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Strongman
Tigre, a masked Mexican wrestler and crime-fighting movie star, was huge in Mexico in the 1970's. These days, he's 65 and drunk, living in Manhattan. When a beautiful woman begs him to stop an organ trafficking ring, the old warrior decides to take one last, epic shot at redemption.
120 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2009
11 people want to read
About the author
Charles Soule
1,524 books1,692 followersCharles Soule is a #1 New York Times-bestselling novelist, comics author, screenwriter, musician, and lapsed attorney. He has written some of the most prominent stories of the last decade for Marvel, DC and Lucasfilm in addition to his own work, such as his comics Curse Words, Letter 44 and Undiscovered Country, and his original novels Light of the Jedi, The Endless Vessel, The Oracle Year and Anyone. He lives in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 26, 2014
Tigre is an old, burned out Luchador wrestler who was once the toast of Mexican wrestling and starred in numerous Luchador films back in the 60s and 70s – kinda like blaxpoitation flicks but with Luchadores. Now he’s throwing seedy wrestling matches for fifty bucks a pop. That is until he’s approached by a woman who bears a striking resemblance to his dead lover from decades past, and she has a mission for him: stop the organ traffickers that’re destroying the poorer neighbourhoods of the city. But, with the crime reaching far beyond the slums to the corridors of political power, will this be Tigre’s last fight?
Debuts are tricky things, especially in comics. Read the debut comics of some of the biggest names writing today – Warren Ellis, Brian Bendis, Garth Ennis, to name a few (coincidentally all surnames ending in “is”) - and you’ll end up reading some pretty crap books with no indication of the quality these guys would achieve years down the line. Charles Soule, though? Strongman is his first published comic and it’s so polished and good, you’d think he’d been in comics for years!
The only other non-superhero book of Soule’s I’ve read is Letter 44, but right away you can tell Strongman is worlds apart from that title. With its storyline of a Luchador wrestler hunting down organ traffickers with his bare hands and saving the city from corrupt politicians, Strongman is a vigilante story that has the gloriously corny aspects of the pulp vigilante stories from the 70s. It reads like a cross between Robert Rodriguez’s Machete and Frank Miller’s The Hard Goodbye.
It’s played totally straight but it also has elements of humour, noir, and pathos sprinkled throughout, and, of course, a deep love and respect for Luchador wrestling (the great Mexican wrestlers never took off their masks, and Tigre is never depicted without his). But Soule also pulls off more sophisticated narrative tricks, playing with what’s real and what’s isn’t as we peek into the mind of a man whose years of alcoholism and fighting have destroyed his memories. There’s the same weird unbalancing scene from The Hard Goodbye where Marv realises Goldie may not be dead, as Tigre sees his own Goldie seemingly come back to life.
I like that Soule basically does his more strait-laced version of the Luchador and that, while Tigre is (and needs to be for the story he’s in) a near-unstoppable machine, that he does have weaknesses and the moments where his true strength come through are based around choices of honour and character rather than physical power. That said, there are some brilliant scenes where Tigre’s strength is utilised well that fit in perfectly with the story.
Allan Gladfelter’s art is wonderful – I loved the character designs for Tigre and his pals, and the opening few pages are creatively constructed and bursting outwards to the reader before settling down into the traditional comic panel structure. The action’s drawn well so none of the beats in the fights are missed, and moments like Tigre sat in a bar booth by himself with a drink have a remarkable power to them.
Also, and this isn’t a spoiler, but when you read this and want to understand the final two pages, pay attention to the borders of the panels throughout the book, and you’ll get your answer.
Strongman’s not the masterpiece that Miller’s The Hard Goodbye was (which it clearly owes a lot to), but it’s still a great comic that does enough to make itself stand out, and it’s a helluva debut to come roaring out of the gate with! Strongman: it’s a good one, guys, check it out!
(This is an aside but, according to Wikipedia - so take this with a hefty pinch of salt - the second Strongman volume is completed, Soule & Gladfelter just haven’t sold it for publication yet. Why, when Soule’s star has never been brighter, have they not published this?! All the Swamp Thing, Red Lanterns, Superman/Wonder Woman, Inhuman, Thunderbolts, She-Hulk and Letter 44 fans Soule’s been cultivating would swarm to it! C’mon chaps, Strongman Volume 2 – let’s have it!)
