TLC 2017 comes your way from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, today, exclusively on the WWE Network. Of course, the big talk of the night WAS the arrival of “The Empress of Tomorrow”, Asuka to the RAW brand as well as the reunion of The Shield!
But after an outbreak of the.. mumps has reportedly battered the locker room, there have been a few MAJOR changes to this card. “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles returns to RAW to face Finn Balor in a dream match and none other than Kurt Angle returns to the ring to replace Roman Reigns in the main event. It seems like this thing may have spread to the Apostle locker room as well, but let’s get on with the Ringside Apostle’s TLC 2017 Preview…
PRESHOW MATCHSasha Banks v. Alicia Fox“Pastor” Shawn Puff @ShawnPuffy
Sasha Banks and Alicia Fox. On the preshow. Well, don’t be surprised when the Legit Boss walks out the door and heads to that other company with honorable rings after getting sick and tired of how she’s booked by the WWE creative manatees. Does anyone even care about this match? And does Alicia actually stand a chance to win? I mean, she’s lost three in a row to Sasha already, right? … oh wait… WWE booking. Right. No. They can’t. PREDICTION: Despite what you would expect, Sasha is going to win this one and Alicia is going to have another breakdown in the ring, because being the longest active member of the women’s roster gets you the cray cray black woman angle around these parts. Seems legit. At least she’s finally got a shirt.
Rich Swann & Cedric Alexander v. The Brian Kendrick & Jack Gallagher“Father” Sean Farrell @IAMSCF
Even before the Bubonic Plague set in and jacked up this entire card, we have TWO 205 matches on the main show? Plus Drew Gulak on the Kick-Off Show by himself?! Desperation, or the Enzo effect? With Enzo hogging the title picture we’re given this gem of a match-up. Swann & Cedric have made a decent one-two punch of a Tag Team as of late. Swann’s personality and ring presence is almost eclipsed by Cedric’s smoothness in his execution. Across the ring we have the always dangerous “The” Brian Kendrick and the now insidious “Gentleman” Jack Gallagher. Jack’s slow transition to the heel side of the roster is an interesting one. PREDICTION: I don’t think that Kendrick and Jack have had the time to gel yet, so Swann and Cedric will squeak by with the W here. But that just might send Jack over the edge leaving nobody safe from the umbrella barrage! Any one of these four can contend for the coveted 205 Live title at the drop of a hat. But tonight? They are poised to steal the show while most folks will be watching foooseball.
Finn Balor v AJ Styles“Pastor” Shawn Puff @ShawnPuffy
How’d this happen?? I wasn’t even supposed to review this match. Oh wait… the mumps… So Finn Balor is fighting … AJ Styles … what?? Isn’t AJ on Smackdown Live?? … Oh well, don’t ask questions. “It’s a happening at TLC” as Gorilla Monsoon would say. I guess this is a match everyone has wanted to see for a long time so the fans will get something they actually want instead of seeing Bray in drag.
On another note, this one is COMPLETELY unpredictable. That being understood, I think you’re looking at the match of the night and the hands down, show stealer. These two can go. Period. If you’re in a position where you need to give the fans something, because your entire card is a mess due to a viral outbreak, you really can’t go wrong with these two. I’m actually looking forward to this one. PREDICTION: Does AJ do the job and give this one to Finn since it doesn’t even matter because AJ’s not on the RAW roster anyway? That’s my best guess. No need to bury Balor. However, I firmly expect to see a couple of “good brothers” get involved in this one seeing they have nothing else to do and a Club “reunion” would be … well, Too Sweeeeeet!!
RAW Women’s Championship:Alexa Bliss(c) v. Mickie JamesAnthony “PriestMode” Holloway IG @Grumpykore
The Woman’s Revolution has been a big hit the last few years; the star talented ladies of Wrestling have really stepped it up; Miss Bliss has risen to the top quickly and is worth the full price of admission. Her long feud with her so called BFF Mickie James has spanned over a year! This should be the last of this feud so both can move on to bigger and better things in the WWE squared circle. While the match has Bliss written all over it, add some weapons and this could turn out to be a pretty fun match to watch. I expect lots of OMG moments. Mickie, who is a great ex women’s Champion, can sell herself to the WWE Universe and make a great final run at the Women’s title to end her career, but I don’t see that happening just yet. PREDICTION: Little Miss Bliss is on 🔥and will walk out still the champ but not without a few bumps and bruises.
I want to say that I’ve not seen such a slapped-together-at-the-last-minute feud for a WWE title — but we all know that’s not true. Enzo was a major heat magnet. Taking the title off of him this soon was a boneheaded move. Yes, it can be argued that Neville’s departure caught them off guard. But throwing Kalisto into the title mix with zero build was even more boneheaded. PREDICTION: I see them trying to right the ship and putting the BELT (yes, I said it) back on Enzo. And hopefully they take the time to build someone to eventually take the belt off of Amore in a meaningful way.
Asuka v. EmmaDestiny “Evangelical” Edwards @mochaloca85
So the “Empress of Tomorrow” is on RAW now and the woman who gets the honor of being sacrificed first is.. Emma. It makes sense. Emma is an incredibly talented and underrated worker who has history with Asuka going back to the latter’s debut. It’s gonna be excellent, just like their match at TakeOver London. Seriously, re-watch that match. And then turn it off before you hear Enzo’s voice afterward. Prediction: There ain’t no way Asuka doesn’t come out on top in this. You can argue that WWE doesn’t have the best track record regarding NXT call-ups, but even Vince isn’t crazy enough to spend all this time going on about the streak and have her lose to the jobber-in-chief of the RAW women’s division.
TLC 5-ON-3 HANDICAP MATCH:The Shield v The Miz, Braun Strowman, The Bar & KaneFelipe “The 3rd Deacon” Crespo @F7ovrdrv
Welcome to the castration of… To the match that will undoubtedly make these men look strong! These men are.. Um.. Jesus Christ, I don’t know WHAT creative was thinking when they put this together… First they strike gold. They bring back together The Shield, which is instant money. You barely have to put any effort into it. Hell, then they go ahead and pit them against the best tag teams in the industry and arguably the best heel. But then WWE creative gotta go all WWE creative and shoehorn Braun and Kane into this.. Here’s the only way this can KIND OF work without some ridiculous Power Reigning going on that turns the match into a crap show: pre-match, The Shield go to town on Strowman and Kane backstage with chairs and triple powerbombs, taking care of them.. Then it’s three vs three (and it’s great), until it looks like The Miz and Da BARR are outside of the ring and incapacitated. Boom, Braun or Kane’s music hits, then it’s Monster and Machine vs The Hounds. That’s epic, Shield’s about to get the pin, Cesaro breaks it up. Rollins and Ambrose are gettin a Triple Powerbomb and a Double Chokeslam. PREDICTION: The Numbers Game claims yet another win, with The Shield winning at Survivor Series.
