14 best and worst retcons in comic book history

Sentry is really a drug addict

Sentry was the Golden Guardian of good. One of the most powerful and respected superheroes of his time until a mutant named Mastermind erased his existence, using his powers to remove him from the minds of people all over the world. When he returned, he became one of the New Avengers. Apparently, his origin of goodness isn’t what we were made to see.

Originally, readers were told that Robert Reynolds, a.k.a. Sentry, got his powers from a serum a scientist he knew created. In actuality, he was looking for his next score. Reynolds was a drug addict. He was fumbling through a lab looking for something to get him high. He took a serum that made him one of the strongest beings in the universe.

Comic book retcon rating: Good

This became an interesting take on a hero. It helped explain why he is the way he is. He couldn’t control himself as a human and he couldn’t as a hero. The Void (one of his three personalities) frequently came out and took over for Sentry. When that happened, carnage usually followed. And when Robert was controlling the Sentry, he ran away at the first sight of trouble. Making him as flawed as he is powerful.