Comic Review: Deadly Class #37

Deadly Class #37

Image Comics

Writer: Rick Remender

Artists: Wes Craig & Jordan Boyd

Deadly Class #37 is the second part of “Never Go back,” an arc that marks a major turning point for the series. Both classes have converged, and now they find themselves needing to return to Kings Dominion to end their nightmare. The previous issue was kind of slow, mostly acting as a recap of everything so far. Issue #37 takes one more detour, rushing readers to Tokyo as Saya makes an effort to escape from the Yakuza and her brother.

Readers who were displeased with how “quiet” the previous issue was will be thrilled to know that the wild ride ramps up again in this issue. Kenji throws a raucous party for the Yakuza, giving both Quan and Saya a small window to escape. Rick Remender knows how to write an exciting issue, and this one is no different. As soon as the escape begins, the issue doesn’t miss a beat until it reaches its somber conclusion.

A big chunk of this issue’s success needs to go Wes Craig, who allows the action to move naturally through the panels and pages. The chase sequence, in particular, reads especially well. The layouts aren’t traditional and feel dynamic, making the action as stylish as it is exhilarating. Jordan Boyd uses a much brighter color palette in this issue, capturing the bright neon lights of Tokyo without diverting from the gritty style that Deadly Class is known for.

Outside of the action, this isn’t the strongest issue of Deadly Class. A lot of the dialogue was a bit campier than the series is used to. Quan isn’t a particularly strong character either, and it’s hard to care much about his situation. I appreciate that Remender has written Quan as more than just the coward he has been so far, but it would have been nice to see Saya interacting with her brother more in this issue. Speaking of Saya, despite her poor condition, it’s great to see her written as a strong character again. She has been a bit of a victim recently, so seeing her back in action makes everything feel right again.

Deadly Class #37 is a return to the fast-paced action that the series is known for. While it has some weaknesses, mostly due to Quan being a boring character, it is still a fun ride.