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geekwayne's review against another edition
3.0
'Down. Set. Fight!' took what I thought would be a one note joke (mainly based on the cover) and actually turned it into an interesting story. It's about athletes and athlete parents. It's also about the bonds we have as family, and how unhealthy those can be.
When "Fearless" Chuck Fairlane is told to throw a game by his father for a bet, the consequences lead to Chuck beating up a mouthy mascot on the field, as well as all other comers to the fight, like the opposing team and his own. He walks away from the game and ten years later, we catch up with him as a high school football coach. Unbeknownst to him, there is a phenomenon called "fairlaning" that has team mascots starting fights. When one comes after Chuck, it starts him on a mission to find out what's behind it. Fortunately, the kind of cruel training regimen his father put him through has toughened Chuck to the point of superhuman strength.
It's funny and oddly touching. Chuck just wants to live his life and his father continually interferes. There is dark humor about parents of athletes here. The mascots are larger than life and comical. The art feels like a throwback to an earlier era in comic art and I liked it.
I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
When "Fearless" Chuck Fairlane is told to throw a game by his father for a bet, the consequences lead to Chuck beating up a mouthy mascot on the field, as well as all other comers to the fight, like the opposing team and his own. He walks away from the game and ten years later, we catch up with him as a high school football coach. Unbeknownst to him, there is a phenomenon called "fairlaning" that has team mascots starting fights. When one comes after Chuck, it starts him on a mission to find out what's behind it. Fortunately, the kind of cruel training regimen his father put him through has toughened Chuck to the point of superhuman strength.
It's funny and oddly touching. Chuck just wants to live his life and his father continually interferes. There is dark humor about parents of athletes here. The mascots are larger than life and comical. The art feels like a throwback to an earlier era in comic art and I liked it.
I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
taylor_hohulin's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, here's the deal. If you look at the cover of Down. Set. Fight!, you pretty much know what you're getting into. I'm surprised at the number of people who give this book bad ratings when the cover is A FOOTBALL PLAYER PUNCHING A MASCOT IN THE FACE. I don't know what else you'd expect.
The first half of the book plays things as straight-faced as you can when your story is about a retired football player being hunted down by mascots for various pro sports teams, but at the halfway point, the book really hits its stride.
I'm a big fan of action stories that don't take themselves too seriously and make things over-the-top for the sake of being over-the-top, and that's certainly what you get in Down. Set. Fight!
The first half of the book plays things as straight-faced as you can when your story is about a retired football player being hunted down by mascots for various pro sports teams, but at the halfway point, the book really hits its stride.
I'm a big fan of action stories that don't take themselves too seriously and make things over-the-top for the sake of being over-the-top, and that's certainly what you get in Down. Set. Fight!
helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
2.0
I've discovered something important about myself. Something that redeems my manhood.
Uh, if you're interested in the book review, it was alright. I THINK it was supposed to be funny, but the tone was dark and not really cartoonish enough for that. It came off more as just..not unfunny. The PREMISE is funny, punching out mascots, but there aren't a lot of laughs in between, and there's a sort of supervillain character that doesn't even make enough sense for a book where nothing makes sense.
Okay, back to my manhood.
I don't like sports. At all. I mean, I don't like watching sports. I don't follow sports. While I stay in shape and enjoy doing sporty stuff here and there, nothing is more unexciting to me than sports fandom.
Can I tell you something I saw tonight?
I walked home from the coffee shop, and it was dark. In the neighborhood, there was a guy sitting on his stoop. He was in a chair, but the chair faced into his living room. The TV was on, and he was watching baseball. At his feet was a wine bottle and a glass of red wine, and a small, portable TV with the same baseball game. The sound was low, and I couldn't figure out what the fuck was going on until I smelled cigar.
So this guy is enough of a sports fan that he sets up this whole situation so he can enjoy a cigar and red wine and watch a game. It was when I saw how far this man went that I realized how I'm not willing to go any distance at all for sports. Even if there were wine and cigars involved.
