Blood on the spandex
An impressive comic book history of ‘rasslin’ ’
It may come as no surprise that there’s a huge crossover between fans of professional wrestling and fans of comic books.
After all, both have outcomes that are predetermined, and it’s the classic storytelling of good vs. evil with most of their characters being in shape. Aubrey Sitterson and Chris Moreno’s collaboration on “The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling” showcases the beauty of both genres by giving readers a clear-cut picture of “the one true sport” that will make you not want to put the book down long enough for the three count.
The book’s structure follows the form of chronological sprints rather than one long marathon.
Mr. Sitterson starts the graphic novel with the biblical and philosophical basics of man vs. man and then leads you to the waters of the carnival grounds where the one true goal was to separate the consumer from cash. From there, professional wrestling trickles its way across the globe, and Mr. Sitterson breaks it down via era and geographical locale.
You’ll not only learn the roots of today’s wrestling behemoth WWE, but also you’ll become acquainted (or in some cases reunited) with the immense popularity of the sport when primary competition such as the National Wrestling Alliance and the Minnesota-based American Wrestling Association ruled the roost. Japanese, lucha libre and British historical influence also get a good amount of ring time so even the most ardent wrestling fan is bound to learn something new and, most importantly, gain appreciation for some of the heroes, villains and styles that regularly go unsung.
Readers will also get a good dose of wrestling’s sonic boom period of the 1980s and 1990s. Top acts such as Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and The New World Order get to show off their signature moves as well as do a lot of current and up-andcoming talent such as Daniel Bryan and New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Bullet Club.
Additionally and to his credit, Mr. Sitterson doesn’t shy away from the darker side of the business. From the steroid scandals to the tone-deaf stereotypes and unfortunate deaths, all warts and imperfections are detailed. Mr. Sitterson weaves it in a way that can be extremely tragic yet somehow uplifting, knowing that the genre has and will continue to persevere.
Dialogue is seldom used and is rarely needed as Mr. Moreno’s artful interpretations do plenty of the talking. He blends an almost classic Jack Kirby feel with a modern smoothness akin to the late Darwyn Cooke, and readers will get to feast their eyes on some iconic depictions of some of their personal favorites that they grew up watching and in many cases that they currently see on television. So many panels are frameable for your very own “Piper’s Pit.”
And just like pro wrestling, simplicity is key. Mr. Moreno doesn’t go over the top or saturate the pages with chaos. Sometimes he’ll cleverly put different spins on panels that have already been seen, and he hits just the right spot of entertaining and engaging. Historic moments and matches get their fair share of homage but aren’t shoehorned-in in a way that interferes with the flow of reading. And if fans look close enough, they can find some humorous Easter eggs that would get a chuckle out of MAD magazine’s Al Jaffee (if he were a wrestling fan).
“The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling” lives up to all the words in its title and is something any fan of “the one true sport” should put on their mantel right beside that Bruno Sammartino autographed photo.