The story is never over inside the squared circle as Dan, Reynolds, and Davis are all learning. Ringside, issue 12, continues the comeback for Dan and Reynolds as they both begin to take new steps in their lives. Yet, for Davis is about to face one of his biggest struggles surviving financially outside of the ring. With all 3 of these wrestlers at different stages in their life, Ringside captures the idea that the hardest bumps take place outside of the ring.
The Good:
Davis who has been demoted as a trainer has been requested for an interview by Ms. Barnes, a journalist. All throughout the interview Davis begins to explain the dark secrets of professional wrestling starting with how very few guys make it to the top. Out of the ones who get there some invest their money well, while others fail. This affects them when they have to retire from professional wrestling as some of them find it easier to slide into the work force due to their savings. For those who don’t save, they face many challenges as they survive in the world beyond the squared circle. As Davis is struggling financially, he can’t afford to pay his lunch bill, which is taken care of by Ms. Barnes. This captures the reality that many wrestlers face after they fall from being a top star in a company. Due to this lack of financial planning many wrestlers are forced to continue to wrestle and do convention appearances as a means to survive. While Davis’s is struggling, as many wrestlers do, Dan is finally getting back on his feet as his and Teddy’s debt is paid off and they are able to pursue other opportunities. This opens the door for Dan to return to professional wrestling with Hank’s promotion and have a chance at another opportunity of glory. Finally, Reynolds is in the perfect place. His career is about to take off as he is about to become the second Minotaur. By taking on this character he will be immediately elevated to stardom and become a key element of the wrestling company that employs him. Ultimately, this will result in him becoming a superstar much like Dan did as the first Minotaur. With this opportunity, it shows that you have to be a talented wrestler and be in the right place at the right time, as Reynolds was. The comic shows how the inner workings of the wrestling industry work and how luck is an instrumental component to reaching the top level of stardom in wrestling.
The Bad:
The comic briefly deals with the three men as each of them is addressing a different aspect that is caused by professional wrestling. However, the comic only introduces their situations. Davis is struggling economically, while Dan has to find a new job, and Reynolds is on his path to becoming a superstar. While this confirms that these three men will each be going on separate journeys due to the wrestling industry, it does not add any new information that could not have been determined from the previous issue.
The Verdict:
Ringside, issue 12, is moving the trains along as it provide details about Davis, Dan, and Reynold’s next steps in their lives. Davis will be managing his financials, as he did not properly save throughout his career. Dan, on the other hand, despite being broke has paid his debt back and is a free man, but is faced with the new problem of being employed. Reynolds is getting the biggest push of his career, which will accelerate him to stardom and he will have to learn to handle it. While all of these details about Davis, Dan, and Reynolds are important, it doesn’t provide any new information to the story, it only clarifies what has and is going to occur. As a result, Ringside, issue 12, sets up the rest of the 3rd arc in Ringside and we continue to explore wrestlers lives outside of the squared ring.
