5 Current WWE Superstars whose gimmicks were inspired by popular comic book characters

The one thing common between WWE and comic books is that they both have created their own Universe. While one has fictional characters with superpowers, others have normal humans carrying unique gimmicks alongside impressive in-ring maneuvers. But both Universes have stories about good guys defeating the bad guys and occasionally team up with their counterparts.

In its long-standing history, WWE has seen several of its Superstars adopt gimmicks that were inspired by popular superheroes and supervillains. Some of them did it because of their love for the fictional world of superheroes. The others did it because the WWE creatives believed that their stars could carry the essence of iconic characters into the squared circle.

In this list, we will take a look at five current WWE Superstars whose gimmicks were inspired by famous comic book characters.

#5 Rey Mysterio – The Flash/Spider-Man

WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio has an incredible in-ring career to back the claim that he is one of the most entertaining wrestlers to have ever graced the squared circle. It wouldn’t have been easy for him to defy the conventional idea of the top guy in a wrestling promotion. But Mysterio was determined to carve a niche for himself, and his creative wrestling maneuvers helped him in defeating the biggest names in the business.

But did you know, Mysterio himself admitted that he is a massive fan of comic books? He has had several of his gimmicks inspired by popular Superheroes across different comic book universes. However, the most prominently influential superhero seems to be The Flash. You might know him from the DC comicverse, Justice League comics, DCEU, or that Netflix series in which he says that he is the ‘fastest man alive’ at the beginning of every episode.

Rey Mysterio took the whole thing to the next level when he introduced pace in his in-ring skills. Widely regarded as one of the fastest WWE Superstars in between the ropes, Mysterio’s entire gimmick looks all the more amazing with his speed. And of course, we also see a massive influence of Marvel’s Spiderman on Mysterio’s theatrics inside the squared circle. That jump, those superhero landings, using ropes to travel, and a whole new level of deceptive agility brings him a lot close to Spider-Man.

#4 Peyton Royce – Poison Ivy

This is how you take environmentalism to a whole new level

The former Women’s Tag Team Champion and one half of the IIconics, Peyton Royce is another WWE Superstar whose in-ring gimmick was inspired by a comic book character. If you are one of those who was always fascinated by Batman and his world, then you may not be a stranger to Poison Ivy. But let me talk about that character for others who somehow missed on one of DC Comics’ most iconic Supervillain.

Ivy was introduced in the comics as Batman’s love interest. She was initially dubbed as a villain and found her allies in the likes of Harley Quinn and Catwoman. However, in the later editions of the Batman comics, Ivy has been depicted as an anti-heroine.

A resident of Gotham, she is a misanthropic botanist and biochemist by profession who can make the plants bend to her will. In addition, she literally had poison in her blood and is immune to all other sorts of poison. And yes, they didn’t put a lot of effort into the name, but it suits her.

Royce’s gimmick seems to be inspired by this DC character, but she didn’t have enough time to incorporate the entire charisma of Poison Ivy into her character as he was soon paired with Billie Kay.

In a way, it was good for her because Poison Ivy is also portrayed in a seductive fashion in the Batman stories – something that we don’t need to see in the female wrestlers. But the gimmick is still done very well and hopefully, we will see Royce find a more deserving place for herself when she returns to in-ring action.

#3 Kofi Kingston -- Iron Man/ The Riddler

Last year, at WrestleMania 35, we saw one of the best WWE storylines meet with a deserving conclusion on The Grandest Stage of Them All. After eleven years with the company, Kofi Kingston finally got a championship opportunity at the Showcase of Immortals. He defeated Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship and lived his well-earned WrestleMania moment. In the process, the New Day member also created history by becoming the first African-American titleholder in WWE.

But do you remember that Gauntlet Match, which was the beginning of this unexpected push? It was his resilient performance in the elimination chamber and constant drive to prove himself as the worthy challenger of the WWE Championship that earned him the support of the entire WWE Universe. But this has been a part of Kingston’s character for a very long time. Inspired by Iron Man, he has portrayed a character that never backs down from a fight.

Kingston is often dubbed as a hard-working Superstar who gives his all and takes risks unfathomable just to make sure that matches have the right spots. Time and again, he is also seen in costumes inspired by Iron Man. At other times, we have also seen Kofi Kingston wearing costumes that are inspired by a DC Supervillain, Riddler.

#2 Alexa Bliss – Harley Quinn

Not the woman that you want to mess with

This name is probably the easiest one to guess in this entire list. WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss’ gimmick was infamously inspired by one of the most popular Supervillains of all time – Harley Quinn. This DC comicverse legend redefined the representation of women as the villain as her popularity forced her creators to involve her deeply in the Batman plots.

Now, if you are someone who romanticizes the current portrayal of Harley Quinn in DCEU, then you need to read the comics featuring her and Joker. It will give you a better idea about just how evil she can be and what led her to sink into the madness. But that’s a topic for another discussion. Alexa Bliss is probably the only WWE Superstar who could carry the accurate portrayal of Harley Quinn in wrestling, And WWE was quick in recognizing that opportunity.

We all know that Bliss is excellent as a heel, and every single time when she is on the villainous side of the story, you can see a glimpse of the infamous DC Supervillain. From her costumes to hair to makeup, WWE has never shied away from making her look exactly like this member Suicide Squad.

#1 Finn Balor (Demon King) – Venom

Although Finn Balor has been calling himself ‘The Prince’ these days, this Irish Superstar’s alter-ego is inspired by a popular character in Marvel comics. Balor’s ‘Demon King’ gimmick is extremely powerful and is over with the crowd who love to see the former Universal Champion bringing out this side of his persona in his biggest battles.

Just like Venom, the Demon King’s gimmick shows a wide mouth with scary teeth and a long tongue, but this is quite evident. But there’s also a huge similarity between the portrayal of both these characters. Historically, Venom is a Supervillain who occurs in the Spiderman comic books, but his popularity amidst the readers saw him eventually transform into an anti-hero. And now, he appears when he (Eddie Brock) is put in a difficult fight. That means Venom is the one who takes command over the action when he knows that other people won't.

Do you remember that scene when Eddie wanted to use the elevator, and Venom did not hesitate to share his opinion? Well, I can't write the next part of the joke here, but you must watch that scene on YouTube immediately to understand why 'Demon King' is so similar to Venom.

Similarly, we only see the Demon King making an appearance when Balor fails to beat tougher opponents all by himself. It is a well-written gimmick, and WWE are doing well in maintaining the hype around it by limiting its appearance. Other than Venom, Balor’s Demon King also draws inspiration from the Seven Deadly Sins antagonist of the same name.

NFL Draft rumors: 49ers put Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk on trade block for steep asking price