REVIEW: ‘Sentinels’ Issue #2

Sentinels #2 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Alex Paknadel, art by Justin Mason, colors by Federico Blee, and letters by Travis Lanham. The team heads to the villain-led island of Balagia to bring down Sebastien Shaw.

This issue is more than just a hardcore, mutant-hunting adventure. As the “heroes” undertake their mission, some backstories and revelations are also made. One of the characters’ histories returns to an often-forgotten Marvel storyline, and it begins to explain the explosive surprise of the previous issue.

The pace in Sentinels #2 is fast-moving and breathtaking, unleashing the fury of both parties on each other. Despite being a military operation, the Sentinels are not a well-oiled machine, and their battles quickly fall into chaos. The violence is ruthless and savage, and none of the team members are ever safe from being removed from the series in a fatal fashion. Like with the other X-books, Sentinels #2 ties into the more expansive storyline, with the group connected to the Greymakin prison that inhabits Xavier’s Mansion.

The characters are given depth in Sentinels #2. They have families and are building relationships with each other. Lockstep has a son. Sawtooth and Voivod are getting closer, and Drumfire barely holds it together. One of the most fascinating aspects of the series is what is being done to the soldiers. Their bodies are no longer theirs to control. Implants have given them powers, which randomly manifest without any real warning, and they can be given mood regulators to suppress returning memories or fears.

The damage and toll these changes make are enormous and bleak, especially when they ultimately don’t help the characters. When the history of the soldiers is explained, Paknadel takes the reader to specific moments in Marvel’s history. This makes those backstories mean more. Sebastian Shaw is another terrifying villain for the Sentinels to try to subdue. Every for they have faced is not some D-list enemy last seen in an issue of the original Excalibur run. They are huge enemies that have frequently beaten the X-Men and brought experienced heroes to their knees.

The art is heavy-metal and mesmerizing. The fight is a delightful chaos. Mason makes the battle uneasy, with some technological advancements making the skin crawl. In particular, Lockstep’s armor turns into metal tendrils that look terrifying when attached to a victim’s skin. Each character has their power, turning each panel into a whirlwind of violence and explosions.

The action in Sentinels #2 is frantic, ramping up the tension when a devastating blow can be delivered on one of the team. The injuries are bloody and gory, turning bodies into fleshy ragdolls. Sebastian Shaw is approached with a different viewpoint by Mason. Usually, a character known for looking suave and dapper in Elizabethan suits, that facade makes way for a wilder look. He is huge and muscular, unleashing a flurry of punches on Voivod and dwarfing the Sentinel.

The colors can be just as hostile as the writing, and the line art—the intense red inside their jet before the mission sets the intensity of the comic. The Sentinels have had the purple and blue tones synonymous with the mutant-hunting machines for decades. This does not make them look friendly or heroic at all. The shades match the grunge tone of the issue from start to finish. The lettering is always easy to read amid the chaos.

Sentinels #2 expands on the experiment. The second chapter adds more heart to the nuts and bolts while still being as manic and hardcore as possible. The villains are immense and dramatic, more terrifying than anyone in the other “From the Ashes” issues so far. The heroes may not be liked, but they display features that make them exciting and invested. Every introduction has a connection to the past while drastically changing the future.

Sentinels #2 is available now wherever comics are sold.