I’ve been following Michael Kingston and his ground-breaking comic book work, the “Headlocked” series (by AAM/Markosia) for some months now.

For those of you who are huge pro wrestling fans, but not quite that familiar with the world of comic books, allow me to invite you into another vastly fascinating entertainment universes. This one, too, revolves around power fantasy, episodic storytelling and a mostly male audience. It also features larger than life characters, sometimes unbelievable plots, and more often than not, a worldview of heroes and villains.

In other words, comic books are a lot less real, but a lot more realistic, than what professional wrestling has become today.

Michael Kingston set out to do a comic book version of what it takes to become a professional wrestler. In his Headlocked: Work of Art book, he has captured the effort, the mindset and the attitudes that are necessary to overcome to truly be called a professional wrestler.

Unlike a mainstream fan or an individual only pretending to know the subject, Kingston delves deep into the industry. He captures, mostly in satire, the domination of the industry by a glitzy and glamorous promotion, and sets about to explore this world, as well as the more tangible world of the lead character,  Mike Hartmann, as he attempts to fulfill his dream.

In a press release, Kingston says “It’s a story about all the crazy stuff that goes into what you see on television. When a guy shows up on a WWE show, he most likely already has four to seven years in the wrestling business but you rarely hear anything about that. Headlocked is the chronicle of that journey for Mike Hartmann.”

From his first book and the previews that I’ve been lucky enough to see, Kingston isn’t just pretending to know about the wrestling business. His ability to present the nature of training, the politics of a weird industry and the direction he provides to to the more than capable artist all show a knowledge base that can be respected by hardcore and more than just casual fans.

Like you, the reader.

But this is not a story that falls prey to insider knowledge and lack of a build. Kingston plays out the comic book format perfectly, building drama, showing tension and using the art (masterfully presented by Randy Valiente) to show the capabilities and physical reality of “learning the ropes.”

But, in saving the best for last, the special and surprise guest cover artist for the next book in the series is none other than Jerry “The King” Lawler!

So, what’s not to try out here? There are free versions of the comic book available on-line (see below) and if you haven’t taken a recent trip to your local comic book store, then now’s the excuse.

As always, my effort is to present professional wrestling efforts outside of the mainstream, and notably those that deserve your attention. Micheal Kingston’s awesome “Headlocked” comic book is a spectacular example of professional wrestling in action – respectful and interesting, visually exciting and well rendered, and full of understanding and a dramatic story as well.

The press release, and Michael’s ongoing email communications with me, show the excitement of many significant wrestling names who have seen the book.: “Headlocked debuted late last year with the acclaimed one-shot Headlocked: Work of Art, now available on Wowio, drawing praise from both wrestling and comic book fans alike including WWE/ECW superstar Rob Van Dam, TNA Champion Samoa Joe, reality TV star Jonny Fairplay. TNA star Daivari, and ECW original Blue Meanie.”

If the book is so praised by honest-to-goodness professional wrestlers, it has to tell you something!  

For you regular comic book people, and you comic book store owners, here’s the necessary info: 

Diamond Order Code: AUG083662 (Headlocked: The Tryout #1)

If you want more info, take a look at these links and sites:

Get Caught up with Headlocked on Wowio…for Free!

http://www.wowio.com/users/searchresults.asp?nGroupId=[408]

www.visionarycomics.com
www.myspace.com/mike_kingston  
www.facebook.com/pages/Headlocked/11313203558  (click on "become a fan" to help raise awareness)  

Joe Babinsack can be reached at [email protected].  I’m always looking for more interesting pro wrestling related books, DVDs and other merchandise. Drop me a line if you’ve got something to add. Otherwise, stay tuned for some upcoming DVD reviews, an ECW book, BJ Penn’s “The Book of Knowledge” and much, much more.