Dustin Gebel
Image announces a new horror series from writer James Tynion IV (W0RLDTR33, The Department of Truth) and acclaimed artist Joshua Hixson (The Plot, Children of the Woods), and award-winning letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. The miniseries, The Deviant, delivers a dark holiday story set in 1972 as a twisted Santa Claus enacts violence against young men. The series then flashes forward to the present day, as a young writer interviews the person imprisoned for the crimes, who continues to claim innocence. Throw in a return of the killer as the countdown to Christmas begins, and it’s clear that a storm is coming for Milwaukee.
Writer James Tynion IV discussed his inspirations for the series in the press release, stating:
“The Deviant is something a little different. A dark, focused psychological crime thriller where I get to explore the intersection of my queer identity and a broader scope of cultural transgression and deviance. This is my response to Silence of the Lambs and Jeffrey Dahmer serving as my first real glimpses of my queer identity as a young closeted Midwestern boy. It’s one of the darkest and most personal stories I’ve ever written. It’s also a story about Christmas.”
Alongside Hixson, who provides the interior art and main cover, variants for the first issue include work by Lee Bermejo, Andrea Sorrentino, and more.
In the press release, Hixson also expressed his excitement for the project, stating:
“The Deviant is the kind of book I’ve been wanting to make for a long time. While I’ve been no stranger to the horror genre in my career of making comics, this story scratches a particular itch and is unlike anything I’ve been a part of. And to get to do it with James, Steve, and Hassan at Image Comics has been so creatively rewarding. I’m really excited for people to read it this holiday season.”
Hixson’s cover and the first set of interior pages can be seen below:
The Deviant #1 will be available at comic book shops and on digital platforms on Wednesday, November 15.