I was given the fortunate opportunity to write a book review for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and I was given Aubrey Sitterson & Chris Moreno’s graphic novel The Comic Book Story Of Professional Wrestling. Here’s the first part of the article as it originally appeared in the Post-Gazette.:
It may come as no surprise that there’s a huge crossover between fans of professional wrestling and fans of comic books.
After all, both have outcomes that are predetermined, and it’s the classic storytelling of good versus evil with most of their characters being in shape. Aubrey Sitterson and Chris Moreno’s collaboration on “The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling” showcases the beauty of both genres by giving readers a clear-cut picture of “the one true sport” that will make you not want to put the book down long enough for the three count
The book’s structure follows the form of chronological sprints rather than one long marathon.
Mr. Sitterson starts the graphic novel off with the biblical and philosophical basics of man vs. man and then leads you to the waters of the carnival grounds where the one true goal was to separate the consumer from cash. From there, professional wrestling trickles its way across the globe, and Mr. Sitterson breaks it down via era and geographical locale.
You’ll not only learn the roots of today’s wrestling behemoth WWE, but also you’ll become acquainted (or in some cases reunited) with the immense popularity of the territory days when primary competition like the National Wrestling Alliance and the Minnesota-based American Wrestling Association also ruled the roost. Japanese, lucha libre and British historical influence also get a good amount of ring time so even the most ardent of wrestling fan is bound to learn something new and, most importantly, gain appreciation for some of the heroes, villains and styles that regularly go unsung.
You can read the entire review on the Post-Gazette website by going here and you can pick up a copy of The Comic Book Story Of Professional Wrestling by going here.
