Review: DEADLY CLASS #3

DEADLY CLASS #3
Written by Rick Remender
Art by Wes Craig
Published by Image Comics
Release Date: March 26, 2014

DeadlyClass03_Cover

Deadly Class #3 takes Marcus on his first mission since joining King’s Dominion High School. Partnered with Willie, Marcus goes back into the city of San Francisco.

Issue #3 slows the title down, not too much though, and gives Marcus and Willie the spotlight for the entire issue. There are no new characters introduced or shocking reveals, just a solid character focused story delving deeper into both characters. The plot for the story, a simple assassination, isn’t anything out of this world, but it’s everything that circles the assassination that makes the comic so interesting. Marcus and Willie’s interactions felt genuine and real. Remender was able to go back and forth so seamlessly from teenager, to assassin, back to teenager, and so forth, that the duality of these kids really shines. Even with the subplot of Marcus’s past, the issue didn’t feel cluttered and each story was given their fair share of time within the pages. The pacing felt right and there were enough spots of action to break up the heavy dialogue scenes.  I love how ingrained the city of San Francisco is in the book and also the late 80’s/early 90’s timeframe. It’s a time that hasn’t been properly used and Remender’s focus to detail (nothin’ better than an Eric B. & Rakim reference!) makes everything feel natural.

After 3 issues, the biggest stand out of Deadly Class is Remender’s voice for the teenage cast. Even though Marvel and DC do have successful teenage books, they are handcuffed by their image and can’t go into some territories. Remender pulls no punches and delivers dialogue full of profanity, slang, and slurs. It may be off-putting to some, but it’s the most honest representation of the teenage vocabulary I have seen in a book in a long time. Not only honest, the dialogue flows naturally and every character’s voice has been spot on. Remove the pictures and Marcus and Willie would still be different and identifiable. Even without the language, the personalities stand out and make anyone over fifteen feel like they are back in high school. From Marcus’ know it all attitude and desperate urge to impress, to Willie’s fear when the real danger happens.

Wes Craig continues his impressive art with issue #3. The action scenes, and the body language during, in particular, were extremely well done. His detail in the emotions in the main characters faces also help solidify the personalities even further. The book was a breeze to read as well with the creative use of panels and layout. The rooftop scene may have been the best use of layout and panels this month. Roderick, last month, commended Lee Loughridge in his review of Deadly Class #2 and the colors continue to impress.

My definition of a ‘teen’ book may differ from others, but Deadly Class is one of the best teen books on the market right now. They are teenagers who happen to also be in training assassins and not the other way around. Issues 1 and 2 have begun to build the base for an imaginative and creative world for the characters, and issue three shows that the Marcus and Co. are interesting enough to keep pace.

The Verdict: 9.0/10

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