Deadly Class vol. 8: Never Go Back

The title of this volume seems like good advice.  After all, what good ever came to Marcus and the rest of his friends while they were at King’s Dominion?  That’s exactly what winds up happening, however, and the results may not be what you were expecting. Unless you were expecting to see Marcus and Maria become the most popular people at the assassin’s school and on the valedictorian track after Master Lin gives them credits from “life experience.”  While there are still plenty of people who’d like to see them put in the ground, the vibe of vol. 8 is surprisingly upbeat considering the title’s history and that it comes to us from Rick Remender. Still, the new tone of this volume is refreshing and promising in that if you squint a bit you can see the end of the series being set up from here.

While the return to King’s Dominion is the main part of this volume, it’s surrounded by a couple one-offs that are entertaining on their own terms as well.  Vol. 8 opens with a peyote-fueled freakout that seeks to catch the reader up on what has happened in the trippiest way possible. It’s a great summation of the series so far and a phenomenal showcase for artist Wes Craig’s talents.  Then we get to see how Saya is still suffering in Japan and that her only hope for rescue lies in Quan. That setup may not sound like much, but it leads to an escape that’s thrilling even by this title’s high standards. Vol. 8 closes out with the “Free Comic Book Day” story which goes back to a time when most of Marcus’ friends at Kings’ Dominion were still alive.  Though the story is ostensibly about the time they all got stoned and saw Fishbone, it’s really about Viktor and how he responds to his shot at revenge. It’s a good story that I’m glad was added to this volume, because — along with the other stories here — it was certainly worth paying for.