REVIEW: ‘Deadly Class, Vol. 4′ is a well-deserved Battle Royale
Rick Remender and Wes Craig pay tribute to the greatness (and notoriety) of the Japanese cult classic, Battle Royale, in the latest volume of Deadly Class, DIE FOR ME. It contains issues #17 -21 with some artistic features courtesy by co-creator Wes Craig. DEADLY CLASS, VOL. 4 picks up where the previous volume left behind, […]
Rick Remender and Wes Craig pay tribute to the greatness (and notoriety) of the Japanese cult classic, Battle Royale, in the latest volume of Deadly Class, DIE FOR ME. It contains issues #17 -21 with some artistic features courtesy by co-creator Wes Craig.
DEADLY CLASS, VOL. 4 picks up where the previous volume left behind, and this one actually traces way back issue #1, if you ever notice the “gift” the protagonist Marcus received upon entering the deadliest school in existence. Furthermore, the powers of friendship, esprit d’corps, love and even the toxicities of betrayal, socioeconomic stratification, and wholesale brutalities are amplified five-fold as the chapter progresses until the strongest survives. And, if you care listening some music while reading this one, I highly recommend ‘Rules of Nature’ in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance because the song itself encapsulates almost perfectly how the strong predator (i.e. the children of top mobsters, gangs, secret agents and hardened criminals) try to kill and outmaneuver the agile prey (i.e. the lower caste batch mate, like Marcus himself). See, Battle Royale plus Deadly Class plus Rules of Nature equal an awesome reading pleasure only Rick Remender and Wes Craig can pull off.
On the other hand, Craig’s artwork becomes cleaner as the story paces to its epic crescendo and climatic finale. But, his brand of sequential paneling remains the same—high kinetic, bloody, and pulsating illustrations that definitely worth your hard-earned savings. The facial portrayals are spot-on to the intensity of the story, especially during the intense exchanges of blows, the moments of helplessness and desperation; and the tinge of hope to do what is right. Nevertheless, Wes is still on-top-of-his-game!
