Chikara

Chikara Pro Wrestling is wrestling for people that think they might not like wrestling. It’s essentially a fast-paced, high-action stunt show with plenty of drama, comedy and excitement, and it's essentially the closest thing you’ll get to seeing superheroes in real life. I love Chikara so much that I've just spent three days watching the huge King of Trios tournament alongside other ComicsAlliance staffers!. If you love Chikara or the art of lucha libre in general, there’s a wealth of comics out there for you. Earlier this year, I recommended five comics for fans of WrestleMania, but this week I’ve chosen five comics with a decidedly lucha twist that are perfect for fans of Chikara Pro Wrestling. Love that? Try this!

Welcome to Give ‘Em Elle, a weekly column that hopes to bridge the gap between old school comics fandom and the progressive edge of comics culture. I've gotten a lot of questions over the months since I started this column, and since I don't even do a question every single week, I know I'll never get to all of them. So this week I decided to take several in one go, for more of a grab bag feel. But don't worry, I'm sure I'll be back to giving one long hot (or cold) take by next week.

This week on ComicsAlliance's War Rocket Ajax podcast, "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush joins us to talk about the influence of comic books on his career as a pro wrestler, what it was like to square off against the super-hero that inspired him, and even the creators he's been wanting to get in the ring since he was a kid...