Deer Woman - A Vignette by Elizabeth LaPensee

In the introduction, Beth tells of this short comic having true stories, and the first one is a question of what if, she, as a young Anishinaabekwe had transformed into the Deer Woman her mother had told her about. The stories she’d heard of Deer Woman told of a gorgeous, luscious and deadly figure who lured men from the first and far enough from their gathering to stomp him to death. Her history in know about Deer Woman made her wonder where her stories came from, and then she’s visited by Deer Woman. Beth invited her for tea, but Deer Woman gestures for her to come outside and come have a smoke. 

Beth states she didn’t smoke, and Deer Woman says for her to come and sit down, she hesitating for it being dark out. Deer Woman says this is a ceremony and after the story she had to tell, Beth would need a smoke. Within this volume is a version of Deer Woman’s many stories, and also a call to awareness to recognize there are over 1000 missing and murdered indigenous women of all ages. It’s taking place along the Great Lakes where young women and many others are involved with sex trafficking by boats. 

It calls to take a stance to change the fact of indigenous women being most likely to experience sexual assault on turtle island and recognize the lack of rights. Beth welcomes to experience this comic with warning it is a brutal, beautiful, and unrelenting story which shows a glimpse of the serene chaos Deer Woman is. She hopes more of Deer Woman’s stories will be told, for her to be heard, and most of all, for indigenous women and their families and communities to heal.

A woman is in a car with a guy who told her he’d introduce her to everyone at the party they were going to, but no one was there, at a park, both of them at a picnic table. He forces himself on her, and her arm is seen with blood dripping down. In the moment there was nothing she could do, it was too late, survive, transform, so it never happens again, to anyone, she’s naked and looking at herself in the mirror. Then a close up of a deer eye. In a city a woman walks down the street at night, heading to a club. 

She’s dancing, and a guy is clutching at a woman’s shirt at the hem, like a child would, but lewdly. Then he turns and sees the dancing woman, ends up having her up against a bathroom wall, and beneath the door, hooves are seen. Next, the man’s leg prone in a pool of blood. Knowing everywhere there’s light which is kept from shining, but when one sits in her darkness, one becomes the light. 

And whatever we’ve experienced we always return to ourselves. Different defense moves are provided, and followed by an article about self defense and the return of empowerment for women. 

I’m glad I finally read it, and prefer Reservation Dogs episode on Deer Woman. This is poetic and has decent imagery, but it is a little rough, but so is the topic.