Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Dr. Ron Richards is a parapsychologist, which means his clients aren’t exactly human. From the Loch Ness Monster to a mysterious entity known only as the “Ultimate Evil,” Dr. Ron’s couch plays host to a slew of beings in need of help, empathy, or simply a listening ear. Things start to look bleak for his practice, however, when a rival begins poaching his clients. And things aren’t much better at home, where his wife is seeking a new career direction and his teenage daughter has started dating an ancient vampire!
Created by Mark Schey, Taki Soma, and Cat Farris, who’ve collaborated on the mini-comic series “Alienated” in the past, the graphic novel ‘Parapsychologist’ is a fresh, comedic take on the challenges of being a therapist, since the clients here are paranormal beings, each with their own unique problems. For example, the Loch Ness Monster suffers from body dysmorphia, and there’s a ghost who still isn’t past his relationship issues, so on, and so forth.
In some mild comedic irony, even though Dr. Ron is supposed to be a great parapsychologist, he is barely keeping things together, and goes to see a therapist in the woods. At home, his teen daughter feels unheard, so she keeps drawing to get her family’s attention by saying weird things, like announcing she has joined a cult. Her teen tantrums at the dinner table provide some comedy, and even though it looks like everybody ignores her, the dad definitely pays attention.
The artwork in the graphic novel is colorful, fun, and definitely what I enjoyed the best. The character illustrations are expressive, cartoon-ish, and surprisingly, the character that stands out best is just a supernatural blob capable of expanding and causing significant havoc.
‘Parapsychologist’ also boasts an exaggerated, egotistical antagonist: an ambitious young rival who steadily steals Dr. Ron’s clients. As the story unfolds, a mildly amusing personal vendetta emerges as well. Consequently, the graphic novel’s main conflict revolves around Ron enlisting the help of his assistant and a loyal client to prevent his struggling practice from falling apart completely.
Ultimately, Parapsychologist is a fun one time read, because despite its chuckle-worthy fresh premise, it doesn’t leave you with a lasting impact. Like I wouldn’t be exactly demanding a second season for this story.
Rating for Parapsychologist: 3 stars on 5.
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