentinel's DNA Detection skills to look for his long-lost mother.
The series continues in the 2005 limited series, with Juston still looking for his mother. His friends and family, not knowing where he went, begin to worry and his father does his best to try to find him.
Meanwhile, Juston stumbles upon data indicating that his sentinel was in fact used by a previous owner. One who used him for far less noble deeds then he had. It is revealed that a Wisconsin politician and a military general had worked together to take out the politician's rival, using the Sentinel.
In Washington D.C., the pair discover their sentinel is out and could incriminate the both of them, leaving them with one option: Destroy it before it can. To do this, they use a new, experimental "stealth" Sentinel.
Juston's search for his mother leads him to an estranged aunt, who allows him in only with the hope that she be repaid with money that Juston received from all his media appearances following his "heroics" at the school from the previous volume. When he tells her he does not have any and is only trying to find his mother, his aunt reveals that she left him and his family because she did not love them. Juston rushes out the door while his aunt calls the local news, leading his father right to her as well.
The Stealth Sentinel catches up to Juston and his Sentinel and engages them, though it is defeated. But not before doing serious damage. The Sentinel, acting on its directive to protect Juston, takes the opportunity to not only repair itself, but to also build a cockpit so Juston can operate it from inside. Juston makes his way back to Antigo, but is ambushed by the Stealth Sentinel who removes his hand.
In the final issue, the two androids do battle while Juston tries to protect his family and friends in the process. Juston loses one of his Sentinel's arms, but manages to gain the upperhand and destroy the Stealth Sentinel, swearing that if the pair come after him or his Sentinel again, he will reveal their secret.
Juston reunites with his father in a heartfelt reunion where he learns the truth about his mother, and then returns to school to meet Jesse and the rest of his friends again. On the final page, it is revealed he still has the Sentinel, which now wields one of the Stealth Sentinel's arms, and he hopes that now he can do some real good.
In Grant Morrison's "Here Comes Tomorrow" arc of New X-Men, a similar story was crafted with a young man named Tom Skylark, who owned a Sentinel named 'Rover' that fed him as a child and looked after him, despite being able to only say the word 'DESTROY!'. He and Rover join the remnants of the future X-Men in a last ditch effort to fight against impending destruction.
Following Fear Itself, Juston and his Sentinel will appear as students at the revamped Avengers Academy.[1][2]
Three Sentinel digests, collecting the entire series, have been released:
| Title | Material collected | ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| Sentinel vol. 1: Salvage | Sentinel vol. 1 #1-6 | ISBN 0-7851-1245-6 |
| Sentinel vol. 2: No Hero | Sentinel vol. 1 #7-12 | ISBN 0-7851-1368-1 |
| Sentinel vol. 3: Past Imperfect | Sentinel vol. 2 #1-5 | ISBN 0-7851-1914-0 |
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