Dead Teenagers #2 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 #2 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
For five friends, being trapped in an infinite loop of murder on Prom Night ’97 was a living hell. They’re about to find out that being an adult in 2026 is much, much worse. High school seniors J.T., Ryder and Brandy have been catapulted through time into their adult bodies. Physically, they’re now elder millennials with jobs and families.
Psychologically, they’re damaged teenagers with disposable income who are about to discover the consequences of making poor life choices. Even worse, not everyone thinks their new circumstances are an improvement over being ritualistically murdered every 24 hours. Does their never-ending prom night massacre hold the key to finding out how and why they were chosen to live out this supernatural torment?
Review
With its first issue, Dead Teenagers came out of the gate swinging with its refreshingly playful and unique take on the time loop concept. Now, the goal from this point on for Jude Ellison S. Doyle and co is to keep the series as engaging as it started and not lose said momentum. Thankfully, this second issue proves that they can do just that.
This instalment opens with the same goofiness as the last issue, with the group stuck in a “Red Dawn” scenario. The humour really comes out of these first few pages as the cartoony Russian and German commanders are contrasted with Ryder and Alicua in the vents, pointing out the ridiculousness of the situation they find themselves in. This, alongside their mundane perception of the time loop they’re stuck in, continues the comedic tone in a subtle but effective manner. Even Ryder’s comment of, “I don’t mind dying. I really don’t. It happens so often. I just wish it wasn’t always stupid”, does get a chuckle during these opening few pages.
After this opening, which very much sticks to what the first issue established, we’re thrown into the current predicament where JT, Brandy and Ryder are physically transported to the older, millennial bodies despite mentally still being teenagers getting used to the time loop they were stuck in. This bold choice switches the dynamic up dramatically as they must figure out why they are adults now and most importantly, what happened to Alicia.
This avenue allows Doyle to pursue a more serious angle to the concept, pulling the group relationships into a more dramatic angle that should help enrich the characters and strengthen the further use of this central idea. This is most apparent when JT and Ryder visit Alicia’s grave and piece together past events, realising the last time she died, the time loop didn’t reset. Thematically, this offers a brilliantly new take on the Groundhog Day style of storytelling as it gives a certain complacency to proceedings that are now questioned and tested due to their new change in circumstances.
This is even more apparent in the book’s closing moments, where Ryder’s life is put in peril, Final Destination style. These shocking and gruesome final pages, once again, keep you on your toes, not knowing how the story will play out next and whether this group will ever be safe.
This second issue wholeheartedly confirms that this series isn’t a one-trick pony and that it very much has substance to work with. It continues to poke fun at genre stereotypes where it can while developing its dramatic potential in a thoroughly engaging way. Where the series goes from here is anyone’s guess.
Verdict
Issue 2 of Dead Teenagers veers into new, slightly more mature territory, and for the most part, it works. It still very much maintains its humorous self-awareness, but continues to add extra layers on top of that to keep the story and characters fresh.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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