Outside the National Guard Armory, there is an eerie silence, as if the building is holding its breath. But it's not military exercises that has the old brick pile worried. It's Wrestling night.
Just about sunset, the first workers begin to arrive, each lost in his own thoughts.
Let's see. . . Wrestling for Dummies, part one, "The Chair." Grip chair firmly and aim it at your opponent's head...
Lessee, I count 1-2-3... I hold up the winner's hand. I'm a referee, a referee, that's right ref-ah-ree...
Grasshopper has had two lessons now. It is time for his first real show.
From the dictionary of wrestling terminology: Cyberheat (n) the act of generating false controversy by posting messages on the message board of wrestlers' web sites
&%$#%^^%#**&%^#$
Is this about that stupid arguement with that other loser, what's his name?
Buttonman?
Yeah, that's him. What's he have to do with wrestling anyhow? You hate him. He steals garbage trucks and parks them in front of orphanages. He's an a##hole. Who Cares? Get over it, DUDE!
One of the dangers of cyberheat is the risk of appoplexy due to frustration in the wrestling Twilight Zone
I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him I hate him
Dude's computer exploded. Wow. Did Buttonman do that? I didnt think you could do that. Well, it'll be quiet around here 'till he gets an new hard drive.
I am The Jackson, The True Palya - one of the Original Ebony Blondes! We gonna come in, take over, kick booty, rewrite history and just generally DOMINATE!
We're not looking for a singer. Be on your way.
Not THAT Jackson, THE Jackson - I am a WRESTLER, Dammit! One of the EBONY BLONDES! I've held BELTS! What's the mater with you? Show me respect.
You're not even Blonde.
Twenty minutes of removing makeup later....
I am The Jackson, The True Palya - one of the Original Ebony Blondes! We gonna come in, take over, kick booty, rewrite history and just generally DOMINATE!
The hottest trend among professional wrestlers is to get their own web site that host a message board, so that wrestling fan computer users will have a place to worship their heroes.
My name is Ratwoman and I am your most loyal fan
I am evil leather guy, 1/2 of Evil Leather Guys Tag Team. Gotta love me
Cyber Romance. . . one of the cornerstones of the Internet Universe
Can you describe yourself, Ratwoman?
I'm 5'8, blonde and more voluptious than JLo
Wretling fans come in many shapes and species...
Type to me, baby.
I want to tie you up and handcuff you and spread jello all over your chest and .....
They say there is someone for every- one. For Evil Leather Guy, 1/2 of Evil Leather Guys Tag Team, cybersex seems to be working particularly well.
Baby, I can't stand being without you for one more minute. You are my sun and moon and stars. When we get together I'd really like to %%#$^@((*&^#(*#^% for at least a week.
Ogod. After 24 years of celebacy! Finally some bootay!
Cyber Rat! I think I love you. Where can we meet to consumate my desire?
Que'?
I want to meet you and go somewhere and %$^#&**@^$%
Christmas at Super Mark's house is a happy time because the holidays dont conflict with smackdown...
Joy to the world.....
The Rock says that The Rock will take that Christmas Tree and all those raindeer and that fat man in the red Santa suit and rotate them counterclockwise up you candy .....
Super Mark loves all things about Professional wrestling, especially the news
Omygawd... it's true...it's true what I read on the Internet!
In other news, Rumors that Steve Austin is returning to the WWE wearing a new gimmick that portrays him as a giant bald viagra capsule have been greatly exaggerated.
Evil Leather Guy, 1/2 of the tag team, Evil Leather Guys is meeting with his court appointed attorney....
... so I had no idea that she was underage when we arranged that meeting in the park. I was just going to take her out for a little pizza and a movie.
Mmhm
...and then on top of everything else she turned out to be a rabbit, which is not necessarily a bad thing except for the part about her actually being a cop and....
The power of the Internet is not lost on The Promoter, as he begins preparation for his next show.
We already have the Team Playa booked and Bobby Fuller Junior and Rikki Rocket and ...
Better book me too, B**ch
Not everybody's signed on yet though...
Who typed that? Why didn't he type his name? Damned Instant messages.
I'm your worst nightmare, Mr. Promoter...
Nothing is ever what it seems...
eeep?
I'm a seven foot tall 435 pound shoot artist who loves to kill promoters, rob concession stands and generally misbehave in front of audiences. I will be off death row in time for your show...
