Deadly Class has been great since it started, but 2015, at least for me, was when it became incredible, hence its position on this list. It was a year of big happenings – major character deaths, huge revelations, and massive swings in character dynamics. It really felt like the Rick Remender and Wes Craig really kicked their series into gear. It was clear that the duo was done messing around with introductions, and with introductions went any teensy bit of positivity the book had left in it.
More than anything, Deadly Class is a complex character study. Remender has taken Marcus and beaten him down so much that it’s just become this super raw look at who Marcus is. And, honestly, as someone who loves Marcus, that’s been uncomfortable for me.
But really, it’s a testament to the quality of the writing that I have continued to have legitimate feelings not only about Marcus, but the rest of the book’s cast.
As Remender’s writing has gotten better, so too has Craig’s art. His unique style brings a lot to Deadly Class, and is largely used to further the tone that Remender is establishing. It’s more than just an aesthetic – it’s a storytelling mechanism. Between his pencils and Lee Loughridge’s colors, Deadly Class really takes advantage of its visual component, something that not many comics are truly capable of doing.
