Celebrity is a weird thing in the current day and age. So is fame. An awkward mix of privacy invasion and cult following with a healthy dash of myth and unrelatability. Throwing some straight up occultism into that mix can really muddy the waters and it’s unclear if it’s for the better.

That’s the unusual conundrum that There’s Nothing There from Black Mask Studios finds itself in by the end of the first issue. We take the strange and impersonally personal world of celebrity in a big city and throw in… something. An occult ritual that takes place at a party for the rich and ostensibly famous has some unforeseen consequences for our socialite protagonist Reno.

Maybe the problems with There’s Nothing There start in Patrick Kindlon’s writing. We don’t quite know the rules and norms for this world like ours but clearly not quite. Everyone knows about celebrity, sure; but not everyone experiences it in the way Reno does. On top of that, there’s a niggling sense that the writer has at least a little disdain for Reno and her ilk in a way that makes everything about her come off as overly pretentious. The premise feels like The Simple Life mixed with Supernatural or maybe more Two Broke Girls plus Teen Wolf but with none of the fun those could have, taking itself far too seriously to be truly enjoyable.

The art of Maria Llovet, while gorgeous and fashion flat-inspired, is just too loose to do the writing any favors when it comes to holding everything together and making it work. It does fit the socialite setting and add a certain floatiness to the weirdness we see though. A perfect fit married to an imperfect partner.

Long story short, it’s going to take a bit for this series to prove it’s worth the time and money to pick up. Even for someone who like horror thrillers of the rich and famous. With so little to work with, it’s near impossible to tell if it will be worth it in the end.

Story: Patrick Kindlon Art: Maria Llovet Cover: Maria Llovet and Alexis Ziritt
Story: 5.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Stall for more issues and maybe a trade

Black Mask Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review