Disclaimer: I am an Image Comics fangirl. Alex de Campi's Parasocial is Misery for Gen Z, essentially, and I don't mind it because over the millenia how fans interact with their idols has evolved in different ways, and yet remains the same - this is a timeless story, but viewed through the lens of how social media has affected these relationships between fans and idols, leading to the new term of 'Parasocial'. And if you don't know what that is... well, read the story :)

Really though, a parasocial relationship is, essentially, a one-sided relationship usually enhanced by a very online celebrity sharing so much of their life that their fans begin to think they *really* know them, or that they're actually friends with this person. And that is the crux of this story, and how horrifyingly far it can be taken.

I will say I wish de Campi took the story further. I would've liked to have learned more about the two main characters prior to the conflict, because this felt a bit like reading cliff notes. The art by Erica Henderson is in one of my favorite styles (if you enjoy the art of The Wicked + The Divine or Morning Glories, you'll like this book). I want to read more of Alex de Campi's work too - she has a pretty interesting catalog.

I've always thought modern fandom was lacking its own take on Misery, and its clear the author has studied the distinct way this subculture communicates to get it down in a believable way. However, it ramped up and then finished far too quickly. We didn't get to learn much about the kidnapper at all and so it all felt a bit inconsequential. This is a dynamic i find really interesting and i really feel it could have been explored further

I requested an arc copy of this book mostly for the description but the cover is really cool too.
I really didn’t like this though..
The art didn’t seem that great and the switching styles was jarring- yes I read the author’s end notes about the art but it happened too fast for it to be understood without reading that section.
The beginning.. and most of the book was confusing as I had no idea whose messages we were reading until about halfway through.
The start was also very very slow and the ending very very fast- this is bad in any book but especially in one as short as this.
I would’ve also liked more development on Lily’s end regarding her psychotic break as it all felt very rushed.
The story was very flat for me especially as the description and some other reviews called this book sexy, thrilling, and creepy.

Thanks to netgalley, the publisher, and authors for the arc.

As someone who goes to conventions to sometimes meet my favorite celebrities, I often wonder what they think of us fans and what they do if they encounter EXTREME fans. This book shows a case in which a fan is seemingly harmless but then the obsession rears its ugly head and the celebrity with whom the fan is obsessed with becomes a part of a "Misery" sort of situation.

Parasocial is a short graphic novel that follows a celebrity and a fan's extreme parasocial relationship with them. It took turns that I wasn't expecting and got very intense. It was definitely a thriller. There are of couple of themes explored like parasocial relationships (of course), escapism, and survival. At the end of the book, there are creator discussions about the inspiration behind Parasocial. I thought those were interesting in learning the about the creative process and hidden details.

Parasocial relationships have always existed with famous figures, but obviously that has skyrocketed with the rise of social media, especially thanks to Instagram and Cameo. The story is extreme, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. It forces ourselves to take a step back and evaluate our own parasocial relationships.

Very timely and disturbing. Im glad the notes are in the end because the changing art styles were jarring but it makes sense now.

A psychological thriller that explores the precarious nature of fame and celebrity obsession.

Parasocial introduces us to Luke Indiana, a TV actor whose long-running show has ended and now he’s struggling to find his footing. We see his happy-go-lucky famous side and the darker reality in his private moments. I love that the illustrations get brighter and darker depending on which side we’re exploring.

After Luke’s car breaks down on a country road at night, a young woman offers to help him and next thing he knows he’s waking up tied to a chair in her kitchen. The story becomes a life or death struggle as the two characters spar both literally and figuratively.

I wish this story did a little more to subvert the genre, as the story beats follow a well-worn path. At the end of the story, the authors provide their insight about what inspired them to write the story and it adds a lot of interesting background and context. After reading it, I flipped back to the beginning and read it again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for this advanced reader copy.

This book is best read at your local Comic Con, while waiting in line to meet your favourite actor. Make sure to bring a pen and paper, you’re going to want to take notes.

Is there anything quite as terrifying as that one particular area of fandom spaces? I'm not so sure there is.

