Lucha Libre (comics)
Encyclopedia
Lucha Libre is an anthology comic book
series written by Jerry Frissen
. It is published in France by Les Humanoïdes Associés
and reprinted in North America by Image Comics
. It is also published in Spain, Italy and Korea. It is regularly illustrated by Gobi, Bill, Fabien M., Hervé Tanquelle, Nikola Witko, Romuald Reutimann, Christophe Gaultier along with several other guest artists.
.
Doctor Pantera: The only married member of the Luchadores 5. He is overweight, wears a Harvard sweatshirt and a mask with a leopard print design. He and his wife Suzy are trying to have a baby. He has a difficult time justifying his crime fighting career to his wife, who seldom believes any of his adventures are real. King Karateca accuses him of being the weakest of the group due to Pantera's weight, although he is rather spry in combat.
Red Demon: The team's token smooth operator, he is the most stylish of the bunch and has no trouble picking up women despite always wearing a dorky mask. He claims to have developed a technique that allows him to date three women at once, without making any of them question his fidelity. Has trouble maintaining a relationship over long periods of time.
Diablo Loco: Lives with his mother and can usually be found with a cigar in his mouth. A party animal, he is usually in a cheerful gait while his teammates brood.
King Karateca: The only member of the Luchadores 5 with a background in martial arts. Karateca is considered to be the strongest of the Luchadores 5 (possibly since the dismissal of Tequila) and regularly questions the decisions of El Gladiator, not so much out of necessity but principle. He has an affinity for plants and in turn only eats meat.
Dr. Destruction: The leader of the French super hero team Les Formidables. He is a big fan of Fantomas
and owns a Citroen CX
he claims once belonged to Charles de Gaulle
. However, he has displayed a great deal of fallacious knowledge that borders absurdity; he believed that the France defeated Britain in World War II and is under the impression that J.K Rowling, Shakespeare, and Stephen King are French authors. Les Formidables' exploits range from acts of cultural vandalism (that is, attacking establishments they deem Anti-French), helping the needy and oppressed, to outright 'heroic' deeds, usually at the expense of their luchador counterparts.
Tequila: A gargantuan and powerful former luchador raised by cacti in the wild deserts of Mexico
. Tequila wears a cactus shaped mask and a tattered sarape, he also carries a bottle containing the distilled remains of his downed cactus family and drinks it when he needs a special boost of strength. He was once a member of the Luchadores 5 although he seems to have had a falling out with El Gladiator. He has since renounced heroism and lives in a trailer park with his loving (albeit feisty) wife.
Cheryl Goldstein: Tequila's wife, despite her small stature she has no problem controlling Tequila with her explitive filled tirades. Though dedicated to her husband, she expresses disappointment in him, citing that he could've become a successful wrestler, instead of collecting food stubs for a living.
El Panda: A communist Panda themed luchador who claims to be Chinese despite the fact he doesn't speak the language and only repeats a series of vaguely Chinese sounding nonsense words. El Panda is accompanied by a genuinely Chinese man who translates his jargon, though, he doesn't understand Panda either and merely dictates what he feels like. He is Tequila's childhood nemesis and remains unintimidated at the prospect of confronting him.
Paquito Furioso: The world's most irritable man, ex-hairdresser turned luchador and Cheryl's former husband, he hates Tequila with a passion for stealing his wife (who in turn, stole his car). A passionate dancer, he frequents clubs and other dance haunts, though is given a wide berth as his dancing becomes so violent he is capable of injuring everyone around him. Despite his violent and formidable reputation, he is easily dispatched by Cheryl.
Stacy K: The leader of the Pom Pom Ninjas, a band of vengeful cheerleader shinobi. She has a personal grudge against Tequila. Rumor has it, that she knows El Gladiador's secret identity.
Walter Van Krrh: Tequila's friend and neighbor, who never removes his slippers (which hide his reputedly, hideous feet) and only wears shirts with the sleeves cut off to showcase his less than impressive arm muscles. Walter is Belgian and bears a strong resemblance to Jerry Frissen. It is stated in his bio that he left Belgium after being accused of cannibalism during his tenure as a railroad worker. Despite being out of shape, he was able to hold his own against Tequila in a fight concerning the latter's cooking and walked away with little injury. He is brutally beaten near the beginning of the story by an unknown assailant, who is attempting to frame Tequila for multiple crimes.
