Dead Teenagers #1 is written by Jude Ellison S. Doyle and published by Oni Press. Artwork is by Caitlin Yarsky and letters by Becca Carey. Main cover art (left) is by Naomi Franq.
Dead Teenagers #1 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
Since 1997, five friends have been trapped in the ultimate nightmare as a mysterious entity forces them to relive their first prom night over and over again… and re-kills them in new and increasingly insane ways each time. They dress up. They party. They make out. And no matter what they try to change, they always die… until now. Something is about to break the cycle that has kept Alicia, J.T., Ryder, Brandy, and their group of friends locked in a bizarre purgatory beyond all understanding… but what they find on the other side will be the most disturbing revelation of all.
Review
In recent years, Jude Ellison S. Doyle has given us brilliant original horror titles that have all brought something new to the table. Hello Darkness, Maw, The Neighbors, and especially last year’s Be Not Afraid all introduced twisted yet engaging spins on their respective horror subgenres, and now Dead Teenagers looks to do the same, albeit with a more playful mindset.
Dead Teenagers puts an intriguing spin on the time-loop concept that immediately keeps you on your toes. Rather than throwing these characters into this scenario and watching them navigate it in real-time, this story starts with them well into the loop and treating the repetition of it all as second nature. This is refreshing to say the least. Time-loop stories have been done so much now that audiences know roughly what to expect and how they usually play out. So, having this group of teenagers already used to the idea and taking it for granted gives a unique angle to the story that allows Doyle and co to play with your expectations.
Doyle also seems to have a lot of fun in coming up with unique ways to kill Alicia, J.T., Ryder and Brandy as each scenario that plays out is just as bizarre and brutal as the last. From a giant lizard to a meteor strike, killer mannequins, and even a mutant virus, it is abundantly clear that this team understand both narratively and visually how to push the concept and its absurdity to the extreme without lingering on it for too long. This series knows that its characters are what matter most, and it never loses sight of that, no matter how over the top the deaths may be.
However, where the writing really shines is with that aforementioned group of characters. Outside of their odd predicament, they share the same struggles and frustrations as most teens that age would have. Alicia, J.T., Ryder and Brandy allude to the typical character archetypes you would expect to see in a coming-of-age, high school set story, but never lean too far into those stereotypes, which would result in them being one-dimensional. They have their own, distinct personalities and problems, which is made more evident with every page and at the end of the day, they just feel like a normal group of friends rather than a cliché tick list.
The artwork, courtesy of Caitlin Yarsky, also does a fantastic job of establishing the tone right away. It leans into its 90s aesthetic with its straightforward and detailed character designs, along with bold uses of colour that ride the line between giving the comic its own visual style and keeping it grounded.
If you’re looking for something that is both familiar and distinct, then this might be the series for you. Playing off renowned 90s teen films and shows such as Scream, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I Know What You Did Last Summer, while sprinkling in a time loop narrative that works surprisingly well, results in a thoroughly entertaining new series in the form of Dead Teenagers.
Verdict
Dead Teenagers is an enjoyable and creative take on the time loop concept, playing off teen horror movie stereotypes and creating something genuinely refreshing in the process with likeable characters.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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