Marvel's WCW Comic Is A Forgotten Failure That Included A Decorated Spider-Man Writer

Professional wrestling and comic books are two industries with plenty of crossover, and there have even been various comics created about wrestling over the years, dating back to the early 20th century. WWE recently had its own series through Boom! Comics, while AEW participates in an occasional partnership with DC Comics, under the umbrella of Warner Bros. Going back to the 1990s, though, it was WWE and WCW who were competing, and their rivalry extended to the realm of comic books as well.

The early 1990s represented a boom period for comics, and WWE attempted to capitalize on this by releasing a limited series with Valiant called WWE BattleMania. WCW quickly followed suit, partnering with the larger Marvel Comics to put out their series, simply called "WCW World Championship Wrestling." However, it lasted only 12 issues and has largely been forgotten in the years since.

The WCW series was written by Mike Lackey, who was a fresh face in Marvel. Apparently he had the company's approval, however, as he was quickly slotted in for a run on one of their flagship books, "The Amazing Spider-Man," in addition to his work on the WCW series. As for the art, Ron Wilson penciled all 12 issues, Paul Becton colored the series, and the rest of the team changed roles throughout its run.

Afterwards, Lackey went on to have a successful career in comics, working on characters like Deadpool and the Fantastic Four in addition to his Spider-Man titles. According to his Instagram, Lackey has stayed somewhat connected to the world of wrestling, revealing in 2024 that he'd become a yoga instructor for the company owned and operated by WCW alum "Diamond" Dallas Page.

In the book, WCW stars such as Lex Luger, Sting, and Mick "Cactus Jack" Foley take part in action-heavy storylines that don't always involve wrestling. Early issues keep the action mostly confined to the ring, but in one possible sign that the book was struggling, the stories soon begin taking place outside the normal bounds of pro wrestling. By the third issue, Sting is rescuing hostages from Cactus Jack on a cruise ship, and the series builds up a mysterious figure known as The Ghoul, who eventually corrupts Sting.

While it may not be high art, the series does have some fun moments, with appearances from a pre-"Stone Cold" version of Steve Austin and non-wrestlers such as Paul Heyman (as Paul E. Dangerously) and Jim Ross. Eventually, Sting comes to his senses and fights The Ghoul alongside Rick Rude, Ron Simmons, and Cactus Jack, but that's not the final issue of the series. The last installment re-introduces Big Van Vader as an antagonist to Sting, with the hero beating his opponent and ending the series by sharing some birthday cake with a young fan that he'd previously spurned.

The series came to an end in 1993, but it wouldn't be the company's last foray into the comic book industry. In 2000, not long before the promotion was shuttered, WCW partnered with Marvel once again to release "S.L.A.M. Force," featuring Sting, Goldberg, Bret Hart, and other wrestlers taking on supernatural enemies. This time, only one issue was produced, despite the promise that fans could continue following the team's adventures in more books to come.