The return of such titles as She-Hulk, Runaways and now Sentinel serve as a testament to two things: that even when a small audience uniformly touts the quality of an underdog book, a large publisher will listen; and that Marvel's digest format (in which the previous series was reprinted) must really have some legs. I'm thrilled that the same creative team has returned for this relaunch, and furthermore than the outstanding plotlines are being addressed. McKeever picks up pretty much where he left off last time, but at the same time, he's ensured that those who missed out on the original Sentinel fun will have no problem joining in here. Of course, that previous sentence makes it sound like this series is lighter in tone, and it's not. If anything, McKeever employs an even darker, more dramatic tone as Juston's unintentioal sins continue to pile up.
Juston Seyfert has fled his Wisconsin home, hoping to use his Sentinel robot to track down his mother with its DNA sensors. Juston desperately wants to atone for the trouble he's caused his hometown, his friends and his family, but his disappearance has sent the town into a tizzy. The whereabouts of Juston, still hailed as a hero, is on everyone's mind, especially his dad's. Meanwhile, the Commission on Superhuman Activities continues to investigate Juston and the robot, and the men responsible for the rogue Sentinel learn their sins have come back to haunt them.
Vriens's line art is a little more intense than I remember it, and while it suits the edgier tone of this new direction, I did find I rather missed the softer side of the art as I recalled it from the previous series. The artist still conveys the huge size of the title character incredibly well. I thought his depiction of Juston's kid brother was a little over the top, especially with the foot-tall manga hair, but overall, the art was exciting and sharp.
I think what struck me the most about this first issue was the complexity of the plot as it stands now, but I was also impressed that despite that complexity and all of the backstory that has already unfolded, McKeever was clearly mindful of the need for accessibility. Not only does he want to lure in new readers, but he seems aware that it's been some time since V.1 #12 was released, so a refresher course in Sentinel plot points isn't out of order.
Juston is completely overwhelmed here. He's realizing more and more the depths of the pain he inflicted on his hometown in an effort to be popular, and what's more, he comes to realize his best "friend" is responsible for actual crimes. He's completely alone, and he's desperately grasping at a last straw -- his absent mother -- to make everything right. It's easy to reate to Juston here. We've all had those moments when we feel we've run out of options and control. 8/10