UPDATE: With Roman Reigns out for this one, the Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle will return to the ring to replace “the Guy”. I don’t even know what to say about this and the Ringside Apostles 3rd Deacon is not available to give us his thoughts on the change due to him being absent for “personal reasons”, but this Pastor fully expects Jason Jordan to make an appearance in this one now. Maybe to come to his father’s aid. Seeing the bout with the mumps and the return of Angle and the overall lacklusterness of this card, ultimately The Shield pulls this one off against all odds… sort of like this ENTIRE event. – Shawn Puff
WWE #6 – BOOM! StudiosFelipe “The 3rd Deacon” Crespo @F7ovrdrv
I’ve found this series to be consistently enjoyable, with good attention to detail, interesting backstories and “kayfabe” (wrestling fan terminology for storylines)… On the plus side, the art has also been great, with strong character likenesses, etc., etc. And–that’s why I’m pretty disappointed with this issue. First the good: It’s cool seeing Ambrose and Sasha (but, shh, don’t tell Renee Young!), with how their characters build, and their bonding on the road, etc. It really is.
First off, it’s weird seeing Dean using the old version of the Dirty Deeds finisher. He’s been using the 2-arm hook ddt for a long time now, yet he’s portrayed using the forward falling headlock. Not horrible, just weird. Really bad #1: In the Ziggler match, it kind of look like Ambrose won by pinning him while Ziggler is face down on the mat.. Just let that simmer. Really bad #2: Did.. did I just see Dean defeat Zayn with a submission? A.) Zayn is in a heel role (HA! WHAT?) B.) He won applying a submission, via three count. Internalize that. 2/5 Submission Victories via 3-Count.
WWE #5 – BOOM! StudiosDestiny “Evangelical” Edwards @mochaloca85
With the Architect’s arc finished, it’s time to focus on the Lunatic Fringe and the road to Money in the Bank. We open at Extreme Rules, post-Asylum match with Chris Jericho—you know, the one with the thumbtacks—and Dean Ham-brose claiming he’s not actually crazy. His car won’t start which sets off a chain of events involving him (probably) getting a dude fired and run-ins with Sasha Banks and Brock Lesnar that could only happen to him. Aside from a few cringe-worthy lines (Ambrose’s greeting to Roman Reigns particularly stands out), Dennis Hopeless’s writing is solid, as usual. Serg Acuña does a great job at capturing Ambrose’s ridiculous facial expressions (I don’t call him “Ham-brose” for nothing). The back-up story picks up with New Day’s battle with the Dark Unicorns. It’s okay; not nearly as interesting as the previous installments their “Optimistic Odyssey” has been. 3.5/5 Cherry Tomato Brock Lesnars.
WWE #4 – BOOM! Studios“Father” #HeelSean Farrell @IAMSCF
The rebuilding of Seth Rollins continues! This fast pace game of cat-and-mouse between Seth and Triple H picks up where we left off last month, with Seth at the end of his rehab. Seth is medically cleared but HHH continues to be a roadblock. Sometimes, even literally. In a game of keep away that would make The Roadrunner and The Coyote jealous, Seth has to contend with a traffic jams, a small army of backstage security as well as WWE Superstars willing to sell out their fellow man to secure good favor with the Cerebral Assassin. We are treated to a short story featuring the Eater of Worlds (no; not the giant one with the purple headdress and the flying hood ornament…), Bray Wyatt, and the entire Wyatt Family dealing with a trespassing fan who finds out what happens when you do indeed follow the buzzards. The back-up spotlights some strong work by Ryan Ferreier and creepy atmospheric art by Clay McCormack.
Dennis Hopeless and Serg Acuña continue to blur the line between work and shoot with this reimagining of the facts of Seth Freakin’ Rollins road back to being the WWE Champion. Roman, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens and even the New Day can not, and will not stop Seth from getting what he wants. BOOM! Has made a comic for Wrestling fans and a maybe just maybe made some Wrestling fans into comic fans. 4.5/5 Pedigrees.
WWE WRESTLEMANIA 2017 SPECIAL #1 – BOOM! Studios
WWE WRESTLEMANIA 2017 SPECIAL #1 – BOOM! Studios
“Pastor” Shawn Puff @ShawnPuffy
Dennis Hopeless takes a brief detour from his monthly Seth Rollins story (see Ryan’s review of this week’s issue #3 just below) for the WWE WrestleMania 2017 Special #1, which features five past short stories based on it’s-still-real-to-us-dammit past and present WWE events. In “Ladder Match”, HBK faces Razor Ramon in the first ever.. you guessed it.. ladder match. (Spoiler: Razor wins.)
Story number two focuses on Triple H and Stephanie’s plans for their eventual takeover of the company during Hunter’s time nursing an injury. Then things get a little trippy with the New Day traveling through time spreading the power of positivity. This story didn’t actually end, but, instead, left us with a cliffhanger as the Xavier, Kofi and Big E are set to fight… the Dark Unicorns. I told you it gets trippy. In “You’re Good But…”, we travel with Daniel Bryan on his journey from training, to NXT, to SummerSlam, to the World Championship twice. The final story features Sami Zayn versus Kevin Owens and tracks their feud back to the indies and even further back, to high school and elementary school. Who’d a thunk it?
Overall, this Mania Special is pretty Carlito cool. It’s only 42-pages long so there are about 8 pages per story. I expected more of a focus on actual WrestleMania matches, so the title kind of threw me off. Also, New Day. The other four stories are all based on actual events, while their “promo” brings us a magical ghost unicorn dude and time travel (although they did use the cardboard box time machine from that skit they did on the Vaudevillians about a year ago–so there’s that). Regardless of the placement, I’ll give the ish… 3/5 Unicorns, because… NEW DAY ROCKS!! NEW DAY ROCKS!! NEW DAY ROCKS!!
