BOOM! Studios is bringing the wonderful world of professional wrestling to comics with their new WWE line, starting with this week’s WWE: Then. Now. Forever. The first batch of stories features popular acts like The Shield, The New Day, and Sasha Banks.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The books will be a mix of fun and creative takes on the characters and their rivals and some will flesh out past storylines in new ways. The sheer number of characters available to the writing staff is staggering and allows plenty of room for interpretation.
Old rivalries can be reignited, new ones can be created, and fans can get a look at how things might have happened in what if scenarios. The possibilities are endless, but you have to start somewhere, so here are the top 5 WWE comics we want to see.
The Ultimate Warrior
If there was ever a character made for a comic book, it’s the Ultimate Warrior. In many ways the Warrior felt like a comic book character come to life with his outlandish cosmic promo’s and rather intense demeanor, so creating adventures for a comic book wouldn’t be that far of a stretch.
He always talked so much about the gods above and his fellow warriors (who else would be able to fill the rocket ship up with fuel after all), so the pitch would be an origin story about where the Ultimate Warrior actually came from. For years the people of his planet were ruled under an iron fist until they rebelled and took the planet for themselves. They developed into a combat focused race, where they would compete for the honor of spreading the practices of combat to other planets.
Their warrior way of life does come with significant downsides, and that’s where the creators could explain his descent and ultimate rise into the warrior that made it to earth.
The Rock
The Great One is one of the most electrifying presences on television and in film, so why not comics as well?
The book would start at Wrestlemania 32, which took place in Dallas, TX. The neverending rumor had been that Stone Cold Steve Austin would make an appearance in his hometown to throw down with someone, possibly Brock Lesnar. Those were unfounded of course, as he just isn’t going to step in the ring again for a full match, and on one can blame him for not putting his health at risk for a single match.
In the realm of comics, though, reality doesn’t necessarily apply, and the book would kick off with a hard-hitting promo that calls The Rock to the ring for one more match against one of his longtime rivals.
If that doesn’t work for you, then perhaps a western will. The Rock ends up traveling through time to the old west and is asked for his help in protecting a small village. Sound familiar? It should because essentially it’s a WWE version of the Magnificent Seven. It might not be the most original story, but it would certainly be entertaining.
Bayley
Bayley’s charm partly comes from her unwillingness to give up in the face of failure. Even after a loss, she picks herself back up, learns from her mistakes, and tries again. That trait makes her extremely relatable, and a comic would give fans even more perspective on how she got to where she is today.
Bayley’s series would center around her journey through the wrestling world, her time in NXT, and ultimately her graduation to the main roster. The story could take a twist though midway through, and Bayley would be transported to the Attitude Era, ruled by legends like Lita and Trish Stratus. It would allow for some dream matchups, and it would also be interesting to see how Bayley adapts to her new surroundings.
Sting
Sting was already one of the premiere wrestlers in the industry before he adopted his crow-inspired look, but once he embraced the anti-hero aspect of his character’s personality, he became legendary.
His mini-series would fill in the gaps between WCW’s demise and his eventual debut in WWE. Fans know what he was up to in TNA during most of those years of course, but the book could go a much different way, with characters from his WCW days and current stars popping up along the way. A reimagining of the classic String vs NWO storyline would certainly be something worth exploring as well.
It would also be a great opportunity to rewrite his last match in WWE. He would return from the injury sustained against Seth Rollins and go on to face the Undertaker in a match everyone was anticipating when he came to the company.
Alexa Bliss
When Alexa Bliss modeled her recent look after DC’s lovable Harley Quinn, it was a perfect fit. Bliss already played a spin on the popular character, with acrobatic offense and her penchant for throwing tantrums in the ring when things don’t go her way.
Her book would echo her current character’s focus, to be the rightful women’s champion. Since the comic world allows for some liberties, that quest to conquer could extend to taking over not only Smackdown Live but the WWE itself. The book would lend itself to crazy antics with a healthy dose of humor and could be immensely fun in the right hands.
