Slaughter Bowl - Rebellion [Part Two]

SLAUGHTER BOWL, June 2021

Wading waste deep in dinosaur carcasses, scattered human limbs and an entire arsenal of “tactical nuclear artillery”, John Smith’s script for the second half of “Slaughter Bowl” must easily have made the majority of this comic’s audience carry a massive grin across their faces throughout the entire length of the race. For whilst the utterly insane sport’s coverage does contain the odd commercial break, so as to allow the film crew to focus upon Chief Plastic Surgeon Cliff Hammond’s financially-fuelled efforts to save Stanley Modest’s sick wife, the vast majority of this graphic novel’s sense-shatteringly paced final four instalments predominantly focus upon the bespectacled serial killer’s homicidal efforts to get his Parasaurus called Myrtle across the finishing line in one piece; “Stan! You gotta snap out of it! This is it, Stan! Your big chance!”

Happily however, so simple a plot such as first past the winner’s post doesn’t mean that what follows is in any way sedentary or dull, thanks to the British author penning a number of high-octane set-pieces involving heavily-toothed carnivores mercilessly tearing chunks out of the numerous competitors in the most grisly way imaginable. Indeed, this so-called sport’s kill count is phenomenal with the tournament’s initial death actually taking place just outside the starting stalls when Salvator Ligotti’s bright green Triceratops catches “a trip wire with his very first step” and decapitates participant Number Thirty-Four.

Smith is also somewhat innovative in just how his exhilarating story is told by using the Word Television News Service coverage to ‘skip’ any boring bits and repeatedly whisk the reader straight into the very heart of the action wherever on the 120 mile endurance course it is taking place. This technique means that despite a few scenes depicting the rider’s purchasing either armaments or life-saving medical aid during a well-timed pit stop, Paul Peart’s marvellous illustrations are never really more than a handful of panels away from depicting some ghastly moment of unqualified carnage on the racing track - even if “the co-creator of Tracer” includes a disconcerting viewpoint straight down into a Megalosaurus’ digestive tract when DJ Jackmaster Chill and his accompanying Harry Camera are shockingly swallowed by the ferocious giant lizard.

Ultimately though, this entire publication lives or dies by the quality of its conclusion, when Stanley’s soft demeanour is finally put to the test against the homicidal barbarism of Mister Throat. Excitingly, Smith’s penmanship doesn’t disappoint, and even manages to throw the book’s bibliophiles a few curve balls within the final pages as the literally legless defending three-time champion goes tooth to tooth with his closest rival just mere inches from the race’s end.

Writer: John Smith, Artist: Paul Peart, and Letterer: Ellie De Ville

Slaughter Bowl - Rebellion [Part One]

SLAUGHTER BOWL, June 2021

Featuring an insane amount of disconcertingly graphic gratuitous violence, ranging from the merciless mutilation of hapless Pandas in a protected species preservation area through to an enraged Tyrannosaurus Rex devouring a fleeing felon whole, John Smith’s narrative for the opening half of this digital-only collection must have somewhat surprised many of its readers with the enormous amount of sympathy it somehow also generates for the lack-lustre central character Stanley Modest. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine life getting much worse for the greeting card company employee than that depicted within the first four instalments to “Slaughter Bowl”, as his twenty three year career is suddenly terminated, the doctor looking after his “dangerously ill wife” threatens to pull the plug on her, and the police shockingly arrest him for apparently being a mass murderer.

Fortunately, being dealt such a bad hand in the card game of life does mean that the swiftly convicted killer can now join the likes of Multiple Bob, Cannibal Deacon Makuth and Kasimir Rodchenko as a contestant in the “deadly battle royale where criminals riding dinosaurs attempt to annihilate each other for cash and prizes!” Such a surprising change of direction for the spectacled protagonist on Death Row gives the Lancashire-born writer an excellent opportunity to slowly fill in the details behind the gruesome sport to this graphic novel’s audience, whilst simultaneously providing the tale’s supporting cast, such as World Champion Mister Throat, with plenty of personality too.

In fact, this book’s build-up toward the start of the world-wide media event is arguably palpable, courtesy of Smith literally taking each bibliophile by the hand and walking them through the competitors’ lengthy preparations as they negotiate sponsorship deals, undergo an RNA-Infosquirt straight into the Hippocampus area of the brain, select their particular Prehistoric mount, and then finally equip the creature with all manner of lasers, automatic weaponry and missiles; “We need something light and manoeuvrable, but something that packs a punch too…”

Furthermore, the decision to present much of this information by way of a supposed broadcast by the Word Television News service allows the hype surrounding the Slaughter Bowl to become incredibly infectious, and ensures artist Paul Peart is given plenty of opportunity to pencil some excellent-looking camera shots of the various dinosaurs to be ridden in the race. These theatrical, often fast-paced news items also act as a great contrast to some of the more muted, rather introspective personal thoughts of Modest, and help highlight the quiet, inner turmoil taking place within Stanley’s mind amidst the utter hubbub of the frenzied, lucrative show surrounding him.

Writer: John Smith, Artist: Paul Peart, and Letterer: Ellie De Ville