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“WWE” #1

By | January 19th, 2017
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

Seth Rollins becomes “The Man” in the first proper issue of BOOM! Studios’ new ongoing WWE series but is it a story worthy of him and his beautiful blonde streak? Yes, it is. Read on for our review of “WWE #1” but be warned, there will be spoilers. This storyline played out on television last year so I will be getting deep into it.

Written by Dennis Hopeless
Illustrated by Serg Acuna and Doug Garbark

BOOM! Studios is proud to present the most authentic line of ongoing WWE comics. Each issue will feature your favorite Superstars in stories that go beyond what you’ve ever seen on TV. The first story arcs detail the “Breaking of The Shield.” Seth Rollins. Roman Reigns. Dean Ambrose. Together they formed The Shield, one of the most dominant factions in WWE history-until the ultimate opportunist Seth chose to betray the group at the behest of Triple H, the “King of Kings” who has cemented himself as the authority in control of WWE. Now, eager to prove himself, Seth is on the hunt for the WWE Championship, a journey that will send him on a collision course with his former brothers… Includes a backup story starring The New Day by Ross Thibodeaux (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual) and Rob Guillory (Chew).

I love pro wrestling. To me it is one of the most pure forms of entertainment there is. You get bigger than life characters, great action and unlike a lot of other things, the audience feels a part of it all. Growing up, my mom and uncle were huge fans and because of this, I’ve been watching wrestling since as far back as I can remember. The WWE has a history in comic books but it hasn’t been very good. Storylines often included the superstars in the most ridiculous situations that didn’t really take advantage of what pro wrestling is. “WWE” #1, like the zero issue, fully ingrains itself in the TV product by putting its most charismatic star at the forefront.

“WWE” #1 picks up after the break up of The Shield and tells the tale of Seth Rollins’ rise to WWE Champion at Wrestlemania 31. In this issue, we get up close and personal with Seth’s journey and get more insight into his headspace during all of this.

Where past comics have ignored the television product to tell wild tales, “WWE” #1 puts aside real life. Dennis Hopeless dives deeper into the already established plot lines to give more context and make the matches have a little more impact. Kayfabe is “real life” and this is where the magic of “WWE” lies. He embraces each and every relationship between these characters but manages to still have fun with it. I was nearly in tears laughing at each and every instance when Dean Ambrose showed up to beat up Seth Rollins. Even in the most mundane situations, like eating dinner, Dean shows up to start a fight and it ends up reflecting his gimmick perfectly.

Hopeless absolutely nails the characterization of Seth Rollins. He’s sneaky, disloyal and selfish but also determined and hardworking. His voice is not snarky but cocky and that of someone who will do anything to get what he wants. Hopeless gets all the ugly parts of Seth but also understands him. However, the characterization of Roman is a little thin and although it is a nice surprise, the inclusion of Shawn Michaels feels a little off. I was also taken aback by how quickly everything moves. This is clearly Seth’s story and now I’m eager to see where this story arc actually ends. It almost feels like “WWE” #1 is playing catch up to the present day and that could prove risky, but honestly, I’m here for it.

If I had to make a list of things that are probably really difficult to draw well, wrestling is high up on that list. Unlike superhero fights, there is almost a strict form to follow. Serg Acuna gets it. He gets what this kind of pro wrestling looks like and captures the physicality and showmanship of it all. Finishers have a little extra gusto behind them and he uses speed lines effectively. This looks like motion and not static images and that’s exactly what you need for something like this to work. Acuna also finds the right balance in approaching their physiques. There are so many backstage sequences and it would be easy to go over the top with these larger than life characters but instead, Acuna draws these men as athletes and they never feel out of place in the world. Acuna’s layouts are very well done as he uses closeups to his benefit. He highlights the right moments and later on, completely nails Seth’s highly exaggerated reaction to winning the title at Wrestlemania. He gets that hype level perfectly and it kind of takes you back to the excitement that entire moment caused.

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Doug Garbark’s colors really line up well with Acuna’s art. It’s vibrant work with an almost cartoon like quality. This embraces the colorful players of the WWE in a really fun way. I love how Garbark colors crowds. It isn’t finely detailed but there’s actual color in there that bounces off the lights in the arena in such a special manner.

Ross Thibodeaux and Rob Guillory round things out with the next chapter of the New Day’s journey through time. In just a few short pages they do a great job at not only illustrating the New Day’s sense of humor but also kind of make this ridiculous scenario feel right for this group of guys.

“WWE” #1 is clearly a labor of love by everyone in involved from the writer to the editorial staff and I truly believe that’s a big part of why it succeeds. This is written directly for fans of pro wrestling and for the first time, I feel like wrestling comics might actually be good.

Final Verdict: 8.4 – “WWE” #1 is a strong start for the kind of wrestling comic book I’ve wanted the WWE to commit to for years.


Jess Camacho

Jess is from New Jersey. She loves comic books, pizza, wrestling and the Mets. She can be seen talking comics here and at Geeked Out Nation. Follow her on Twitter @JessCamNJ for the hottest pro wrestling takes.

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