The English translations are being collected into trade paperbacks
:
and featuring vinyl representations of characters from the series. The toy line is notable for being made available before the first issues of Lucha Libre were published. Muttpop
produced toys of four of the Lucha Libre characters, Tequila, El Panda, Red Demon and Dr. Destruction. Various Repaints of the original toys have been made including several designs by Frank Kozik
.
Comics anthology
Comics anthologies collect works in the medium of comics that are too short for standalone publication.- U.S. :- UK :British comics have a long tradition publishing comics anthologies, often weekly...
series written by Jerry Frissen
Jerry Frissen
Jerry Frissen is an American comic book writer and a toy designer from Los Angeles, California...
. It is published in France by Les Humanoïdes Associés
Les Humanoïdes Associés
Les Humanoïdes Associés is a French publishing house specialising in comics and graphic novels. Founded in December 1974 by Mœbius, Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Philippe Druillet and Bernard Farkas in order to publish Métal Hurlant, it quickly expanded to include a variety of science fiction work...
and reprinted in North America by Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
. It is also published in Spain, Italy and Korea. It is regularly illustrated by Gobi, Bill, Fabien M., Hervé Tanquelle, Nikola Witko, Romuald Reutimann, Christophe Gaultier along with several other guest artists.
Publication history
The Image Comics translation started in September 2007 and a first trade paperback collecting the first three stories of The Luchadores Five, Tequila and The Tikitis was released in 2008 under the title Heroing's A Full Time Job (Tips Appreciated).Luchadores 5
A group of five middle aged Latino men don Lucha Libre masks and protect East L.A., together they face the likes of stereo stealing werewolves, Tiki warriors, deep sea greasers and rude gun toting rednecks. The Luchadores 5 never take their masks off and only respond to their Luchador names. Although they consider themselves superheroes, most people think of them as overgrown nerds. The first Luchadores 5 story appeared in the pages of Métal HurlantMétal Hurlant
Métal Hurlant is a French comics anthology of science fiction and horror comics stories, created in December 1974 by comics artists Jean Giraud and Philippe Druillet together with journalist-writer Jean-Pierre Dionnet and financial director Bernard Farkas.The four were collectively known as "Les...
.
Tequila
Tequila faces the daily rigors of married life in a trailer park, but is forced to go on the run after being framed for the apparent murder of his friend Walter.Luchadoritos
The short misadventures of a young Lucha Libre obsessed boy named Melindez and his indifferent friends. The word Luchadoritos isn't grammatically accurate, it should be Luchadorsitos, but is spelled incorrectly as a pun.Professor Furia
Follows the exploits of a corrupt and inept Lucha Libre teacher who regularly physically abuses and takes advantage of his gullible students.The Tikitis
A team of supposedly science minded superheroes who have retired to a small island in the South Pacific and charged with preventing its strongest resident 'King Katch' from leaving the island.Covers
Also featured in the anthology are a series of comic book covers depicting the supposedly past adventures of the Luchadores 5, Tequila, El Panda and the Pom Pom Ninjas, among others. In contrast to the satirical stories portrayed, the covers seem to display the 'Golden' and 'Silver' Age exploits of the Lucha Libre Cast; Implying that their current stories are of them past their prime.Characters
El Gladiador: The de facto leader of the Luchadores five. Since he is supported by his parents he is able to dedicate all of his focus to crime fighting and chastises his teammates for not having the same devotion. He is something of a braggart and has been know to wildly exaggerate his romantic conquests. Despite considering himself and his team the protectors of East L.A, he has no qualms about tipping off the police when the odds look unfavorable.Doctor Pantera: The only married member of the Luchadores 5. He is overweight, wears a Harvard sweatshirt and a mask with a leopard print design. He and his wife Suzy are trying to have a baby. He has a difficult time justifying his crime fighting career to his wife, who seldom believes any of his adventures are real. King Karateca accuses him of being the weakest of the group due to Pantera's weight, although he is rather spry in combat.