WWE #3 – BOOM! StudiosRyan “Father Grimm” Davis @OGMrGrimm
Issue number 3 of BOOM Studios partnership with WWE centered around the recovery of Seth Rollins: how he went from feeling on top of the world as the WWE champion, only to find himself on the shelf questioning himself and his future. Rollins then finds his drive to be “The Man” again and Redesign, Rebuild, and Reclaim! There was an awesome short back-story/rhyme on the how and why of Finn Balor becoming Demon King, which puts into perspective why he only brings out the demon when absolutely necessary. The thing that jumped out to me the most after reading this issue is just how tuned into the programming writer Dennis Hopeless is. He nails the dialogue so well, I could actually hear the wrestlers’ voices saying these things in my head–especially Triple H.
The New Day’s small cameo/shameless product placement for Booty O’s Cereal was also a lot more entertaining than any of the New Day Pops segments from recent memory. But best of all? Cuing the accuracy of modern smark reactions through the eyes of Rollins as he witnesses the rise of The Roman Empire; Hopeless even takes an amazing “meta” jab at Roman’s terrible jokes. Overall, the first three issues of BOOM’s new WWE series takes me back to the Undertaker comics of old, but with a fresher spin, more in-tune with the actual characters that makes them all the more relatable. 3.75/5 Bibles.
WWE #2 – BOOM! StudiosFelipe “The 3rd Deacon” Crespo @F7ovrdrv
BOOM!’s second issue of WWE follows Seth FREAKIN’ Rollins settling into his role as WWE Champ post Wrestlemania.
There’s nothing new to report on the artwork front. The artstyle is still solid and serviceable with clean lines. Some likenesses are good (Rollins, Triple H, Steph); others are… something (Lesnar, Heyman), but not all too distracting that they pull you out of the story…
I found myself enjoying this issue more than the first. It was cool seeing Rollins’ growing pains as not only the new champ, but as the Authority’s crown jewel. They also did a good job at portraying at what might have been going through Rollins’ mind during said period.
I’m eager to see if this ongoing series follows Rollins’ story or whoever holds the championship belt itself.
The first issue of BOOM! Studio’s new WWE-based comic doesn’t disappoint. With an alternate viewpoint of one of the most shocking turns of the modern era, Marvel scribe Dennis Hopeless (All-New X-Men) gives readers a peek at what was behind the break-up of The Shield and rise of Seth Freakin’ Rollins. The comic makes it hard to hold onto any anger towards SR for turning on his Shield brothers; nuttier– the story actually makes you feel bad for him! Throw in some clean illustrations from Serg Acuna, and you have a fun and compelling first ish, a definite great way to add more layers to a storyline wrasslin’ fans thought to be fairly cut and dry. As for its pending direction, one thing’s for sure: when it comes to WWE, things aren’t always what they seem.
It’s hard to say anything about Part 2 of The New Day’s Optimistic Odyssey without a smile creeping across my face. This crazy mix of time travel and wrestling is silliness at it’s finest. Rob Guillory‘s (Dirk Gently) illustration perfectly invoke the wacky and lighthearted feeling that has made The New Day a fan-favorite. With the back-up format, you get a quick and easy dose of humor without any unnecessary detail. Before you have a chance to get bored or question the level of inanity the issue wraps up and leaves you wanting more. While the antics do lend themselves to being very popular for younger readers, the proposed featuring of old school WWEff wrestlers and eras make for a good choice for adult fans as well. 4.25/5 Heart Break Kids.
“Pontiff” Matt Paulsen @stigmonus
We seem to agree on a good chunk of the new WWE #1 from Hopeless and Acuna. You already know the events; now you get to understand the behind the scenes motivations and internal struggles of The Architect. It’s very interesting to see Rollins’ drive, and how goal-focused he is, and how he’ll just throw anyone under the bus for the sake of his own gain. The narrative blurs the line a bit, seeing as he was the heel during this stretch and here we’re seeing him as the misguided hero of sorts; but I love heels and I was a day-one fanboy of Seth when I returned to watching WWE after a while off. The book is surprisingly a lot of fun, well written, and fast paced, and Acuna’s art style of cartoony-action but with weight and expression is fantastic.
All the ducks seem to be in line storywise, except one detail in the book that was jarringly wrong: Seth using the Pedigree finisher during this period. Every wrestling fan knows he was using the Curb-Stomp at this time in his career until the move was eventually banned. He cashed in his Money In the Bank, then curbed stomped Lesnar, and then later Reigns, and pinned him to win the title. There’s a couple page back-up feature, “The New Day’s Optimistic Odyssey Part 2” from writer Ross Thibodeaux and the aforementioned Guillory that features the former hip gyrating WWE Tag Team champions on hijinx through time. Personally, I didn’t care for this part as Jennifer did, though I can see how some might find it fun, I felt that it removed the emotional strength from the rest of the book. Should have just saved the space and gave us a few more pages of The Man.3.75/5 Curb-Stomps.
Bah Gawd! WWE has a new comic book series. And although this WWE/BOOM! Studios collaboration was announced months prior, my skeptical ways kicked in. How do you tell the story of the wrestlers in a comic book way? Won’t it come off cheesy? This–not so much. The tale of how The Shield came apart is/was/always will be (heh) interesting. For those marks wondering: Then. Now. Forever #1 adds a little more fantastical, comic-esque good versus evil aspect to the pages. For Dennis Hopeless‘ (Cable & X-Force) first issue in the sqauared circle, I’m impressed; not totally committed for a long series of comic Curb Stomps but I’ll take it. 3/5 Curb Stomps.
“Reverend” Lauro Rojas @Snarky_motif
We always said that life in the squared-circle was comic book storytelling on the small screen, but the squared circle jumped from the screen and into your hands. Boy, is it fun! What starts off as the eventful day that led to The Shield’s break-up delves into a day in the life of the Shield as they’re just hanging out and grilling, totally in kayfabe by the way. It sows the seeds for the arc to come. Along with that is the New Day’s shenanigans that they get into as camp counselors of positivity? So much yes!If you love wrestling, get it; if you love larger than life characters get it. Just get it already! 5/5 Bibles.
Destiny “Evangelical” Edwards
This comic is so good, you guys! (And not “so gud”, dear Deacon Felipe…) Hafta admit, my opinion is biased as shit since 1.) I love almost all things wrestling, and 2.) I’ve loved BOOM! Studios since the first time I saw James Silvani draw Darkwing Duck. The main story actually made me care about the Shield as a group–yes, I’m that asshole who squeed with glee at Seth’s turn–and the back-up story made me laugh a helluva lot harder than it should have. Hell, Xavier Woods has a time machine made out of a refrigerator box, because– of course he does. 5/5 Giant Print Bibles.
