Parasocial

Actor Luke Indiana played assassination android X-9 for ten of “Rogue Nebula’s” twelve seasons and amassed a sizeable cult following for his efforts.  Enough to get him steady work as a guest  of honor at conventions, if not a successful acting career following it.  While the effort of interacting with fans who clearly adore him is exhausting, he soldiers on through his latest gig – attending a con in Texas – with a surprising level of professionalism given the fact that his wife has recently divorced him.  Which is why he’s looking forward to relaxing with some friends after the con.  At least, he was until an accident while driving puts him into contact with one of his biggest fans.

“Parasocial” essentially updates… a certain Stephen King story for this modern age of fandom that allows for much greater interaction between fans and the objects of their adoration/obsession.  Writer Alex De Campi communicates this very well in Luke’s interactions with his fans and the graphic novel’s strongest aspect is how it makes clear that he’s not a good person.  Yet, he doesn’t get judged for it and when the hostage situation develops, you’re not entirely convinced that he deserves all the bad things that happen to him.  Artist Erica Henderson sells all this while delivering art that has as much fun showing fandom in its messiest forms (literal and figurative) and delivering high-tension in the book’s back half.

Where this graphic novel falters is that I don’t get the sense that it’s much more than an update of the aforementioned story from King.  While the execution is solid, it wraps up without having said all too much about fandom’s current state on both sides of the fence.  We do get two little epilogues showing what the primary cast are up to – one is too cute, the other is pitch perfect – but it’s somewhat unsatisfying in the end.  I enjoyed reading “Parasocial,” but I was left feeling that it was more style than substance – a good idea that wasn’t as fleshed out as it should have been.