Luke Indiana was an action star on a decidedly C-List show for many years. Now, the show is ended and his marriage along with it. The latter fact he learns at the absolute worst time, while at a convention in the middle of Texas during COVID. Still reeling from the news and what his life is rapidly becoming, he happens to meet his number one fan. Lily, originally planning to try to hook up with him in a hotel bar, changes her plans on the fly. You can see where this is going.

PARASOCIAL is a fascinating look at the underbelly of fandom. While not particularly based on any specific individuals, it's a story that rings all too true to people in fandom spaces. It's a terrifying study, a meditative piece that hits its marks well and leaves you with an odd taste in your mouth when it's through. The afterwards by the artist and writer and well-worth a read, each reflecting on their own thoughts and experiences regarding how parasocial behavior is distressingly on the rise.

I'll echo de Campi and say that if anyone sees themselves reflected in this book, please seek health. Even if you're on the edges of it... really give yourself a think. As fun as fandom is, it isn't everything. Not by a long shot.

This was an extremely beautiful work of art, but some of the narrative and story progression fell flat for me. I think that it could have used more dialogue or storytelling to make the experience more robust. I completely see the artistic vision that was there, and really appreciated it a ton. However, some of the storytelling was just not there. Certain things within it felt rushed, and I don't think we fully were able to see enough of the character emotions and thought processes.

I received a free electronic copy of this book for my honest review.

Good story, cool concept. I would have really liked more back story on Lily and an insight of what happened to her but it was still pretty good.

I liked it well enough. It reminded me of misery by Stephen King its setup but it's not misery by Stephen King and this book definitely does its own thing and has its own twist to it. I really loved the art. I'm not an expert on art or anything but I really enjoyed it. 8 wish the story had been a little longer and more fleshed out though and I feel like the themes the author was trying to explore here have been done better in other stories so it felt surface level to me but it was still a great read.

This is a solid new take on Stephen King’s Misery. The ending could have been stronger. I feel like Lily’s arc ended abruptly and was unfulfilled.

This book is a grim, sexy, creepy and life-affirming descent into madness. And through its graphic novel format it gives fresh life to what Stephen King did through the page with Misery. I loved this.

This was fine! The themes are really interesting and it does some cool work with the comic form but it's just too short to do anything thematically dense and the tone is confusing.

<i>Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free via NetGalleyh, and am voluntarily leaving my honest thoughts. Many thanks to the publisher, Image Graphics, for the opportunity!</i>

I absolutely appreciate the idea of this, especially after reading the author and artist notes at the end of the book, but I feel like it could've been executed a bit better, and that's why it's a 3.5 rounded down for me. The art is absolutely wonderful, the coloring is REALLY great and adds to the emotions, and I really liked the storyboarding too flow of the art.

That being said, overall, I felt that the pacing of the buildup was a bit too fast, and the events are a little efficient that things are over too soon for things to really hit you. But even in saying that, I do like the ending because it kinda does make you question things, and that's always great!

The scenes with the convention and seeing Luke interact with fans is something that I've definitely seen some semblance of in fandoms, and I think that the broad messages are definitely important here. My favorite parts of the story are definitely when we're in the home of the fan, where the art gets really loose and flowy, and I loved that it added some shoujo manga touches as we get to see things through the fan's POV.

There were some really great touches with the fanfic, the fanfic site, the TV show references, and also the social media posts and the text messages as well. While we get kind of this brief look into the characters that make you wish it would dig deeper, I think Parasocial is still a great quick read! I didn't read this with the playlist that's provided, but I'm sure the songs would add to the experience too.

Parasocial chronicles the interaction between an aging television actor and an overly obsessed fan after a seemingly harmless interaction at a convention (the key word here being seemingly.)

I was anticipating a more modernized version of Stephen King's Misery- and while it seems very much inspired by King, it rushes through its story too quickly. As a result its messaging feels obvious and a bit trite, a sense of dread has no time to develop. As soon as the action picks up, it's also over. It felt like the author had more to say about the dangers of parasocial relationships in the afterward than in the graphic novel itself.

In the afterward, the authors addresses how the visual style of the novel reflects what is going on- which is really well done, however it also makes me wonder how much more impactful those visual clues would have been if everything had been slowed down and fleshed out a little more. I would definitely find something like a gradual descent into madness much more satisfying than an off-page psychotic break.