Red Demon: The team's token smooth operator, he is the most stylish of the bunch and has no trouble picking up women despite always wearing a dorky mask. He claims to have developed a technique that allows him to date three women at once, without making any of them question his fidelity. Has trouble maintaining a relationship over long periods of time.
Diablo Loco: Lives with his mother and can usually be found with a cigar in his mouth. A party animal, he is usually in a cheerful gait while his teammates brood.
King Karateca: The only member of the Luchadores 5 with a background in martial arts. Karateca is considered to be the strongest of the Luchadores 5 (possibly since the dismissal of Tequila) and regularly questions the decisions of El Gladiator, not so much out of necessity but principle. He has an affinity for plants and in turn only eats meat.
Dr. Destruction: The leader of the French super hero team Les Formidables. He is a big fan of Fantomas
Fantômas
Fantômas is a fictional character created by French writers Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre .One of the most popular characters in the history of French crime fiction, Fantômas was created in 1911 and appeared in a total of 32 volumes written by the two collaborators, then a subsequent 11...
and owns a Citroen CX
Citroën CX
The Citroën CX is an automobile produced by the French automaker Citroën from 1974 to 1991. Citroën sold nearly 1.2 million CXs during its 16 years of production. The CX was voted European Car of the Year in 1975....
he claims once belonged to Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
. However, he has displayed a great deal of fallacious knowledge that borders absurdity; he believed that the France defeated Britain in World War II and is under the impression that J.K Rowling, Shakespeare, and Stephen King are French authors. Les Formidables' exploits range from acts of cultural vandalism (that is, attacking establishments they deem Anti-French), helping the needy and oppressed, to outright 'heroic' deeds, usually at the expense of their luchador counterparts.
Tequila: A gargantuan and powerful former luchador raised by cacti in the wild deserts of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Tequila wears a cactus shaped mask and a tattered sarape, he also carries a bottle containing the distilled remains of his downed cactus family and drinks it when he needs a special boost of strength. He was once a member of the Luchadores 5 although he seems to have had a falling out with El Gladiator. He has since renounced heroism and lives in a trailer park with his loving (albeit feisty) wife.
Cheryl Goldstein: Tequila's wife, despite her small stature she has no problem controlling Tequila with her explitive filled tirades. Though dedicated to her husband, she expresses disappointment in him, citing that he could've become a successful wrestler, instead of collecting food stubs for a living.
El Panda: A communist Panda themed luchador who claims to be Chinese despite the fact he doesn't speak the language and only repeats a series of vaguely Chinese sounding nonsense words. El Panda is accompanied by a genuinely Chinese man who translates his jargon, though, he doesn't understand Panda either and merely dictates what he feels like. He is Tequila's childhood nemesis and remains unintimidated at the prospect of confronting him.
Paquito Furioso: The world's most irritable man, ex-hairdresser turned luchador and Cheryl's former husband, he hates Tequila with a passion for stealing his wife (who in turn, stole his car). A passionate dancer, he frequents clubs and other dance haunts, though is given a wide berth as his dancing becomes so violent he is capable of injuring everyone around him. Despite his violent and formidable reputation, he is easily dispatched by Cheryl.
Stacy K: The leader of the Pom Pom Ninjas, a band of vengeful cheerleader shinobi. She has a personal grudge against Tequila. Rumor has it, that she knows El Gladiador's secret identity.
Walter Van Krrh: Tequila's friend and neighbor, who never removes his slippers (which hide his reputedly, hideous feet) and only wears shirts with the sleeves cut off to showcase his less than impressive arm muscles. Walter is Belgian and bears a strong resemblance to Jerry Frissen. It is stated in his bio that he left Belgium after being accused of cannibalism during his tenure as a railroad worker. Despite being out of shape, he was able to hold his own against Tequila in a fight concerning the latter's cooking and walked away with little injury. He is brutally beaten near the beginning of the story by an unknown assailant, who is attempting to frame Tequila for multiple crimes.
Cultural references
- El Gladiador drives a Pontiac FirebirdPontiac FirebirdThe Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker's platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro...
.
- The first Citroën CX was released in 1974, unless he is referring to his grandson it is unlikely Dr Destruction's car ever belonged to Charles de Gaulle who died in 1969.
- When Gojira is in the dump the homeless men sing Lonesome Town by Ricky NelsonRicky NelsonEric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor...
