Review: Deadly Class #37

Coming of age in the 1980’s, the Reagan Years is something I have in common with the characters of Deadly Class, as well as series creator Rick Remender. The music of Joy Division, The Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen was the soundtrack of my adolescence, the contents of a multitude of mixed tapes and the morbid muse that inspired volumes of angst-ridden verse. Remender fills the pages of Deadly Class with the nostalgia of those tumultuous times; beyond relying on dated pop culture references the 46-year-old writer channels an authenticity that could only come from growing up in those heartwarming days of the Cold War. Far from the teenagers depicted in the films of John Hughes, the burgeoning student assassins of Kings Dominion are more concerned with their body count than their g.p.a.

Much like their predecessors the current Freshman class at Kings Dominion School of the Deadly Arts consists of an eclectic and diverse group of young killers. Despite their differences or perhaps because of them, the classmates have become friends. One of the new class members, a refugee of an African civil war named Zenzele has been entrusted to the watchful eye of Saya, a young lady with a penchant for katana and a position in the Yakuza by the headmaster of Kings. Last issue Saya was kidnapped by her ruthless brother Kenji and held in chains while he and his gang throw a party that would make Caligula envious.

Fellow Kings classmate Quan is being used by Kenji as a “sake bitch”, fetching drinks and suffering no end of cruel treatment at the hands of the drunken and debauched gang members. However, unbeknownst to Kenji and his henchmen, Quan is there to make good Saya’s escape. This is a feat far easier said than done and soon Quan would find that out for himself as he comes face to face with a badly beaten and half-starved Saya. She is not at all receptive to Quan or his plan to get her back to San Francisco aboard a freighter in a cargo container. What ensues is perhaps the most exciting sequence of panels I have seen in recent memory. If you have been reading Deadly Class you know how amazingly energetic Wes Craig’s art has been. His ability to render action sequences in all their kinetic glory is truly glorious to behold and this is Craig at the pinnacle of his considerable talents.

Remender has amassed quite an impressive catalog of creator owned titles including Seven to Eternity, Black Science and Low to name just a few, but Deadly Class has developed something of a cult following. I believe that is due in no small part to the meticulous character work Remender has done in the book. Easily the most flamboyant cast, the students of Kings Dominion have the kind of appeal that attracts outsiders, rebels and punk rockers. The series is exactly the kind of thing I wish I could have gotten my teen-aged hands on, unfortunately I would have to relive those years vicariously as I am very far from those wonder years of my youth. The beauty of Deadly Class is that while it is certainly a love letter to the effervescent 80’s, it is simultaneously timeless. Setting his narrative so firmly in an era full of iconic minutiae somehow gives it a magical sense, instead of freezing it in time the setting becomes organic, almost like another character in itself. The era defines the tone, it speaks to just about every element of the narrative from the dialog to the character designs, their wardrobe, hair styles and activities. Remender captures every subtle nuance so precisely and that helps bring these characters vibrantly to life. Their attendance at a school for killers becomes part of a deeply detailed drama, Shakespearean in its complexities.

Wes Craig and Jordan Boyd’s collaborative efforts in this issue have resulted in some of the most visually exciting and exhilarating action sequences currently on the racks. Craig’s character designs resonate with all the 80’s accoutrements one would expect to see; from Doc Martens boots to the biker and bomber jackets so popular among the youth of the day. Craig’s explosive page composition and imaginative panel progressions keep pace with Remender’s nitro-fueled narrative. Jordan Boyd’s colors bring an electricity to the page that works so well particularly on the gorgeous action sequences. The pair seems to have developed a fantastic chemistry that is apparent in the finished work. Craig has created a visual vocabulary with his kinetic poses and dynamic framing so much so that it has carried over into the television series.

Deadly Class is a brutally beautiful, vibrantly violent catastrophe ballet in which Remender weaves elements of high school drama, Gothic romance and Kung Fu Action theater to tell a story inspired as much by John Woo as John Hughes. If you haven’t been reading Deadly Class I sincerely recommend adding it to your pull list, while certainly not as high concept as Black Science or Seven to Eternity, Deadly Class harkens back to the halcyon days of the 80’s and doesn’t spare the angst or the action. Fast paced, engrossing and nostalgic what more could you ask for in a comic book about adolescent assassins? 4.5/5

Writer- Rick Remender
Artist- Wes Craig
Colors- Jordan Boyd
Letterer- Rus Wooton