Liam Hoofe reviews Boom! Studios WWE #15…
Last month, Boom! Studios began a new saga in their ongoing WWE series, shifting their focus from The Shield’s storyline onto the birth of the women’s revolution in WWE, and in particular, on the rise of the four horsewomen from NXT to the main stage.
In last month’s issue, Bayley stood by and watched as her Four Horsewomen friends, Sasha Banks, Charlotte and Becky Lynch were all called up to the main roster by Triple H, while she was told she wasn’t quite ready for the big leagues yet. This issue deals with the aftermath of that result, with Bayley determined to earn her spot on the main roster.
The issue follows Bayley’s journey through NXT, leading up to her classic NXT: Takeover Brooklyn match with Sasha Banks. Using NXT to tell stories is a smart move, as it offers the characters an origin story of sorts, and Bayley is by far the most logical choice for the story’s main protagonist. She is the most sympathetic of all of the characters and her real-life delayed call-up makes for good drama here. I do hope that as the story progresses, we can shift focus from time to time, as I’m keen to see the comics explore the main roster feud between Charlotte and Sasha Banks further down the line.
Adding to the story-telling, once again, is the excellent artwork by Serg Acuna. Acuna does an excellent job of breathing life into his subjects, and his in-ring action is very well put together. The final showdown between Bayley and Sasha is done plenty of justice, and the characters are very consistently drawn.
The edition’s B story continues to follow Asuka and her arrival in NXT. Tini Howard tells a short but effective story that is continuing to build nicely. Asuka works well as the silent assassin type and the artwork from Hyoenjin Kim provides a visually striking style that fits the story.
Verdict: Overall, WWE #15 is another success, and the decision to focus on the females of the WWE continues to pay off. Having the Four Horsewomen as the focal point of the story should provide plenty of options for the comics going forward.
Rating: 8/10
Liam Hoofe
