Christmas-adjacent slasher story The Deviant continues in issue #2 this week, revealing more about Michael and his research into a grisly murder that put away a gay man for life. The first issue delved into the title, revealing truths about our characters, but in the second issue, things get very complicated for the protagonist by the issue’s end.
The second issue is a little less giving regarding the big picture, but James Tynion IV and Joshua Hixson dig far deeper into our main character. He’s creating a comic and interviewing folks surrounding a serial killing during Christmas. The opening scene helps establish his point of view on it all and how this isn’t a project to serve the accused serial killer, as we know he is innocent, but himself. This helps rejigger our perspective on his wants and thoroughly establish the cliffhanger he is doing.
This issue lacks the cutaways to the past in flashbacks and follows Michael as he does two more interviews. The first is with a man who took an axe to his face when the serial killings took place in 1973. The second is the accused serial killer. Both inform each other and help convey the bigotry gay men are under.
What’s particularly well done in this series is how Tynion captures the landmines a gay man faces in this world. In his first interview, the man he’s visiting seems jovial and nice. He drops the derogatory “F” word, and things quickly turn, however. Instead of pretending not to be gay, Michael reveals his boyfriend’s name, and things only get more tense. Sadly, this is a reality for most queer people in America, and Tynion and Hixson capture the incredible tension of the moment. It’s uncomfortable and upsetting. As a horror comic, it effectively gets you in a place where horror works best.
This issue is largely about Michael.
Credit: Image
As the story continues, Tynion and Hixson continue to probe the accused serial killer, with Michael interviewing him again in prison. This is a character study, through and through, as Michael reveals his true intentions for the comic, and the prisoner is okay with that. There’s a connection made, and some heartfelt emotions are shared. As an older gay man, he clearly couldn’t live a life like Michael, and it’s deeply moving to see Tynion tap into that. From how the older man talks about his current position, he is a victim of time.
It’s also in this scene we get a bit more Christmas, as the accused serial killer talks about the elegance of the holiday. It’s a nice sentiment and adds a holiday layer to the story.
The story ends in a way that pays off the slasher element of the last issue, and firmly establishes things are going to get far more serious going forward. Hixson does a great job with a murder scene while also establishing a detective character. In four pages, we know who this detective is and how he’ll treat the case. It’s masterful character acting and atmosphere.
If you like slow-burn detective stories, you’ll love The Deviant. This story continues to balance the cruelty of the world towards being queer while unveiling a serial killing mystery well worth investing in.
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