Rachel Pollack and Joe Corallo co-creators and writers
Eva Cabrera co-creator and artist
Cons Oroza colorist
Claudia Aguirre cover colorist
Zakk Saam letter
Jude Vigants logo design
Comixology Originals $2.99
Music, myth, and maenads do not the usual mayhem make!
Renowned Doom Patrol writer Rachel Pollack returns to comics in tandem with Joe Corallo (Becstar writer/ Kim & Kim editor), and Eva Cabrera (Kim & Kim artist) for the five part The Never Ending Party to explore the bonds of love and friendship, drawing strength and healing from tragedy, and standing true when faced with chaos.
Mindy Morrow is just trying to live her life but the past isn’t done with her just yet. Twenty five years ago Mindy and her girlfriend Lulu and their circle of friends (Don, Tommy, Flavia, Chris, and Oliver) appeared to be your average clubber at the Arcane Club moving through the crowd as they dance, mingle, live in the moment and perhaps try to forget their lives if only fleetingly. Pollack and Corallo are eager to show just how deceiving appearances can be by revealing the true purpose of the club’s event – a mystical rite led by Kate Park, self styled high priestess to invoke Dionysus. Yes, that Dionysis, the god of wine, festivity, madness, and frenzy.
Tension mounts as the scenes cut between flashback and the present day where Mindy’s life seems humdrum in comparison; her days are centered in Tarot and a steadfast friendship with Flavia. As you may know, Tarot has been a part of Pollack’s life since 1970 with her first book following a decade later. I’m looking forward to learning how Tarot is used throughout the rest of the story. Flashback to the club: the energy from the crowd is peaking. Park just needs an offering and wild, impulsive Lulu… well, she’s the catalyst for the mania. Flashforward: things quickly begin unraveling when Park, who has somehow managed to remain unscathed from that long ago tragedy, reappears to worm her way back into Mindy’s life. Park might be the least of Mindy’s troubles after two more people resurface from her past!
Eva Cabrera and Conz Oroza make for a complementary team on the art front. Cabrera’s contour line work and composition reflect roots in traditional animated art styles which creates some tension of its own in the story given the wild abandon and disregard in some of the flashback sequences. Her depiction of a young Dionysus as a bad, bad boy is arresting.
Conz Oroza takes a dual approach to coloring Eva Cabrera’s line art. Highly saturated colors in the Arcane night club sequences alternate between vibrant reds and dark blue and purple tones, the latter without straining the eye. Pops of pink here and there while green takes on an otherwordly feel. A broader range of colors — almost pastel in comparison to the flashbacks — are found in the present day sequences. That ethereal green appears throughout linking past and present, acting as a subtle sign of a manifesting presence. Green being an appropriate color in that Dionysus, among other things, is the god of vegetation and wine…the green of grape leaves.
Mixing fantasy, horror, and mystery, The Never Ending Party is a story of friendship and love and learning from youthful follies.
Look for it exclusively available on Amazon though a print collection hopefully follows at a later date.