Pit Fighters 1 by Rick Griffin [Book Review – Furry / LGBTQ]

Title: Pit Fighters 1. The Opportunity

Author/Illustrator: Rick Griffin

Publisher: RGS Studios

Length: 42 pages

Genre: Furry / LGBTQ

Join the Pit Fighters in its 77th season! We need new, fresh fighters willing to shake up the status quo and go all the way! Fame and fortune could be yours! Ages 16+, any body type, any skill level, no formal training required! Average monthly winnings start at 6600Ƌ.

The start of a new series by Rick Griffin takes place on the Mediterranean paradise island of St. Marten-Cristo. Paris the rabbit finds himself unhappy with how his romantic life has been going but learns his favorite sport, Pit Fighting, is open to new recruits. Could he possibly find happiness in the seedy world of arena fighting?

Those who remember my review of A&H Club will know that I’m a fan of Rick Griffin’s comics. Both the aforementioned heartstring-tugger and the ever popular Housepets! are must-reads in my opinion. Here though, Rick has given us a novella. While there are a lot of differences in how you present comics and novels, especially in terms of what you can can’t show in the text on the page, I am happy to say Rick’s writing is as good as ever.

In particular, this applies to the main character, Paris. Paris is an anthropomorphic rabbit and honestly, the way he comes across is absolutely adorable at times. For example, his oversized ears are used to convey emotion at different points, and it really does add to the effect. He’s also very endearing in his awkwardness. The great thing with Paris is that he comes across as very comfortable with his sexuality, just not so comfortable with dealing with difficult situations. This isn’t a coming out tale, but rather a story about a young man – who happens to be a purple rabbit – trying to grow as a person. Add in that he has a lovely relationship with his mother Tyree, and there’s plenty of scope for some heartwarming moments too.

And that is, in itself the crux of the story so far. We follow Paris through his current life, see him decide resolutely that things need to change, and then throw himself headlong into the world of professional fighting. His decision is, in some ways, impulsive, and certainly not entirely pure, but it’s a leap of faith that may serve him well, providing he can work through the unexpected issues. And boy will he have a few of those to face.

We see early on, by way of an altercation with one of his brothers, that he has some fighting skills at least, I’m guessing gained through emulating what he sees on TV. That certainly will not be enough going forward though. The first time we see the aftermath of a fight between an alligator and a horse, the sheer brutality of the sport is made very clear indeed. It’s carnage. And while nobody dies, you can understand why this would worry our little bunny. Lucky for him, there’s plenty of Biomender Gel to hand. This stuff is fascinating as a concept and helps speed up recovery for injured fighters, essentially acting as a life saver. Amongst other things.

By that, I mean that the fighters use it during moments of pleasure. Now, there aren’t any explicit scenes in the novella, but it is made clear that the male fighters are an active bunch. We do get some anime-styled nosebleeds to accompany this knowledge, but the trope isn’t overused. It’s also worth noting that the novella is illustrated. There are a handful of great shots scattered throughout the book, and Rick’s art continues to be as vibrant and emotive as ever, even in black and white.

So, this is another great piece of work by Rick Griffin. I would say that I perhaps would have liked the book to be a little longer, but I’m sure there will be more to come before we know it. Paris is an easy lead to get behind, and I look forward to seeing how he grows as the series progresses. 4 out of 5.