WCW Comic Book Reading Club: Issue One, Page 2

WCW: The Comic Book was published in the early 90s by Marvel Comics. Nobody in wrestling or comics paid it much attention, and after 12 issues, it was cancelled and lost to the ages. Until now.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, @tomblackett will post a new page of the WCW comic with his comments and we’ll read through it together. We’ll be there for each other, through the good (Vader! The Steiners! Sting! Cactus Jack!) and the (Johnny B.) Badd.

WCW: The Comic (Issue One, Page 2)

WCW: The Comic is probably the property of Marvel Comics / WWE, though I’m not entirely sure. This website makes no claims to own it; all panels and images are posted in the spirit of fair use and are the property of their respective owners and creators.

Tom: ***P.N. NEWS ALERT THIS PAGE FEATURES P.N. NEWS*** YESSS P.N. NEWS. He’s only in the background but he’s still there! And he’s the best.

One thing I can’t work out about WCW: The Comic is whether the writer (‘Merciless’ Mike Lackey) actually knows anything about wrestling. I don’t mean that as a slight, because if he doesn’t, he’s still doing a pretty good job! Most of the characterisation is at least somewhat accurate, but it could just be was given a list of wrestlers and basic character descriptions and told to JUST HAVE FUN (SPOILERS: he DOES have fun!)

The main reason I wonder this is is the presence of ‘The Z-Man’ Tom Zenk. Even with the cavalcade of stars on this page, he’s one of the wrestlers that seems to be featured most prominently. Here’s the scenario I’m imagining:

• You are a superhero comics writer named ‘Merciless’ Mike Lackey.
• You’ve been forced to write a comic about a bunch of stupid wrestlers who you know nothing about.
• In the list of wrestlers, you see that one of them has the nickname ‘The Z-Man‘.
• Hey, Z-Man sounds kind of like a superhero! You know about superheroes!
• I’M A Z-MAN GUY.

So yeah, seeing Z-Man at all is something of a surprise since this is literally the first time I’ve heard of Tom Zenk. Am I an idiot/poorly informed? OLD SCHOOL WCW FANS, WAS HE EVER A BIG DEAL? PLZ REPLY ASAP

Anyway, THE Z-MAN. I didn’t know about him before, but now I do and I love him. He’s terrific.

One last great thing about him is that in this very first appearance, it kind looks like he’s breaking the fourth wall and looking right at us, the readers:

Z-Man, can you… can you see me?

…can we be friends?

<– GO BACK TO READ PAGE 1 | GO FORWARD TO READ PAGE 3 –>

– @tomblackett is super into wrestling and comics. He also writes The Merch Table for this very website.