Paul Sheldon could've warned sci-fi TV celebrity Luke Indiana about the dangers of number one fans, but no, Luke will have to learn the hard way that he shouldn't have got out of the cockadoodie car.

A solid homage. ( )

Parasocial is a twisted, psychological thriller with some incisive observations about current fandom culture, the nature of fame, and of course, prosocial relationships. On first glance it’s easy to see this graphic novel as simply a millennial update to Stephen King’s Misery, an observation that while neat and concise, fails to capture the ways Parasocial is another animal all together. The nature of being famous and of being a fan has changed radically since Stephen King’s day, with social media, smart phones, and conventions, the modern fan girl has possibilities Annie Wilkes could only have dreamed of. What all this access serves to do is seemingly heighten a cycle of exploitation between star and fan and it is that cycle that Parasocial explores so well. The characters are solid and well written and the art style helps make this brief story feel impactful and dramatic far in excess of its limited page count.

Without giving away any spoilers I will say this graphic novel was gripping, taught, and intelligently written from start to finish; interspersed with moments of genuine humor and heart it is a dark story about what happens when celebrities try to cultivate a personal relationship with their fans and one of those fans takes that relationship far too literally. ( )