However, the good news, I really like sports movies. How this can be, I don't know. But in case you wanted a list of sports movies in a review of a graphic novel (I've really become expansive and gross on here, haven't I?), here we go:
-You Don't Know Bo
Awesome documentary on Bo Jackson. Bonus appearance by Chuck Klosterman. It's a solid movie, and it's one where a real-life athlete's behavior actually leaves you feeling good, but not in a sappy, overly-inspirational way.
-Warrior
I know, MMA is for douchey people. And I know, I shouldn't say "douchey." That's THEIR word they use for each other, not one I'm supposed to use. But it's great. Trust me, it's great.
-Rocky
So good. Slow, but not bloated.
-Bigger, Stronger, Faster
A doc about steroid use. It asks a question about whether or not steroids are really as bad as we've been told. I have to say, it made me ask some questions.
Uh, if you're interested in the book review, it was alright. I THINK it was supposed to be funny, but the tone was dark and not really cartoonish enough for that. It came off more as just..not unfunny. The PREMISE is funny, punching out mascots, but there aren't a lot of laughs in between, and there's a sort of supervillain character that doesn't even make enough sense for a book where nothing makes sense.
Okay, back to my manhood.
I don't like sports. At all. I mean, I don't like watching sports. I don't follow sports. While I stay in shape and enjoy doing sporty stuff here and there, nothing is more unexciting to me than sports fandom.
Can I tell you something I saw tonight?
I walked home from the coffee shop, and it was dark. In the neighborhood, there was a guy sitting on his stoop. He was in a chair, but the chair faced into his living room. The TV was on, and he was watching baseball. At his feet was a wine bottle and a glass of red wine, and a small, portable TV with the same baseball game. The sound was low, and I couldn't figure out what the fuck was going on until I smelled cigar.
So this guy is enough of a sports fan that he sets up this whole situation so he can enjoy a cigar and red wine and watch a game. It was when I saw how far this man went that I realized how I'm not willing to go any distance at all for sports. Even if there were wine and cigars involved.
However, the good news, I really like sports movies. How this can be, I don't know. But in case you wanted a list of sports movies in a review of a graphic novel (I've really become expansive and gross on here, haven't I?), here we go:
-You Don't Know Bo
Awesome documentary on Bo Jackson. Bonus appearance by Chuck Klosterman. It's a solid movie, and it's one where a real-life athlete's behavior actually leaves you feeling good, but not in a sappy, overly-inspirational way.
-Warrior
I know, MMA is for douchey people. And I know, I shouldn't say "douchey." That's THEIR word they use for each other, not one I'm supposed to use. But it's great. Trust me, it's great.
-Rocky
So good. Slow, but not bloated.
-Bigger, Stronger, Faster
A doc about steroid use. It asks a question about whether or not steroids are really as bad as we've been told. I have to say, it made me ask some questions.
cetaylor05's review against another edition
3.0
This story was as well told as it could be. The plot was crap albeit nicely executed!
katyjean81's review against another edition
2.0
Ridiculous. I'll see pass it along to some kids to see what they think, but it's a weird graphic novel about mascots, gambling and American football. It's one big beat 'em up fight. I'm at a loss for the redeeming qualities in it, other then the fact that it's a book and books are good.
arachne_reads's review against another edition
1.0
Not for me. I didn't know how to interpret its tone, and the "beating up mascots" angle-- super silly-- seemed to clash with the larger plot, which I kept losing track of. Is this a case of I don't have the cultural references to latch onto? Am I missing genre tells that would help me interpret? Dunno. It seemed at odds with itself, which might be it just landing on the wrong reader. What I do know is that I did not enjoy it. YMMV.
vegebrarian's review
4.0
Footballer Chuck Fairlane lashed out one night after a big win and as a consequence lost his sponsors and his lucrative and aspiring career. It's about honor and loyalty and doing the "right" (violent at times) thing. Many Vince Lombardi quotes and reference throughout (most lost on me).
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