“The Man Called” Moody @travmoody
Just when you thought you were over that whole Shield thing (even with repeated ads for the next feature on the WWE Network), they–WWE & BOOM!–bring us back in with some of the best written wrestling comic dialogue ever. Sure, Mic Foley is an accomplished scribe.. but this, BOOM! Studios, is the big time. They got a Marvel guy spinning the wheels, and it’s clear as “A New Day” that Hopeless knows his professional wrasslin’.
Onto the goods that every other Apostle hasn’t mentioned: The Shield just sound right. Everything from Ambrose’ “rowdy loose cannon” jibberjabber to Roman’s “playin’ it cool” quips.. to Seth’s.. ahem.. twisted fate, just reads on-point. I love the focus on these 3, rather than try to smother all of us with the entire brand (or, hell, roster) in 22-pages. The powerbomb pencilwork of Dan Mora (Hexed, Klaus) is the work of Titans. He just finds that right balance between comical spunk and sketchy grit. The Shield appear so personable without coming off like POP! Vinyl figurines. In the brief back-up story, Rob ***Who? WHO?? WHOOOO???*** Guillory (Chew) goes the other way with the wrestler designs to great, some would say Booty-O-ful results. Simply put, WWE: T.N.F. #1.. rocks. 4.75/5 Broken Matt Hardy’s.
Thanks for tuning into yet another episode of Fistful of Comics: live edition. Once again we will be adding reviews as they come, so be sure to keep this link bookmarked and check back time after time.
Updates:
October 28: Back to the Future #1, Uncanny Inhumans #1, Book of Death #4, Cognetic #1
October 26:Karnak #1, Astonishing Ant-Man #1, Justice League #45
October 24:Titans Hunt #1, The Rook #1
October 22:Chewbacca #1, The Shield #1
BACK TO THE FUTURE #1 – IDW“Father” Joe Tower @whateverjoe
Boy, I sure wish we could hop into Doc’s DeLorean and prevent this comic from being written; neigh, pitched; neigh, conceived; neigh, more like tossed loosely over a few drinks at happy hour between Misters Gale and Barber.
And I mean, come on, Bob [Gale]… Haven’t you made enough off this franchise that you have to exploit it to this extent? Especially after the sort of magically meta-celebration of October 21st, 2015?
As a Back to the Future purist, and for those of you who I know are out there, avoid this. The issue #1 tells back-to-back tales of a Back to the Future pre-history — which, in and of itself, is something of a joke. Although I mind much less the intriguing precursor tale to Doc Brown’s involvement in The Manhattan Project, the “When Marty met Emmett” episode about the two characters’ first meeting was left better in the unwritten ether.
Dan Schoening’s (Ghostbusters, The X-Files) art in “Looking for a Few Good Scientists” is Golden Age Disney-esque, with its fine lines and retro feel, but even to look at the rest of the book is blah. Even the panel layout is, at best, reliable, but at worst, predictable. Which, for a story centered time travel, would be something to avoid. 1.21/5 Bibles. But it isn’t going to get us anywhere.
I don’t know how to feel about Inhumans in general. At first, I was ok with them because I thought they were going to be Marvel’s way of having “mutants” in their video media without saying “mutants” because they didn’t own the rights to the name. Now, they have their own comic book series. I’m starting to feel that the original “human” no longer exists in the Marvel universe. Win for Magneto!
Anyway, the story in this first book is kind of fun. Black Bolt and a couple others are on a mission to Atalla, where the gene that caused Inhumans came from. They are suddenly transported to the arctic and attacked by Kang the Conquerer, Master of Time. Someone thinks highly of himself. Then we are taken to a story happening in NYC with Medusa, the leader of the Inhumans, along with others, finishing off Chitauri warriors and signing autographs.
This is a decent introduction to the Inhumans, but writer Charles Soule (Star Wars: Lando, She-Hulk) kind of made them all talk like they were a group of Icemen. There were no character distinctions in vocabulary or choice of dialogue. The art was nice, though. Steve Mcniver, Jay Leisten, and Sunny Gho worked together to create some very familiar art and great color choices, that make the page really easy to look at and take everything in. I’ll have to see where #02 goes before I decide if this series is for me. 2.5/5 “Not-Mutants”
BOOK OF DEATH #4 – Valiant Entertainment“Saint” Patrick Obloy @OffTheGeekEnd
Here we are. In the last installment of the four part series, Book of Death comes to an end. Does the valiant (editor’s note – I see what you did there) Gilad complete his mission to protect Tama? Does the corrupted one, Darque, take over the power of the geomancer and lay waste to the earth? Will David see his mom again? To find that out, you will have to pick up a copy of this amazing issue.
And pick it up you should. Reading through all 4 parts, I’ve enjoyed every panel. My only complaint would be the pace of the end battle portion being a little quick, but I loved how the outcome was handled, even if it was sad. Definitely a great series to grab, and even though I own the individual comics, I will likely grab the collected volume as well. With beautiful artwork by Robert Gill and Doug Braithwaite and great writing by Robert Venditti, this comic book series shows that Valiant has some great stories on their hands. And don’t forget the many variant covers, all of which are gorgeous and made me wish I could afford them all. 4.5/5 Protectors of Earth.
cog·net·ics /kŏg’ned-ĭks/ n. 1. The ergonomics of the soft, and delectably moist, human mind.
The bioengineering of inanimate objects and/or biological organisms, to make them subordinate to and accommodating of, critical human thought processing possessed by a superior force or consciousness of undetermined morality.
Herein, by official decree, set forth on this day, in accordance with the ultimate authority of Supreme Leader Ross Richie, of BOOM! Studios; continues the implementation of: Directive Apocalypticon, 2nd Phase, Operation Cognetic (Part 1 of 3). This Operation is in compliance with approved and maintained protocol initially rendered under Operation: Mimetic, of Directive Apocalypticon.
Retention of the following Commanding Officers, for this continued onslaught of human annihilation is duly noted, as follows:
General James Tynion IV, U.S. Word Corps: (Batman Eternal, Talon, The Woods).
Colonel Eryk Donovan, 1st Pencils Brigade: (Memetic, Big Trouble in Little China).
Major Steve “Swands” Wands, Letters Company: (Green Lantern Corps, Scalped).
If the style of this review doesn’t kill you, I will.
SITUATION:
The Empire State Building, 350 5th Ave, New York, NY 10118, is presently the site of anomalous activity; wherein dozens of citizens and tourists have ascended to the Observation Deck Level, and they appear to be voluntarily throwing themselves over the side of the building. It is believed a supranatural entity or consciousness may be ultimately responsible for their actions.
