Former WWE superstar AJ Mendez and actress Aimee Garcia (Lucifer) are teaming up to write the latest installment of the GLOW comic book series. Though the show recently aired its third season, and the question of a season four renewal remains unresolved, fans will still be able to see their favorite women’s wrestlers - albeit in a slightly different form.
The first issue of the GLOW comic series was released in March by IDW Publishing. Running for four issues, the story focused on the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling as they head to an event called Reseda Wrestlefest. Sam (played by Marc Maron in the Netflix series) has arranged for his cast to take on professional women’s wrestlers that don’t think highly of the likes of Liberty Belle and Zoya the Destroyer. The comic miniseries was written by Tini Howard, who had previously worked on Boom’s WWE comics, and drawn by Hannah Templer.
Now, THR reports that a new series is due to be launched in November. Mendez, known in WWE as AJ Lee, and Garcia will join forces to write GLOW vs The Babyface. This time, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling find themselves against an unlikely nemesis: a news anchor committed to selling the idea that wrestling is a corrupting force. These efforts to sell wrestling as a positive force and to position themselves as good guys, or ‘babyfaces’ in wrestling terms, is complicated by the fact that the women of GLOW find themselves responsible for a preteen that’s run away from her home. Templer is set to return as the artist and three covers for the first issue have been unveiled, all in different drawing styles.
Reacting to the news, both Mendez and Garcia spoke of the importance of diversity and representation in comics. Growing up, Garcia said, she never saw herself reflected in what she read and that she was excited to be able to change that. Mendez said that their combined experience, in the ring and in front of the camera, lent them a unique ability to channel the voices of GLOW’s distinctive characters. The two have collaborated on other projects in the past.
Garcia is currently working on the final season of Lucifer. As for Mendez, though she retired abruptly in early 2015, in part due to her severe injuries, the three-time champion remains extremely popular with WWE fans and her name is often brought up among performers who should at least make a one-off return. Mendez has kept busy in the years since. In addition to being a vocal mental health advocate, she wrote Crazy Is My Superpower. The memoir made it on The New York Times Best Seller list and was even sold to be developed as a TV series. It was even suggested that Garcia play Mendez in the series, given their similar mannerisms and friendship. For now at least, they’ll be focusing on GLOW vs The Babyface.
More: GLOW Season 3 Review: Soul Searching In Sin City Delivers The Best Season Yet
Source: THR