The MCU’sThunderbolts*introduced mainstream audiences toThe Sentry,Marvel’s equivalent to DC’s Superman, but the character’s twenty-five year tenure in Marvel lore almost never happened, because the character’s creator had trouble getting him off the ground. As authorPaul Jenkins put it, “it didn’t really take off” in any of its early incarnations, before he figured the hero out.
In an interview with the Traversing the Stars podcast, Jenkins spoke about the somewhat convoluted path his originalSentryseries, from 2000, took to publication.
Jenkins worked on versions of the hero at DC Comics, under their Vertigo Imprint, before finding a home in Marvel’s adult-orientedMarvel Knightsline, and success was by no means guaranteed.
Paul Jenkins Wasn’t Guaranteed To Succeed With The Sentry, But He Managed To Create An Iconic Character
The SentryTook Years To Get Right
More casual superhero fans might not realize it, but 2000’sThe Sentryminiseries, which introduced the character to the Marvel Universe, was a milestone story arc for the publisher, one which played with Marvel lore and stretched the boundaries of Marvel storytelling. However, like most great stories, this was the product of years of creative struggle.
Marvel was somewhat hesitant to embrace the avant-garde storyline Jenkins had in mind, which was ultimately what led it to be published under theMarvel Knightsbanner.
As writer Paul Jenkins has explained in a number of sources, including his recentTraversing the Starspodcast appearance,Sentry was stuck in the comic book equivalent of “development hell” for a few years, as he figured out how to “crack the code,” so to speak, on the hero…and eventually, his villainous alter-ego, the Void.
Even then, Marvel was somewhat hesitant to embrace the avant-garde storyline Jenkins had in mind, which was ultimately what led it to be publishedunder theMarvel Knightsbanner. The critical and commercial success of the book helped elevate this imprint, while also validating Jenkins’ relentless creative determination in bringing his character concept to fruition.
Paul Jenkin’s Perserverance Paid Off
Sentry’s role in Marvel Comics, and the lore surrounding the character, have expanded significantly beyond creator Paul Jenkins' original intention over the past twenty-five years, culminating in the character’s integration into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For aspiring creators, looking to follow in Jenkins’ footsteps, this should be a reminder of the virtue of patience for artists.
Throughout the late 1990s, as he worked on Sentry, first as aversion of the character Hourman for Vertigo Comics, then as his own original creation,Paul Jenkins believed in his vision, and followed it where it led him.Eventually, Marvel took a gamble on that vision, and the result was a character that is just reaching mainstream recognition decades later.
TheSentryis now ready to take center stage in the next Phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and though he is not exactly the same version of the character Jenkins initially conceived of, he is still a testament to the uncertain path to creation that all superhero characters follow.
