Comic Review: The Big Con Job #2

The main theme of The Big Con Job is how fast stardom comes and goes. Once celebrated by the fandom, the cast of former pop culture icons have been forgotten by the public. In the case of Blaze Storm, someone who was once admired for her beauty, the only recognition she gets these days aren’t from fans of Buck Blaster or Cat Rawlins: Police, but from concerned individuals who are aware of her scandalous sex tape. The Big Con Job #2 from Jimmy Palmiotti, Matt Brady and Dominike “Domo” Stanton shares many of the strengths from issue one, as it continues on with its tale of out-of-work celebrities attempting to rob San Diego Comic-Con.

Where issue one of The Big Con Job had a more male-driven perspective, as it dealt with Danny Dean’s financial troubles and Poach Brewster’s crumbling marriage, issue two has a slight feminine outlook to it. The beginning pages take place at a hospital, where Blaze is volunteering for the sick children by sharing clips of her past roles. Unfortunately, her volunteering days have come to an end, as a parent complained to the hospital about Blaze’s sex tape, finding it immoral of her to be present with these children.

Seeing Blaze wrecked over not being allowed to say goodbye to the kids and later rejecting a deal to headline a series of elderly porno tapes was a good character moment for her. What the series does best is show how broken down and desperate these aged actors have become, making you rethink the way you see your childhood heroes.

Blaze isn’t the only character focused on in issue two, as more is revealed about the upcoming Comic-Con heist. Readers are introduced to Billy Benton, a young and lustful actor, who apparently has his future stardom riding on the break-in. Maddie and Johnnie, two more down-on-their-luck actors, are invited by the gang to change their grim predicament.

Issue two delivers the same quality from the premier issue, that being sympathetic characters and an interesting, albeit gimmicky, plot line to read for. The superhero visual nods placed here or there in the panels are also a nice touch. Can’t have Comic-Con without the presences of the big two publishers, or something that comes close to looking like them.

However, The Big Con Job is still taking its time in explaining its premise, which could be a drag for anyone expecting some action by now. And while there are some entertaining art panels, like Johnnie punching out a smart-mouth actor on set, there’s an uncomfortable amount of zoomed-out shots and closed-eye facial expressions.

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