I just can't get enough of Rick Remender's homage to the days of Generation X when it meant something. These tales fresh from Remender's mind (and life experiences) have made me look back to those days in the 1980s when I was a young and awkward teen myself, trying to find my way in the world and looking to impress friends with every adventure. The only real difference is that unlike my days of youth, I wasn't working to try to establish myself at a prestigious school of elite and bad assed killers. I have to think that that would have been a pretty tall order. But through five issues, we have seen our hero Marcus work to do just that. And... He has been fairly successful. At least in impressing some of the students, mostly the outcasts. But Marcus is making a name for himself in all circles and now he finds himself in Las Vegas. This could very well be his big breakthrough. Well, it could have been. But during a local pit stop at a Grateful Dead show caravan, old Marcus got a hold of a large quantity of some seriously bad acid. It has been psycho surreal ever since and let's not even think about the fact that he is there to help out with a murder. Where in the hell are things going?
I'll tell you where they are going... They are going to pure entertainment Heaven... At least for me in my view anyway. Issue #5 builds on the incredible art delivered by Wes Craig in Issue #4 by continuing into the LSD induced "trippin" dimension as Marcus tries to navigate between all the things going on in this issue, which is a little mayhem, a lot of mischief, a taunting Mr. T slot machine (beautiful man, simply beautiful) and a little bit of sex and violence too, all wrapped up into a damn fine comic read.
Remender continues to amaze me with his deep and interpersonal writing style. We see two Marcuses here. The one looking like he's got it together and taking care of business. And then the other much more insecure Marcus wondering if he is doing right. Remender nails it to the wall showing the various emotions but never over emotionalizing it. It is an honest and "real" portrayal that really gives the characters authenticity. These are real kids. They are kind of fucked up kids, but they are real.
And the "realness" isn't only conveyed in the writing. Wes Craig covers the same territory as we have three fourth's of the comic drawn in a surreal and "trippy" fashion only to return to the grit and intensity that has been the trademark of the series when Marcus is attacked by an acquaintance.
I have absolutely no idea where this thing is going after Issue #5. It might actually be going to nowhere... or everywhere. Who knows? All I do know is that I am along for the ride and I got my cassette player rolling along with the soundtrack of my life. Roll on gentlemen, roll on.
Score: 5/5
Writer: Rick Remender Artist: Wes Craig Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 05/28/14 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital