Deer Editor is one of the most unique things to come out of Mad Cave. It’s about an investigative journalist who happens to be a deer man. Is that too weird for you? You do realize that real estate speculation makes as much sense as this; right? With the release on January 10, 2024, this is not something to miss.
Deer Editor: Where’s The Angle?
Ryan K. Lindsay makes this feel like an almost typical noir story. You’ve got a stoic investigative reporter, a conspiracy, a femme fatale, and a corrupt official. But Lindsay avoids a lot of the genre’s pitfalls by making everything absurd. Our title character Bucky receives almost no stink-eyes or shocked expressions from anybody. Despite his appearance, he’s treated as a regular guy. Frankly, in a world where everybody knows that the mayor is corrupt but bear with him out of convenience, why shouldn’t a deer man be normal?
Besides Bucky’s very self-aware about his place in the world. He knows he’s different and works that to his advantage at any opportunity. Like sharing a poisoned cake with an assassin that doesn’t affect him as much as humans. The fact that Bucky’s senses and antlers mix so well with his deductive and combative skills make him a fascinating hardboiled detective. Because despite all of that, he’s still got his flaws like the reader that lead him to trouble. Bucky’s perfectly normal.
Don’t Get Too Settled
It’s the later issues that play with this concept even further. What starts as a typical noir story becomes so outrageously wild, a reader can never see it coming. Better yet, rereading it is twice the fun. To avoid spoilers, it actually fits in a narrative space by aligning with gentrification as well as grooming.
Maybe the pacing could have been a little better to get to know Bucky’s understudy, Soo Lee as much as Dan. Because you can definitely feel that he’s Bucky’s equal in this field. His arc feels like a good joke told between friends. Soo Lee meanwhile can feel like a last minute replacement despite her good impression. She’s eager to be a part of the plot like the reader is, because it’s a good break from stuff like dirty bombs and bad breakups.
Maybe “Antler Bleu” Is Better?
Sami Kivelä makes Deer Editor look as realistic as possible. As much as an anthropomorphic deer can be anyway. Bucky’s expressive face and three fingered hands are big attention getters. But not as much as how Bucky can use his antlers. Bursting through a car’s window and locking an assailant to the wall are marvels.
Since nobody inside the comic is impressed with that let’s focus on how some of the panels blank out. It’s a sign that things are about to make a big dramatic turn. Sometimes that’s in the form of anticipating an action, other times it’s a quiet moment to collect thoughts. You can’t beat a noir staple like this.
Even if Lauren Affe’s blue coloring suggests a shift from that. You just can’t get the same cold feel in black and white. But it also gives a sense of small joys in the weirdness. Something that Jim Campbell’s lettering also gives in doses. Like a parody of the Silver Bells song at the beginning.
Deer Editor: Thanks For The Experience
Deer Editor gives a pretty great experience on the things we normalize. Because why take anything senseless seriously? The economy, corrupt politicians; what better way to confront them with something equally as out there? This way you can enjoy something serious with a layer of campiness. The score is 8.5/10.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.