Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson
Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson
Letters: Rus Wooton
Do A Powerbomb: Black & White #3 ends this incredible story with an issue that fires on all cylinders. Daniel Warren Johnson has somehow outdone himself. That is saying something when each previous issue has been nothing short of amazing. Lona is tested more than she’s ever been. We see incredible growth from many characters. The only thing I expected from this was a great balance of action and emotion that professional wrestling is all about.
Full Spoilers Ahead
This Is War
The major conflict of this issue is Lona and Cobrasun (Sun and Steel) still having to face off against FYSO (F*** Your Stupid Opinions) in the finals of the Deathlyfe Tournament. Not only is the match heightened by the drama of last issue, where FYSO broke Uncle Blood’s neck, but there is no disqualification, and falls count anywhere. That means anything goes, and the ref can only count pinfalls, which don’t have to be in the ring.
Wrestling With Your Family
The peak of this issue is Cobrasun being unmasked in front of Lona. This is huge because Lona finally learns who she has been wrestling alongside, while also realizing why her dad was so apprehensive about her wrestling in the first place. The shock of the moment left just enough time for FYSO to attack and win. This meant that since FYSO won, they got to bring someone back from the dead.
BUT….
There Could Only Be One
Both Frank and Maggie of FYSO have separate goals for winning. I was so used to the shared objective of Cobrasun, Lona, and Uncle Blood to bring back Yua that I did not even think that the tag teams had different people they wanted to bring back. I didn’t even expect them to get backstories. Maggie lost her son to cancer, and Frank lost his daughter to a drunk driver. Honestly, the only thing that could make me not root for a father-daughter duo trying to get back the mom is a parent wanting to get back their child, especially from something as out of control as cancer or something as deplorable as a drunk driver. So what does this mean for FYSO? Well, adding to the picture above, they killed each other before either one could bring someone back.
The Show Must Go On
Seeing as the winners of the Deathlyfe Tournament took each other out of the equation, Necroton has to give the people what they want, or they won’t buy tickets for next year’s tournament, so he gives the belts to the next most deserving team, Sun and Steel. Lona and Cobrasun finally have their chance to bring back Yua. However, Necroton wasn’t completely honest with them. Necroton isn’t that much of a necromancer anymore. Yua could still come back, but just—not quite herself. Necroton gives them one final chance to bring back Yua if they have one last match.
The Ultimate Showdown
So, they have to wrestle God. If I had a nickel for every time I saw God in a wrestling ring, I’d have two nickels. That’s not a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. Lona and Cobrasun wrestle God in a 2-on-1 handicap match. The wrestling fan in me cannot believe the absurdity of this match. However, the Do A Powerbomb fan in me thinks this is the ultimate underdog story, and simply wants to see a family get reconnected.
All That For A Drop Of Blood
So although they don’t win, Sun and Steel manage to make God bleed. Instead of getting the original prize of bringing someone back, they get belts for going toe-to-toe with God. That isn’t what Lona wants. She wants her mom back. Now, this is where I was hooked. God tells Lona he won’t bring Yua back because “there are no answers that will satisfy the deepest questions of all”. Instead, he will give her a restored memory she had forgotten part of. This makes so much sense to me. Lona and Cobrasun never actually won the tournament. Although Necroton originally thought he had enough power to bring back Yua, they never actually got that chance. Did they truly deserve it? They were only handed the belts because FYSO killed each other, and Necroton wanted to sell tickets for the next tournament. It makes sense that they get an alternative prize.
The Art
Johnson is inching closer to my favorite artist of all time. His characters are nice. His environment is solid. And he does movement and action like no other. The way he shows impact is incredible. He knows how to play with the comic medium. A good example of this is God’s Crucifix Bomb to Lona. The panel is big enough to easily understand what’s what, and you can clearly feel the impact of that move. The bold lines are a great visual sell of the move.
How Can You Not Be Romantic About Pro Wrestling?
Do A Powerbomb is a love letter to professional wrestling. It has all the pageantry, all the emotion, and all the action that people watch in arenas or on television around the world. This just happens to be in comic book form. I was already a wrestling fan before reading this, but I truly don’t think you have to be one to enjoy this story. Johnson creates a beautiful story around a spectacular atmosphere like pro wrestling. The black-and-white coloring is my only personal nitpick. I am an admirer of black-and-white comics, but I like colors because they give another artist the chance to showcase their talent. And they make things clearer on the pages. This book is amazing regardless. If you like black-and-white, that’s okay. If you like color, that’s still okay.