The Professional Wrestling epic begins with an over-sized first issue. Ringside is an ongoing series set within the world of professional wrestling, written by Joe Keatinge and drawn by acclaimed illustrator Nick Barber. Each issue will explore the relationship between art and industry from the view of the wrestlers themselves, the creatives they work with, the suits in charge and the fans cheering them all on. But that’s just the beginning. The real violence is outside the ring.

When I first went to read Ringside, I was expecting a focus on the wrestling world, with a story focused in the ring and out of the ring, sort of like The Wrestler. Getting to that last page, Ringside is something completely different.

Ringside is to wrestling as Southern Bastards is to football. And judging by this first issue, the two series may have a lot in common in their tone and story.

Both series aren’t really about the sport they inhabit, but instead the people associated and the culture they create. This first issue was an interesting one, catching me completely off guard because it was so unlike what I expected.

The art by Barber is pretty solid, and it’s a distinct style that’s fun to look at. The characters are all very unique in their size, shape, etc., and there’s all sorts of small details in the art that really enhance the story.

This was a good first issue. While I expected a story more about wrestling, that’s not quite what it is. The first issue shows a lot of promise, so we’ll see where it goes, and if the idea of a Southern Bastards with wrestling sounds interesting, this is definitely one to pick up.

Story: Joe Keatinge Art: Nick Barber
Story: 7.7 Art: 7.6 Overall: 7.7 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review