Comics – Death Sentence Liberty #1

The Death Sentence story continues, and Steve Taylor-Bryant gets his hands on the first issue of Death Sentence Liberty. Is it all that he wanted it to be? Will he invest in the Kickstarter for issue 2? Well, duh…

[Contains slight spoilers for Death Sentence London - you have been warned]

I am firmly of the opinion that Monty Nero wants to have all my money but that he is such a nice guy that, instead of hacking my bank account, he just develops Kickstarters knowing that I will have to release the moths from my wallet and actually spend some cash. He does it in a very clever way. He develops a comic that I fall in love with, that is addictive and means I am hooked in the same way that Gin hooks me. Then he releases comics that are great, but leave you wanting more. He builds and builds and builds and just as you think you’re going to be satisfied, he ends it. Just stops. That was how I felt when Death Sentence: London finished. I was apoplectic! How could you make me feel for all these characters and then leave me with no ending? Monty Nero is a clever bastard is how. Death Sentence: London hooked me but come the end I had no closure so inevitably I had to invest in Liberty. But was it worth the agonising wait?

Yes, of course it was. Death Sentence: Liberty picks up where London left off, with Jeb undercover on the island being used by the U.K to research G+. Someone is suspicious and wants Jeb investigated. The now-pregnant Verity is still fighting off troops in the Brixton Free Zone with the aid of half girl half plant Roots, an order comes down to the troops to take Verity alive, and since they are getting their arses kicked and cant kill her anyway that is not so much of an issue, and towards the end of Liberty #1 Weasel re-emerges looking for his stash of drugs.

There is something comforting about Death Sentence. Yes, the premise about a sexually transmitted disease that gives you superpowers but will kill you in a matter of months is dark and adult in nature. Yes, the fighting and politics are depressing and on occasion far too life like. And yes, the language, violence, and drug usage are much in evidence. But once you’ve read the original Death Sentence, all those years ago, you want the Monty Nero view of the world in your life, you need Nero’s take on the world in your mind to help you get through your own day. Death Sentence Liberty #1 carries on the great tradition of story telling and art, it continues the Monty Nero campaign to fleece me of all my children’s inheritance really well, and I’m already broke and have a kidney on eBay due to the issue 2 Kickstarter.

One of my problems with many comics over the years has been consistency. You get the start of a great take on a character, or a fantastic plotline and then multiple writers and artists all take a swing at it and, despite their best efforts, you often get a watered-down incoherent mess. With Death Sentence you have Monty Nero’s hand on the tiller and with Mike Dowling at the beginning and Martin Simmonds for the last few years you get exactly what you are paying for. You get a fantastic continuing tale that shows no signs of weakening with incredible artwork and colouring and within every issue there is a complete stand out panel or piece of art that elevates an already astonishing book. A few issues ago it was Weasel’s story taking place outside of the main panels, in the borders of the page, and in this issue, it is the two pages towards the end of Verity’s battle. One full page of Verity almost exploding which is a powerful image, but that is then followed by a page that is almost blank with the white glow of the aftermath almost hurting your eyes which was incredibly clever and impactful.

Yes, Death Sentence: Liberty #1 is astonishing and of course you should buy it, and the next issue, and the one after that. Welcome to addiction. My name is Steve and its been 2 days since my last contribution to a Monty Nero kickstarter.

PSSSSSTTTTT... You can feed your own Death Sentence addiction by supporting the latest Death Sentence Liberty Kickstarter where you can pick up both Issue 1 AND Issue 2 as well as loads of other brilliant perks (even a calendar to chart your own descent into Death Sentence addiction). 



Follow Steve on Twitter @STBwrites

Images - Monty Nero.