Comics
Review: ‘Deadly Class’ #1
It’s one thing to have superlatively high expectations before delving into an eagerly anticipated series written by the fantastic Rick Remender. But it’s something else when those expectations are exceeded at every turn by the sheer force of talent and passion behind the project. Boasting an exceptionally skilled artistic team comprised of Wesley Craig and Lee Loughridge, Image Comics’ “Deadly Class” hits all the marks with dead-on precision.
WRITTEN BY: Rick Remender
ART BY: Wes Craig
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: January 22, 2014
Like excerpts from deeply personal journal entries, set against a backdrop of violence and dark themes, “Deadly Class” tells a compelling tale of strife and survival through the troubled eyes of 14-year-old street kid, Marcus Lopez. Our journey begins in 1987, as the author unceremoniously drops us head-first into Marcus’ arduous life on the streets of San Francisco. Reagan’s controversial reign as POTUS is nearing its end, and true to the consequences of his politics, Remender paints a bleak and angry picture of a time plagued by the disenfranchisement of the mentally ill and violent-prone youth.
He writes an exceedingly captivating tale made totally accessible by creating such a raw portrait of a damaged kid, but it isn’t long before the narrative kicks into high-gear with a brilliant show of epic action. Once introducing the mysterious Saya and her eclectic cohorts, Marcus — who is tortured by a cataclysmically devastating event from his past and struggling through the hopelessness of his present — is finally given a sense of direction and belonging in the form of “Kings Dominion School of the Deadly Arts”.
Being a sucker for any works of fiction involving elaborate ‘Extranormal Institutes’ of learning — whether good or evil — my inclination to read Remender’s take on a similar trope had been remarkably strong. And with very little still known about the assassin training academy, my interest is only heightened to an embarrassing degree. There’s something to be said for the author’s ability to keep the mystery alive, while solidifying reader interest for the next issue.
The amazing artwork is a huge selling point for the series. Far be it for me to fully recognize the punk/skate subculture and setting of an 80s era San Francisco, but Wes Craig and Lee Loughridge’s collaborative work allows for a sense of ambience and style that really seems to suit said period in time. Craig’s brilliant pencils and Loughridge’s understated colours provide a thoroughly engaging visual experience from start to finish. It’ll prove quite difficult not to be completely submerged in the illustrated action that effortlessly flows from page-to-page. There’s nothing stiff or unyielding about their impressive knack for depicting high-octane movement. And it’s made entirely effective thanks to the wicked panel layouts that add a sense of exhilarating urgency to Remender’s accelerated narrative. This creative team is a force to be reckoned with, and “Deadly Class” proves to be just as powerful.
4.5 Skulls
Review by – ShadowJayd
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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