What should have been just another party for celebrity socialite Reno Selleti turns out to be a cult orgy. And if that’s not frustrating enough, now lost spirits are chasing her down to warn her of her impending doom at the hands of an evil god’s avatar. The only way she can stay safe is to stay in the public eye and keep people watching her 24/7. As a result, the media and paparazzi think she’s losing her mind, on drugs, or both.
Central to Kindlon and Llovet’s story is disposability of celebrities. None but her closest friends express earnest concern for Reno when her world comes crashing down. Even when they do, they hesitate to believe that the problem is what the says. And for the paparazzi, the media, and the public alike, her embarrassment as she fights to stay alive is entertainment; as strangers speculate about the reasons for her behavior, they do as gossip—not out of any kind of compassion. It’s a lonely existence—lonelier even than succumbing to her dark pursuer.
Much of the strength of There’s Nothing There comes from Llovet’s sketchy, seething art. Deep shadows hide eldritch horrors. Washed-out, otherworldly spirits, blood-red eyes peaking through reality, and other portents of doom punctuate the escalating danger Reno faces. And Llovet’s style gives the impression that these elements are more real than Reno’s world of glitzy parties, vapid guys, and voyeuristic fans.
If a comic that reads like Glitterbomb by way of It Follows sounds like your cup of tea, then you should check out There’s Nothing There. Kindlon and Llovet’s mini-series shares some of the same ideas about the dangers of fame and voyeurism that run through each of those stories.
Collected in
- There’s Nothing There (#1-5)
Credits
Writers: Patrick Kindlon, Maria Llovet | Artist: Maria Llovet | Letterer: Jim Campbell | Designer: Phil Smith