Donovan's Reviews > Deadly Class, Book One: Noise Noise Noise

Rick Remender is a dark dude. His books are filled with psychology and sometimes therapy lingo. The introduction tells us the violence in this book may be read partly as a metaphor for mental and emotional states experienced in high school, and that this book may be read partly as memoir. Read: Remender in high school? So no, not your average bubbly drama.

Having experienced many dark mental and emotional states myself, in high school and beyond, I appreciate Remender's honesty. Marcus says, "It's hard to express honest emotions and to be fearless about sadness...it's braver to be honest than to pretend." And I admire that. Because many people, even adults, maybe especially adults, struggle with daily life. So I admire Remender for essentially making this existential, philosophical, and confessional dynamic the focus of the book. Because assassin school is merely the stage upon which our players play.




But wait, it's not just a morose self-indulgent scrawled notebook of high school horrors. It's 1987: music and pop culture in its heyday, Reagan, the Cold War. What an interesting time to be alive. Wes Craig's fluid, somewhat Frank Miller-inspired illustrations leap from the page. But it's Lee Loughridge's old school colors that bring the mood to this fascinating world: dark, pensive, or blindingly hallucinogenic.

Marcus Lopez Arguello, a homeless San Francisco teen, shares his birthday with the man he wants to kill, Ronald Reagan. Because Reagan inadvertently killed his parents. (Long story.) Marcus is down and out and, I don't know if I'd call him unlucky, but he's a cynic and bad things happen to him often. But he doesn't give up, even to a bloody fault, dragging himself along and coping with escapism. And I admire that. It's human. He gets through it all, and the all is a great deal.




I find it hilarious that people say Volume 3 is slow or has no action. The first two issues are literally non-stop action with car chases and tons of murder. How much more action do you want? And sure the issues afterward slow down, to allow Marcus to get crazy introspective. His friends died and his relations are all fucked up and he's terribly alone, again. I think this is Remender commenting that your life can suck even when you think it's great, that people fail you, you fail yourself, and that the hole goes even deeper.

I dunno if I was just tired, or that I like bathroom humor, but that the scene in the comic bookstore had me crying. I haven't laughed that hard since The Goon. And I needed it in this book.

Wes Craig and Lee Loughridge's incredible artwork absolutely shines on thick glossy paper. If you like and have read Deadly Class, this oversized Deluxe Edition is brilliant for the price and a must have.