Review: DEADLY CLASS VOL. 1 -- REAGAN YOUTH

Title: Reagan Youth
Author/Artist/Colorist: Rick Remender/Wesley Craig/Lee Loughridge
Series: Deadly Class Vol. 1

Summary: It's 1987. Marcus Lopez hates school. His grades suck. The jocks are hassling his friends. He can't focus in class. But the jocks are the children of Joseph Stalin's top assassin, the teachers are members of an ancient league of assassins, the class he's failing is "Dismemberment 101," and his crush has a double-digit body count. Welcome to the most brutal high school on earth, where the world's top crime families send the next generation of assassins to be trained. Murder is an art. Killing is a craft. At Kings Dominion School for the Deadly Arts, the dagger in your back isn't always metaphorical. 

Why I read it: I was in the mood for a graphic novel. It was calling to me.

Thoughts: This was great, and so much fun.

What I loved about this comic is that even though it takes place at a school for assassins, most of the main characters--especially Marcus and his newfound group of friends--are INSTANTLY likable. Even though they are deeply flawed, imperfect characters, I felt myself cheering all of them on.

The format is great. The story is told almost non-linearly; halfway through the book, we flash forward to a scene, then flash back to discover all of the events leading to that moment. It really makes you think, and keeps you on your toes.

Part of the reason this book works so well is that Rick Remender is a great storyteller. Obviously, there were dark and violent moments, and plenty of despicable people. But there were also moments of levity, and a few moments where I laughed out loud.

The art is fantastic. The color schemes for each panel are perfect, and each character is very distinct from one another, all the time. There was never a moment I was confused about who was who.

I loved the story, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. Volume 2 recently came out, and I picked it up already, so I plan to read it soon!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read this comic/graphic novel yet? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!