Inverse Press is releasing a brand new comic series documenting the life and times of late WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino. The series is based on actual interviews conducted with Sammartino before his death.
Inverse press has launched a Kickstarter campaign allowing fans to contribute to the release of the comic in exchange for collectibles such as autographed Sammartino cards and special 11×17 frame-worthy art pages.
There is also an opportunity for contributors to be drawn into the comics, giving readers the opportunity to actually star alongside the animated Sammartino.
The following comes directly from the Kickstarter campaign:
About
Bruno Sammartino – one of the all-time greats in the storied history of professional wrestling – and, sadly, one of many crushing losses we fans and the wrestling industry have suffered in 2018…
Before his untimely passing, Bruno approached us about preserving his legacy in comic book form and completed interviews with writer and wrestling historian, John Crowther. From those in-depth discussions with the man himself, John crafted scripts for the comics.
THE COMIC
Now, illustrated by Marvel & DC Comics veteran Rich Perotta, Bruno Sammartino is the authorized comic biography of perhaps the most renowned professional wrestler in the history of the industry. Holder of the WWWF Heavyweight Title for unparalleled runs from 1963-1971 and from 1973-1976, Bruno was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013 and claims a string of simply amazing sell-outs of the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City in the 1970’s.
This comic series tells all those stories, but many more, including his family’s plight in, and escape from, fascist Italy during the second World War and the barriers Bruno faced upon arriving to the United States and the ways he used body-building, weight-lifting, and wrestling to overcome them! Oh, yes, and there was that time he wrestled an orangutan…
Our 20-page comic, Bruno Sammartino 1, is the first of five issues in standard comic format (6.625″ x 10.25″). This campaign allows you to reserve just the first issue (already completed) or subscribe to the full series, either digitally or in print (Kickstarter-Exclusive or Standard cover options)!
THE CREATORS
John E. Crowther
John is the writer and creator of Rochelle, which debuted as Rochelle: The Teen Cockroach #0 with AC Comics in March 2015, and is currently an ongoing series with Antarctic Press, having debuted to great reviews in August 2016. He has authored each installment of the growing line of authorized wrestling comics published by Squared Circle Comics, including The Killer Bees, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and The Genius Lanny Poffo.
Rich Perotta
Starting as an intern for the X-Men office in 1993, Rich soon became a staff artist and then a freelance inker for Marvel with a dash of Dark Horse and Crusade Entertainment thrown in for good measure. Rich inked for Marvel for roughly ten years. In 2004, he took a break from comics and in 2010, re-entered the comic industry working for DC Comics inking titles Booster Gold and The Ray limited series. Rich is now pencilling and inking independent titles such as Mice & Man, Magma-Man for Source Point Press and the Scales of Time one-shot and Scissor Sisters series for INVERSE PRESS. Rich currently resides in New York City.
Vito Potenza
Born in Mola di Bari (BA) – Italy in 1983, Vito attended and graduated at International School of Comics – Rome [2005-2008] and subsequently worked as illustrator/comics artist for The First Place and Edizioni Master [2005-2012]. He then moved on to be illustrator and storyboard artist for Video Explainers [2013-today] and has worked from July 2016 as colorist for Inverse Press.
Bruno’s son, Darryl Sammartino, has also thrown his support behind the new five book comic series:
Readers interested in contributing to the campaign may do so HERE.
Bruno Sammartino
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Bruno Sammartino
(Original Caption) The Sheik had it easy. Caught here in a tight hold, the Syrian wrestler appears to be anything but comfortable. But The Shiek rallied and foiled Bruno Sammartino at Madison Square Garden.
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Bruno Sammartino
UNDATED: Bruno Sammartino a professional wrestler looks to his opponent in the ring. Sammartino held the World Wrestling Federation Championship for more than twelve years throughout his two title reigns from 1963 thru 1971 & 1973 thru 1977. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
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Bruno Sammartino
UNDATED: Wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino is declared the champion. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
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Bruno Sammartino
HOLLYWOOD - SEPTEMBER 22: Professional Wrestler Bruno Sammartino arrives to the Feast of San Gennaro on September 22, 2005 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matthew Simmons/Getty Images)
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Bruno Sammartino
PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES - JANUARY 01: Championship wrestler Bruno Sammartino standing with his wife in front of their home. (Photo by John Olson/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)
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Bruno Sammartino
PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES - JANUARY 01: Championship wrestler Bruno Sammartino playing with his children. (Photo by John Olson/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)
