Pro Wrestling is one of those things that I indulge in from time to time to appreciate the stunt work, but I wouldn’t call myself a die-hard fan. Nevertheless, when I heard of Do a Powerbomb! I was certainly quite excited. This seven-issue mini-series is written and illustrated by Daniel Warren Johnson, with colors by Mike Spicer. This is the same team behind Murder Falcon, one of my favorite comic stories in recent years, so I was certainly expecting great things once again.

I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed, but while I wouldn’t say Do a Powerbomb! is as fantastic as Murder Falcon, this is still an overall great book. The main story follows a wrestler by the name of Lona Steelrose, the daughter of a pro wrestling champion; after a tragic accident results in her mother’s death, Lona tries desperately to follow in her footsteps training tirelessly to become a wrestler herself. Eventually, she is approached by a mystical necromancer from another world, who offers to return her mother to life should Lona win his tag team wrestling championship tournament featuring opponents from across space and time.

This setup makes for an incredibly entertaining read filled with fantastic action and engaging characters. I enjoy how Johnson’s stories strike a balance between the absurd and more heartfelt serious topics. At its core, this is a story about overcoming grief and the loss of a family member, which is something everyone will have to deal with at some point in their lives.

Thus, even though the circumstances are extreme, the characters feel real and you are invested in their journey and understand their motivations. This aspect elevates the story from being something that just looks cool to something that will stick with you after finishing it.

As was the case in Murder Falcon, the artwork here is absolutely phenomenal. Johnson is a master of creating a sense of real impact and fluidity to every exchange. This is achieved through masterful page layouts which moves your eyes through scenes naturally. The wrestling matches themselves contain all the best aspects of Lucha libre: Huge finishers, high-flying acrobatics, and last-minute kickouts all serve to advance the individual storylines of our core cast. Mike Spicer’s bright colors then bring everything to life while conveying the sheer brutality of the action.

In terms of negative aspects, I don’t really have a lot to say. Honestly, I think my biggest complaint is just how short the series is. I could have used maybe one or two more issues to flesh out a few of the side characters a little bit more. As is, the story doesn’t show off every match in the tournament. Including these could have perhaps built up the antagonistic teams more making it all the more satisfying when our heroes overcome them.

If you consider yourself a wrestling fan, I feel that Do a Powerbomb! is a must-read. Even as a casual viewer, I was able to gain a much better understanding of the general appeal after reading this story. Therefore, I would also recommend Do a Powerbomb! if you have no interest in wrestling, but are simply looking for something fun to read that takes full advantage of the medium to tell an epic tale with heart behind it.

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Do A Powerbomb!

$24.99

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Fantastic Art
• Great Action
• Engaging characters

Cons

• Could have used a bit more content