MISSION:
A Joint Operative Strike Team (JOST) has been assembled from our Alphabet Soup Agencies, to infiltrate, counterattack, and defeat this unknown, perilous threat. Special Agent Annie X (FBI), may possess a geneaological link to this psychic aberration. Perpetual surveillance of this asset is deemed critical.
EXECUTION:
An agglomeration of offensive measures may be authorized to attempt to contain and eliminate this potential earthly apocalypse, including coordinated strikes from: sea, air, land, chemical, biological, and digital units.
SUSTAINMENT:
A Globalized Task Force (GTF) is in the process of being commandeered, as of 0530 Hours, 21/10/2015, GMT; to assist in mitigating the potential extinction of our entire species.
COMMAND & CONTROL:
Underground Command Bunkers Whiskey Hotel and Mountain Rodeo, have been brought online; and Top Secret Security Clearance Level “L” and “Q” personnel have been mobilized to rendezvous at both locations.
“You just entered the Asshole of the World, Captain..”
3.75/5 Borgian Bunker Busters.
KARNAK #1 – Marvel Comics“Cardinal” Gary Brooks, facebook.com/gary.brooks
Marvel is really bringing the Inhuman’s into the forefront of the universe, as the cinematic and comic worlds continue to weave together. Warren Ellis (Hellblazer) has created an interesting, if not slow, first issue revolving around the recently resurrected character whose abilities see the weakness in all things and knowing the exact way of exploiting it.
Karnak is one part Batman, one part Magister of the Tower of Wisdom, a sort of peaceful warrior that trains other Inhumans. He’s called into action to help Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. deal with a recently exposed Inhuman son of regular human couple — who are very freaked out by their son’s recent transformation/abduction by an unknown person. Karnak and Agent Coulson’s interactions are quite funny, and their relationship will hopefully help make this book something special. Gerardo Zaffino’s almost unfinished lines and artwork works really well with Ellis’s take on the character, and creates a dark gritty feel to the book.
Karnak is in good hand’s with its new creative team, and shows a lot of potential. The pacing is kind of slow for a first issue and the artwork is a little sloppy at times, but i think we may have great new addition to the Marvel universe and the ever-growing Inhuman lore. If Ellis can do for Karnak what he has done with so many other Marvel characters, we may have something truly special on our hands. Praise be to Warren! 3.5/5 God Books.
ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #1 – MarvelLuke “Heirophant” Anderson IG @LUKEPOISONER
Catapulted back into the limelight by the perhaps unlikely success of Marvel’s recent Ant-Man movie, Scott Lang is drafted from the team books into his first ever ongoing solo book: The Astonishing Ant-Man. The movie has a lot to answer for actually, with this book expertly aping the irreverent tone and loosely comedic feel from Scott Lang’s premiere big-screen outing – and that’s not a bad thing at all. Living in Miami as a small business owner (security, of all things), former criminal and Avenger Lang has a new set of life priorities: providing for and doing right by his teenaged (recently resurrected, former Young Avenger) daughter Cassie. But in this age of tech-savvy criminals, can he keep his new life and former life separate? I’ll just spoil it all for you right now and tell you: No, he can’t. And it’s awesome.
Nick Spencer (Action Comics, Thief Of Thieves, Secret Avengers) sets his wit and imagination to work, targeting Uber and other smart-phone apps in his social commentary whilst putting our erstwhile hero through his rarely-a-dull moment daily life. Newcomer Ramon Rosanas (Spiderman 1602, Night of the Living Deadpool) is one to watch, effortlessly imbuing every page with the bright and uncluttered classic Buscema-like Marvel style, with a modern quality reminiscent of Steve Dillon’s Punisher and Preacher work.
Removed as it is from the high-stakes world of the Avengers and X-titles, this book gets the opportunity to play up the same quirky and down-beat strengths of the movie, whilst never shirking on the action. It’s a great read. If you enjoyed the movie, then buy every issue of this creative team’s run. It’s only the first issue, but my theory is that if he can carry a whole movie, then Scott Lang’s Ant-Man can carry this ongoing title, because ants are quite strong. 4/5 Criminals Seeking Redemption.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #45 – DC Comics“Deacon E” Esko @eskobts
Ho-Lee DAMN!!! What the eff did I just stumble into? Who the eff is responsible for this? I demand answers! Geoff Johns (Green Lantern, The Flash) is this your fault? My brain is completely melted and my eyes just imploded. You wrote this didnt you? I know you did. This is all your fault.
Justice League #45 is hands down the best comic I’ve read this year. I’m clearly 44 issues late to the party, otherwise there would be a 45-way tie for the number one spot. The story is incredible. This is everything I’d wished for during the boring-ass Greek mythology lectures in high school. 99% of the comics I’ve read in my life have portrayed the battle between good and evil: sunny, happy-go-lucky super heroes fighting the dark evil that lurks in the shadows. This puts the darkness in the hero. Not just in the suit. Not just in their minds. The darkness rests in their soul. As a GOD! That hasn’t been seen before in mainstream comics, and is the last thing that would have been expected. The light of the original hero is still quite visible throughout the issue, but the darkness makes its presence very known. Especially in Superman. I mean, c’mon, how do you NOT sit down and enjoy seeing dark God powers go to your favorite super heroes?
Let’s not forget the Tag Team Art Champions of the World, Francis Manapul and Brian Buccelato (both, Detective Comics, The Flash). The drawing itself perfectly captures the intergalactic epicness of the story as a whole. In addition to that, the varied color scheme for each hero not only separates the story into clear mini-chapters, but also blends all the story elements perfectly.
Pros and cons? This issue is essentially all pros. It’s effin’ amazing. So amazing that I’m tempted to give it a perfect score. However, I cannot, because Spider-Man didn’t get any God powers. I know there are legal reasons why Spider-Man isn’t included, in this story, but he still remains my favorite. So if we’re handing out God powers, he needs to get in on the action. Sometimes you just have to break the rules to achieve perfection 4.99999999999999/5 Mind Blown Bibles.
Kevin “Pastor” Palma @eggrollkoTHE ROOK #1 – Dark Horse Comics
Time-travel stories are a tricky business, as they, more than any other type of story, tend to quickly devolve into an incomprehensible mess. The Rook #1 by Steven Grant, Paul Gulacy and Jesus Aburto avoids that trap by smartly using time-travel only as a vehicle to tell an interesting and fun action-adventure story. This issue focuses on introducing and fleshing out the main character, Restin Dane, and the other characters who will, presumably, have important roles going forward while also delivering some fun action as Dane fights a group of monsters at a college Halloween party.
