Writer & Artist: Kyle Starks
Colorist: Vlad Popov
Designer: Dylan Todd
Cover Artists: Kyle Starks & Jesse Lonergan
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: December 17, 2025
Sterling Steele loves professional wrestling. But after seven years on the circuit and a costly divorce, Sterling accepts an offer from a rival promoter. Buddy Hansen isn’t happy to see Sterling leave. But he refuses to increase his income and insists Sterling isn’t worth it. Buddy also makes clear that, despite Sterling’s abilities, he’ll never win the world championship. Still, Sterling wants to close out his era with Buddy on a high note. How will his final outing as that “Millionaire Jerk”, Sterling Steele, go? And what does the future have in store for Sterling? Let’s leap into Wrestle Heist #1 and see!
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read The Wrestle Heist #1 Review.
Story
The crowd boos when Sterling enters the ring. They cheer when “The Alpha Male” Guy Grudges makes his appearance. Sterling confers with the referee before the fight gets underway, and coaches Guy through the fight after the bell rings. But even though Guy doesn’t wear a long-sleeve shirt, the champ has a few surprises for his competitor.
While Sterling becomes the focus of Wrestle Heist #1, Buddy Hansen makes his presence felt. Another of Sterling’s competitors, Grave Digger, takes over part of the narrative. Kyle Starks reveals the interpersonal dynamics of professional wrestlers. For some, it’s all about the show. Others, like Sterling, tried to make a go of a less showy form of wrestling that emphasized strength and skills. Some use the ring as a means of unleashing their anger. A few wrestlers believe the hype about them, letting the role they portray in the ring overtake their private lives.
Agents help wrestlers and harm them. Promoters punish their clients by molding personalities the crowd hates. As in many areas of life, talent matters less than how much money a wrestler can generate. Nor does the story shy away from what happens when a performer’s career reaches its end. Still, Wrestle Heist #1 peels back the curtains to portray a beloved sport that performers and the audience adore.
Art
Buddy Hansen reigns supreme in his control room, as he watches monitors and directs his technicians. Despite his ready smile, anger overtakes his features at the slightest noncompliance. Fetu Savea, Buddy’s head of security and personal bodyguard, hovers behind him as Sterling makes his final pre-fight check-in. Like Sterling, Guy Grudges has pencil legs and a muscle-bound upper body. But while Sterling wears a jacket with dollar signs, Guy wears the champion’s belt. Kyle Starks’s cartoon-style art emphasizes the spectacle, showmanship, and the characters’ reactions when things don’t go their way.
Orange and yellow flames arise as Guy Grudges takes the stage. Dollars float from the ceiling as Sterling enters. But while Sterling yearns for more money to maintain his lifestyle, the greenbacks all bear his likeness. A panel on the first page, featuring Sterling in his green finery surrounded by purple-outlined silhouettes, symbolizes Sterling’s dilemma. After painting Sterling’s confrontation with Guy in bright colors, Vlad Popov colors Sterling’s story in more subdued tones.
As Wrestle Heist #1 provides insights into professional wrestling, uppercase black letters fill white dialogue balloons. The same tall, thin font fills colored narrative boxes. Sound effects help readers hear the cheering, boos, bells, and dramatic takedowns. As the cover evokes a magazine-style format, an article charting Sterling’s wrestling career follows his comic adventures. Thanks to Image Comics for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
Everyone has a story to tell. Professional wrestlers have many. Wrestle Heist #1 is packed with wild personalities, brutal betrayals, hilarious antics, and the cost that fandom, evening performances, and constant travel take on relationships.