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Life of the Party
Most everyone has heard the phrase "sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll." But "sex, drugs, rock-and-roll, and comics"? You bet. In a gloriously straightforward manner, Mary Fleener illustrates her oftentimes decadent social experiences in this complete collection of her autobiographical comics work. The tableaux she weaves are a candid take on the party scene of Southern California, but what is most distinctive isn't her storytelling--it's her art. She has developed a unique style that she calls "cubismo": a blend of underground comix and cubism. She uses this style to convey changes in mental states--specifically, changes in the subjective fields of experience--whether from anger, frustration, or drug use. A truly remarkable achievement.
156 pages
First published November 1, 1997
187 people want to read
About the author
Mary Fleener
49 books18 followersMary Fleener is an American cartoonist, writer and musician from Los Angeles.
After quitting art school in 1976, Fleener pursued a career as both a rock singer and a visual artist. She entered the world of alternative comics in 1984, initially self-publishing mini-comics. Her cartooning style often draws inspiration from cubism and other art traditions. Her first book was Hoodoo (1988), a comic about writer Zora Neale Hurston. Her semi-autobiographical Slutburger series run for five issues from 1990 to 1995, followed by the three issues of Fleener from 1996 to 1997. Other short comics have appeared in magazines and anthologies, like 'Weirdo, 'Twisted Sisters' and 'Wimmen's Comix', to then be collected in books, most notably Life of the Party (1996, Fantagraphics Books).
After quitting art school in 1976, Fleener pursued a career as both a rock singer and a visual artist. She entered the world of alternative comics in 1984, initially self-publishing mini-comics. Her cartooning style often draws inspiration from cubism and other art traditions. Her first book was Hoodoo (1988), a comic about writer Zora Neale Hurston. Her semi-autobiographical Slutburger series run for five issues from 1990 to 1995, followed by the three issues of Fleener from 1996 to 1997. Other short comics have appeared in magazines and anthologies, like 'Weirdo, 'Twisted Sisters' and 'Wimmen's Comix', to then be collected in books, most notably Life of the Party (1996, Fantagraphics Books).
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 27, 2018
Solidly good autobiographical stories of a decadent (at least to a Midwestern boy) Californian life. I like her cubism art style, especially paired with drug stories, but the writing doesn't propel the stories past merely interesting slice-of-life voyeurism.
January 22, 2011
I continue my sudden and intense 90's graphic novel nostalgia-fest by revisiting this stellar autobiographical collection, regrettably Mary Fleener's only book to date. Her "Cubismo" cartooning style is instantly recognizable and uniquely her own, and her lively documentation of 70s & 80s southern California's sex, drugs & rock 'n roll scene as she experienced it is totally captivating and all of a piece. It works beautifully.
August 15, 2022
Mary Fleener is a deeply underrated cartoonist
November 12, 2013
Just when you think comics (or graphic novels) tend to wallow in self indulgence and pretentiousness, along comes a delight such as Mary Fleener.
Visually stunning with her penchant for her own 'cubismo' style of art work Life of the Party is a reflection on time and place captured in a mix of anecdotes and memoirs. Plenty of drug taking but then it is autobiographical after all. Unlike so many male comic memoir s we are spared sex life obsessions.
Instead we get strong stories of seemingly real people in the Harvey Pekar mode of telling the tale.
Love it. Love it all.
Theres' a wisdom here formatted by nostalgia that projects a keen eye on the circumstances in which one lives and who they chose to share their lives.
Compared to many autobiographical comic which seem to wallow in neurosis, this is very mature stuff.
Visually stunning with her penchant for her own 'cubismo' style of art work Life of the Party is a reflection on time and place captured in a mix of anecdotes and memoirs. Plenty of drug taking but then it is autobiographical after all. Unlike so many male comic memoir s we are spared sex life obsessions.
Instead we get strong stories of seemingly real people in the Harvey Pekar mode of telling the tale.
Love it. Love it all.
Theres' a wisdom here formatted by nostalgia that projects a keen eye on the circumstances in which one lives and who they chose to share their lives.
Compared to many autobiographical comic which seem to wallow in neurosis, this is very mature stuff.
November 23, 2014
I liked this OK. My expectations were higher though. Even though mostly written in the late eighties and early nineties, it felt a lot like the Underground Comix of the late sixties and early seventies, with the focus on sex and drugs and such. My standards are very high because of Julie Doucet and Jennifer Camper and so many other women in comics I have been reading now, but, I expected something more feminist.
That said, I really like the visual style. Mary Fleener uses a cubist style to show states of arousal / tension / intoxication / et cetera that is really interesting. I have never seen anything like it before. Most interesting when it's not just one person, but the whole scene! This makes me realise, since she came out of this tradition, I need try to find a way to read some more "Wimmin's Comix" and "Tits and Clits Comix" to see what the politics was like of the feminist reaction to the male dominated Underground Comix.
That said, I really like the visual style. Mary Fleener uses a cubist style to show states of arousal / tension / intoxication / et cetera that is really interesting. I have never seen anything like it before. Most interesting when it's not just one person, but the whole scene! This makes me realise, since she came out of this tradition, I need try to find a way to read some more "Wimmin's Comix" and "Tits and Clits Comix" to see what the politics was like of the feminist reaction to the male dominated Underground Comix.
December 10, 2012
I really did enjoy this graphic novel. I enjoyed the insane art style that got progressively more fucked up the more emotional or high someone got. It was amusing and honest without being overly emotional. It didn't hit me on the same level as some comics but I still really enjoyed it. Mary while being a hippie and hanging out in Southern CA and marrying a surfer still showed that subcultures are much alike. The stories were vaguely chronological, starting with Mary as a young girl and then getting into playing gigs and drugs, and then married. But the dates of when they were written weren't in order. It made me really want to find other things by her. But she doesn't seem to have many books that are availble now.
July 20, 2012
Oh my GAD I enjoyed this so much - everything I like in comics/graphic novels! Intense blacks and whites/ink work, autobiographical, drugs/sex/partying/weirdness/70s/80s/90s/surfing/hippies blablabla! So good, holy hell.
September 15, 2012
Fleener's very distinctive artistic style ("cubismo" is her word for it) and ability to tell a good story come together in this volume of her short autobiographical pieces. The best stories in the collection tap into the particular (and peculiar) culture of Southern California.
April 27, 2014
Considering this as a gift for someone so I decided to reread it after all these years. Still in love with Fleener's art work, and still get all tingly inside with her Southern California references (Palos Verdes represent!--kidding). Best loved story for me was the carrot dream of '91.
June 4, 2013
this graphic novel knocked me on my ass! i loved it so with the revolutionary drawings, and enjoy it each time i read again.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews