It's a known fact that when put together, comic books and wrestling aren't a tasty cocktail. While I'm sure it can be done in a worthwhile manner, things like the last round of WWE comics and the character-centric comics of the '90s haven't exactly inspired confidence in the partnership.

Superheroes

Tumultuous+History

Passion+and+Breaking+In

Independent+Scene

However, comic books and professional wrestling as industries and forms of entertainment actually share a lot more in common than one might expect.What are professional wrestlers if not superheroes in real life? In fact, the flamboyant showmanship of modern professional wrestling has its roots in in the 19th century – long before Superman ever graced the pages of Action Comics #1 in 1938. The look of Superman is based around the circus strongmen of old, main attractions that crowds watched perform impossible physical feats. Sound familiar?The idea of suspension of disbelief in general is certainly a primary factor in any form of entertainment, but projecting our desires to achieve physical perfection and perform the unthinkable are equally present in both wrestling and superhero comics.Both comics and professional wrestling suffered immense growing pains throughout their evolution. Wrestling began as a circus sideshow attraction, eventually growing to the point of being one of the premier forms of entertainment in the United States, securing its place in history as one of the earliest staples of television broadcasting. Of course, the violent nature of the sport – not just in the early days but even up to the present – brought about accusations of desensitization to violence among the youth. Similarly, comic books (specifically, the horror comics of the 1950s) were famously accused by Fredric Wertham in his book, Seduction of the Innocent, of corrupting America's youth.The progression (or, perhaps, regression) of society has since seen these accusations relegated to nothing more than a footnote in their respective industries. The most popular wrestling programming is currently strictly TV-PG despite its violence and mild sexual content, and the Comics Code Authority that was established in the wake of Wertham's claims has since been discontinued by the industry in favor of a ratings system.While this is true for many forms of art aside from just comics and wrestling, undeniable passion is essential for anyone that wants to break in. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule on both sides. But more often than not, if you don't have the heart, you're not going to make it. Both industries require an incredible sacrifice to get started, both physically and mentally.Wrestling is obviously physical with the sheer amount of training involved, but the mental focus required to get up to snuff is equally enormous. Similarly, comics are time consuming, regardless of what role (writer, artist, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.) you are pursuing. If you're a comics fan that frequents the world of Twitter , you'll find many creators up very late into the night working on their projects, only to get up for their day job early the next morning. Not exactly the healthiest routine. Such is the way of fueling the fire of one's passion.The indie scenes of both the wrestling and comic book industries is perhaps the strongest parallel we can draw between the two art forms. Up-and-comers in both arenas – again, minus a very select few – cut their teeth and work out their kinks on the independent circuit. The indies are the proving ground that will weed out those that simply can't cut it. Both independent wrestlers and comic creators working exclusively on the independent scene rarely make a living doing so, often holding down regular jobs or at the very least, some alternative means of paying the bills and supporting their family.The indies are the place to show your passion for the craft, financial gain be damned. There is the middle ground, of course. There's putting out work through a publisher like Image Comics or wrestling for a larger promotion like ROH; it's still independent but prominent enough in their respective industries to get more mainstream attention than a small-press publisher or local promotion would. Still, more exposure doesn't necessarily mean more money, but being involved with these companies is one step closer to the big time.And as important as the independent scene is for the new blood, it's equally important for the veterans. We see it often in both industries; top talent has their go in the big time, sometimes for many years and sometimes for only a few, but they ultimately go back to where they began. Granted, the reason this happens in each industry is usually very different.In wrestling, by nature of the business, it's often that the talent has simply aged and their body can't perform at the level it used to. Going down to the indie circuit as a veteran brings attention to the smaller promotions, as they are able to bill a big name talent to help get their up-and-comers over. For comics, creators can become disenchanted with the bigger comic book companies or feel unsatisfied doing work-for-hire, turning to the independent scene to focus on creator-owned content. Of course, neither path is set in stone for either industry, but both are a common tale.