Debuts are tricky things, especially in comics. Read the debut comics of some of the biggest names writing today – Warren Ellis, Brian Bendis, Garth Ennis, to name a few (coincidentally all surnames ending in “is”) - and you’ll end up reading some pretty crap books with no indication of the quality these guys would achieve years down the line. Charles Soule, though? Strongman is his first published comic and it’s so polished and good, you’d think he’d been in comics for years!
The only other non-superhero book of Soule’s I’ve read is Letter 44, but right away you can tell Strongman is worlds apart from that title. With its storyline of a Luchador wrestler hunting down organ traffickers with his bare hands and saving the city from corrupt politicians, Strongman is a vigilante story that has the gloriously corny aspects of the pulp vigilante stories from the 70s. It reads like a cross between Robert Rodriguez’s Machete and Frank Miller’s The Hard Goodbye.
It’s played totally straight but it also has elements of humour, noir, and pathos sprinkled throughout, and, of course, a deep love and respect for Luchador wrestling (the great Mexican wrestlers never took off their masks, and Tigre is never depicted without his). But Soule also pulls off more sophisticated narrative tricks, playing with what’s real and what’s isn’t as we peek into the mind of a man whose years of alcoholism and fighting have destroyed his memories. There’s the same weird unbalancing scene from The Hard Goodbye where Marv realises Goldie may not be dead, as Tigre sees his own Goldie seemingly come back to life.
I like that Soule basically does his more strait-laced version of the Luchador and that, while Tigre is (and needs to be for the story he’s in) a near-unstoppable machine, that he does have weaknesses and the moments where his true strength come through are based around choices of honour and character rather than physical power. That said, there are some brilliant scenes where Tigre’s strength is utilised well that fit in perfectly with the story.
Allan Gladfelter’s art is wonderful – I loved the character designs for Tigre and his pals, and the opening few pages are creatively constructed and bursting outwards to the reader before settling down into the traditional comic panel structure. The action’s drawn well so none of the beats in the fights are missed, and moments like Tigre sat in a bar booth by himself with a drink have a remarkable power to them.
Also, and this isn’t a spoiler, but when you read this and want to understand the final two pages, pay attention to the borders of the panels throughout the book, and you’ll get your answer.
Strongman’s not the masterpiece that Miller’s The Hard Goodbye was (which it clearly owes a lot to), but it’s still a great comic that does enough to make itself stand out, and it’s a helluva debut to come roaring out of the gate with! Strongman: it’s a good one, guys, check it out!
(This is an aside but, according to Wikipedia - so take this with a hefty pinch of salt - the second Strongman volume is completed, Soule & Gladfelter just haven’t sold it for publication yet. Why, when Soule’s star has never been brighter, have they not published this?! All the Swamp Thing, Red Lanterns, Superman/Wonder Woman, Inhuman, Thunderbolts, She-Hulk and Letter 44 fans Soule’s been cultivating would swarm to it! C’mon chaps, Strongman Volume 2 – let’s have it!)
September 27, 2014
Not the strongest independent work I've read from a writer who's being hailed as a new champion of comics - or at least, certainly not to my tastes. Which is weird because it's a simple tale and shallow enough in its ambitions that I should be right there alongside. Maybe it was the oddly squeaky morality (despite some slightly adultish subject matter)?
It was a chore wading through the setup sequences. I can see Soule wanting to emulate the genre, and show the characters at their height - desperately wanting to give us his rendition of Mexican wrestling heroes. And he's working just as hard to show is in all the clichéd details exactly how far our hero has slid from his prime. And then how easily manipulated he is by a woman in need. Mmm-Kay. Oh wait, and he's an honourable fallen hero. Narcoleptic Christ help me.
Bo-ring! I could throw on any B-movie from Netflix anytime if I wanted a dose of by-the-numbers storytelling. Hell, I would fire up any second-rate channel and look for some Canadian syndicated sci-fi. Stargate? Lex? I'd even settle for one of the million Law & Order episodes.
