Filed under: Titan Comics | Tags: Clint Magazine, Death Sentence, G-Plus, Mike Dowling, Monty, Montynero, Titan Comics, Verity, Weasel
WAAAAAAYYYYY back in November 2011 we met Monynero at Dundee comic day and got hold of a preview issue of his title Death Sentence (#1 review here) and since then there’s been a few things happen with the title.
It appeared in Mark Millar’s Clint Magazine before being picked up by Titan Comics and getting a general release with a TPB and hardback on the way soon too I took the chance to pick up the while series from Titan just recently an catchup on how it progressed. Both Craig and I enjoyed that first issue and I’m glad to say that the same momentum and style is built on across the remaining five issues as STD’s and superpowers mix to give us a hell of a ride.
Our three main characters take very different directions with their new found freedom as Verity Fette (artist & freelance designer), David ‘Monty’ Montgomery (Comedian & media personality) and Danny ‘Weasel” Waissell (singer, guitarist & songwriter) take their G-Plus diagnosis and deal with it as best they can. New found powers and the clock-ticking for them to use them triggers that live fast, die young approach in them all to a certain degree but the reality hits them all in different ways.
Verity struggles to come to terms with it as she truly feels alone, Monty tries to fight and fuck his way through the populace and Weasel disappears into a mix of drugs and musical creativity. There’s then a level of acceptance from them all in different ways too particularly as the government’s involvement in the whole situation becomes all the more apparent. While this could be seen as treading over familiar territory the STD subject matter and that time limit seems to accelerate the pace of the three stories in very human directions…..I think if I was in the same boat…..I’d react in the same way as them all……well…..maybe not the bit with the nuns 🙂
Nevertheless for all its crude elements there is still something natural about the responses given and at its core is a tale of trying to do what’s right against the odds. At times it feels like its part social commentary as the Royal family, politics and war intermingle but that works in its favour giving it a true sense of scale. A scale that’s matched by the detailed artwork throughout which never slips pulling just as few punches as the dialogue the one-two combo from Montynero and Mike Dowling has that indie sensibility that shows you how risks can be taken when telling real stories that can entertain AND make you think. All the more important is that fact that a publisher like Titan has seen enough sense to pick this up and release it too.
A title that everyone should be able to get into although not all will be able to absorb the more extreme elements on show…..that’s part of the story and it’s part of real-life so it shouldn’t be a deterrent in any way. Bold, brash and British in every way but with a far broader mix of elements than a comic about STD’s would have previously suggested…..there’s even a hint that “Death Sentence” will return…..so I’ll be keeping an eye out for that.
Head on over to Titan Comics to pick these up
8/10
G-Man
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