Okay wow!! This book had an unexpected turn and i loved it. the casual queerness was beautiful, and the art was a breath of a fresh air.

rep: white queer man

spice: none

The art was amazing and the story was really good i enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend i loved reading this with art.

This story follows a fan of a slightly washed up celeb who starts to develop a parasocial relationship with this celeb who was a star in a space series akin to Star Trek in vibe.
This story ends up taking a dark turn as the celeb gets into a car crash while leaving a convention, our main character finds him easily as she was following him, planning to ‘meet’ him in a bar later.
This story develops into a sort of kidnap story where our main character ‘lily’ drugs the celeb with ketamine and ends up stabbing him in the back and leaving him for dead in her burning house planning to lie and say that he was a drug dealer who was breaking in.
Overall, I would say the first half of this book was around a three stars because it was slower than what I would’ve liked it to be but I acknowledge that it was used to propel us into the fast paced action which is the last half. The only reason that this isn’t a perfect rating is because of how slow the first half of this book is

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

A fun, twisty, well illustrated tale! I really enjoyed the art, and the pacing. The premise is super interesting as well. Well done!

It was ok not great, too much like ‘misery’ it felt a bit rushed and I wasn’t really feeling it.
Rating ⭐️⭐️

This felt like it was lacking a little something as it was just too close to Misery to make this feel like its own work. I liked the artwork and the writing but the progression was a little flat and it could've been done much better. I would read more by this author and artist but this missed it for me.

Thank you so much Netgalley for accepting my request to read and review this book

Parasocial popped up on my netgalley page a while back and it gave me major Misery vibes off the bat so I was thrilled to be accepted to read and review it.

Lets start with the PROS

I loved the art style in this so much, the colour shifts were great

I love the idea of following a crazy obsessed fangirl who kidnaps her fav celebrity crush because lets be hoenst, there are some obscenely ridiculous fangirls out there (and fanboys) who invade celebrities space horifficaly in teh anem of adoration e.g. breaking into their homes to meet them, finding ways to get their personal details online and in some cases SWATTING

HOWEVER

CONS list:

This was so incredibly rushed and short that the above point never really got across at all, and athe written element at the end (discssing the themes) seemed ot have more to say on this that the actual book did wich was a bit dissapointing. I wish this was another 100 pages longer and that the risk felt higher.

I could be intersted in more from this author in the future

Not a great one for me. It was a bit like the Film ‘Misery’ but it just wasn’t weighty enough for me. It was ok to read and the artwork was ok just not one for me.

An unnerving and timely look at parasocial relationships that will have you reexamining your "relationship" to celebrities .

A sharp piece of comic booking that holds a dirty broken mirror up to fandoms of any kind and the real life horrors of taking things too far. Unlikable but realistic characters and some really interesting concepts came together to make quite the comic. Definitely good for those not afraid of the horrors of parasocial relationships.

Parasocial follows an actor who is living off the success of his popular tv show, while his personal life and future career are falling apart. After a late night at a popular convention, Luke Indiana faces the dangerous ramifications of parasocial fan relationships. in this Misery inspired graphic novel.

Unfortunately, this one was just okay for me. I really enjoyed the premise, but I found the back and forth in the storyline a bit confusing to follow, and most of the characters pretty unlikable. It's challenging to build character in a short comic, but I don't think we knew enough about Indiana, or the crazed fan, in order to really care about what happened. The ending fell a bit flat for me, but I resonated with the message the author was trying to tell.

This was interesting? It was gore-y and atmospheric but a little too short to have complex emotions and attachment to the character.

“Parasocial”, as indicated by the title is about a parasocial relationship between actor Luke and one of his fans, Lily. Luke attended a fan convention and then later get hit by a car where he meets Lily, who he had just seen at the convention. She lets Luke borrow her phone charger but soon after her real intentions shine through.
This was a short glimpse into parasocial relationships and the impact they have on both sides of the “relationship”. The art was very good at displaying the emotions and I did feel a sense of dread at times. However, it did not doing anything outside the box and was extremely predictable. I would recommend as a short interesting read but nothing more.

i really wanted to enjoy this because the premise seemed so interesting, but it just sort of fell flat to me and lacked dimension. the pacing was way too fast, even for as quick of a read as it was, and it feels like a lot of potential plot points were opened up to never be discussed again. i think the illustration doesn't really save the text either, and while the social media and texting sections were a cool device, they couldn't save the story.

I really like this! It definitely highlights some really important and toxic fan/celebrity dynamics that are kept taboo, and I appreciate the authors for delving into such a serious and complex issue.

