The Con Artist: A Novel

By Fred Van Lente and Tom Fowler

This illustrated mystery will appeal to comic book fans and anyone who appreciates an unconventional whodunit.

Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, seeking sanctuary with other fans and creators—and maybe to reunite with his ex—but when his rival is found murdered, he becomes the prime suspect. To clear his name, Mike will have to navigate every corner of the con, from zombie obstacle courses and cosplay flash mobs to intrusive fans and obsessive collectors, in the process unraveling a dark secret behind one of the industry’s most legendary creators.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jul 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781683690351

Fred Van Lente

Fred Van Lente is the New York Times bestselling author of comic books like Cowboys & Aliens and Marvel Zombies. He lives in Brooklyn, like every other writer on the planet (by law), with his wife, Crystal, and some mostly ungrateful cats. His previous funny nonfiction comics with Ryan were Action Philosophers! (named a YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens by the American Library Association) and The Comic Book History of Comics (which Fred’s mom really likes). He does not own a time machine but will be the first on line to buy one as soon as someone gets around to inventing them.

Reviews for The Con Artist

[birdo82 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It struggles as metafiction and as a mystery, but, if you resolve not to take it too seriously, this is a wonderful, easter egg-riddled romp through comicdom, a book sure to please fans of Ready Player One.

[gothamajp · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I first read this four years ago, and I’d totally mis-remembered how it developed. What I’d remembered as the big twist climax turned out to be a minor scene mid way through.So this read turned out to be a fresh rediscovery of a light-hearted fun murder mystery set in and around the events of a San Diego Comic-Con.If you have any knowledge of the comics industry and it’s history there’s lots of references and allusions (often very thinly disguised) you’ll pick up on. And if you’ve ever enjoyed (or hated) the San Diego Comic-Con experience you’ll be nodding along at the observations and location descriptions.While I enjoyed this (again), I do wonder if it is too much of an in-joke that wouldn’t translate to a wider audience.