After the monster explosive and awe inspiring ending to the previous issue and story arc. Issue #14 of Deadly Class begins and continues as what it was simply meant to be; a hangover issue. And quite a powerful hangover issue at that. We are talking like take a whole lot of Ibuprofen and drink a lot of Pepto Bismol kind of hangover here. One of those real draining, believe that you would feel better dead than alive kind of hangovers. Now I haven’t had one of those types of hangovers since the late 1980s. So I guess that it is only appropriate that I get that experience relived for me here on these pages of Deadly Class #14. It isn’t a pretty issue at all in any way shape or form.
And why should it be? Everything has changed. After the dreaded confrontations with both Fuckface and his band of mutant redneck freaks followed by the less crazy, more evil El Alma de Diablo cartel of professional sociopaths, we have seen the death of a classmate, the testing of Marcus and his own loyalties regarding love and life. And of course, the straight up pull the rug from under you ending that occurred regarding Maria. There is just nowhere else to go from there but to the inevitable hangover.
So Issue #14 of Deadly Class will forever be to me “The Hangover Issue”. Things suck here. Everyone is drained, Maris is missing(?), thought to have gone AWOL. And Marcus is left wondering what in the world is going on, having to pick up these pieces.
Like any young testosterone fueled teen faced with these unknowns, Marcus searches for his answers with his more base emotions, through drugs and sex, going through friends and eventually hook ups. Never really ending up anywhere. But dropping deeper and deeper into more pain and misery (and some unhealthy life choices).
The entire issue is one long and rambling soliloquy by Marcus trying to understand where he is and what he needs to be. And adding to the trouble, Marcus’ best friend Willie apparently has made his move on the mysterious Saya right when Marcus poured out his soul to him about his own feelings regarding her (Betrayal!!!). Needless to say, Marcus doesn’t handle that situation (or anything) too well. Things are falling apart and those friends that he did have are beginning to keep their distance as he has become a heap of his former self. Basically, the insecure inner Marcus that has been kept in check by a bad ass exterior has bubbled over making old Marcus sound like a raving lunatic.
But young Marcus is still thinking. And he believes that he may have some idea of what happened to Maria and in who may have been involved. I guess we will see as things progress. It is bound to be interesting. Oh, and school is beginning to wind down. The Kings Dominion School sure isn’t Hogwarts. And Marcus is no Harry Potter. That much is certain. But this First Year has had its share of intrigue.
This is one real depressing issue. But it is not all that bad per se. Rick Remender is writing out a process with his issues. The one big thing that I have noticed with all of Deadly Class, is that he flows at the pace of life. Sometimes things are red hot and exciting. Sometimes they are not. Sometimes, we have hangovers. And as I said, this is “The Hangover Issue”. It is developing as a fuzzy and convoluted calm before the next wave of storms that always are amped up times a thousand once they hit. The writing is well done. The material is just rough to read is all.
Wes Craig embraces the whole “Hangover Issue” with gusto, really putting a strong and pale florescent light to his art renderings. Marcus, whose scars and look always had a gritty bad ass edge to them are drawn in this issue as beat up and pity inducing. You feel sorry for Marcus and all that is going on around him. Craig taps into that mindset perfectly as he draws the others almost like they are from Marcus’ point of view. Saya seems to be drawn with quite a focus. As is Willie when he is with Saya. It is a nice touch that made this “Hangover” more tolerable.
The good things about hangovers is that they eventually do end. You do eventually feel better. I am certain that Marcus’ emotional “Hangover” will end too. And when it does, I think bad things may be in store for whoever catches his attention.
Score: 3/5
Deadly Class #14 Writer: Rick Remender Artist: Wes Craig Colorist: Lee Loughridge Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 7/1/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital