Parasocial is a hilarious, scathing takedown of online fan culture, taken to the ultimate extreme, Misery-style. Everything about it is as clever and deliberate as its name; it’s clear the creators are (or have been, at some point in time) as steeped in fandom as the individuals they seek to satirise, lending this project a refreshing credibility and authenticity.

The plot is simple, which I think worked in its favour - de Campi gives you just enough information to understand what’s going on, while also successfully avoiding becoming bogged down in her own lore, an issue that can easily affect works involving fictional fandom.

The art was stunning, and again, so intentional; conscious choices by Henderson regarding the use of colour, framing, and even linework work to complement and support the narrative on multiple levels.

I appreciated Henderson and de Campi’s afterwords, too. It’s always fascinating to learn more about the artistic process, as well as about the origins of a specific project. Parasocial was clearly born of some very real industry grievances, creativity, and good humour - an excellent pairing (OT3 material?) if I do say so myself.

"Parasocial" is an intriguing addition to the graphic novel world, offering a unique take on the abduction horror genre while delving into the disturbing world of extreme fandom.

The story revolves around a science fiction series star, a character who might not be as likable as one would expect from a typical protagonist. The creators have chosen to portray him as a misogynist and manipulator, diving deep into the murky waters of his psyche. This decision adds layers of intrigue to the story as it challenges readers to grapple with a character they may not entirely like, yet still find themselves fascinated by his journey.

One of the standout aspects of "Parasocial" is the use of color throughout the graphic novel. The use of pink for fantasy sequences and red for violent scenes is an interesting artistic decision, it offers a stark contrast between the antagonist’s escapism into a world of fantasy and the harsh realities of violence. The choice to employ color as a means to communicate emotions is not only visually captivating but also incredibly effective in enhancing the storytelling.

The story itself is a chilling exploration of the dark side of fandom, portraying a super fan who goes to extreme lengths to make a personal connection with the object of their obsession. "Parasocial" adeptly showcases the power and potential dangers of parasocial relationships, particularly in the age of social media and celebrity worship.

Despite its uncomfortable subject matter and an unlikable lead character, "Parasocial" will manage to keep readers engaged throughout. It doesn't hold back in its portrayal of disturbing events, and it serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in fandom culture.

I have enjoyed previous works from the writer and artist so I was really looking forward to Parasocial. Following a genre celebrity actor who does the con circuit for a living was a very fun concept to me, someone who goes to cons a lot and enjoys seeing these kind of people. The mixture of text messages and modern communication that ties together this short horror story was nicely done. I enjoyed it, though it could have been a bit longer for my tastes.

A former television star has an evening go quickly from bad to worse in the new graphic novel, Parasocial.

Luke Indiana is at a comics convention signing autographs and posing for fan selfies. His evening soon descends into a cat-and-mouse thriller between himself and his “number 1 fan”.

I wasn’t going to rate this very high right after finishing it. It was probably a 3-star read at that point.

However, then I read the artist and author’s notes at the end. Parasocial was created from an educated and thoughtful viewpoint. At least according to them. Instead, I’m just a dumb mook for not recognizing their brilliance. Hmmm… I appreciate the English Literature class’s level of discussion, but you know what they say. If you have to explain it… So, it’s still 3 stars. However, The Rapture pet insurance idea really is brilliant!

Thanks to Image Comics and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

I freakn LOVE this book!! The art is beautiful and the storyline had me glued to my chair. Finished in one sitting. This book was fresh and rewarding. I plan on purchasing this book for a couple of ppl who are into graphic novels. Kunis to the author!!

#NETGALLEY #PARASOCIAL #

I enjoyed this! It did move really quickly, but for me who's gone to/worked at/known people who were guests at conventions for just short of a billion years now I went from "haha oh wow, too familiar" to page turning to see what would happen next. Definitely inspired by Misery (even with a shout out to Stephen King by the main character), Parasocial follows an actor after the end of his popular TV series as he's 'saved' from a car accident from a fan who's been following him(/paying for photo ops, etc) for years. It's a mess, and I liked the afterward from the creators afterward both talking about the inspirations and that both Luke and Lily are supposed to be unlikable (and there's even some unreliable narration going on from Luke too even if it's a third person POV graphic novel) with a little mystery...

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for the free eARC in exchage for this honest review!

This was pretty fun, albeit short. Parasocial relationships can be pretty creepy & I think anyone that enjoys content of any sort can have parasocial thoughts here & there. Of course there have been extreme cases. The fact that they exist makes the idea of experiencing it almost equally as unsettling for the celebrity as the fan. It has gotten worse with rise of social media celebs since they're more accessible to the average person. I appreciate the author's notes at the end, & I like that there's a Spotifly playlist. There's a mention of Stephen King in the story, which I don't usually mind, but it's a bit corny for this story since it's so similar to one of his. You can probably guess which one. It's not a copy/paste though.

