Death Sentence numero tres hit the stands today. I was lucky enough to get a free copy a few days ago. I was excited because since issue one, since the idea of it really, Death Sentence has seemed like one of the most promising titles out there. Honestly I’m a little worried that I may have built this work up to heights it may not be able to achieve. But it’s stellar artwork, amazing covers, and inventive story telling that weaves you slowly into these characters lives has yet to disappoint.

comics-death-sentence-3-4When we last left our travelers they were still on a journey of discovery and debauchery. Weasel had been denied visits to his son and then accidentally killed a girl. Monty revealed his powers of persuasion before pissing in some cops tea. Varity was in the clink (or whatever the top secret military hide away version of the clink is). This months tale digs us a little deeper.

 

As we’ve seen Monty Nero likes to pace his characters stories out and reveal little bits about their lives with each issue. This was the case again in issue #3. After sleeping in the streets, and on the run, Weasel makes the classic “man on the lamb” play and ducks into his old home to visit his kid. Things don’t go so smooth and we see what may be even more powers. He’s not just the drugged out male rocker version of Kat from the X-Men.

DeathSentence3_CoverwebIt was crazy to see these new elements teased at but not really revealed. I still hold that Varity is the star of the show, though beyond her initial explosive entrance I can’t say that I fully understand her abilities or where her story is going. I’ve speculated war with the Government and Super Team Up with the other stars of this mag, but I apparently can’t guess for shizzy because this is not going any way I’ve thought up at all. It weirds me to hell that there are only a few issues left before the series cinches the drawstrings shut and it hasn’t brought the main plot to the front. I have faith though. The characters are rich and from the extra bits to read after the comic is done I gather there’s something big (Monty Nero, while telling about how he was able to get Death Sentence of the ground, mentioned that it originally came with an action packed first page that was a hint of the world to be). The character Monty seems to be spiraling out of control, which Weasel seemed to have been doing in the last issue, as he grows bored of his extravagance and dreams up the next sick adventure. His exploits at the end of #3 may be what finally brings the house down on this merry troupe (they’re not really a troupe yet and I wonder if they ever will be).

DeathSentence3_2webI must confess I never really read the long extra bits at the end of each issue. I like reading just fine but I tend to jump straight to the meat of the story and abandon my interest once I’ve reached the end. Not one for forwards and afterwards or DVD extras. I skimmed the back of this one for the character concept art and caught a few brief glimpses of the articles within. I may go back and read the rest. It revealed some good details into the life of self publishing. I never really thought about the amount of unpaid time early works go through or why the fail.

All in all the third book in this series was as good as the rest. The only complaint I have is that it did make me wonder if there is enough time to wrap up and still leave a flavorful taste. Varity’s story was less eventful and with the amount of cover time she gets I am beginning to wonder when that playful starlett in the silly hat is going to come out. I am keeping the faith though and I’ll see what the Nero/Dowling team has to offer in the next chapter.

About Eric bookout

Writer/Artist for X amount of years. Recently worked with people from IGN on a comic and studied writing under Victor Gischler of Marvel Comics at RSU in Oklahoma more X amount of years ago. Follow me @WerewolfOrigin on twitter
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