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Death Sentence #1 (of 6)
Publisher: Titan Comics
Writer: Montynero
Artist: Mike Dowling
Cover: Mike Dowling

That breath of fresh air in the comic industry is coming from Death Sentence courtesy of Montynero and Mike Dowling. No, there aren’t any capes and tights flying around protecting the city in these pages. What you will find is a gritty and entertaining story about people who have acquired the G-Plus virus. On the plus (no pun intended) side once you have it you will develop super powers. However, once you have acquired this STD you will only have six months to live. In this issue we are introduced to three people that have G-Pus and the paths they are on.

The three principal characters introduced by Montynero are vastly different from each other. Each one makes for a great starting point for this story, though it’s Verity Fette who really shines. From the standout scene of her quitting her job to her incident towards the end of the issue, she was the character I wanted to know more about. The other two, though great to read about, didn’t seem as strong as she did, though that may change as the series progresses. Montynero also hints at a military group that is tasked with keeping an eye on those who have G-Plus. His sparing use of them in this issue really heightens the suspense forcing you to just want more. The dialogue is also strong, and there’s just the right amount of slang used from across the pond that it doesn’t distract the uninitiated, but keeps them cemented in the story’s setting of the various parts of London.

The artwork Dowling provides just enhances the mood and feel of the story from start to finish. His style is totally in sync with what’s going on, and though a bit rough at times it moves everything along the way it should be. The backgrounds are pretty sparse and minimal at times, but with his expressive characters and panel movement you’ll find one very good looking book. Plus the guy does a fantastic job with one of the heavily tattooed characters by keeping everything consistent in every panel he appears in.

Death Sentence isn’t what is expected on the shelves of comic shops when you think of super powered beings. This is a very good thing and we definitely need more of that. Montynero and Dowling have the beginnings of a strong mini-series here, and you should do yourself a favor and give it a try.

Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net