2.5, rounded up. This is a fine, quick read. I appreciated the coloring and art style shifting as I read, especially as the characters devolve and get more frantic, and I understand the theme of parasocial relationships being insidious (though I'd have liked more twists/depth). The pacing is messy and off-putting, though, and I found it hard to be invested in any of the characters by the end. That also made the conclusion feel anticlimactic.

Modern day Misery via Twitter and texts sprinkled over a heaping plate of overpriced con food. In short, a great read for those who know and enjoy conventions (like myself) and are fascinated by the phenomenon of parasocial relationships that seem to be more and more prevalent these days.

This was such a tense story. Its a compelling look at when the line from casual enjoyer and stalker gets crossed. A spooky tale if you've ever dabbled in fandom spaces or experienced any of that "star struck" feeling toward someone you don't actually know. The art style lends perfectly to the tension of the story as well, and the after pages discussing the way that they shifted the appearances of the characters based on their perception at the moment is inspiring. This was a wonderful read and I can't wait to recommend it to others who want something to give them chills.

Thank you to Image and Netgalley for the opportunity to review!!

I received an eARC for this Graphic novel from Image Comics. Parasocial was a fairly quick read, but with several interesting features. In the breaks between panels or in the margins of the pages, there are song titles which are featured in a Spotify playlist. I find this to be a really awesome way to break the 2 dimensional medium, and I hope to see more of this in the future. That said, I didn't know about the soundtrack until the very last page, so I hope there is some way to get that information to the beginning of the story. The art was a great way of portraying the tone of the story, gritty at times, contrasts of light and dark for differing moods, and different styles that added the "social" portion to the story. I was interested in this story because it seemed like it would be very Stephen King's "Misery" adjacent. I liked how innovative this Graphic Novel was, and I enjoyed it until the very end, never quite knowing what would happen for any of the characters.

I’m not quite sure what to say about this graphic novel. I was excited to see a more modernized misery but it all happened way too fast. As soon as it starts getting interesting the story ends like ten pages later. If this was longer I think I could’ve loved it but instead, I was left confused about everything that was happening.

I like how it showed how dangerous parasocial relationships can be but as I already stated it was rushed and too short to really convey the point. I honestly think it could’ve done another 50-100 pages and it would’ve been awesome.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting graphic novel which for me didn't quite rise to the potential.
The story is about a fan obsessed with a star (think Stephen Kings' Misery)? but with a twist.
The story is mostly strong, the art is good, and some of the choices are brilliant.
The problem for me was the ending. I wouldn't go into spoiler territory, but the final part of the book didn't have the payout and resolution the story deserved. The story didn't so much as resolved itself as it just stopped.

This is a decent misery knockoff.

I really like what the artist did with the imagery, especially when things change completely based on the person's view point. I also enjoyed that there are no "good" characters, everyone is a piece of shit or a psycho, fun times. Alex De Campi dialogue is solid enough even if her insufferable rants online and at the end of the books annoy the shit out of me, and that's coming from a liberal myself, she's just complains and complains. This isn't a woman thing either, plenty of men bitch too, it's just Alex is LOUD and annoying.

Anyway overall for a misery knockoff it's fun and it has some great brutal moments. The art is the selling point but it's worth checking out for a quick read.

This had promise but the execution was sort of forgettable. After reading the author's afterward and what the text/art was supposed to do, I kind of understood it a bit better but I really don't think the shifts in art style and other choices had the intended impact or told the story effectively. Also, I know I wasn't supposed to like any of the characters, but they weren't unlikeable enough to make me want to read about them -- they were just vaguely off-putting.

I was extremely impressed with this book. Erica Henderson carries her art style throughout nicely, and Alex Decampi takes the obsessive fan trips and winds it up in original ways to make it damn hard to take sides with either Luke or Lily. Excellent afterwords from both as well so overall a very, very nice package.

Parasocial relationships can be terrifying if the person following a celebrity can’t separate fiction from reality. Toxic fans are scary fans and the dark side of fan culture has never been so beautifully or horrifically illustrated as in this graphic novel.

Recommended for: fans of Misery by Stephen King; horror graphic novel readers

Content warning: violence; gore; stalking; kidnapping

I received a digital ARC of this graphic novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Luke is trying to revamp his acting career despite the challenges of the pandemic. When an obsessed fan kidnaps him, he must fight for his life.

I loved the premise of this graphic novel and the depiction of a con during the pandemic was perfect. I found the obsessed fan to be believable, but the ending seemed so abrupt. I was left wanting more to the story.

Holy hell this was a mind trip. And leans very well into the lives of celebrities and the lines fans cross due to…..whatever.

A awesome comic book with a psychological twist! Art style was good and the representation was as well. Great for comic book and thriller fans