"The After School Special" issue. But, first, here's a short review of the issue that I wrote when it came out. This issue focuses on Dead Kid Fred, a new student referenced back in the first issue. He's like a zombie version of Robin it seems. We never learn what happened to him exactly, which goes against the grain. As I said back when I first started discussing this series, the approach here is more like Saved by the Bell than Teen Titans--where we would get all of the details regarding the origin of Dead Kid Fred. I'm not sure if leaving it unsaid is more effective, but it also places an immediacy on the narrative and on Fred's mental state. Were we given his "tragic past," his behaviour would seem justified when it's not meant to be justified, it's meant to just be sad. Because the focus in this issue isn't character, it's the message: suicide is bad. There is little depth beyond that and what depth there is, Casey resists purposefully. This issue is meant to be superficial in an effort to properly capture that "after school special" feel. It's also worth noting that this is the only issue of the series not to feature the text "WARNING: ADVERTISEMENTS MAY APPEARS ON EVERY THIRD PAGE OF THIS COMICBOOK PERIODICAL", which again works with the "special" nature of the issue.To further "complicate" things, Casey doesn't limit himself to suicide as a topic, but also adds sexual education into the mix with a lecture by Mr. Baal, a former urban vigilante and... well, an over-the-top portrayal of a "scare kids out of having sex" type of instructor. He's so absurd that it works against the tone of the issue, which is, get don't me wrong, part mocking, but is mostly sincere. Baal screams about holograms of genitalia and yells at Empty Vee, "DON'T HIDE FROM THE TRUTH! CELIBACY SHOULD BE YOUR LIFESTYLE! REMEMBER, MISSY [KEEP YOUR SECRETS IN YOUR PANTS, WHERE THEY BELONG!]" It's so over-the-top that I wonder what it's doing in the issue... It does highlight Dead Kid Fred's differences as he fantasises about Destra during the lecture and then later actually approaches her, but Baal's lecture isn't needed for that.
Or, does it juxtapose two teen issues to highlight one's importance and the other's lack of importance? Okay, teenage sex isn't not important, but is it somehow more important than suicide? Obviously, death trumps sex when you think about it, but the focus is always on sex. The debates over sex education are ongoing, driven by outdated senses of morality and ignorant to human nature... and also turn a blind eye to other more pressing issues. While the faculty in this issue focus on holograms of genitalia, they miss the deeper problems with Dead Kid Fred.
The use of "Hivejournal" posts is well done, particularly the accurate positioning of posts with the most recent at the top. A lot of others would have probably put them in sequential order, so it's a nice touch. Ultimately, Punchy figures out that the Hivejournal he's reading belongs to Dead Kid Fred and busts in on him during an abortive suicide attempt. Fred read up on how to kill the undead using fire--and tells Sykes (suggesting, does Punchy figure it out on his own or does Sykes push him telepathically?)--but when Punchy breaks into his room, all Fred says is "I... I COULDN'T DO IT... / I JUST... / ...I WANNA GO HOME..." while standing naked in a puddle of lighter fluid.
There isn't much else to this issue. There are the requisite scenes demonstratin Fred's unhappiness, Punchy looking to Mr. Dashett for help but having to convince him that he's not suicidal--the standard mistaking a teen seeking advice on behalf of a friend for being a ruse--and even an attempt by Punchy to befriend Fred (which results in Fred's fantastic line of "WHY DO YOU TALK LIKE THAT...? / YOU'RE WHITE.") Punchy also sticks up for Fred after Destra freaks out at his advances. I wouldn't say that Punchy is out of character here, but we do get another side.
The issue ends with Miss Klanbaid addressing the class about what happened and asking them what they think/feel about it.
Some infoscroll bits:
* "AN EDUCATIONAL ADVOCATE FROM OHIO NAMED RUPERT FELLOWS HAS LOBBIED STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ENACT A LAW THAT SEPARATES GENDER IN THE CLASSROOM..."
* "MR. BAAL IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TEAMS TO DEVELOP FULL-BODY PROPHYLACTICS..."
* "SUPERPOWERED STUDENTS (34.9%) WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY THAN NON-SUPERPOWERED STUDENTS (14.4%) TO HAVE THOUGHT SERIOUSLY ABOUT ATTEMPTING SUICIDE..."
* "FACT: MALES WILL OFTEN USE FIREARMS TO ATTEMPT SELF-HARM; FEMALES WILL OFTEN USE PHARAMCEUTICAL PRODUCTS..."
* "SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS INCLUDE: EXTREME SOCIAL WITHDRAWL, DRAMATIC CHANGE IN PERSONAL APPEARANCE, AND EXHIBITING SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR (SOURCE: AMRICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSICATION)..."
* "PARENTAL TIP: TAKE YOUR TEENAGER'S BEHAVIOR SERIOUSLY..."
Next issue: into the mind of psychedelic Sykes...
