The five-month wait for The Deviant finale is here, offering answers, action, violence, and scares. Sounds like a winner, but can writer James Tynion IV and Joshua Hixson stick the landing in what has been a deeply interesting psychological slasher? It may have taken a year and a half to get this nine-issue series in the books, but it doesn’t disappoint in its finale.
The Deviant #9 opens with Derek and his friend in a gay bar looking over papers and pictures to somehow absolve Derek’s boyfriend, Michael, of murder. The cops think he’s the new Santa slasher, which is logical since they found a bloody Santa costume in his closet. While Derek is confident, up until the last issue, even the reader ponders if Michael is capable of it, though we know the Santa slasher is coming for Derek next.
After Derek and his friend chat for a bit, the issue turns from a casual setup to intense and scary. The lights go out, Derek is alone, and the slasher wants to take Derek’s life next!
Derek truly loves Michael and wants to save him.
Credit: Image
The story jumps to the FBI detective who is hot on the case. It seems he knows Michael is innocent, but he needs proof, which will be hard to come by if the slasher can take out Derek. The story plays out quickly and entertainingly from there. There are no time jumps or cutaways to drag out the next few moments, and the intensity of the attacks, paired with your care for these characters, is relatively high. It’s tough to make comics edge-of-your-seat thrilling, but the creative team does so here.
The issue then delves into the past, two years before the current timeline, to fully explain who the murderer is. Again, the creative team doesn’t hold back in fleshing out the mystery and giving us all the details. The killer very much lives up to the name of the title, although I did miss the connections to queer lifestyles. It’s safe to say there’s a definitive answer as far as who was put in jail for the original murders, though.
There is a strong statement about people’s fascination with murderers and death. In the closing pages, a key character explains how people want to get “close to the fire without being burned.” Anyone who likes true crime can attest to this sentiment. In a way, Tynion says those who like true crime might be a little deviant themselves.
Hixson’s art is great, with the character acting on point. The tension in the slasher attack in the first quarter of the comic is masterfully told. The choice of angles in action, the blood splatter, and the way we see the killer’s eyes through the mask all add to the excitement of the sequence. The killer’s almost supernatural presence is thanks to how Hixson renders him.
After a long wait, The Deviant #9 sticks the landing with a suspenseful and satisfying conclusion. Tynion and Hixson craft a psychological slasher that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, especially in its commentary on society’s attraction to crime and horror. The finale keeps the tension high, delivers on its promises, and showcases incredible artwork that enhances the fear factor. Now that all is said and done, it’s safe to say: The Deviant is an exhilarating and thought-provoking standout horror series.
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