.
- Tequila somewhat resembles Marvel Comics anti-hero HulkHulk (comics)The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
and also speaks in a similar manner.
- All of the members of the Pom Pom Ninjas, except for chubby Kimberly, share the name Stacy. This is reminiscent of the eponymous popular clique in the movie HeathersHeathersHeathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a fictional Ohio high school...
.
Collected editions
Albums from Humaoids include:- Introducing: The Luchadores Five (48 pages, 2006, ISBN 2-7316-1800-0)
- Se llama Tequila! (48 pages, 2006, ISBN 2-7316-1815-9)
- Hele mei hoohiwahiwa: Les Tikitis (48 pages, 2007, ISBN 2-7316-1920-1)
- I wanna be your Luchadorito (64 pages, 2007, ISBN 978-2-7316-1970-6)
- Diablo Loco a disparu! (56 pages, 2007, ISBN 978-2-7316-2070-2)
- Traité de savoir-vivre (54 pages, 2008, ISBN 978-2-7316-2129-7)
- On dirait le sud (49 pages, 2008, ISBN 978-2-7316-2164-8)
- Pop-culture mythologique (56 pages, 2008, ISBN 978-2-7316-2182-2)
- Catchéchisme (56 pages, 2008, ISBN 978-2-7316-2213-3)
- Surfin' USA (56 pages, 2009, ISBN 978-2-7316-2222-5)
The English translations are being collected into trade paperbacks
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Lucha Libre: Volume 1 (collects Lucha Libre #1-6, 160 pages, Image Comics, November 2008, ISBN 1607060280)
Awards and recognition
- Lucha Libre was nominated for a 2008 Eisner Awards in the Best Humor Publication category.
Merchandise
There is also a line of Lucha Libre art toys manufactured by MuttpopMuttpop
Muttpop is a producer of designer toys founded in 2005 by Robert Silva and Jerry Frissen specializing in artist-created toys. Muttpop is known for its Lucha Libre inspired toys....
and featuring vinyl representations of characters from the series. The toy line is notable for being made available before the first issues of Lucha Libre were published. Muttpop
Muttpop
Muttpop is a producer of designer toys founded in 2005 by Robert Silva and Jerry Frissen specializing in artist-created toys. Muttpop is known for its Lucha Libre inspired toys....
produced toys of four of the Lucha Libre characters, Tequila, El Panda, Red Demon and Dr. Destruction. Various Repaints of the original toys have been made including several designs by Frank Kozik
Frank Kozik
Frank Kozik is an American graphic artist who has worked with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Melvins, The Offspring and Butthole Surfers. Kozik runs Man's Ruin Records, a media outlet and record label, and has published several books including Man's Ruin:...
.
Other media
- A Luchadores 5 live action film is in the early stages of production.
- An original Tequila art toy adorns the work area of Judah FriedlanderJudah FriedlanderJudah Friedlander is an American actor and comedian, known for his trademark trucker hats, oversized glasses and unkempt appearance, which he retains in many of his screen roles.-Early life:...
's character in the NBC sitcom 30 Rock30 Rock30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
.
- A Luchadores 5 video game option has been acquired by Biodroid Entertainment
See also
- ¡Mucha Lucha!¡Mucha Lucha!¡Mucha Lucha! was an animated television series. It premiered on Kids' WB on August 17, 2002. It was created by Eddie Mort and Lili Chin and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is the first animated television series created with Adobe Flash, a program often used for Internet cartoons...
, animated series about luchadores - The Haunted World of El SuperbeastoThe Haunted World of El SuperbeastoThe Haunted World of El Superbeasto is a 2009 animated comedy exploitation film that also combines elements of horror and thriller films. It is based upon the comic book series created by Rob Zombie that follows the character of El Superbeasto and his sidekick sister, Suzi-X, voiced by Sheri...
, a comic book and animated series by Rob Zombie - SonambuloSonambuloSonámbulo is a fictional character from the American independent comic book series of the same name created by Rafael Navarro....
, a comic book series combining lucha libre and noir
External links
- Muttpop
- Catfish Studios
- Who Were Those Masked Mexicans? Talking Lucha Libre, NewsaramaNewsaramaNewsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
, September 5, 2007