The Promoter has sought out professional help in an effort to change his image...
... so when he first started creating these comic strips, he and I were feuding and so I ended up with this gross looking avatar. Can you help me, Doc?
Absolutely. Now you have a choice between the red pill and the blue pill...
The effect is instantaneous.
The Promoter has sought out professional help in an effort to change his image...
Now I'd just like you to explain to me how being a penguin chick in a cocktail dress relates to Professional Wrestling!
It worked for Bobby Doll. Besides, the whip gives you a nice air of authority
The Promoter has successfully changed his avatar, but is somewhat dissatisfied as to his new image!
This sucks! There's no way in Hell I am going to let you get away with this Buttonman, you psycho!
But you said you wanted a new image....
There seems to be some disagreement....
Not as a Penguin Chick, you moron. just because you are the cartoonist do you think that gives you license to do whatever you want to people? I'll tear your heart out you %#$%^@#&**^
The Promoter has successfully changed his avatar, but is somewhat dissatisfied as to his new image!
In the seventh circle of hell, which is reserved for New York Time Crossword Puzzle addicts, one of the demons is having second thoughts about hanging out in perdition
This circle of Hell is boring. I think I'll go up on earth and cause some mischief
What could I do that would really cause a stir, maybe get The Boss to promote me to one of the Inner Circles down here
Beelzebub always has good ideas
Maybe the boss has a suggestion. Whatup, Boss. What could I do to really cause trouble on Earth?
How about becoming a Professional Wrestler? Form a tag team with some ambitious indy wrestler and bring back his soul.
This is your correspondent, Gabe Gaboski, at the first wrestling show of the new year. I'm interviewing Long Haired Wrestler #1, 1/2 of the tag team, Long Haired Wrestlers. Dude, whatup?
Shhh! Don't bother me. I'm trying to figure out where this finger has been recently.
Gabe seems to be establishing a rapport with his subject.
We just need to hear your views on the squash job you guys took tonight at the hands of the tag team, Gigantic Fat Dudes. You got splashed four times by a 500 pound guy. How do you feel?
Like a cross between a potato pancake and a hubcap on a railroad track after the train is gone.
The computer web browser is set to www.MensaWrestlingNews.com
Last night at the big show, a wrestler issued a challenge to all Cajuns, proclaiming them all to be scum, and declaring all Cajuns to be sissies and girlie men...
As it was, he was pretty much unaware of the well-armed inebriated Cajun gentleman standing at ringside waiting for him to shut up so he could, "Open the boy like a gator 'bout to be a suitcase.."
The young wrestler, Skinny Rainbow Colored Hippie is keen to get the word.
A security guard confiscated the man's 10 inch hookbill knife by convincing him to swop it for a beer....
COWABUNGA, DUDE! This is what I've been waiting for! Sombody pulled a knife and it wasn't me! Now maybe they'll forget my youthfull indescretion and....
Until.....
The situation was reminiscent of another incident, same promotion, different bar, suggesting that a pattern might be emerging...
So all I have to do to get promoted to an inner circle of hell is create chaos in Professional Wrestling...
But there's so much chaos in Professional Wrestling now that I am having trouble coming up with an original idea.
Decisions are tough.
Well, for sure, I'm gonna need a gimmick. Dressed like this, it's gonna be hard to be subtle
Ahh.. How about "The Reaper..." Elegant, simple, subtle, a natural wrestling character... and I get to bring a weapon to the ring. Good manager gimmick. And now to form my tag team.
An unexpected visitor in the bedroom kicks off the saga of The Hellfire Club...
I'm forming a new tag team called "The Hellfire Club"
I am THE JACKSON! I don't fly that way. I am 1/3 of The Ebony Blondes. I don't hang out with guys wearing sheets. Why are you in my bedroom anyhow. Get out before I have to hurt you.
Gulf Coast Wrestling's #1 fan waxes sentimental...
I have more than 300 videotapes of Pensacola area Professional Wrestling....
I've been to every XW-2000 show, every PWA show, some WFW shows and at least one Global Championship Wrestlingship show....
I have T - shirts of most of my favorite wrestlers, and coffee mugs, even though I don't drink coffee, and posters and ...
I truly love wrestling. I love it when they yell at each other and I love it when they body slam each other...I especially like it when Miss Passion wrestles. She's the cutest wrestler I know...
