LUCHAVERSE #1 / Stories by IVAN PLAZA & MARCO LOPEZ / Scripts by MARCO LOPEZ / Pencils & Inks by BEN HARVEY & DIEGO SIMONE / Colors by BRYAN MAGNAYE & DIEGO SIMONE / Letters by MICAH MYERS / Executive Production by RUBEN ZAMORA & KEVIN KLEINROCK / Published by MASSIVE PUBLISHING & MASKED REPUBLIC COMICS

For centuries, members of the Mysterio family have trained to be the champions of the people and to defend the world against a great evil called The Fallen. The luchador Rey Mysterio is the latest hero to honor this proud legacy. Backed by the covert military group known as The Ambassadors, Rey seeks an artifact fabled to be capable of destroying the Fallen forever – the mask of the first Mysterio!

Yet the Mysterios are not the only family with a history of fighting evil. The Tinieblas clan fill a similar role, acting as the protectors of both the human world and the realm of monsters. As Rey Mysterio seeks his family mask, Tinieblas Jr. and his assistant Ramona have their own mystery to solve in the realms between that lie under Las Vegas – one that ties into the rise of The Fallen.

Lucha Libre is a highly underrated subgenre of superheroes. Popularized in Mexico, the genre mixes the tropes of superheroes and professional wrestling. In Lucha Libre, the wrestlers are portrayed as modern day knights, who do battle with evil when they are not in the ring.

Many great luchadors, like Santo and Tinieblas, starred in multimedia detailing their exploits. Masked Republic Comics and Massive Publishing seek to honor this tradition, presenting tales of today’s greatest luchadores facing similar challenges. This first issue, Lucaverse: Catalyst, is a fine start toward that end.

Ivan Plaza and Marco Lopez’s story ideas suit the tone of the classic lucha libre films. The idea is somewhat modernized, however, with Rey Mysterio gaining superpowers after finding the mask of his ancestors. The Tinieblas Jr. story is more of a supernatural horror tale, comparable in tone to Dark Horse Comics’ Hellboy.

The artwork for both stories is top-notch. Ben Harvey and and Bryan Magnaye present some amazing imagery in the Rey Mysterio story. The high point is a battle with the undead cat creatures guarding the Mysterio family tomb. Diego Simone proves equally impressive, offering some dark, disturbing illustrations for the Tinieblas Jr. tale.

If you’re a fan of Lucha Libre, you’ll want to give this Luchaverse a try. Even if you aren’t, this issue is worth a read as a curiosity that captures the heroic spirit of another nation’s take on superheroes. I dare say it may hold appeal with Manga fans who enjoy My Hero Academia for the same reasons.

Luchaverse: Catalyst #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on July 17, 2024.