- Title: AEW Origins (One-shot)
- Comic Vine: link
- Writer: Steve Orlando
- Artist: Edwin Galmon, Laura Braga, Leonardo Rodrigues, Serg Acuña, Pop Mhan
Created as a one-shot for San Diego Comic Con by DC Comics (owned by AEW’s broadcasting partner Warner Bros. Discovery), AEW Origins is more a curiosity than anything else. While I think there’s certainly room for DC to tell stories featuring AEW talent, similar to the various comics WWE has put out over the years, this appears to be the company dipping its toes into the water more than launching a broader campaign.
What the one-shot does offer is various origin stories, all just a handful of pages in length, about the wrestling characters. While some are closer to truth than others, there’s no doubt this is showcasing characters (i.e. all in kayfabe) rather than offering real insight to the wrestlers themselves.
The stories are all credited to Steve Orlando with the art of each done by a different artist. Some work better than others. The best of these is the origin story for Toni Storm, covering her career, the betrayal of the Outcasts, and Toni’s reinvention into Timeless. Also included are origins showcasing the likes of Swerve Strickland, Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy, Will Ospreay, and Britt Baker, D.M.D.
[DC, FREE]