In reading works by a celebrated newcomer, I'm looking for something original, at least the start of something worth pulling off the shelf.
Even when the story takes a dramatic turn, it feels like a story on rails - little deviation from the formula, still with the stiff pompous dialogue - everyone doing the formal monologues like a bad high school play (my brother was a theatre major so I've seen my fair share next to his work).
Even in tragedy I feel like I'm going along for a ride in a run-down carnival - like one of those mechanical haunted houses where the skeleton pops out of a rusty door and cackles from a scratchy analog recording - all done a thousand times, feels like every other "thrill" being foisted upon sad desperate kids across the planet.
In fact, this story would get a lot better if some gang of carnies got teamed up with the hero - trash-talking, hard-living biker dudes who don't play by the formula. Have them roll into town, meet up with their old nemesis Tigre and through unexpected circumstances they grudgingly agree to throw on luchador masks and take a set of bicycle chains to the villains.
Ends about as well as I'd expect from this - not great, but decently. I would've preferred a tragic ending or something really morose, but alas that is not the tale Soule wanted to tell. Update: Better.
Art? Sure, the art is good - prolly better than the writing deserved. A bit old-school, but does a good job supporting and fleshing out the story, the action, and even the timeline changes.
BTW, my luchador name is Tornado Violente. Be careful who you piss off.
It was a chore wading through the setup sequences. I can see Soule wanting to emulate the genre, and show the characters at their height - desperately wanting to give us his rendition of Mexican wrestling heroes. And he's working just as hard to show is in all the clichéd details exactly how far our hero has slid from his prime. And then how easily manipulated he is by a woman in need. Mmm-Kay. Oh wait, and he's an honourable fallen hero. Narcoleptic Christ help me.
Bo-ring! I could throw on any B-movie from Netflix anytime if I wanted a dose of by-the-numbers storytelling. Hell, I would fire up any second-rate channel and look for some Canadian syndicated sci-fi. Stargate? Lex? I'd even settle for one of the million Law & Order episodes.
In reading works by a celebrated newcomer, I'm looking for something original, at least the start of something worth pulling off the shelf.
Even when the story takes a dramatic turn, it feels like a story on rails - little deviation from the formula, still with the stiff pompous dialogue - everyone doing the formal monologues like a bad high school play (my brother was a theatre major so I've seen my fair share next to his work).
Even in tragedy I feel like I'm going along for a ride in a run-down carnival - like one of those mechanical haunted houses where the skeleton pops out of a rusty door and cackles from a scratchy analog recording - all done a thousand times, feels like every other "thrill" being foisted upon sad desperate kids across the planet.
In fact, this story would get a lot better if some gang of carnies got teamed up with the hero - trash-talking, hard-living biker dudes who don't play by the formula. Have them roll into town, meet up with their old nemesis Tigre and through unexpected circumstances they grudgingly agree to throw on luchador masks and take a set of bicycle chains to the villains.
Ends about as well as I'd expect from this - not great, but decently. I would've preferred a tragic ending or something really morose, but alas that is not the tale Soule wanted to tell. Update: Better.
Art? Sure, the art is good - prolly better than the writing deserved. A bit old-school, but does a good job supporting and fleshing out the story, the action, and even the timeline changes.
BTW, my luchador name is Tornado Violente. Be careful who you piss off.
February 3, 2018
Do you like a main character you can identify with? Someone with flaws? a guy who can really dish it out, but also has a moral code? Then "Strongman" is the book for you!
Charles Soule takes a really straightforward story and incorporates elements of noir, superhero comics, mexican luchador wrestling and 60s pulp, resulting in a very fine comic.
There was a lot to like here, from Tigre's retransformation into the unstoppable fighter he once was, to the depiction of luchadores as actual superheroes (Tigre and his companions form some kind of crimefighting-team, even using gadgets like smoke arrows, and communicating via headsets), to the small background details that fill every page.
The art by Allan Gladfelter is excellent as well. action scenes, facial expressions, landscapes, everything looks convincing and very detailed. there was one scene in particular i loved, where Tigre regains his strength after receiving some homemade medicine, and the "aura" around him makes it look like he consumed a magic potion. nice!
