Liam Hoofe reviews WWE: NXT Takeover #1…
Boom! Studios have done an excellent job at bringing the weird and wonderful of the WWE to life in their comic books, and their latest spin-off, focusing on WWE developmental brand, NXT, shows plenty of promise in its first issue.
The first comic is set in the early days of NXT, and we are taken through the territory and its wrestlers through the eyes of the brand’s original commissioner, the late, great, Dusty Rhodes. We are effectively given a crash course of the brand’s roster in the first issue, being introduced to the likes of Seth Rollins, Paige, Big E, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, and many more. All of these stars would go on to be major players on the WWE’s main roster, and this introductory issue serves as a nice reminder of all the talent NXT has given us.
Boom! Studios regular, Dennis Hopeless is in charge of writing duties here, and he does a brilliant job at bringing the characters to life. Hopeless does an excellent job with Dusty, in particular, and his dialogue in the comic manages to capture all the real-life nuances of his voice. Seth Rollins is also excellent here and feels consistent with the Rollins we met in Hopeless’ work in the early WWE comics.
Jake Elphick, who has worked with Boom! on WWE comics in the past is in charge of the illustrations in this edition and for me, they were its biggest weakness. Elphick is very good at what he does, but I personally find his exaggerated style a little distracting and at times, it is difficult to tell exactly who the characters are. That being said, his attention to detail is worthy of recognition.
Boom! Studios have done a brilliant job of mixing kayfabe with reality throughout their comics, and things are no different here, with several nice nods to the superstars’ futures being spread throughout the edition. Alliances between the likes of Big E and Xavier, and Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are in their formative years, while Jinder Mahal’s heelish, entitled persona is also starting to develop.
As first editions goes, WWE: NXT Takeover shows plenty of promise for the future. For a company that has only been in existence for a few years, NXT already has an incredibly rich history, and I look forward to seeing what Boom! Studios can do with it in the coming editions.
Rating: 7.5/10
Liam Hoofe
Originally published September 5, 2018. Updated September 17, 2018.
