Dark Comic Review: Invasion from Planet Wrestletopia #6: Galact-o-Massacre!
Review by Casey Douglass
(Minor Spoilers Below, it is the end of the story after all!)
Well, this is it, Invasion from Planet Wrestletopia #6: Galact-o-Massacre! Over the course of the previous five issues, we’ve seen Rory Landell proclaim himself to be “Galactic Champion of the Universe”, managing to piss off a planet of alien wrestlers, and ultimately, getting his friends, and the Earth in general, into a bit of a sticky situation. Everything has been leading to the question of whether Rory will face Manifest Destiny in the title deciding Galact-o-Massacre. This issue answers that question, and also gives us an outcome.
This instalment opens with a shot of wrestling commentator hype, taken with a chaser of the kind of humour that we’ve come to expect from the Planet Wrestletopia series. “History’s greatest astronomers have contemplated the night sky while pondering the question that has perplexed mankind throughout the ages – Is there life out there... and can you wrestle it?” Who hasn’t pondered that very same question!? It’s also always nice to get a chuckle on the very first page of a comic.
Yes, Galact-o-Massacre is here. And yes, Rory does eventually make it, although the schemes afoot to keep him away almost succeed in their aim. His friends, both old and new, very much save the day, even the ones that sadly fell by the wayside, in one way or another. All you need to know is that Rory makes it to the ring and that the fight with Manifest Destiny happens. It is also suitably epic, twisting and full of surprises.
If you watch wrestling, either now or maybe during some time earlier in your life, you will probably remember how important bouts tended to play out. Why would the events of a fight flow from A to B when they can take in so many other letters of the alphabet. The kind of shenanigans you might see in an old WWF bout on videotape all seem to appear in this galactic battle. There are shifting allegiances, ring side interference, cheating, bad luck, good luck... it’s no wonder this issue is described as a 47 page megaextravaganza on its cover, most of it is devoted to the events of this one wrestling match!
I’m really pleased that the confrontation between the two galactic champions played out in such a fun way. I usually find anything that builds to something over a period of time can give a slightly disappointing finale. I didn’t experience that here, and it made me remember a few wrestling bouts I watched as a kid, which was a pleasant dose of nostalgia, and I don’t even class myself as still a fan. The humour persists throughout, and I particularly liked the turn-coat commentator who wants to embrace the planet’s new Wrestletopian overlords before the fight has even begun.
Does it end happily for Rory? I’m not telling, but I was certainly happy with the outcome. You’ll have to check out the comic to find out what happens.
I was given access to a review copy of this comic.
Comic Book Name: Invasion from Planet Wrestletopia #6: Galact-o-Massacre!
Authors: Ed Kuehnel & Matt Entin
Artist: Kendall Goode
Colouring: Jio Butler
Lettering: Sal Cipriano
Publisher: Starburns Industries Press
Released: August 12, 2020
Price: $1.99
