Deadly Class: a Comic by Rick Remender and Wes Craig
The plot is set in the year 1987 and revolves around Marcus, a young man surviving on the streets. His life takes a turn when the King's Dominion Lethal Arts School, a clandestine institution, recruits him. This place is not an ordinary academy; it is designed to educate the descendants of the planet's most powerful criminal figures. 🎭
A Lethal Educational Environment
Marcus must learn to navigate a violent microcosm, plagued by student factions and constant betrayals. His main goal boils down to one thing: survive. The narrative effectively blends the personal growth story or coming-of-age with the tension of an action thriller. Attending this school is the definition of a toxic work environment, where your superior can literally stab you in the back.
Key Features of the Universe:- Temporal Setting: 1980s, with a very marked punk-rock aesthetic and attitude.
- Protagonist: Marcus, a homeless teenager with a complicated past.
- Central Conflict: Surviving the physical dangers and social dramas of the academy.
The school functions as a criminal microcosm where alliances are fragile and competition is constant.
Visual Art That Screams
The artist Wes Craig imprints the pages with a loose and energetic line. His compositions are dynamic and employ unexpected angles to convey movement and chaos. The coloring task falls to Lee Loughridge, who applies a saturated and contrasting color palette. This visual approach generates an intense atmosphere that reinforces the anguish and latent violence in every scene. 🎨
Elements of the Artistic Style:- Line and Energy: Loose lines that prioritize expression and dynamism.
- Coloring: Use of vibrant tones and strong contrasts to create visual impact.
- Influence: Overall aesthetic that directly evokes the punk-rock culture of the 1980s.
A Criminal Curriculum
The academy does not limit itself to traditional subjects. Its curriculum focuses on training assassins and operatives for the underworld. The students organize into clans according to the criminal origin of their families, creating a violent and complex social hierarchy. The series explores how these young people deal with an imposed destiny while trying to define their own identity in a place where loyalty is a luxury and distrust, a necessity. ⚔️