The Deviant has been a slow build slasher detective story, and in The Deviant #7 out this week, things get far more complicated. Michael may be the main character, but his boyfriend Derek takes center stage as he aims to find him innocent, even if he is always a bit weird. In the latest issue, “weird” is the name of the game when it comes to a new character.
The Deviant #7 opens in Plainfield, WI, in 2023. The FBI detective on the case is visiting a rather eccentric mask maker. Her Etsy shop sells a replica of the exact same mask the serial killer from the 1970s used, and she’s quite a fan of his work. Outside of her obviously unkempt house, you can see she’s obsessed in a way that would rival Michael. Writer James Tynion IV is essentially showing a side of fan culture when it comes to killings.
The meat of this issue focuses on Derek and his meeting with Randall Olsen, the man convicted as the original Deviant Killer. The story picks up where we left off as they meet in prison. Once again, there’s incredible nuance in character writing here between Tynion’s dialogue and the acting by artist Joshua Hixson. You can practically call this a live-action experience due to the cat-and-mouse game going on between them and between the lines.
This lady is a bit batty.
Credit: Image
Something that always works in this series is finding intriguing nuance in how characters feel. By the end of Derek and Randall’s conversation, we see Derek is stronger and more steadfast than we might have thought, while Randall is more show than he wants to let on. The love story between Michael and Derek feels even more true, too, as Derek does trust Michael has done nothing wrong, and Derek is willing to go to great lengths to get his boyfriend back.
Intercut with the scene with Derek is a key scene with Michael. I won’t spoil it, but it ties into the themes of being gay and being victimized because you’re considered inhuman.
The final few pages, however, take the cake as they ramp up the fear factor. There are issues in this series that are more detective work or simply creepy, but this final scene takes the series back to its slasher horror roots. Hixson delivers big time on the final full-page splash that’ll make you gasp out loud.
The horror is strong in The Deviant #7, which continues to lay the groundwork as one of the best character-acting comics you’ll read with a very scary last few pages. The plot thickens as we inch closer to finding out who the killer really is in yet anther masterfully told issue.
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