Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
‘WHAM!’
The wrestling-themed comic series “Hard Style Juice” begins with a good knockout punch, complete with blood, sweat, and a bunch of angry people. The bright, colorful artwork reels you in from the very first page, and while I love glossy comics, some of the panels of “Hard Style Juice” are almost blinding! That said, the story and pace of the series is very engaging, despite the distractingly dizzying artwork. He he.
Created by Clay McCormack and Heather Moore (colorist), this five-issue comic book series follows Mona Castro, who abandons her college plans to become a pro wrestler after her brother, Rey Castro, a flamboyant wrestling star, shockingly dies during a match. Mona has twin objectives in turning to wrestling: to help her father keep his pro-wrestling business afloat and to investigate and prove that her brother’s death wasn’t an accident, but a premeditated murder.
The first issue of “Hard Style Juice” gets over in a blink, and the creators quickly establish the endearing sibling bond between primary protagonist Mona and her older brother Rey. So, even though the issue is less than 30 pages long, Mona’s grief and shock over her sibling’s death is palpable through the pages. The creators promise plenty of in-ring drama in the upcoming issues, with the dazzling artwork vividly capturing the blood-soaked spectacle of pro wrestling. Some of it is obviously staged, others – not so much.
Mona is like a little firecracker—emotional, volatile, and incredibly strong (almost unrealistically so). She tends to think with her heart rather than her head. Watching her navigate a brutal wrestling career while dealing with shady men who might have benefited from her brother’s murder is pretty thrilling and enjoyable. I am glad I waited for the entire volume to come out! This is a good pick for wrestling and action fans.
Rating: 3.5 on 5. “Hard Style Juice” is also on Kindle Unlimited.
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