Sentinel becomes the X-books' first casualty of 2004, crashing to a low-selling halt after twelve issues.  In sales terms, it's hard to argue with Marvel on this one - this is a book which was selling 25% less than Spider-Girl, for heaven's sake.

But Marvel haven't entirely given up hope on the book just yet; the first arc is being packaged as a digest-format trade paperback as part of the Marvel Age push on the bookstore market.  I have my doubts about the whole Marvel Age initiative, which seems to primarily reflect an increasing feeling at Marvel that the business plan for the future is to keep strip-mining the early sixties, again and again, until we're all dead.

Sentinel, however, is a title which might well have a better chance of finding an audience in the bookstores.  The connection with the earlier Sentinel plots becomes relevant in the final issues, but basically it remains a free-standing "boy and his robot" story which can be enjoyed quite independently of the Marvel Universe backdrop.  The emotional core of the book is built around Juston, his family and Jessie as the love interest, and that's worked out pretty well.

Marvel have suggested that the title could yet continue as a digest-only book, if the Marvel Age line is a success.  And I wouldn't hold my breath on that.  Still, it's interesting that they're even considering the possibility - and personally, I'd like to see that happen.  Partly because the book deserved better than it got in the direct market, and partly because it would be a significant move for Marvel to start producing material solely for the bookstores.  It's the sort of culture shift that might finally knock it into their heads that they can't just keep recycling the same old ideas infinitely.  Yes, I know Sentinel has its roots in the 1960s as well, but that's really in name only.  When this book works, it works because of the aspects that have nothing to do with Marvel's history.

Anyway, what about the final issue?  Well, it doesn't tie everything up - on the contrary, it seems to have been intended as a segue into a new storyline.  And to be honest, it's a slightly awkward segue, as Juston decides to use the Sentinel's DNA hunting capabilities to go looking for his mum.  In theory this is a perfectly good story idea, but not following immediately after an arc where Juston discovers that he can't control the Sentinel, and it's prone to killing people.  Juston seems, at best, a touch cavalier when he takes the Sentinel off to hunt for relatives regardless. 

Udon also seem to be going for slightly cruder artwork in this issue, for some reason - the opening fight scene between the Sentinel and Agent Rinehart is really quite ropey at the end.  Quite honestly, this isn't the best showcase of this book, by a long way.  I suppose this way leaves options open for the future, and it's certainly preferable to the neat ending (Juston smooths everything over and gets the girl), which would have been far too contrived for this title.

Nonetheless, unfortunately this is not a good final issue.  But the series as a whole has a lot to recommend it; maybe it'll get another chance in the bookstores.

Rating: C+

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