The art style works for me, especially the night scenes and the ones with more experimental color.

My only criticism is I wish it were longer. I'm interested in Luke's life and relationships, as well as Lily. Right now, they feel a bit black-and-white. I would have liked more complexity in Lily than just Obsessed Fan.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Parasocial" by Alex de Campi and Erica Henderson is a fast paced edge-of-your-seat examination of the perils of extreme fandom. Instead of focusing solely on the actions of deranged and delusional fans the creative team behind this book shows that the behavior media stars and celebrities can be at least as disturbing. This book is violent and unsettling but it is well worth the read for anyone who has the stomach for it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Image Comics, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review,

"Misery" updated for modern fandom (there's even a tiny hat-tip to Stephen King) and de Campi and Henderson have knocked this one out of the park. A perfectly-executed thriller.

I think it's hard to do realistic depictions of fandom, particularly the more extreme sides of fandom (as is necessitated in this case), without coming across as either cruel or simplistic, and it speaks to Alex de Campi's strength as a writer and lived knowledge of fandom that she does it perfectly, and makes it look easy.

I'm in awe of Erica Henderson's style and colour choices (that ending scene!) and really appreciated the afterward giving more of her thoughts afterwards. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Oh, and I LOVED the idea of a QR code at the end of the book, leading to a playlist of songs referenced in the text! More of this with music-heavy books, please.

I can't exactly pinpoint why but I really didn't enjoy this. I think unfortunately the initial introduction to the characters and the plot was just "cringey" so I was put off from the start.

The plot seemed interesting, the parasocial relationship between a fan and an actor turning murderous when they both show their true colours. But it just felt lacking, not enough tension, and neither character is likeable so I didn't particularly care about the outcome.

As far as the art itself is concerned there's some great pages here and there but overall not great, and honestly the changes in style didn't do what I think the artist thought it would do. And yes I read the notes at the end, I just don't think it worked.

Just not a great read unfortunately, at least in my opinion. But I can see why maybe some people enjoyed it. Obviously just not for me!

ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

Parasocial is a comic that addresses the parasocial nature of the relationship between a celebrity - whether that be an actor, a musician or a sportsman - and their fans and, in particular, focuses on when that admiration and respect crosses a line and turns to crazed obsession over said individual. We are introduced to superheroes fan Lily Sparilli who has become obsessed with and started to stalk Luke Indiana who plays X-9 on a show called Rogue Nebula. I must admit, this is the first comic I have ever read as they never really appeal to me, but I thought this had an interesting-sounding story, and I'm pleased I gave it a chance. It's a quick, entertaining tale from start to finish, and I enjoyed the songs that often accompanied the various scenes.

Lily and Luke are the main characters, both of whom have inherent flaws and are portrayed sympathetically yet realistically. When the story was over and "This Charming Man" came up as the title of author/artist Erica Henderson's exposition on where the narrative came from I was ecstatic as The Smiths are my favourite band and her description of why certain colours were utilised throughout, how strong emotion was conveyed and why drawings of the same character looked sometimes vastly different from page to page were fascinating - as she states, it's all a matter of perspective and these people are not usually anywhere near as saintly as a hardcore fan claims. A thoroughly compelling romp through obsessive fandom presented uniquely.

This was a fascinating graphic novel. I read this in one sitting, whilst also listening to the soundtrack to accompany the pages I was on. I do wish this graphic novel had been longer though.

The accompanying soundtrack was a nice bonus, and of course Henderson's illustrations, particularly their use of colour was phenomenal.

Alex de Campi and Erica Henderson provide a representation of parasocial interactions, that go beyond straight storytelling; leading the reader to question aspects of celebrity and fandom, and prompting a reflection of arrangements surrounding fan conferences. The story allowed me as a reader to ruminate on the necessity (?), and pros and cons of audiences having mediated encounters with their "heroes". Scarily, the tale even nudged me to to analyze my own fandom of certain media.

After reading de Campi's Afterword, on the last few pages, I was even more invested in this piece. I am seeking out her previous works now!

I want more of this tale, I want more of these characters.

Parasocial is a fantastic commentary on when an obsession goes too far and the lines blur as to who the actual villain might be.
It is a quick read that I imagine is a nightmare of every actor/actress, whether they attend comic cons or not. The idea of someone seemingly harmless luring you into a false sense of security just to take advantage of it is a terrifying concept that unfortunately happens in real life. The commentary is realistic and a clear fight for survival. However, with the way it is written it will leave you questioning who the real villain is of the story.