Warning: Contains slight spoilers forThe Deviant #8!
The perfect horror read from Halloween to the Holidays comes fromImage Comics, as the bone-chilling miniseriesThe Deviant, a creepy Christmas horror story with gorgeous and occasionally gruesome art, leads up to a suspenseful and potentially devastating finale. The series features a murderer dressed as Santa and the mysteries surrounding his supposed copycat killer as the body count rises again.
The Deviant#8 – written by James Tynion IV, with art by Joshua Hixson – is the penultimate issue of the series, which has disturbed and frightened fans from page one of its debut issue. Setting up a brutal bloodbath in its final installment,The Deviantseems prepared to deliver a satisfying finale, one that is as emotional as it is eerie.
Fittingly, the hunt for the Christmas-themed killer will reach its climax just in time for this year’s holiday season. Blending crime thriller, social commentary, and Santa slasher,The Deviantis a bold and multi-faceted horror tale.
“The Deviant” Portrays A Serial Killer Santa Who Is Seriously Sadistic And Scary
The Deviant#8 – Written By James Tynion IV; Art & Color By Joshua Hixson; Lettering By Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Dubbed the eponymous “Deviant” after his 1973 murders,the twisted serial killer dressed in a Santa Claus suit creates grisly and macabre Christmas scenes with the bodies of his victims.Film, television, and even comics have had their fair share ofkiller depictions of Santas in the past, withTales of the CryptandSilent Night, Deadly Nightoffering some of the most iconic iterations.Tynion and Hixson’sDeviantSanta is the most terrifying of them all, with his bloody ax-wielding violence and sadistic staging of the bodies bringing true malevolent horrorto contrast with his jolly Christmas costume.
The central scary factor ofThe Deviantis the mystery of the killer’s true identity.
Hixson’s stunning art for the series is most effectively chilling when the Deviant lurks, with his blank stare, tall lanky figure, and creepy mask adding to his menacing disposition. The central scary factor ofThe Deviantis the mystery of the killer’s true identity.A man named Randall Olsen is locked up for the murders, and the police suspect the bodies piling up decades later are the work of a copycat. However, the series’ main character, Michael – the primary suspect in the copycat killings – is convinced that Randall is innocent, believing the original killer is still out there.
The Deviant’s Horror Ranges From Sinister Slasher Terror To Grounded Emotional Dread
The Year’s Most Deeply Resonant Horror Series
The series’ scary killer means it would absolutely work strictly as a slasher story, butThe Deviantis also able to explore the psychology of its major players with real emotional gravitas. Queer identity is a dominant aspect of the series, with many of the main characters grappling with issues of sexuality, loneliness, and the very real terror of homophobia. With the central couple, accused and convicted killer, and detective working the case all being queer characters, the disturbing history of the crime illustrates how unfortunately easy it is for non-heteronormative people to be painted as evil or deviant.
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Joining the ranks ofother famous LGBTQIA+ horrorand holiday horror,The Devianttells a queer Christmas story that has brutal scares but also a serious amount of horrific dread and tragedy. This isn’t to say that it’s an inherently sad read, but the true evil of the series doesn’t exist only within its creepy Santa killer and highlights just how terrifying it can be to simply be different in a world that doesn’t usually respond well to that. Though there are moments of love and warmth between its characters, the world ofThe Deviantcan get cold and cruel.
The Deviant#9 – Final Issue Available November 13 From Image Comics
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brilliant comic on the shelves that has remained consistently strong throughout its entire run, Tynion and Hixson’s seriescould be one of Image Comics’ best, and a true horror classic in the making.The Deviantspans generations, with storylines encompassing fifty years,and has the chance to become a regularly revisited read around the holidays for horror fans.As the ninth and final issue of the series is quickly approaching, the grand finale afterThe Deviant #8’s cliffhanger could solidify the miniseries’ status as a standout horror comic and its terrifying killer as a true icon of the genre.
Going beyond the Santa slasher to a grisly crime thriller with brutally honest commentary on social issues that unpack the horrors of the real world,The Deviantsuccessfully gets under its reader’s skin.
Though killer Santas seem to be in fashion this spooky season, withTerrifier‘s Art the Clown also doing Christmas cosplayin that franchise’s new 2024 entry, Tynion and Hixson’s comic miniseries offers a bold brand of horror that’s a refreshing addition to this year’s horror landscape. Going beyond the Santa slasher to a grisly crime thriller with brutally honest commentary on social issues that unpack the horrors of the real world,The Deviantsuccessfully gets under its reader’s skin.The Deviantmakes its bloody mark as one ofImage Comics’ best offerings of 2024, and a remarkable horror story overall.
The Deviant#8is available now from Image Comics.
The Deviant
As snow falls over Milwaukee in 1972, a blood-stained Santa Claus commits unimaginable atrocities against young men. Fifty years later, a troubled young writer interviews this so-called “Deviant Killer,” who still maintains his innocence from behind bars. And as Christmas approaches once again, the past returns, wielding a sharpened ax.
