When Wrestling Inspires Non-Wrestling Comics, Part 5

Professional wrestling in comic books recently made headlines when Bleeding Cool reported that a 1951 comic book, Crime comics Issue #104 (Quality Comics), which features a wrestling story, was auctioned off as part of a 12-issue lot of Police Comics. According to Bleeding Cool, the comic’s writer, Joe Millard, “was a fan of professional wrestling, because his story of Ken Shannon in Crime comics #104 (Quality Comics, 1951) appears to have been inspired by the May 23, 1950 Gorgeous George vs. Cyclone Anaya game at the Chicago Coliseum, and the May 26, 1950 Gorgeous George vs. Chief Don Eagle match at the Chicago International Amphitheatre.

Police Comics #104 featuring Luscious Louie, inspired by Gorgeous George.

I don’t own a copy of this comic yet, but I think it’s really cool that this hidden gem could potentially be the first reference to professional wrestling in an English language comic book, non-wrestling related, and that there are still great examples of wrestling in non-wrestling related comics to be discovered.

In a previous article on Looking for Wrestling Collectibles at Motor City Comic ConI mentioned that I had picked up a copy of The Mighty Thor #290 (Marvel), from 1979, which features the first appearance of a relatively minor character named El Toro Rojo. As mentioned, I’m not usually a Thor fan, but this comic has a great cover depicting Thor and El Toro Rojo in a wrestling ring, with El Toro Rojo charging at Thor, while Thor’s hammer bounces off El Toro Rojo’s back, so I had to add it to my collection.

The Mighty Thor #290 featuring El Toro Rojo.

This episode of Motor City Comic Con featured an appearance by Danhausen, who himself has been featured in several comics, which brings me to the recent purchase of a comic that has been on my wish list since last fall. The New York Comic Con 2023 variant of Ninja Turtles #1 (IDW) is a very special comic because the cover is drawn by Make an electric bomb! Comic book creator Daniel Warren Johnson also made an appearance on the cover, with Danhausen and Brody King engaged in a wrestling match with the Ninja Turtles’ nemesis Shredder, while referees Splinter and the four Ninja Turtles look on. This comic was limited to only 500 copies, so I feel very fortunate to have recently secured a copy for my collection, and for a much lower price than they were selling for last fall.

Daniel Warren Johnson, NYCC Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles variant featuring Danhausen and Brody King.

Another item I recently added to my collection was found in an antique store while visiting family in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In my first installment of this series, I wrote about how often MAD Magazine MAD Magazine used to be a pro wrestling parody magazine, with a series of amazing covers by Mort Drucker. Earlier this June, I found a copy of MAD Magazine’s February 1999 issue #378, featuring a caricature of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on the cover. As a kid, I dreaded trips to the antique store with my mom, but now that I often find wrestling memorabilia there, it’s one of my favorite places to go.

MAD Magazine #378 with Stone Cold Steve Austin.

And speaking of antiques, while I was recently helping a friend appraise his collection of Silver Age and Bronze Age comics, I found two other non-wrestling comics that feature professional wrestling. The first one may not be a true antique (unless that means I am also an antique), but it’s a matter of Captain America #271 (Marvel) from 1982. This issue, like so many other wrestling-related comics, features the appearance of a minor and short-lived character, this time known as Mr. X, who wears nothing but boots, a singlet, and a mask with an X on his face. As usual, the cover is what really got me, and this cover shows Captain America in a wrestling ring getting punched by Mr. X.

Captain America #271 with MX

The real antique, and a real find if you ask me, is a comic book I found at the bottom of a pile of my friend’s comic books. Bobby Benson’s B-Bar-B Riders #9, published by Magazine Enterprises, is a gorgeous Golden Age comic with a stunning cover by famed artist Frank Frazetta. The caption on the cover reads, “The Lemonade Kid Meets the Monster!” and shows a blond, Buddy Rogers-esque character (The Lemonade Kid) locked in battle with a hairy beast of a man (think George “The Animal” Steele). It’s a truly spectacular cover, a true work of art, in my opinion. My friend’s copy is aged and worn beyond repair, but in a way, that adds to the charm, even if it means it diminishes the value to potential buyers. Another interesting detail is that this comic is from 1951, as is the issue of Crime comics #104 that was up for auction, making it one of the two earliest references to professional wrestling in a non-wrestling English-language comic that I’ve seen, and the earliest example I’ve actually held in my hands.

Bobby Benson’s B-Bar-B Pilots #9

I find it immensely satisfying to still find references to professional wrestling in non-wrestling comics. While the examples are becoming increasingly obscure, as long as there are boxes of old comics to dig through and as long as contemporary artists like Daniel Warren Johnson continue to find inspiration in professional wrestling, I expect my collection will continue to grow and I will continue to share my discoveries with SlamWrestling.net.

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