Let’s say Wrestle Heist #1 was OVW (circa 2000-2008). It’s easy enough to flourish at that level — people’s expectations are tempered as there’s certain elements and inherent with that specific product (i.e., it’s a farm league versus the big leagues). Even still, writer-artist Kyle Starks (alongside colorist Vladimir Popov) went all 2005 John Cena on that first issue, telling this robust, character-driven story about revenge, friendship, and what it means to really be the underdog.
Issue #2 of Wrestle Heist, then, skips past the whole “promising debut on SmackDown” and jumps right to, say, an Intercontinental Title shot at SummerSlam.
Which is to say, Sterling Steele’s plot to rip off his old promoter, Buddy Hansen, is even more poignant, unassuming, and generally effective as this compelling mix of wrestling and crime fiction. Nailing the debut is one thing, but an even more impactful second issue feels like both an achievement and an affirmation of Starks’ storytelling prowess and deep wrestling appreciation.
And it was all accomplished thanks to Starks’ own “Five Moves of Narrative Might.” (OK, it may not actually be five.)
Courtesy of Image Comics.
The first such “move” has to be the scope of the heist. Last issue, Sterling managed to corral the veteran Gravedigger based off their mutual disdain for Buddy and their increasingly tiny bank accounts. That continues as they add a luchador to the mix, which is essential for the plan for a few reasons. One, it’s another down-on-their luck grappler, but who is struggling with different issues. In turn, that’s yet another way to understand the true underbelly of wrestling without making things feel stale. Similarly, the luchador presents different opportunities and obstacles for the heist, and it continues to make their plan feel grounded and close to respective their skillsets while leaving ample opportunities for failures both hilarious and heartbreaking.
It reminds me of that Ben Stiller movie, Tower Heist, where the appeal is less about the crime and more about the deeply personal reasons that real people would risk their lives/livelihood. And Wrestle Heist takes it even further, as a great little diatribe from Buddy not only makes him out as a bigger heel than 2008 Chris Jericho, but brings home real-world issues of wealth inequality and social disparities without taking away from this mostly being a fun little wrestling story.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
And speaking of wrestling, we also get some pretty solid action scenes across Wrestle Heist #2. The debut had some great enough demonstrations, but felt mostly limited to the match where Sterling was injured. Here, we get some great shots of our luchador in action, and it’s Starks’ cartoonish style that manages to 1) help us connect the action to the world-building and story development and 2) remind us of the intimate and specific nature of this story. Those two make such a huge difference: It’s not rasslin’ for the heck of it, but a way to bring folks into this unique world and understand it for what it actually is (a cross-culture medley of drama and sport with its own approaches).
Starks also brings in a slightly different form of wrestling, and while I won’t spoil that choice, it’s another way to show the layers/levels to wrestling and its history as it helps push this story in new directions. It vert much encapsulates the complexity of wrestling (in that it’s what it appears to be and so much more intricate and odd).
That inclusion of another “genre” of wrestling is also an opportunity for Gravedigger to further flourish. I remarked in my review of Wrestle Heist #1 that our old, broken down pro (who has been working the con circuit) was both a charming and endearing addition. (And him being a black man, given wrestling’s notorious history, also felt like an important statement.)
Courtesy of Image Comics.
In this latest chapter, Gravedigger not only gets to fight (which is important to his personal arc about aging and personal relevancy), but he continues to remind us of the deep, deep humanity in wrestling, and while that might sometimes look a touch sad, it’s still something that deserves to be celebrated as an affirmation of artistry/creativity in a world increasingly against just such things. That, and he feels like both a zen master and a lovable sidekick all at once, and having Gravedigger feel so robust but easygoing is such a great way to maintain a connection to this book no matter the bingo halls and back alleys it nigh travel.
Of course, issue #2 isn’t just the “Gravedigger Show.” Sterling also gets some rather meaty development time, and while it’s not as overt, it does feel really interesting. Without spoiling too much else, it seems like Sterling has a lot to learn — not only in terms of robberies, but regarding the lives of his grappling comrades, the true cost of pro wrestling, and even his own life post-injury.
There’s a sense (for me at least) that he’s seeing how good/bad he actually has it, and what these other men have gone through might somehow be worse than a broken neck. (But without minimizing his own struggles, of course.) And in doing so, Sterling becomes not only more interesting, but he’s begun to escape his inherent “gimmickry” of being a heel who is actually a good guy. He’s learning what it really means to be a proper babyface, and the commitment, community, and empathy it’ll take to not only commit this crime but how to actually live in and outside the monolith of wrestling. In that way, Sterling maintains a presence even as the story opens itself up to new people and energies and themes.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
And that’s what you want from both a good story and a good wrestling card: lots of texture, heaps of action, sturdy character development, stakes (both personal and universal), and maybe even a little blood to boot. Wrestle Heist #2 gives us all of that and more, and this issue isn’t just an impressive step up for an already solid book but a clear sign that Starks is onto something silly, intense, and generally life-affirming.
With so much story still left to tell, it’s already got me more ravenous than the OG ECW faithful.
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