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Greetings, DTP! I have wanted to dive into your thread here for sooooo long, but the images don't want to load on desktop (for me anyway). 9/10 if I'm on the forum, it's from my computer at work or home computer. I noticed they load perfectly on mobile however, and it was just a matter of taking the time to scroll and do my best to catch up! I decided to use WrestleMania 13 as my starting point, and have been stepping in and out the past few days whenever I had time. The "WWF on AOL" and "Superstar Line" entries have been an incredible resource for someone like me joining a project that has 6 months of TV and PPVs posted. I read WrestleMania and the RAW after, then Hart & Soul and both RAWs that followed, and finally the most recent Shotgun Saturday night. I list them all like that just to say, this is more of a general catch up review instead of specific show beats. I'm not going to try and react to EVERYTHING I've read so far, but will just riff and see where my mind takes this thing lol.
First and foremost, I got to give you your flowers. The detail of your BTB is astonishing. It really pulls the reader in. Everything flows so naturally. Not just the segments of your shows, but each aspect of your WWF. RAW and AOL and Superstar Line and Shotgun and even WWF Live giving dark match and house show results... they create a cohesive, lived in universe that's totally hooked me. WrestleMania 13 was inspired work. To read a show and feel the magnitude of it, that this IS WRESTLEMANIA... you should be proud. If I'm fortunate enough to get to WrestleMania myself, your show is where I'm setting the bar of expectation. I'm sure I missed out by not reading the lead up to Mania and having a full understanding or investment in the stories at play, but even still, as a starting point, I really couldn't have asked for more.
Your main event scene is very exciting. The way things have transitioned from Shawn and Bret to Austin and Undertaker spotlights the "lived in" feeling of this BTB. We didn't get here through pro wrestling protocol of new champion + new #1 contender = new feud. The actions of your superstars based on the characters you've taken over in 1996 and crafted into your image of 1997 created a flowing domino effect that got us here. I truly GASPED when Bret was revealed as too injured to carry on as champion. Some may not like that decision to "write in" injuries or create your own random misfortune that change course in the story. But that stuff is VERY prevalent in pro wrestling. It's smart to use it imo, as it further assists in creating that lived in aura. Enter VADER. It felt a little random wedging him in there with Steve and Taker, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We need 'unpredictable' in wrestling. It's certainly fitting of Vader's desires and the method he would go about pursing them. I already had no clue who the next WWF Champion would be, but now the Cold Day in Hell match is a triple threat, which truly feels like it could go either way. The match itself feels like a pivotal moment for your WWF going forward, which is why I'm focusing so much on it in this review I suppose. Speaking of Vader, he and L.O.D. are the superstars who's re-imagined 1997 I might be most interested in atm. Largely due to always wishing they had greater success or longevity in WWF. I feel like you've done a good job so far pivoting from what they were involved in irl to where you want to take them. Whatever their age or issues might have been at this time, it's impossible for me not to view Animal and Hawk as larger than life bad ass SUPERSTARS. It would be cool to see them presented as such during this period of time and especially where the WWF is headed.
I could keep going with thoughts on Rocky Maivia, Mike Awesome, the ECW involvement, etc. But I really don't want to ramble TOO long lol. So I'll finish up by saying I'm a fan of your work so far and I'll be tuning in for each show going forward. What you got going here has raised the standard for BTBs as far as I'm concerned.
First and foremost, I got to give you your flowers. The detail of your BTB is astonishing. It really pulls the reader in. Everything flows so naturally. Not just the segments of your shows, but each aspect of your WWF. RAW and AOL and Superstar Line and Shotgun and even WWF Live giving dark match and house show results... they create a cohesive, lived in universe that's totally hooked me. WrestleMania 13 was inspired work. To read a show and feel the magnitude of it, that this IS WRESTLEMANIA... you should be proud. If I'm fortunate enough to get to WrestleMania myself, your show is where I'm setting the bar of expectation. I'm sure I missed out by not reading the lead up to Mania and having a full understanding or investment in the stories at play, but even still, as a starting point, I really couldn't have asked for more.
Your main event scene is very exciting. The way things have transitioned from Shawn and Bret to Austin and Undertaker spotlights the "lived in" feeling of this BTB. We didn't get here through pro wrestling protocol of new champion + new #1 contender = new feud. The actions of your superstars based on the characters you've taken over in 1996 and crafted into your image of 1997 created a flowing domino effect that got us here. I truly GASPED when Bret was revealed as too injured to carry on as champion. Some may not like that decision to "write in" injuries or create your own random misfortune that change course in the story. But that stuff is VERY prevalent in pro wrestling. It's smart to use it imo, as it further assists in creating that lived in aura. Enter VADER. It felt a little random wedging him in there with Steve and Taker, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We need 'unpredictable' in wrestling. It's certainly fitting of Vader's desires and the method he would go about pursing them. I already had no clue who the next WWF Champion would be, but now the Cold Day in Hell match is a triple threat, which truly feels like it could go either way. The match itself feels like a pivotal moment for your WWF going forward, which is why I'm focusing so much on it in this review I suppose. Speaking of Vader, he and L.O.D. are the superstars who's re-imagined 1997 I might be most interested in atm. Largely due to always wishing they had greater success or longevity in WWF. I feel like you've done a good job so far pivoting from what they were involved in irl to where you want to take them. Whatever their age or issues might have been at this time, it's impossible for me not to view Animal and Hawk as larger than life bad ass SUPERSTARS. It would be cool to see them presented as such during this period of time and especially where the WWF is headed.
I could keep going with thoughts on Rocky Maivia, Mike Awesome, the ECW involvement, etc. But I really don't want to ramble TOO long lol. So I'll finish up by saying I'm a fan of your work so far and I'll be tuning in for each show going forward. What you got going here has raised the standard for BTBs as far as I'm concerned.
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Fantastic show buddy.
Great to see Shamrock pick up the victory over HHH, and love the further teasing of a potential fight with Mike Tyson (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN).
Mike Awesome vs Dustin Runnels was also terrific. Now that the feud is over, a IC Title reign for Awesome would be sensational.
The triple threat was entertaining from start to finish, and Brian Pillman’s return was just electric.
Great to see Shamrock pick up the victory over HHH, and love the further teasing of a potential fight with Mike Tyson (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN).
Mike Awesome vs Dustin Runnels was also terrific. Now that the feud is over, a IC Title reign for Awesome would be sensational.
The triple threat was entertaining from start to finish, and Brian Pillman’s return was just electric.
Great to see King Of The Ring start up, my prediction for the winner is either HHH or Shamrock.
Speaking of HHH, him calling out Vince is intriguing. I wonder if Mr McMahon will be unleashed a lot earlier than in real life.
Pillman vs Austin is sure to be epic.
Speaking of HHH, him calling out Vince is intriguing. I wonder if Mr McMahon will be unleashed a lot earlier than in real life.
Pillman vs Austin is sure to be epic.