Blood Bowl: Killer Contract #1 (of 5) – Review

Matt Forbeck (Writer) and Lads Helloven (Art and Colors)

Blood Bowl: Killer Contract #1 tells the story of the Bad Bay Hackers team and their game against the Orcland Raiders. What game you ask? Well it is sort of like football except there is a large amount of killing, maiming, and general chaos thanks to the inclusion of weapons, medieval style football pads, and a general disregard for any solid set of rules. It brings to mind the old Sega Genesis game Pigskin Footbrawl or even Mutant League Football from back in the day. Truth be told, the concept is a lot of fun and the brutality on display really is something to behold. However, the book is not without its shortcomings as it feels as though it tries to do too much within too few pages.

To be honest, I am still trying to sort out exactly what the focus of this comic even is. We have the football game going, some locker room assassination plot, a team relationship, some tension between the coach and the star, some daddy issues, and, to top it all off, some pretty ridiculous dialogue and action that does little to help make sense of it all. I wanted to sit back and enjoy the ride, but far too often I found myself going back over what I had already read because I lost track of what was going on. It just moves way too fast for its own good. Now, part of me understands why this is since this is only going to be a five issue mini-series, but pulling out a plot thread or two would have done wonders for both the pacing and flow of this story.

The writing by Matt Forbeck is admirable in the sense that he attempts to juggle all these plot elements in a little over twenty pages, but it never feels like he has any control over what is going on. I liked the clever names and the campy humor, but it needs more than that to tie everything together. Maybe those that have an interest in the tabletop game that this comic is based on will have a better understanding of the events, but, for me, this was a chore to read.

The artwork makes up for some of the books shortcomings, but it also suffers from a general lack of direction. I enjoy some full-blown chaos and this book puts it on display in quite an impressive fashion, but the actual game being played is just a mess. I assume that we are supposed to follow the game between the Hackers and the Raiders, but it is next to impossible. I know some people scored, but there was absolutely no flow to the action at hand. It felt like a bunch of cool scenes lumped together without any idea of where they fit in the overall scheme of things. It looks fun, and some of it genuinely is, but closer inspection will make you realize the less you scrutinize, the better. I like what is on display here, but it needs to be reeled in so that the action can unfold in a manner that compliments the game being played and the story being told.

Blood Bowl: Killer Contract is fun, but it really needs some structure and less chaos. The less you think about it, the better this book is. Check it out if you are interested in the concept, but make sure to shut your brain off before diving in. (Grade C-)

-Kyle Posluszny