Beautifully rendered on the artistic side, this snapshot of toxic parasocial relationships in fandoms is -- okay, I guess. It doesn't meet the definition of shocking and raw for anyone who's had a pulse and a tumblr/twitter to follow the debacles and disastrous turns of discourse on any big name TV fandom of the last decade, but I wouldn't call it overblown either. Kind of in-between, in a manner that makes me as a reader feel uncomfortable to witness (extreme behaviours in fandom are embarrassing to me as a fandom person) yet distanced from the emotions of the leads, but also not shocked at any of the developments the story took them on. The art made the reading fun: I'd mentioned the artistic choices -- shifting colors, level of detail and sometimes downright changing the artstyle worked really well to tell the story which exists between real life and fiction. But I am not sure about the depth of the story. There were some really nice hints to bigger societal issues or personal details that bear loads of nuance, but I didn't feel like they had a chance to take up enough space to be fleshed out enough to give story more depth and texture.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #Parasocialgraphicnovel.

This was a great graphic novel that takes a look at celebrity and our relation to it. The obsession and the delusion that comes from connecting with the idea or presentation of a person through a screen.

The art was fantastic, the characters very unlikeable in the best way, and the story very messed up.

Highly recommend.

A wild story about fame and the extremes that fans could go to to gain the affection of their idol. A very exciting and fast read perfect for a touch of wild adventure

When you're someone's hero, there are a lot of expectations to live up to. Especially when it is just your day job. Luke Indiana starred in the television show Rogue Nebula that was popular enough to make it over eight seasons, set in a science fiction inspired world with romantic plots. Alex de Campi's Parasocial explores the obsession of fandom in a way that almost feels ripped from the headlines.

The opening of our story finds an Instagram post from Luke sharing about a visit with friends before his first convention following COVID. All is not well in his world. His career has stalled with the end of the show and he is recently separated from his wife and family. In short he is lonely and struggling. And he is about to spend hours being present for the fans who want a few minutes or his signature.

It is one of these fans, Lily, who takes things beyond the convention setting. She has gone to many conventions, knows Luke's clothing and has written fan fiction involving the actor. After the convention she follows his car and engineers a meeting.

*****SPOILERS FROM HERE******
During that interaction she drugs and kidnaps him. When they get to her home, Luke awakes to her in a special outfit asking if he remembers when last she wore it and shows him her Luke shrine. The rest of the story is Luke and Lily trying to reach each other. Lily to profess her love and keep Luke with her, Luke trying to convince her this is all a bad idea and she needs to let him go. Then there is a knife, a combination lock, clothes scissored off and attempted homicide by arson. As terrible as that might all sound, it doesn't go to the extremes one would expect and it all happens so quickly.

Once Luke is kidnapped, much of what happens is without his consent, but he continues to fight and try to escape even to the point of trying to play into her fantasies. Lily is very much thinking on her feet, trying to make it work anyway she can.

While no one dies, we resolve as we began, with an Instagram post where. Luke shares that he wrote this book.

Neither of our main characters are simple. They both are struggling in their lives seeking comfort where they can. Luke is very image conscious and has used his position to effect the career of others, but is duplicitous to their face. Lily has her fandom, and is the life carer of her grandmother. They're both lonely, but where this would be the set up for a romantic comedy, it goes more the direction of Stephen King's Misery, as other viewers have alluded.

Erica Henderson's art is the standout here as it well integrates the different themes and emotions of the story. In the beginning we shift from Instagram to a chat feed to a cameo video, before reaching a more traditional panel structure. When we first meet Luke in the present, he sits along in a gloomy parking garage, but brightens up on the floor or the convention. These are only a few examples, but visually it is a very interesting and well thought out narrative. I only wish the story had had more to it.

A fairly basic story of extreme fandom and obsession told too quickly to let the dread or tensions rise, but with a great deal of thought given to the art as a story component. The afterwords by Erica Henderson and Alex de Campi are a great edition explaining the choices and development of the story. de Campi's especially, as it details the way the music is meant to be an integral part of the story explaining each selection.