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

She-Hulk #28 – Review

By Peter David (Writer), Val Semeiks (Pencils), Dave Meikis with Victor Olazaba (Inks), Chris Sotomayor (Colors)

She-Hulk is in jail? What happened? Did I miss an issue? No, Peter David starts at the end and backtracks to how we got to this point,  which is an effective device. The book opens with a nice Byrne-esque splash page, too. She-Hulk and her Skrull colleague Jazinda head to Cleveland in search of Bran Murphy, wanted for blowing up a bar in a previous issue. The trail leads them to a Browns game and the hijinx ensue.

The scenes at the football game were good. Often I cringe when comics cross over into sporting events but this was well done with some amusing moments as our heroes ventured into the “dawg pound” in pursuit of their quarry. We have a bit of mystery established for the future as Bran seems to be not entirely himself.

I really like what Peter David has been doing here. She-Hulk has questioned and come to terms with her role as a heroine. She has been operating outside the normal confines of the law as a bounty hunter posing as an FBI agent while still standing for and upholding justice. With She-Hulk traveling as a bounty hunter the book does not have a permanent locale and this gives this gives the book a vibe somewhat reminiscent of the old Hulk TV series. The constant banter between She-Hulk and her Skrull partner Jazinda is always enjoyable and a highlight of the book. In this issue we are treated to a look into Skrull sexual mores, unless Jaz is exceptional among her people in her practices. The book promises a story arc that will reveal the reasons behind Jennifer Walters’ disbarment and a Hercules guest shot to follow that. I find plenty to like about this book at the moment and I am looking forward to continuing with it. (Grade: A)

– Arthur Cooke