The chess motif is surprisingly fun as the battle between Dane and his nemesis, Lock, is portrayed as a chess match, with each constantly trying to stay a step ahead and outsmart the other ending with what appears to be a checkmate, and the fact that Dane’s time machine is shaped like a Rook and referred to as his “Time Castle” was something absolutely delightful. There’s also a fun nod to the father of time-travel stories, along with the implication that he may have a role to play in the larger story as well. However, the biggest success of this issue is that, unlike most comics today, it clearly serves as the first chapter of a larger story while also providing a complete story with a proper conflict and resolution within it’s 22 pages. It is not just exposition and setting up a continuing arc, but actually completes a self-contained story in the process. What a quaint notion, that readers might actually want to read a story from beginning to end without having to be bogged down with exposition, right?
There are a few rough moments; the scene where Dane explains why he’s qualified to build a time machine was particularly grating. While the art was generally well-composed, the faces of certain characters seemed a little strange-looking; but overall this was a fun action-adventure story that also reads like a love letter to time-travel stories. The Rook may yet turn into a convoluted mess but, for now, it’s certainly a fun read and Grant, Gulacy and Aburto have my attention. 3.5/5 Time Castles.
TITANS HUNT #1 – DC Comics“Dynast” Dana Keels IG/Twitter @hatandwand
As we all know, DC’s New 52 shook up almost everything in the DC universe. Characters, storylines, and relationships were shaken from the ground up. Fast forward to now, and the ground has sifted a little more, allowing more freedom with the mythology of the past. With a title like Titans Hunt, — referencing the Marv Wolfman storyline from the 90’s — it’s immediately apparent that scribe Dan Abnett (Doctor Who, Punisher, Nova) is taking the book back to its earlier days, or at least to some semblance of them. The book has an interesting premise: a handful of our classic Titans (some established and some no)t, have that nagging feeling in the back of their psyche. It initially plays out as a sort of psychological mystery, and all the characters have one thing in common; they remember something they don’t exactly remember, something that may or may not have actually occurred. As far as first issues go, this one is pretty solid, despite being treated to the same mini story three or four times in the same issue, most of which is nothing more than exposition and setting up of what’s to come. But what is here, shows apparent promise. Everything is pretty solid art-wise…well as solid as can be when you have two artists working on the same book (Siqueria and Borges). Sometimes jumping from one artist to another isn’t as smooth as it should be. None of the characters exactly stand out from each other just yet, with Aqualad looking more like a classic Nightwing than anything else.
There is definitely hope for this book, although it might not be off to the greatest start. By the end, you’d be hard pressed not to find yourself a little excited for things to come. Let’s just hope they do. 3/5 Bibles.
CHEWBACCA #1 – MarvelLance Paul “The Apostle” @Lance_Paul
Writer Gerry Duggan (Deadpool, Hulk) opted to write a furball adventure in truly the only way one should, with only growling dialogue and absolutely no translation. Point on! Chewbacca is stranded on a planet with a bum ship, while under repairs he stumbles upon a slave on the run from the empire in need of saving.
From a slave’s origin story to a family predicament, Chewbecca #1 finds its nest when our furry hero decides to take lounge under the sun in a field of flowers, eyes closed with the slightest hint of a smile on his lips. Artist Phil Noto (Black Widow) illustrates this beautifully, showing how serene and lovable Chewie has always been across a stunning splash page. Its art like this that reminds you how much comics can be an artform beyond telling nerd stories.
Chewie’s peaceful day is soon ruined by his crashed ship and his new Oliver Twist little slave partner. Noto’s masterful illustrations perfectly convey Chew’s lack of spoken language with small facial acting and clear body language. The silent feel to the issue reminds this Traveling Nerd of one of my favorite Hawkeye issues dealing with his dog Lucky. Chewbacca #1 is a great little read and elegant in its simplicity. This little adventure in a galaxy far, far, far away will have you smiling and looking forward to issue two. 4.25/5 Furballs agree!
THE SHIELD #1 – Dark Circle ComicsDerek “Divine” Vigeant @uncledarryl37
The idea of a lead character getting amnesia and not knowing where they came is pretty much now a genre itself (see: The Bourne Identity, Blindspot). It makes for an interesting way to get going on the action of the story without having to dwell on the possibily dull origin of a characters motivation. And with that, we have The Shield, starring Michael Chiklis and Roman Reigns. I kid. Rather, Adam Christopher (Made to Kill) and Chuck Wendig (Star Wars: Aftermath) presents a woman who is struggling with the fact that she has memories from lives she’s lived in the past — being a soldier in the Revolutionary War and WWI — but no recollection of the actual experiences or how she has realistically lived through all these events. She has people chasing after to her for reasons unknown to her while dealing with the fact that she can survive injuries from rolling off the hood of a taxi cab accident.
Of course, we know that there is a group pursuing with a crazed fixation on capturing her. But the only thing more scarier than the plot is whoever gave that guy his haircut and wardrobe, which looks like someone who went to his high school prom in the 80’s and never got his dance. I’m very keen on the brisk pace and extreme circumstances of Victoria Adams (she at least finds out her name) having to stay on the run in light of her confusion–so long as they start giving some more clues or stories to help her because there’s nothing worse than when a writing team tries to milk this trick too long. I don’t need a full reveal but at least drop some bread crumbs so we know where were going. 2.75/5 Bibles.
WWE Battleground is this Sunday. While not one of the fed’s more popular Pay-Per-Views — which has been basically sold as a $9.99 WWE Network event up to this point — the card is shaping up to be a pretty good one.
This special edition of the Shooting Star Press also sees our largest cast of Ringside Apostle journalists yet.
So don’t be a lemon, folks. Be a…rosebud. Read on!
–Y2J, or Wyatt2J?–
Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt
Chris Jericho made a splash just 10-days ago on RAW when he put away his good friend The Miz before an uproarious crowd. Hell fucking yeah, the Ayatollah of Rock ‘N Rolla was back!
The timing wasn’t that odd either, since Jericho mentioned just the night before on Twitter that he “invented Money in the Bank.” While Jeff Hardy, Edge, and a few others may disagree, it was that bastard, Cena-jobbing Bray Wyatt who actually did something about it, putting The Return of Raw is Jericho to a stuttering halt.
Jericho has snaked himself out of bumrushes from the Wyatts ever since.
Winner: Biased as fuck — with no apologies to BISHOP Wyatt (who you will watch down below), ChrisJericho wouldn’t make this huge comeback only to job to the guy who can’t beat Cena. Sure, “The Best in the World at What I Do” is also a master at putting people over (i.e. Fandango), but something tells me he’ll find another sneaky way to get Bray’s panties in a bunch– and cheat out a quick victory. Someone call Dana White; this may just end up Match of the Night.
