Comic Review: Over The Ropes #2

Mad Cave Studios are back with more bombastic wrestling action. Over The Ropes, #2 without a doubt does a brilliant job of capturing that authentic wrestling feeling. Even for someone like me, who isn’t a huge wrestling fan. Moreover, the issue does a great job of carrying over that classic “underdog” story. The action is bigger and better, that stakes feel higher, and the humor is even funnier. Over The Ropes, #2’s overarching story is on the weaker side, with the entire issue revolving around one main fight. When it works, however, it is such a fun read. It’ll have you turning the page right until the very end.

Plot

Over the Ropes, #2 is written by Jay Sandlin with artwork from Antonello Cosentino. Jason Lynn AKA The Phoenix is still living the high life after his victory against Billy Radison. Radison, who isn’t too happy about losing his title has now put a bounty of Jason’s head. Now Jason has one huge problem heading straight for him. Jessie Presley. Notorious Wrestler who trained in Japan as sumo. Oh, and did I mention he’s also a part-time Elvis Impersonator? Yeah, Over The Ropes #2 gets pretty wild but thats why I love it so much. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and isn’t afraid to embrace the roots of wrestling.

In…Over The Ropes

Despite Jason’s victory in the series debut issue, Over The Ropes, #2 does a great job of still making him feel like the underdog. The genuinly tense stakes of Jason’s match are balanced nicely with the issue’s overall humor. Moreover, the character of Jessie Presley walks the edge between genuinly funny and “over the top” nicely. He made for a very entertaining antagonist for The Pheonix to go up against.

The issue closes out with a cliffhanger style ending, setting up a tag team style match for the next issue. Whilst the concept of a tag team match sounds awesome, the set up here felt weak. It was rushed in right at the very end and was overshadowed a little by this issue’s really brilliant main event.

Characters

Over The Ropes, #1 kept a grounded feeling despite its over the top and wacky wrestling action. The series second issue does the same and once again it’s down to its characters. Jason is again super likable. He’s witty and funny and I found myself rooting for him yet again. He feels more accomplished both in and outside the ring down but he still has a long way to go.

The previous issues main antagonist Billy Radison takes a step back here. Rather than being front and center in the ring, he becomes a mustache-twirling type villain. Its a choice I didn’t love, as Billy was always more ferocious inside the ring but the issue makes up for it by introducing a brand new antagonist.

Jessie Presley. A wrestler/bounty hunter/sumo who cosplays as Elvis. Come on what’s not to love? He makes for a very entertaining villain, espcially in his match against The Pheonix. Like I said he walks that edge between being funny and “too much” nicely and never came off as annoying or distracting. As entertaining as he is, he didn’t feel as threatening as a villain as say someone like Billy did. However, that being said, Jason and Jessie’s match has been the highlight of the series so far for me.

Artwork

Once again, Mad Cave Studios have knocked it out of the park. That early 90’s wrestling look and feel are once again captured brilliantly. Of course, the issue is at its best when we’re inside the ring watching the action unfold, but I was still surprised at how good Over The Ropes looked even when no real wrestling was going on.

Over The Ropes, #2 is such a fun read. I once again loved Pheonix throughout. The action is so entertaining even to someone like me, a non-wrestling fan. Whilst the set up for the “cliffhanger ending” didn’t grab me as much as I’d have liked the issue did do a great job of once again sucking me into its world and keeping me hooked for its next issue. 

If you want to check out our review of Over The Ropes #1 you can by clicking right here.

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Harry Reviews