Back when I collected comics, I’ll admit it…I judged books by their covers (literally). I was a fan of Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri, Todd McFarlane, hell, everyone who started Image Comics! The first comic I ever got, left to my own devices, was Punisher War Journal (Jim Lee’s run).
Which lead me to The Uncanny X-Men (X-Tinction Agenda, also Lee’s run), which lead me to the Outback era of that book that introduced me to Silvestri’s work. So…it wasn’t MY fault. You like what you like!
All this to say, Jae Lee was an artist that caught my eye when I first saw his work. I think it was during the X-Cutioner Song crossover of which he did the artwork on X-Factor. From then, I followed his career wherever it took me. An excellent miniseries he and writer Paul Jenkins collaborated on was The Inhumans. I often refer to that as an example of great storytelling. Seriously, check it out.
And because of my love for that series, I was excited to read their follow-up collaboration: The Sentry.
The Sentry was believed to be a character Stan Lee (along with Artie Rosen) created before The Fantastic Four but was somehow discarded or forgotten until the 2000s. An elaborate ruse, it turns out, with co-conspirators being Wizard Magazine, Stan himself, as well as Jenkins and Jae Lee. As it turns out, “Artie Rosen” didn’t even exist (his “obituary” was posted in Wizard months prior to the character’s 1st appearance). Rick Veitch was an artist who helped with the conceptual design of the character. But, me and a bunch of others, during that time, believed the fabrication. Hook, line and sinker.
Fast forward 25 years and the character of Sentry was now being used in some capacity in Thunderbolts*. Originally, Steven Yeun was to be cast as Bob/Sentry. Which, I don’t care HOW good an actor Steven is, I couldn’t picture it. Not because he’s…unlike the comic book image…but because he’s a smaller frame (NOW who’s a racist, huh? Tsk-tsk). Due to filming delays with the SAG-AFTRA strike, Steven had to step away. Enter Lewis Pullman…another actor I couldn’t picture as Bob/Sentry. See? I’m an equal-opportunity casting snob. Hmph!
Hey, I’ll admit it, I’ve been burned before *coff* Brave New World *coff* with trailers. But all the trailers and the promotion of Thunderbolts* got me psyched for it. I couldn’t WAIT.
I even spent too long analyzing what that asterisk meant! Was the team named after “Thunderbolt” Ross? After the events of Brave New World, was it a faux pas to reference him? When did THIS movie take place compared to Captain America…? Thankfully, all would be revealed. But only AFTER I see it with my own, two eyes. That pesky Internet wants to ruin all the surprises! Luckily, I avoided all spoilers…just barely.
I believe in the phrase, “Good things come to those who wait.” And my patience was rewarded. It’s not hyperbole when I tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed Thunderbolts*! Is it a sign the MCU is on the upswing…? It would be presumptuous to say but as a one-off, a standalone, a movie to be judged on its own merits? It was a fun time in the theater!
All my trepidation of Lewis Pullman being cast as Sentry were set aside when he first appeared as “Bob”. No, not his character in Top Gun: Maverick…In THIS! Pay attention! But when he gets into his Sentry suit…chef’s kiss! I love how he didn’t have to get “Marvel-Bod” ready and they hooked him up with some prefab abs. Everyone was great. They embodied their respective characters. Florence Pugh always brings her A-game. Love her as Yelena. A close second was Wyatt Russell returning as Captain Amer*…no. U.S. Agent…? No. John Walker. Yeah. And David Harbour having the most fun, returning as Red Guardian.
When you put all these contrasting personalities in a room, it’s hard to picture them banning together to become a team. We got to see that in “real time”. Their ability to problem solve out of a situation was a highlight. A seemingly Herculean task for the third act. Especially when trying to vanquish an insurmountable foe such as The Void.
Speaking of which, I forgot about the Void from the pages of that Sentry miniseries. Given, it WAS 25 years ago but I’ve since reread it (thank you Hoopla!) and to my credit, throughout the five issues, it was a tertiary villain within the overall story. Five issues of trying to collectively remember Sentry and the omega-level threat the Void was. So, essentially, I was going into this movie with fresh eyes.
Speaking of “fresh”, this was a breath of fresh air. Considering the Phases post-Endgame have been less than…fresh by Rotten Tomatoes standards. As stated at the beginning of this review, you like what you like. One person’s tastes will differ from another. Everyone has an opinion but I have the write opinion. Well, at least that means something, here.
Arguing With Myself 