Story By: Eric Powell and Tim Wiesch
Art By: Eric Powell
Published By: Image
Big Man Plans is a series that delights simply by existing. It’s loud, it’s in your face, it’s violent, and it’s unapologetic about all of the above. Basically, it’s a ton of fun.
Big Man Plans #2 picks up where the first issue left off and drops us down in Tennessee, where Big Man quickly gets to work. It’s a wonderful and triumphant way to open the second issue and get its hook into readers (or rather its hammers). Considering the first issue devoted nearly all of its pages to Big Man’s tragic (and violent) backstory, I think that Eric Powell and Tim Wiesch made the best possible decision in starting things off with a bang. Because let’s face it, at this point we aren’t reading the series to read some inner dialogue. We’re here to see Big Man bust some faces.
There’s a nice cool-down in the middle of the issue in which Big Man reflects on his father and some words of wisdom he was given. What’s interesting, however, is how much Big Man himself has seemingly twisted those words to suit his thirst for vengeance. Between this issue and issue #1 we have a pretty good idea that Big Man’s father was a kind man. A man who loved deeply and hated to see others fall. And it creates an interesting juxtaposition as we see Big Man seemingly turn these ideas into fuel for his revenge.
The last half of issue #2 gives us even more violence and puts a hitch into Big Man’s plans. This latter half of the issue is brutal and will have you on the edge of your seat as the violence seemingly builds and builds. It’s an explosive way to go out and I think it’ll give the rest of the series an edge as we realize that Big Man’s thirst for revenge is even bigger than we had imagined.
Powell’s art is one of the best things about this series and he utilized some incredible techniques in this issue. When things heat up during the last part of issue #2, Powell decides to pull back on the detail and instead focus on some great use of color and simplified art to continue the story. It’s a nice break from the attention to detail he normally uses and it helps set this violence apart from the rest of the violence found within the issue. It’s a great contrast and something that I hope we see more of. Altogether it’s a great looking comic and one of the more unique ones out there when it comes to art style.
My only complaint with issue #2 is that it can’t measure up to the greatness that was the first issue. Issue #1 of Big Man Plans had so much going on and was so shocking that issue #2 seems slow in comparison. We had a wonderful look into Big Man’s past that was almost overflowing with violence that the second issue seems almost tame. I understand that Powell and Wiesch needed to pull back a bit to actually give us a story but after an issue like the first, I found myself wishing for more.
Big Man Plans remains an interesting and compelling series that I definitely want to finish. However, Powell and Wiesch need to really deliver in the next two issues if it wants to maintain the momentum that was set by the first issue. I refuse to accept that issue #1 was the best this creative duo could give us.
