Death Sentence #1 - Indie Review

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The Info Bit

Title: Death Sentence #1

Genre/s: Drama/Super Power/Fantasy

Writer: Monty Nero (2000 AD)

Artist: Mike Dowling (Timewarp)

Letterer: Jimmy Betancourt (Batman)

Publisher: Titan Comics

Number of Issues: 1 (of 6)

Page Count: 28

Price: $3.99

The Review Bit

Death Sentence is quite possibly one of those titles that will end up a sleeper hit, with a brilliant premise and an uncertain future for the story. Titan Comics, the series’ publisher, already scared me with said premise through a rather keen press kit, but the comic itself takes the premise a step further than expected in the story. Originally serialized in Mark Millar’s CLiNT magazine, now is your chance to read the entire series in traditional comic format.

At this point, anyone unfamiliar with Death Sentence is now most certainly curious about the premise of the new comic miniseries. Death Sentence follows the tale of three creative young Brits who share one thing in common: their imminent death. But this isn’t just a story about 3 people who will soon die, plain and simple through a disease. No, the disease that will bring these characters to their end is an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) that grants the infected victim with enhanced abilities, similar to super powers. This STD is called the G+ Virus (not to be confused with some kind of computer virus internet users might find if they actually bothered using Google+), and victims have had enhanced abilities that range from being capable of running faster to phasing through solid objects. Three of the most recent victims of the G+ Virus are the series’ protagonists, Verity Fette, Danny Waissel, and Monty, who we are introduced to in three separate narratives early on in the first issue. Initially we are seeing these characters through other’s eyes, as we learn that Verity is a young graphic designer who is having trouble coming to grips with the woes this virus is bringing on her life, realizing it kills its victims in just 6 months. The series other protagonists are less depressed by this virus, as they continue to have sex and potentially spread the disease. Danny Waissel, also known as Weasel, is a musician on the downward spiral of his career. Weasel is still trying to make it in the music industry as a solo artist after his band broke up. Sex, hard drinking, and the rock star lifestyle are what fill Weasel’s time when he’s not dealing with his agent and record label that want to squeeze any last profit from him that they can before his death. Finally, there is the comedian/media personality known as Monty, who really comes off as a Russell Brand type character. Monty is taking advantage of his disease for media attention, much as Weasel’s agent is doing for him, while sleeping around.

As the issue starts we see these three characters coping with their disease in various ways, with Verity being the only one to initially control the narrative from a first person perspective of internal thoughts shared via captions. Monty and Weasel are seen more from a third person perspective as we learn about their less caring sides. But as the story progresses and we learn that these characters are developing powers from the G+ Virus, we see more depth to them. While Monty never gets a captioned narrative in the opening issue, Weasel’s appears at the same time as his powers and we can see that he is a man who doesn’t want to simply die without accomplishing something. The problem is, as with many artists in the fall of their career, he is too easily drawn to his vices rather than muses. But as we get to know the characters, we also come to realize the GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) is keeping tabs on G+ positive citizens. The government recognizes the enhanced human abilities in people with a short time to live can be a ticking time bomb, and they seem to have military and intelligence forces at the ready incase any G+ victim becomes a threat. Sadly, at the end of this issue, on of our protagonists undoubtedly becomes just that, whether they intended it or not.

Undoubtedly many of you are curious if this book, which focuses on superpowers that come from an STD, has sex and nudity. You can rest assured it has both, but not to any degree that it detracts from the story. Never-the-less, there is a rather blasphemous scene involving a nun, post-coitus. Writer Monty Nero includes sex wonderfully in this story, making it a commentary on several points that range from celebrity sexualization to the spreading of disease to even the very temptation of power. In just 22 pages of sequential art, Nero also gives the three protagonists rather defined personalities, making both Weasel and Verity rather relatable as well. But the story expands from a simple “what would you do if you had just 6-months to live?” adventure with a super power twist into something far larger at the end of the book. Part of me is rather saddened that it escapes that premise, which sounded very emotional, but in the same I’m curious where things might go with an additional twist of government conspiracy and threat.

On the art end, Mike Dowling draws and colors some wonderful imagery. His characters look fitting to the personalities given to them, and exist as if they could be real people in the real world. That said, if you’re coming to this book for the sex, while nudity is involved it is nothing overly graphic or on any level of sexy that you might find in many European books or pin-up style American comics. Dowling’s backgrounds are also rather plain and the color somewhat dark and bland, though it does fit with the focus of the story being more on people and their decisions. Meanwhile, Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt also adds personality to the comic through the books lettering by giving the various characters’ narratives different colored caption boxes, which subtly allow for differentiation. For the most part the lettering is subtle and soft, with no major sound effects outside of word balloons (though one or two might have expanded beyond the balloons for effect), yet it is well done and gives us all the signs and notes in the background clear enough to be read without being thrust in our faces. This is something I must compliment as it allows for information to be present, yet still offer some mystery for those less observant.

Now Death Sentence #1 has 22-pages of sequential art, but I listed it as having 28 pages. This is because the comic has a fair amount of interesting back matter. Back matter, for those unaware, is the increasingly common trend of adding afterwords and extra material in the back of floppy issue comics, almost like DVD extra features or the content normally reserved for collected editions. Death Sentence #1 features back matter in the way of a fake news article about Weasel and a very interesting guide to making comics by the series’ writer, Monty Nero. Both are truly enjoyable reads in addition to Death Sentence, and I can imagine many aspiring comic creators finding the guide to making comics actually very informative and worth the entire value of the comic.

The Rating Bit

Death Sentence #1 is a comic with a great concept and a lot of personality. The creative team has made some very strong personalities in the book’s protagonists, but the extra twist in the series’ concept might have pushed the story into something a bit too big. Never-the-less, I am quite looking forward to the next issue, and have to give the opening story to Death Sentence a nice 8 out of 10. You can check out a trailer for the series below and pick up a copy for yourself when it hits stores next week, October 9th.