-Travis Moody
–Good Friends, Better Enemies–
Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins
As the build for this weekend’s grudge match between two former partners-turned-hated rivals comes to a close, the WWE is providing us with a glimpse of the future now in the form of Rollins versus Ambrose. There’s no arguing that this match-up will more than likely steal the whole F’n show, and also end up main eventing a Wrestlemania or two some point down the line.
Danny “Dangerous Disciple” IG @danielw_w
The only real question, then, is: How far will these two push the envelope?
They know each other inside and out, so expect a ***** match out of these rising stars.
Winner: This is a tough one. Although the WWE traditionally books MITB winners horribly after they win the case, this Disciple really doesn’t see that in the cards for Rollins. While common convention suggests the face (Ambrose) go over on the PPV, I don’t see that happening here. As much as I hope I’m wrong, Rollins will win due to some shenanigans, with both men looking strong in the effort.
–USA vs. Mother Russia–
Jack Swagger vs. Rusev
It’s time to call the Ghostbusters because there is definitely something strange going on in the WWE neighborhood– and I’m not talking about Dean Ambrose or Bray Wyatt. Don’t get me wrong; both are pretty strange. But, there is something EVEN STRANGER going on. Ladies and gentleman, Jack Swagger is over.
Let that sink in for a minute.
Don’t lie, every single one of you at some point or another has wondered when this man was going to get future endeavored. Yet, he has weathered the green smoke filled storm and come out on top waving his American flag in a blaze of glory. In all fairness though, I think the true reason Swagger is still on TV is Zeb Colter. Without him, something tells me Jack would have been way ahead of Jinder Mahal in the unemployment line.
“Pastor” Chuck @crice17
Despite the formulaic plot-at-hand, Swagger can wrestle when he puts his mind to it and Rusev has showed us he has some high upside for a man his size (just check his match vs. Reigns from this past week’s Smackdown). While it’s hard to see this feud ending here — because on principal, Swagger has to eventually come out victorious — it’s just as hard to see Rusev losing outright, as well.
Winner: I expect a screwy finish that sees both Lana and Zeb getting involved somehow and Rusev escaping with a shallow victory in round one of this ongoing saga. But, hey, anything that keeps Zeb talking and Lana showing up and twirling around is A-OK in my book. So in closing I ask all of you to rise, place your hand over your chest, and loudly proclaim, “WE THE PEOPLE!”
–Divas Championship–
AJ Lee (Champ) vs. Paige
Battleground will make AJ Lee and Paige’s third encounter, which is a wonder why Moses Lee bailed on this one!
Kenny “Saint Superkick” @HueySkyywalker
Maybe it’s the fact the last two matches seemed like minor confrontations. The first time Paige beat AJ, we were caught by surprise. When AJ returned and beat Paige, the roles of heel and face were reversed (which was probly an extension of AJ’s recent marriage to CM Punk).
Also, the shock value for that victory wasn’t nearly as high as Paige beating AJ. So long as my should-be-Harley-Quinn-at-home AJ makes me yell out a “YES LAWWWWWWWWD!!” or two during the match, we good.
Winner: AJ Lee will take a page/Paige out of her hubby and make that trick submit.
–Tag Team Championship, 2 outta 3 Falls–
The Usos (Champs) vs. The Wyatt Family
–Battle Royal, Intercontinental Title–
Cesaro, Kofi Kingston, Damien Sandow, The Great Khali, Rob Van Dam, Dolph Ziggler, Big E, Ryback, Curtis Axel, Alberto Del Rio, Bo Dallas, Sheamus, Fandango, Sin Cara, Zack Ryder, The Miz, Adam Rose, Diego, R-Truth, Xavier Woods, Heath Slater, Titus O’Neil.
The highly prestigious intercontinental title will be on the line in the form of a battle royal. The 73rd IC champ will be crowned and he will join legends such as Marty Jannetty, Santino, “Wild Man” Marc Mero, The Mountie, and of course Dean Douglas (11-minute title reign) as a member of this exclusive club. Or if you prefer: Macho Man, Steamboat, Perfect, and Bret Hart, I guess.
I do love me some battle royals though.
Lets just trim the fat. There are 3 people who can actually win this thing: Cesaro, Sheamus, and everybody’s dark horse Bo Dallas. Others may think “The Miz”, Ziggler, Kofi, and Big E may have a shot. Kingston and Big E have been hot but seem to exist as a tandem now for some reason. Ziggler appears stuck again, as he is too busy beating freakin’ Fandango with the aid of his dancing ex-girlfriends. And I just don’t see the ”The Miz” winning the title after jobbing to Jericho.
“Moses Lee” TBD
But Cesaro and possibly Sheamus are probably the favorites.
Sheamus can unify the titles but doesn’t really need it and Cesaro probably needs the push the most. My head says Cesaro, especially with this losing streak, but dammit my heart says Bo Dallas. Besides being the absolute best and interesting thing going, WWE has given unproven talent the IC strap before. Also, there is a natural rivalry with Bad News Barrett (See Royal Rumble 2013). So lets keep it going. How inspirational will my man be with the IC title.
Winner: Bo Dallas defies the odds. He eliminates Cesaro to win it, which in turn inspires me to seek a promotion at work. Thank you Bo. I’m a BOliever, now and forever.
–Main Event: Fatal 4-Way, WWE World Heavyweight Championship–
Kane vs. Randy Orton vs. John Cena (Champ) vs. Roman Reigns
So is everyone expecting “My Client” BROCK.. LES.. NARRR to interfere in this one and cause John Cena is championship? Because the writers over in Stamford, CT know what we’re saying, thinking and predicting, and always nearly end up with a more standardized finish than we assume.
Perhaps that’s the downfall of the internet, in that it’s hard for anyone to really become surprised anymore. And to think that I used to get my Pay-Per-View prediction fix a few weeks ahead via the WWF Magazine!
Ohhh, yeahhh!
Gulp.
Regardless of who gets screwed– don’t expect too much. Lesnar interference is indeed a strong possibility despite the fact the WWE knows about that “leaked” match for SummerSlam pitting our ol’ pal John Cena against the Beast Incarnate.
The #1 reason the WWE may just go through with it anyway won’t be a Kane chokeslam from Hell. No, it’s more because “The Viper” RKO and Big Roman Reigns have plenty of unfinished business to settle. Seeing all the madness that is a Fatal 4-Way, we could witness as many as 5-to-6 others interfere in this one to alter the course of that one month Road to LA’s Staples Center.
