COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Deadly Class #12 – STOP, In the Name of Love!

After the tense cliffhanging experience in Deadly Class #11, this latest chapter continues the gripping narration of love, hate, yearning and
outrageous display of mayhem and violence that truly defines what Deadly Class stands for.

Despite the “successful” operation Marcus and his classmates pull off against his arc nemesis “Fuckface”, he has some serious dealings with the Alma del Diablo, Maya’s familial criminal affiliation. There are two short side stories like a brief escape with conversations by Saya and a friend, and the monologue of Marcus’s loudmouth rival/explosive expert before the unfortunate thing happen to this British protégé. The dialogues are obviously a mixture of intensity, mushiness, primal fear, and the landmark of Rick Remender’s visual literary—RAGE. Not only a combination of emotional spectrum that marks this fast paced issue, but the continuing mastery of the writer of balancing these spectrums to ensure the stringent literary quality that made this series a good therapeutic and cathartic release of our emotional drive in the most civilized way possible. The powerful but controlled presence of the “Father” illustrates the aura of intimidation and the portrayal of family that is dominant in the Latin and Catholic cultural mindsets. Just observe how the patriarch calmly talks to his decapitated son’s head before unleashing his elder son and top enforcer, El Caballo Amarillo, to chase the doomed-crossed-stars lovers. And some unexpected twists happen in this very high-octane madcap wild chase that could make some of the action movie scenes look pale. The presentation of literary and visual sequences are well-balanced in the midst of the destruction this cat-and-mouse chase brings upon the streets of San Francisco City, particularly in the final confrontation on the bridge that brings back memories to Marcus’s most tragic parental moment seen in issue one, setting the stage to the ominous thirteenth issue next month.

Wes Craig really steps up his artistic game as the story/chapter progresses. He and fellow colorist, Lee Loughridge, work in great synchronization of the illustrations of the San Francisco dark alleys, the streets of the city, the brutalities and the ensuing mayhem and destruction that litter most of this issue alone. And personally, I find their artistic portrayal Maria during her intimate conversation with a badly injured Marcus in the bus even in her thick makeup mask attractive. No spaces are wasted here. No moments are even left to the gutters of mediocrity either. Remender, Craig and Loughridge form a formidable trinity that enable a virtual perfection of delivering this rather tear jerking opening salvo that definitely needs to be read in the succeeding chapters.

Deadly Class #12 rides a powerful note on how an opening arc should grab the readers’ attention and maintains the consistency of excitement and great storytelling this title presents in the beginning up to this present time. Fans of Saya may be disappointed for her one page presence is all this has; and since this is Deadly Class, disturbing scenes and themes are omniscient as well. Nevertheless, this third arc opener provides a great launching point to sustain a momentum of great reading.