Monday 30 September 2013

Death Sentence - Variant Covers

There are five different covers for Death Sentence #1 (by Montynero and Dowling, out on October 9th from Titan Comics). Here's the definitive list:

1) Issue 1. This Verity cover is available EVERYWHERE! You can contact any comic shop in the world and buy it right now.

2) Issue 1 Monty Cover by Mike Dowling - This is exclusively available from the Hastings chain of stores in America. They've got 149 stores in 21 states, and there are only 1000 copies in circulation.

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http://www.gohastings.com/product/BOOK/Exclusive-Hastings-Variant-Death-Sentace-1-Hastings-Variant/sku/291766700.uts#.UmJhrFCmiSp

3) Issue 1 Verity Paint Cover by Montynero - This is exclusively available from Strange Adventures in Canada using the link below, and there are only 500 copies in existence.



 http://www.strangeadventures.com/2013/09/death-sentence-1-exclusive-cover/

Strange Adventures have three stores in Canada, and here are the contact details:
5110 Prince St, Halifax, NS B3J 1L3 | (902) 425-2140
68 York St, Fredericton, NB E3B 3N5 | (506) 450-3759
101 Portland St, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 1H7| (902) 444-2140

4) Issue 1 Verity Sketch Cover by Montynero - This is exclusively available from Warp 9 Comics and Collectibles, 21 West 14 Mile Road, Claweson, Michigan 48017 USA - with a print run of just 500 copies.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Warp-9-comics-collectibles/158809294181050?ref=stream

5) Issue 1 Verity Bathroom Cover by Montynero - This is exclusively available from the Forbidden Planet chain of comic shops in the U.K.


https://forbiddenplanet.com/105369-death-sentence-1-forbidden-planet-variant/
Forbidden Planet have 9 stores across the UK and all the contact details and locations are listed here https://forbiddenplanet.com/stores/. (Don't confuse them with Forbidden Planet International, which is a different chain.)

I did paint a few other variant covers but we didn't use them in the end - so these are the only five on sale.

They're all in high demand so it's advisable to order in advance if you want a particular cover. You'll also be able to get them on Ebay, I expect, after the release date- but you'll probably end up paying a little more for that. Especially for the low print run editions.

I don't have any to sell myself, sorry. But it was a blast creating them all and, believe me, they look even better printed than they do on the screen.

Hope you like them all.

Cheers,

Monty




Sunday 15 September 2013

Love this new Death Sentence page from Mike Dowling.
First issue's out in three weeks on October 9th, and you can order it from any comic shop right now.

Monday 2 September 2013

Death Sentence Reviews

Titan sent over a doc with some Death Sentence reviews. There are loads of others out there, so I'll add those at some point too. Personally I'm always delighted when anyone takes the time to feedback, so thanks to everyone who wrote about the comic - good or bad!

Popmatters "...like only the best parts of Watchmen — a social analysis that exceeds the medium of comics, easily the equal of Dostoyevsky or Dickens."

MTV Geek "A smart, raw and relevant spin on the superhero genre."

Brian Cronin, Comics Should Be Good! "Montynero and Mike Dowling bring a striking new voice to the superhero genre. The characters are well-developed and lively and Dowling's design work is impressive - his art has a great, Sean Phillips-esque feel to it. I'm fascinated to see where they go with this concept."

Jason Sacks, Comics Bulletin "Exactly the kind of strip that we expect...Nasty, dirty and oh-so-wonderfully-wrong - and a hell of a lot of fun."

Danica Davidson, CNN, Los Angeles Times "Jumps out at readers with an edgy, moody feel, with plenty of mystery and fear in the air. The premise and unique characters are intriguing."

Broken Frontier "This is the magic of comics. DEATH SENTENCE makes you look up, wonder and ponder. As over-the-edgy as it gets. As a fan, this is the stuff I want!"

First Comic News "Highly Recommended!"

A Comic Book Blog, Anonymous “My favourite new-read is Death Sentence, in which a sexually transmitted disease gives it’s carriers great superpowers, but only six months to live. “

Ain’t It Cool Optimus Douche “It’s gritty and it’s real, all the while imbibing the fantastic and making us believe this shit is going on right outside our window."

Bad Haven Bad Man “Death Sentence is a spanking bit of controversial socially cutting comics"

Comic Book Nerds Are Hot Tim Barkley “Death Sentence by Monty Nero and Mike Dowling.... A gritty dystopian tale about seemingly unconnected young people...Death Sentence is a clear standout. Dowling's art is expressive and gritty, and the story is engaging.”

Comic Book Resources Ryan K. Lindsay “...illustrated by Mike Dowling with a sketchy style that is effective and intriguing. Dowling knows how to make characters feel edgy enough that you don't feel like you are reading a lame comic, but instead experiencing the underground art scene.”

Comics Matter Bobby Acosta “Death Sentence is a strange mix of rock and roll with super powers and just a little bit of “The Doors”, with Val Kilmer. Timely reference, I know, but it seemed to be all I had in my mind. Deranged character, weird powers, and a “fight-the-man” mentality. It’s brutal and edgy.”

Comics Bulletin Gary Mitchel “We have some interesting characters here, exploring very different reactions to being told that you have six months before dying. We easily sympathize with Verity, Weasel seems like your standard self-destructive musician, and Monty is kind of amusing but is a serious sleazeball. The art reminds me a lot of Michael Gaydos, very rough and textured but not messy. I really like it.”

Cosmic Book News Chris Bushley “This tale follows three main characters that have been infected with an STD that will grant them super powers before they die from it! Totally fresh, engaging and crazy enough to grab you and make you question your weekly pull list! This is the future of comics and you can only get it here!”