Seth Rollins has quite the expensive briefcase handy, must I remind you. Plus, just the other night on RAW, Michael Cole, JBL and “The King” joked about the “firing” of Paul Heyman, seeing how he didn’t accompany the great Cesaro to the ring for his match. Don’t be surprised if a pissed off Cesaro (in which he will be if he loses the Battle Royale with Cheese) fucks things up for Reigns, or whoever is dominating early. The Shield’s “Vick Mackie” is now one of the most beloved wrestlers in the business, has all the momentum in the world, and has even poised himself up against the Boston Babyface Cena. Reigns will be putting in work.
But they ain’t ready for that yet. Remember, this “PPV” is only going to cost you $9.99, so it’s highly unlikely there’ll be any Wrestlemaniaesque storybook endings here. Cena and Reigns will get to see eye-to-eye for a little bit, but it won’t be enough to take this to the big one in August.
“Monsignor” Moody @travmoody
Winner: Sting, via Scorpion Deathdrop. *smack in the face* Oh shit! Sorry. Was dreaming for a bit. It is a touch after 3 a.m., after all. I can tell you — as I widen my eyes for a sec — that the winners won’t be the fans sitting inside Starbucks catching this one on a stream; but at least the plethora of main event match-fuckery will raise the stakes even higher for next month’s Slam. Cena wins the match by pinning Kane, but immediately loses the title to a swift briefcase job via Seth Rollins, with help from Stephanie/Triple H/Paul Heyman/Brock Lesnar.
Yup. There’s a New Authority in town, with The Shield buried even further in limbo, and Triple H exposing a new t-shirt the next night on RAW that proudly proclaims that, hey, he too is a “Heyman Guy”.
WWE Battleground airs this Sunday at 8/9c on PPV and the WWE Network.
We’ve mostly seen it all before: Ripped jeans, scraggly blonde hair; our ears treated with the kind of promos that we don’t typically hear — ones that were a little off — that could only make us think this guy is a Grade-A lunatic. Only, this time, it’s no longer 2014. Somehow, I’m being transported back to wrestling in 1996 whenever I witness Dean Ambrose on the screen, and as anybody knows, this is not such a terrible thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LQjZStNqmk
If you are reading this and happen to be under the age of 25 and have no effing clue who or what I’m talking about, I will give you a very brief run down of what is known in wrestling circles as the beloved “Attitude Era”. In this storied era, the product was far more edgy and mature than just about anything you’ll see now on RAW or Smackdown. You could expect bloodbaths, foul language, and all but the nipple as it pertained to how the women dressed. For a 13-year old boy, this was all I needed in life.
The WWF(E) was very good to me.
Now that you’re all caught up, this Disciple must move onto the short story of the “Loose Cannon”, Brian Pillman. That strep throat voice, the flea dive bar attire, and absolute whimsical insanity were card-carrying traits of the former Cincinnati Bengal during the time Dean Ambrose was still on his living room floor watching Romper Room. We all knew Pill’ was going to bring so much to the company, and — with his frenemy “Stone Cold” Steve Austin firing on all cylinders — we couldn’t wait another second for these two to tear each other apart. It was also in this rivalry where the former “Flyin'” WCW superstar-turned-Hollywood Blonde brought his own brand of lunacy to the previously otherwise straight-laced roster. And just as his popularity began to skyrocket, wrestling fans around the world (including our very own Monsignor, who adores BP as much as any other) were struck with the tragic news: Pillman was found dead in his hotel room. Not to sound insensitive to the fact that a man had died and left behind a loving wife and children, but I remember feeling downright terrible that the world was deprived of this amazing talent…
BP, the original Clown Prince of Mayhem.
Fast forward to 2014. With today’s sterile TV-PG environment, story arcs are often silly and dumbed down (“Don’t be a lemon!”). Characters are often vanilla and, all too frequently, gimmick free to cater to the general public (“Gospel” Big E?).
Yeah, those same people whose parents fell for the Gobbledy Gooker are now those who can’t really be fooled anymore (“We the people!”).
But, off in some dark corner somewhere is a guy with jeans — yes, complete with tears, rips and holes — and “wife beater” tank top. His messy, unkempt hair and leather jacket exude a James Dean Devil-May-Care attitude. He oozes character and charisma. And he’s a lunatic. The creative genius behind WWE has labeled him the “Lunatic Fringe”. This man, of course, is Dean Ambrose. Whenever you see him serpentine his shoulders and begin spouting promo gold, you can’t help but be reminded of the original Ticking Time Bomb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZtyNT7RzA4
Yet while the similarities are clear (this side of the overall basic look, promo and in-ring style, they’re both born and raised in the Cin City), it’s also clear that Ambrose isn’t out to be a carbon copy of Pillman.
Dean is certainly his own man, more calculating and deliberate with his actions, as if he’s embraced the madness and allows it to guide his motions. So don’t expect Ambrose to pull a loaded gun on another talent and have the gunshot “heard round the world” following the video feed cuts out (yes, that happened with Pillman and Austin)…
“Jokers’ got a gun…”
If nothing else my fellow congregants, expect great things from this young talent. The guy is just about as over anyone in the business at the moment, he’s booked near the main event on just about every show, and his in-ring work is perhaps the most solid and consistent with Daniel Bryan on the shelf and CM Punk’s status in question.
Dean Ambrose is a gift from the wrestling gods. He’s a throwback to a time when wrestling was not good, but GREAT.
He makes it cool to like wrestling again.
He also gives us a glimpse of what might have been: A time bomb that has taken almost 20-years to explode, but finally has, and the entire WWE Universe needs to take notice.
Our latest Ringside Apostles program is unlike any other we’ve had before, much in thanks to our two newest members of the Church of Cool: the all-too mysterious, yet-far-from-dubious Moses Lee, and — FINALLY!! — the debut of none other than Kenny “Saint Superkick” Sanders. They join your “B-Team” host, “Monsignor” Travis Moody, filling in for the usual suspects, “Bishop” Richard Zom and the faithful Guy Padre.
I swear, Coachella is getting crazier and crazier!
And, yet despite many of WWE Payback‘s highs and lows, The New Gang has a ball, and finds time to break down the NXT Takeover, the highly-anticipated WWE 2K15 video game, whether or not the WWE is inherently racist (!??!), Bluetista’s fashion blunders, and even some early predictions for July’s Money in the Bank!
