Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Comics, Deadly Class, entertainment, image comics, Lee Loughridge, rick remender, Russ Wootan, Wes Craig

Deadly Class #2: Revisiting the 80's

By Dylan Gonzalez

My girlfriend is eleven years older than me.  She is a bona fide child of the 80's.  She has her love for hair metal and the synth heavy rock of the time, particularly soft spots for Poison, Van Halen and Extreme.  But her heart really lies with punk, alternative rock, new wave and post-punk, bands like The Cure, The Smiths, Bad Brains and The Replacements.

And, naturally, her youth was fueled by a steady diet of films that could only exist between the years of 1980 and 1989.  I also happen to love a good deal of movies from this time period, but apparently I haven't seen enough of them (I just saw The Breakfast Club not long ago).  Every time I visit her, it has become mandatory that we watch at least two movies together to scratch them off the "Movies Dylan Hasn't Seen" list.

I was about halfway through the second issue of Deadly Class when I realized that Rick Remender and Wes Craig have created a lost 1980's gem in 2014.  When I finished the first issue of Deadly Class, I was not really sure where I stood with the book.  As an introduction to this world, I think Remender did a really nice job, but the closing revelation, a secret school for child assassins?  I was not really sure how I felt, regardless of the absurdities of some of the comics I read.

To be perfectly honest, I thought Deadly Class was going to be more of a straightforward high school-style book about youth and growing up.  Needless to say, I was ill informed and I think that was for the better.  The last time I was with my girlfriend, we watched Heathers, a film I similarly knew little about, other than it was set in high school and it starred Wynona Rider and Christian Slater.  And I really liked it, despite it being ridiculous at times.

In issue two of Deadly Class, as Remender and Craig brought me deeper into this world of child assassins, I embraced the craziness of it.  For whatever reason, I feel as though society gives most creations of the 80's a little slack.  Absurd premises and over-the-top characters thrived in a time period they never could.  Remender is taking those ideas of 80's cinema and mixing it with his skills as a writer.  His script is taught and the dialogue on point.  Amidst the crazy premise, Marcus Arguello's inner monologue flows naturally.  The students' dialogue never feels wooden.  I love lines addressing the killings of bankers and oil tycoons, followed immediately by the reminder that Banarama is going to get the axe as well.

Nothing feels extraneous here, considering there is the equivalent of two 80's styled montage sequences introducing the school's classes (Beheading?  Poison?  When will ninja stealth be introduced?) and cliques.  That was easily one of my favorite moments, as each group of child assassins is introduced and what their crime lineage is.  The American espionage group had to be the best represented, with a very clear douche bag look to them.  And the fact that Marcus' goal is to kill Ronald Reagan?  I'm down with it.

I really like Marcus Arguello.  He is taking this new opportunity in stride, but at the same time cynically.  Vulnerable and a bit doubtful, but exhibiting just the right amount of Holden Caulfield and J.D. Dean from Heathers, without the sociopathetic bits hopefully.  He's got the attitude for the school, but he is still new.  Still fresh meat.  I am eager to see how Marcus evolves during his tenure.

Now Wes Craig, Lee Loughridge and Russ Wootan need as much praise as Remender.  Craig is an undeniably gifted artist.  The diversity of looks he has given every character (and I mean every character) is amazing.  Not one person shares a similarity.  Even within their own cliques, the students have distinguishing features.  I would not call Craig's style realistic, but I would not call it exaggerated either.  It falls somewhere in the middle, perhaps the best style of comic book art.  His ability to convey emotion as well is impeccable.

The flat coloring of Loughridge adds to the artwork.  His ability to adapt the coloring palate to each scene's mood is spot on.  He shifts from black and greys to beiges to muted blues and purples depending on location and tone.  Wootan's unique lettering is the final brick in the wall to make it complete.   His personally styled sound effects look great and blend in really well Craig's pencils.

Most things don't exist in a vacuum, but Deadly Class does.  It's a wonderful ode toward 80's cinema.  It's Heathers meets Big Trouble in Little China, but with Remender and Craig's modern storytelling giving it a crisp flair.  I am in for the ride.  I want to see if Marcus really goes about offing old Ronnie Reagan.  And I will forever love Remender for including personal playlists for Deadly Class' cast, featuring some really splendid picks from the time period.  You can bet your ass I will be lending this comic to my girlfriend next time I see her.

Dylan Gonzalez happens to love beer and comic books and luckily found a place to write about both because he has no idea how to actually make money in the real world.  He lives in a cave in New Jersey.

Tweet him at @BeardedPickle, follow his own beer blog at http://boozegeek.tumblr.com/or email him at dylan.gonzalez1990@gmail.com.

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