BEFORE the BELL
THE COMIC BOOK STORY OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
Not long ago, comic books were widely regarded as something of a lowbrow curiosity, relegated to rusty spin racks and the lowest shelves of gas stations and conveniences stores. But for maturing legions of Gen Xers, comics are now regarded as a credible medium through which even the most complex of subjects are made interesting and accessible to all ages. A genre well-known for action and bombast, comic books have much in common with professional wrestling, and recognizing these commonalities, Aubrey Sitterson and Chris Moreno have effectively married these pop culture institutions through their book, The Comic Book Story Of Professional Wrestling.
Where most chronicles of professional wrestling might be content to use the era of Gotch and Hackenschmidt as a jumping off point, The Comic Book Story Of Professional Wrestling follows the development of grappling from Golden Ages of Greece and Rome through Iceland and Asia, and ultimately to the American frontier. To be sure, the carnival days receive their due props in this account, but the lion’s share of the focus is appropriately directed upon the evolution of wrestling from a confederation of territories into a conglomeration of sports and entertainment.
The book’s piece on the National
