Broken Frontier

There’s just something about masked wrestlers that sets the imagination to soaring. Seriously. There’s a long, rich tradition of luchador wrestlers, who have populated mainstream entertainment for decades.

There are stories – legends really – of luchadors who never appear in public without their infamous masks, living their wrestling persona to the fullest extent possible. The first of these mystery men, El Santo, became a folk hero, symbolizing justice and equality to the people. It’s no wonder then that these real life superheroes translate so easily to comic books.

Over the past few years, there have been a handful of comics featuring luchador wrestlers battling everything from space vampires to alien invasions. Viper Comics’ Battle Smash vs. The Saucermen from Venus, offers a delightful action-adventure romp in true luchador style, starring a team of masked wrestlers fighting valiantly to save the world from evil Venusians.

Creators Dale Mettam and Armando Zanker know not to take their story too seriously, ramping up the action and comedy in equal doses. They do a great job balancing their brand of charming, self-deprecating humor with fun, bouncy action sequences. Thanks in large part to Zanker’s animation-influenced style, Battle Smash feels like reading a Saturday morning cartoon.

There’s never a boring moment in the book, as Mettam confidently transitions between the comedy and the action, keeping the reader engaged with snappy dialogue and over-the-top scenarios. He knows when and how to push the pace, building his characters in broad strokes, while still providing enough unique qualities to distinguish between the various masked heroes.

Zanker’s cartoony style complements the fast-paced script and broad characterization perfectly. His pages are kinetic without the confusion that often comes with as much action as he packs into individual panels. He handles both the comedy and the action equally well, using simple yet effective layouts to transition between the two with ease.

Thanks to solid storytelling, a rollicking pace, and a fun, self-deprecating charm, Battle Smash vs. The Saucermen from Venus is a delightful action-comedy that will remind you of everything that was good about Saturday mornings, los luchadors, and mad scientists bent on world domination.