Get the awesome Chrome Roses Trilogy, the award-nominated cyberpunk sensation about an outcast detective and punk vigilante teaming-up to stop a terrifying pandemic. Buy original art from the series, or stock up on Monty's artbook or his "masterwork" graphic novel series "Death Sentence" (voted 'comic of the decade' in 2019). Chrome Roses raised over $36,000 in 2024 for Book 1 (fulfilled) and $39,000 in August 2025 for Book 2, with Book 3 arriving Dec 2026. Don't miss out! Martin Simmonds – Artist (Image, Marvel, DC) “‘With beautiful art and a killer concept, Chrome Roses is a cyber punk masterpiece” John Freeman – Editor, Writer – (Marvel UK, Titan, Down the Tubes) “Bloody hell! Chrome Roses is incredible! My mind is blown!” Nicola Scott – Artist (Image, DC) “Look at how beautiful this book is!”
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This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Hope you’re doing well.
Just a quick update on progress. This month I’ve been airbrushing new pages, I’ve also lettered ten more pages, and I’ve written another little story that ties in with the main story.
I’ve also just sent the artbook reward to the printer, after adding a commentary to it and including all the work leading up to Chrome Roses and some initial designs. It’s turned out to be an amusing read. It’s called Little Deaths 2 and you’ll find it in the survey next month if you haven’t ordered it already.
So things are motoring along nicely.
More soon, as things happen.
All the best
Monty
Hey there
Just checking in with a monthly update on production, which is going well.
It’s the best part of the process, simply making the comics.
The great thing about cyberpunk is you can invent everything from your imagination, you’re not limited by reality. I absolutely love drawing these pages, and as I get deeper into it I keep coming up with new ideas for characters, props and locations within the plot I’ve mapped out.
Here’s some examples. In my script this all happened in a corridor. Well, the corridor got upgraded 😂
The paint was still wet when I took these. Hand drawing it is a lot more fun than using the computer.
I still letter on a computer (though a lot of the sound effects are hand drawn) and I’ve been cracking on with that too after scanning the art in.
I’ve also been putting together the final pages for the art book which will be the first thing to be printed next month.
At the moment I’m a couple of weeks behind schedule, largely through putting extra detail into the art.
I’ll update again at the end of next month, with news on the survey.
Hope you’re all doing well too.
Oh, I’m guesting at The Lakes, and Thought Bubble this year too, if anyone wants to come there’s some great guests and events this year.
All the best
Monty
Hey there
Hope you're well.
The funds are in, and even though that happens like clockwork 19/20 days after closing (in the UK at least) it's still a very exciting day.
I'm always happy to take an order from a dropped pledge (anyone's card can get refused for all kinds of crazy reasons) so just message me here if that's happened to you. Though this time around there were very few dropped pledges which keeps things nice and simple.
I'm still thrilled by how popular Chrome Roses proved to be, partly because I spent so long dreaming it up, then writing the script, and then making all the art - but also because of all the cool things I can now add. I'm figuring out all the details with my excellent printer, Stuart Gould, and both of our new stretch goal artists. It's very satisfying to have raised enough to do the book exactly as I'd hoped all those years ago. Thank you so much for making the Chrome Roses dream a reality.
I'll keep you posted as things happen, and please feel free to message me here whenever you want. I will reply but I've switched back to 'creative production' mode now so it won't be as quick as during the campaign. There's lots of art and lettering still to do and I've been rattling through the remaining pages, very inspired. It's all on target for later this summer, and I'm enjoying the hell out of ticking it all off on my schedule.
The key to great comics is conjuring an imagined world, and the lives of fictional characters, with vivid intensity. I can't make special stuff with my head online. I have to be fully focused on the page of art and the script before me. I even tell my family to leave me alone, because I'm lost in the world of Chrome Roses and the unique atmosphere I'm creating. If my mind's not stuck in that fictional reality I can't transmit magical stuff from my brain onto the page for you all to enjoy.
Of course, I still answer emails, check KS, take Wee Nero to football training, make dinner and so on. I'm no hermit, but I've learnt over the years I get better results from a laser-like focus. When I'm campaigning I'm campaigning, when I'm shipping I'm shipping, and when I'm writing and drawing that's the best bit. Everything else rests on my creativity, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'll reply to KS messages, of course, but don't think anything's amiss if I'm a bit slower or quieter over the next few months. I'm simply delivering what you backed, and figuring out cool ways to make your books even better.
Talking of cool imagined worlds I'm super excited for Fully Loaded over on Zoop. Jimmy Broxton has drawn some awesome stuff for this story, and I can't wait to read it myself. If you're a cyberpunk fan like me you won't want to miss what he's devised - all published with the expertise of Shane at Scratch Comics - with just 37 hours left to go!! Go get it here!
Also, I did a talk for Will Eisner week recently and met a cool new creator making his first book. He seemed a good guy, with his head screwed on right, and I liked the concept and the art too. It's called Oreium Saga, about a precious rare metal found in someone's blood, and you can check out all the excitement that rises from that predicament right here
Finally, I wanted to thank Jellop for their help promoting Death Sentence cyberpunk - not least via their First Backer newsletter.
Death Sentence Cyberpunk was featured heavily on the First Backer Newsletter, so I'd like to invite you to join its growing community of Kickstarter backers. You'll receive news on the freshest Kickstarter projects, amazing early bird offers, and awesome freebies right in your inbox. Click right here to subscribe.
More from me soon
All the best
Monty