Happy 21st Birthday to Pensacola Super Fan , Eric Turner. Guess what, Eric, Professional Wrestling loves you more than you know...
So Buttonman, you're in charge of this comic strip. Why don't you introduce me to a girl instead of having me just go on and on like this?
Listen, bud, I'm a manager, see, and I'm forming a tag team that will eventually capture all the important belts on the Gulf Coast. What's your name?
I'm Kyle Fabian, but my wrestling name is K-Fabian. I can do a hispanic thing - YO, ESSAY! I can do Cajum - I GARONTEA! I can hit the ropes and take a closeline and ...
OK. Here's what you have to do. Change your hait color every six weeks, add a beard in different shapes and type on the Internet a lot.
Hmm... tuff assignment, but I think I might be up to it.
Partial success.
OK, one down and one to go. That promotion is in the bag
Success for Reaper is so close, he can already smell the promotion to an inner circle of Hell...
That looks like a good gimmick. How'd you like to team up with K-Fabian to form a new tag team, The Hellfire Club.
I already have a gig but perhaps my assembly-line mate, Tobor would be interested. I'll call him for you. You can meet him in the park.
Later, at the park...
My name is TOBOR, where do I sign?
Just a minute, pal, I can't sign a machine. Rules won't allow it...
I NEVER take the gimmick off in public! I assure you though, I am Flesh and blood underneath all this impenetratable steel. My name is TOBOR. That stands for Totally Operational Badass Odd Robot.
Unbeknownst to The Reaper, things are stirring in Heaven.
Get ye down to the earth right away. Something's going on in Professional Wrestling that could upset the entire balance between Law And Chaos in the whole Universe!
No problem, Boss. What did Vince McMahon do now?
This is far more serious than a little necrophillia in the WWF. It looks like one of Satan's minions has infiltrated an independent show.
Dude, you're right. I have to immediately go and set things straight. Indy wrestling is the last bastion of goodness and purity and goodness on earth,
I'm not just any dragon, Timmy, I'm a spokesdragon for the new comic and game store, Dragon's Lair.
Spokesdragon? What's a spokesdragon? is that anything like being on TV?
Well, not exactly. It means that I've been hired by Dragon's Lair Comix and Games to tell everybody about the new store on Saufley Field Road just up from Micky D's at Mobile Highway.
So you're like a Corporate Shill...
Beats kidnapping princesses and being slain by anal retentive heroes.
Yo, Granny! Where was you tonight. I knocked on your door and everything and you wasn't home at all!
I was in Mobile at The Sahara Club, watching Robert Gibson mop up the floor with Bobby Fuller Junior. Then I bought a pocket knife and a Stone Cold Poster from Buttonman and came home.
I heard Riky Idol got trounced by Jayce Darkheart and poor Riki had to wear a dress.
OMAGAWD! He has uggggly legs. Come to think of it he has big feet...
So. Are we on for bowling next week?
Heck no. I'll be at the Alabama Wrestling Federation show at The Sahara Club. They run every week now. And That Dwayne Henderson is kinda cute. I'm gonna jump his bones... I'm just old, not dead.;
On a Florida back road between Pensacola and Mobile a random stop has nailed a suspect.
Let's see... your name is Vortex, you're a pro wrestler and you're on you way to Chickasaw, alabama to fight an all out war with a guy named Ace?
Ahhh, yup
A deputy does his duty...
And you'll be using ladders, chairs, road signs, trash cans, pie pans and other stuff like I see here in your truck. Got a receipt for all these weapons?
Ahhh, nope.
In a jail somewhere in Florida...
YOU GUYS ARE LETTING ME OUT IN TIME FOR THE MATCH, RIGHT?
Yo,YO! Buttonman! How come you been slakin on the cartoons? Nothin' to write about?
People don't want dry sattire anymore. They want the cartoons to be raw and realistic. Sex, drugs, politics, you know. Some people are saying that wrestling is passe' compared to, say, war in Iraq
So. The Rock's turned heel. Stone Cold is back in the WWE and Kory Jackson's bald! How is that not relevant?
It just seems to me that whether Triple H wins the belt yet again at Wrestlemainia is trivial compared to the life or death combat that our soldiers will be facing.....
But that's what they're fighting for... Every American's right to be trivial and inconsequential. Surely you see that.