The Con Artists: Luke Healey

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Snippets from Frank's middling stand-up routines are punctuated by the subtle farce of Healy's mise-en-scène and the lively, at times scathingly pointed, banter of old friends. And ultimately, there is something to be said about the juxtaposition of the (more blatant) ways others deceive us and the (more subtle) ways we deceive ourselves. The simple art style really helps to ground what could easily otherwise become a pretty heavy story.

It is as if he knows deep in his heart that this is not his forte (he ducks out of the Edinburgh Comedy Festival on no good excuse), but he continues to slog away at his craft before strangers, a ritual of half-hearted immolation. It reads easily, like a friend telling you a story or a comedian bearing his soul (or, the parts they're willing to show).Along the way, he discovers Giorgio has been living a life not parallel to that he depicts on social media, and is committing fraud to pay bills. I only gave it three stars instead of two because I did like Frankie and hopeful that the author puts out a sequel that is a lot more in depth. We think instead Mr Healy has crafted a predatory character camouflaged in an otherwise wistful urban landscape. Publication dates are subject to change (although this is an extremely uncommon occurrence overall). I liked the art and the main character a lot and felt like they were able to stand up for themselves in the end.

Hotjar sets this cookie to know whether a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's pageview limit. It’s definitely an interesting exploration of fraught interpersonal relationships complicated by anxiety. I greatly disliked the character of Giorgio and wished there was more closure for the reader on their relationship. As Frank moves in with Giorgio to help him recover, he begins to suspect that the perfect life Giorgio has been sharing online may be nothing more than a web of lies and scams. Recommended for those who like package deliveries, drunken nights and friendly parents of childhood friends.The Con Artists is a graphic novel exploring themes relating to mental illness, strained relationships, and artists using stories from their lives as part of their art. As Frank tries to care for Giorgio, who is injured in a drinking related accident, the cracks form in their platonic relationship, which shatters in a quiet yet spectacular fashion. Luke Healy’s playful, hilarious third graphic novel uses crisp lines and physical comedy to portray an uneasy friendship between two young men on the cusp of adulting. I enjoyed Luke Healy's Americana, a memoir of Luke taking his Irish self to the West Coast of the US to complete an arduous hike. Luke Healy's declaration in the beginning and the interruption later are thought-provoking and funny.