Down The Tubes John Freeman “Hollywood-baiting Death Sentence...has built up a wave of well-deserved hype. Creators and critics alike have been lining up to praise the hotly-anticipated sex, STDs and superheroics saga, written by newcomer Montynero and illustrated by Mike Dowling (2000AD, Rex Royd, Torchwood). I've been lucky enough to see the whole first arc of this story and it's superb - hard-egded, dramatic, thought-provoking and well deserving of the praise it's been getting. Montynero's script is terrific and Dowling really delivers on the art front.”

First Comic News Giovanni Aria “Death Sentence deconstructs the super hero mythology and shines a harsh light of our current celebrity culture on it. At the same time Death Sentence demonstrates what governments would do with people they can’t control… It’s a gritty and compelling story with enough realism to satisfy mature readers, while presenting the fantasy/science fiction elements in a way that advances the story without making it cliché.”

Geek Girl World Ari “The series "Death Sentence" provides a gritty sensationalistic take on the Hollywood culture without the glamor. Writer Monty Nero and artist Mike Dowling present a sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll scene that will make even the most hardened partier shudder.”

Geek Syndicate Montoc1701 “Death Sentence...has a completely original idea but to tell you more would spoil it, just read and you will be hooked to see what happens next.”

Girls Read Comics Chantaal "Also great was Death Sentence from Monty Nero and Mike Dowling, which is the story of three Londoners dealt superpowers and six months to live by the sexually-transmitted G-Plus virus. This was such an interesting, bold take on superheroes that I couldn’t help but enjoy reading it,"

Latino Review Andrew-Patrick Weymes "I like the gritty artwork of ‘Death Sentence.’ It just exudes sexiness, depravity – all the things you generally want in a comic that’s reaching for an adult audience."

Major Spoilers Rob Rasmussen "Dowling’s work here is quite sketchy, but in a way that looks good for the finality that all the characters are going to have. In fact, the least sketchy segment is with the upbeat celebrity, so this may be an intended stylistic choice that really works. So far, I like the concept and I like potential of the characters, I’d pick up the next one."

MTV Valerie Gallaher “Montynero and Mike Dowling's "Death Sentence" is a smart, raw and relevant spin on the superhero genre, mirroring the plight of today's overworked Twentysomethings fresh out of college, covered in debts, and struggling to see a future over the horizon in an increasingly unstable world. And much like "Supercrooks," these folks may find salvation -- or at least some sense of personal identity -- in defying authority and basking in the dangerously awesome glow of their powers.”

Nerd Bastards Steven Sautter “The premise behind Death Sentence looks great. There’s an STD out there that kills you in six months, but in the meantime you get superpowers. It appears these powers manifest in different ways for different people, but we only see one instance. The art is grabbing, reminiscent in many ways of Charlie Adlard, but with more of an urban grit to it. Montynero and Mike Dowling have created something compelling here, with the potential to run for quite some time.”

Newsarama the best shots team “It’s a brilliantly original concept, and a features an incredibly smart script by Montynero, highlighted by fantastic character work and strong dialog. Mike Dowling is the artist here, and while everything I mentioned about his art on Rex Royd stands true for this strip, he also colors his own work here, which really elevates the final look. He has a great grasp of what colors work best in a scene, and how to use light sources to the best effect. The characters he draws for this story are all fully realized and seem to have their own personalities, which just jump out of the page.”

PDX Comic Geek Anonymous “This is the kind of story that reminds me that there are amazing, undiscovered talents lurking all over the globe that need more opportunities to share their comics with the world…The artwork and storytelling are both top notch. There is a mood to it that just fits really well.”

Sci-Fi Mafia Shathley Q “Think Charles Burns’ Black Hole, but with superpowers instead of freakish mutations”

SideKickcast Gavin Jones “Death Sentence, a debut comic from MontyNero...feels like a breath of fresh air, with fresh ideas”

Shiny Shelf Mark Clapham “Finally there’s ‘Death Sentence’...a neat high concept well-established...the proof of the high concept will be in whether further chapters develop that concept in an interesting manner.”

Talking Comics Books Steve Seigh “Death Sentence by Montynero and Dowling. This comic is packed to the gills with sex, mysterious circumstances, and lots of bad attitude, a perfect recipe for a mature comic read. It’s not to be missed.”

The Cult Den Paul Bowler “Death Sentence paints a dark view of the seedier side of the celebrity culture that so many of us in society seem increasingly devoted to. The G+Virus has a devastating effect on all of these people, with each having to deal with their diagnosis in their own way - but for some their old lives are not going to let them walk away unscathed just yet.”

The Examiner Anthony Schultz “ Death Sentence (Monty Nero, Mike Dowling), which is an interesting take on the anti-hero genre. Basically, a tortured pop-artist becomes infected with a virus dubbed the G+ Virus. The virus provides a ‘death sentence’ for the victim, but grants him superpowers as he slowly dies.

What Culture Tom White “It’s an extremely intriguing concept, and a nice side swipe at celebrity culture...The hook of Death Sentence is a fantastic one, and the story crafted around it is the reward for picking the book up and cracking open the front cover...Mike Dowling’s art continues to be a great compliment to Nero’s writing, the gritty style and tone jumping off the page...There are books from Marvel and DC in publication for years that have characters I don’t care for half as much as Verity, Weasel, and Monty. That’s the power of good writing... After two issues, I am completely hooked on this book. It drew me in with it’s fantastic concept, the story and the characters convincing me to stay. If you are looking for something original from your comics, Death Sentence is the way to go."