Ronda Rousey Launching Graphic Novel With Former Marvel Editor
Rousey's WWE and UFC careers inspire Expecting The Unexpected's story.
Ronda Rousey remains one of the most accomplished combat sports athletes of the 21st century. The Baddest Woman on the Planet made a name for herself in the UFC, trailblazing the world's biggest mixed martial arts stage's women's division. Rousey dominated the UFC for four years, reigning as UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion for 1,074 days. After a pair of defeats, Rousey took her fighting talents to WWE, making her in-ring debut at WWE WrestleMania 34. Rousey had two extended stints in WWE, winning three WWE Women's Championships and headlining WWE WrestleMania 35 in the process.
Rousey wrapped up her WWE run at WWE SummerSlam 2023. While she has had the odd independent match here and there, Rousey's full-time wrestling career has remained on pause for the past year. In that time, Rousey has turned her attention to another medium in the entertainment industry.
Ronda Rousey Launching New Graphic Novel
The Rowdy One is immortalizing her story in comic form.
As announced in a press release, independent developer Artists Writers and Artisans (AWA) is collaborating with Ronda Rousey on her graphic novel debut, Expecting The Unexpected. This story is written by Rousey herself and is edited by AWA Chief Creative Officer Axel Alonso, formerly the Editor-and-Chief at Marvel.
"I felt like I had to tell this story, because Expecting The Unexpected pulls from the most important parts of my life: motherhood, my career as a fighter, and fun action movies," Rousey said. "I knew I needed an artist who understood how to translate my fighting from real life to graphic novel artwork, so it's been truly gratifying watching Mike Deodato bring this story to life. I'm so excited to work with AWA and share my very first graphic novel with the world and I hope comic fans will enjoy this adventure."
"Ronda has brought the same level of ferocity, discipline, and craft to her original script that made her a champion in Judo, UFC, and WWE," Alonso added. "A potent blend of dark comedy, romance, and over-the-top action, Expecting The Unexpected delivers a knockout punch on every level. You'll laugh, you'll wince, you'll cry, and you'll thrill at the action scenes — meticulously choreographed by Ronda and executed with precision by comic book maestro and martial arts black belt Mike Deodato, Jr. — that literally leap off the page."
Expecting The Unexpected launches on Kickstarter with AWA on Thursday, July 25th.