My recommendation is: give it a try! you get a likeable hero, fine, honest storytelling, cool fight scenes, and convincing artwork. plus, you will definitely get curious about the wondrous world of mexican wrestling!
Charles Soule takes a really straightforward story and incorporates elements of noir, superhero comics, mexican luchador wrestling and 60s pulp, resulting in a very fine comic.
There was a lot to like here, from Tigre's retransformation into the unstoppable fighter he once was, to the depiction of luchadores as actual superheroes (Tigre and his companions form some kind of crimefighting-team, even using gadgets like smoke arrows, and communicating via headsets), to the small background details that fill every page.
The art by Allan Gladfelter is excellent as well. action scenes, facial expressions, landscapes, everything looks convincing and very detailed. there was one scene in particular i loved, where Tigre regains his strength after receiving some homemade medicine, and the "aura" around him makes it look like he consumed a magic potion. nice!
My recommendation is: give it a try! you get a likeable hero, fine, honest storytelling, cool fight scenes, and convincing artwork. plus, you will definitely get curious about the wondrous world of mexican wrestling!
July 24, 2017
Kind of nuts, but a really well-told story.
July 14, 2018
The whole noire detective as a Lucha Libre was a fun idea. The book was readable but I wouldn’t look for a sequel.
December 28, 2014
Local Comic Book Store is having a $1 trade paperback sale, I flip through every title on the table. Can't miss out on anything that even remotely interests me. I notice a book by Charles Soule, a new favourite author of mine.
Once again, I wasn't disappointed.
In this book, Soule does what I'm starting to enjoy most from him. He takes a base-line story that at first seems so plain--so goddamn derivative--and makes it feel fresh. In Strongman, our uncompromising hero Tigre is a former vigilante/luchador with a troubled past. 30 years after the tragedy that ended his career, a beautiful, mysterious woman walks into his life and he finds himself waist deep in the shit again. As Soule unravels Tigre's story, we take some entertaining turns, both expected and unexpected.
The art here by Allen Gladfelter is fantastic, as well. I generally stay away from books that aren't inked in colour. I often find it hard to discern what's taking place in the frame. Here, though, Gladfelter does a great job framing each scene and filling in the subtle details. The use of Ben-Day dots for shading gives the book a real retro feel that adds to its appeal, I think.
Once again, I get to enjoy a graphic novel that walks that fine line between fun and dark. It's another win for Soule, and another artist I need to discover more about. I'd definitely buy that for a dollar.
Once again, I wasn't disappointed.
In this book, Soule does what I'm starting to enjoy most from him. He takes a base-line story that at first seems so plain--so goddamn derivative--and makes it feel fresh. In Strongman, our uncompromising hero Tigre is a former vigilante/luchador with a troubled past. 30 years after the tragedy that ended his career, a beautiful, mysterious woman walks into his life and he finds himself waist deep in the shit again. As Soule unravels Tigre's story, we take some entertaining turns, both expected and unexpected.
The art here by Allen Gladfelter is fantastic, as well. I generally stay away from books that aren't inked in colour. I often find it hard to discern what's taking place in the frame. Here, though, Gladfelter does a great job framing each scene and filling in the subtle details. The use of Ben-Day dots for shading gives the book a real retro feel that adds to its appeal, I think.
Once again, I get to enjoy a graphic novel that walks that fine line between fun and dark. It's another win for Soule, and another artist I need to discover more about. I'd definitely buy that for a dollar.
January 17, 2014
I deeply enjoyed this graphic novel which pays homage to SANTO movies, using a fictional character named "Tigre."
It takes places years after Tigre's glory-days as a masked-wrestler and movie star, who was also a real-life crime fighter.
Excellent artwork, with deep affection for the genre.
Definitely recommended for fans of Luchador cinema.
It takes places years after Tigre's glory-days as a masked-wrestler and movie star, who was also a real-life crime fighter.
Excellent artwork, with deep affection for the genre.
Definitely recommended for fans of Luchador cinema.
February 9, 2014
Surprising comic about retired superheroes/professional wrestlers.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews