Filed under: Comic Reviews, Indie Comics | Tags: House Party, I Am Fire, LFCC, Michelle, Neil, Rachael Smith, Siobhan
After reading I Am Fire (reviewed here) I was hyped to get my hands on a copy of Rachael Smith’s latest release in her House Party graphic novel.
The story follows the lives of three friends aged 20-something – Neil, Michelle & Siobhan – they have all settled into a mundane life or at least a life that feels like they’ve lost the momentum they had in their younger years at uni/college. Something we’ve all faced in some way as we reach a certain age and while the main characters at first seem a bit too young to be having a life crisis (easy for a guy in his mid-thirties to say) there’s something in Rachael’s writing style that steeps this comic in reality and with a strong feeling of something we can connect with. A real world comic is easy but a real world comic that we can feel some sort of link with is something much rarer.
So how do they recapture their glory days???….they recreate one of the key nights of their life with a gig that lead to an EPIC house party. Seems like a no-brainer and a sure-fire plan that’ll work right?? Nope that’d be too easy and while the whole house party descends into chaos, a break-up and the ultimate realization that you can’t go back…..there’s still a positive outcome in the bittersweet aftermath.
New directions and a whole new sense of focus for each of the friends breathes new life into each of them but Rachael stops short of giving this that Hollywood false front that everything works out, & every aspect is resolved but that makes this all the more rewarding. While there’s no big “meaning of life” answers here there is still a strong air of the possibilities of reaching your goal….whatever the hell that is….and though it may take time & hard work……it’s closer than you think.
Rachel polishes the whole story off with some great artwork too and while the premise is fairly simple and you’re left with a “what happens next?” feeling….there’s still something rewarding to be had from dragging yourself away from superhero comics and into any indie title, specifically one’s like House Party, that bring with them a welcome change of pace and a deeper message.
Keep up with this and Rachel’s other titles over at her website where she has some original pages of House Party artwork up for sale.
You can also buy the book here.
She’ll also be attending London Film & Comic Con on the Saturday & Sunday (12th & 13th July) and MCM Manchester the following weekend (19th & 20th July)
8/10
G-Man
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