At this point, there's a comfortable familiarity that goes along with Clugston-Major's work... I know what I'm getting into. Which seems an odd thing to say about a group of characters and a writer/artist whose work can best be described as quirky, and which draws influences from a variety of sources that includes classical literature and schlock film and TV, punk music and roaring twenties style. Clugston-Major's work, both here and in her other Blue Monday stories, is like a smart teen comedy, full of fun and lewd humor, but even more fun for those of us who like to laugh but don't necessarily need to leave our brains at the door to do so.
I've always said that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and if it wasn't for all the presents and food at Christmas, it'd probably be my favorite one. Clugston-Major seems to share that love of Halloween, and the mock horror tone that it inspires, as Dead Man's Party is almost exactly what I would expect from a Halloween story. There are elements of trying to scare someone, but mostly it's the elements of how fun it can be to be scared, and it's less something that will give you nightmares and more something that will remind you of the fun horror movies you've seen.
Clugston-Major has always worn her influences on her sleeve, usually going so far as to have debates about songs with her editor via super-deformed versions of him between the panel borders. This story takes a classic formula, the characters telling stories, and puts the Blue Monday characters into it. So we get to see the characters, with all their teen insecurities and habits, in the role of well-known characters from Night of the Living Dead, Dark Shadows and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The latter, with it's obvious camp and idiosyncratic approach, seems especially fitting, but they are all believable stories that this unusual group of kids might like.
Rather than simply including parodies, Clugston-Major also includes a few continuing elements from the Blue Monday stories. Though anyone could come into this cold and enjoy it, those who know the characters and previous stories will definitely enjoy it more. The romantic relationships that were the center of Absolute Beginners and Lovecats are hinted at here, both in the framing sequences and the parodies, and Seamus will make a whole lot more sense to those who have read Absolute Beginners. Of course, no one fully understands the Jesus Heads except Clugston-Major and perhaps Jamie Rich, but I think anyone will be amused by their antics, especially when they put together why they're giving Clover such a hard time.
As always, Clugston-Major's art style really nails the humorous tone of the book. Her depictions of the characters in various recognizable costumes (especially The Rocky Horror Picture Show) are downright hilarious, and little background details like the panel border notes or the Jesus Heads crack me up every time. Dead Man's Party is a departure from the rest of the mini-series and one-shots of late, which have moved the relationships of the characters forward to some degree, but it's still a can't-miss for any Blue Monday (or Halloween) fan.
