Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
The collected edition of Wrestle Heist came out recently and is another of the Professional Wrestling comics that have come out lately. Is it worth reading for a wrestling fan?
Kyle Starks is the writer/artist, and he is probably best known for his work on the Rick and Morty comics. He has a cartoony style which fits the story. The story is set in a fictional wrestling company that has a lot of elements of the WWE in the 80s and 90s, but with things ramped up for maximum drama.
Our protagonist is a wrestler who has figured out he will always be one step below the main event, so he has put in his notice that he will be going to another promotion at the end of his contract. The promoter, who is drawn like Paul Heyman but acts like Mr. McMahon, seems to be doing business the right way, but something happens in the ring to make it so the protagonist must retire from wrestling due to injury.
This leads the protagonist to pull together other wrestlers the promoter has wronged to attempt to steal the payday from the biggest annual event the federation holds. If you are a fan of caper or heist stories, this follows the standard structure for those stories. The lead gathers together his crew; we get their backstories, then we get complications, and there are surprises and twists at different parts of the plot.
The best thing about this story is that the cartoonist knows wrestling. He brings in stories we have heard from behind the scenes in different wrestling companies over the years; the independent and trainee shows are shown; and it all feels real, if a bit bigger and more dramatic than the real stories behind the curtain. Yes, the promoter is almost a cartoonish figure in how evil he is, but it works in this premise. As you read the story, the over-exaggerated characters will remind you of different wrestlers and behind-the-scenes stories that have gone on over the years.
The story works best as a collected edition, as the plot relies on showing you part of the story and revealing the rest later, like a standard heist story. There are plenty of twists, the characters are engaging, and there’s a lot in this book to love. I had a small issue with part of the conclusion, but I can see how most readers would enjoy it. The cartoony art fits, as it is a larger-than-life story that needs a bit of distance to accept the wrestling aspects. Overall, I was impressed by how the two worlds combined.
The other thing I enjoyed was the presentation that used pages from this world’s Apter Magazines to make themes seem richer. There are plenty of subtle and not-so-subtle jokes, and a solid understanding of the current and past world of Professional Wrestling so that you, as the reader, will feel in on the jokes. The best thing about that, however, is that the cartoonist uses that against you in the plot, and pulls the rug out from under you a few times like a good heist story should.
It’s from Image Comics and is available via online retailers, and if your local comic shop does not have it, they can order it from their distributor.
On my Buy, Borrow, or Ignore scale, this is a Strong Buy, and wrestling fans will have a blast finding all of the Easter Eggs
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
