Heroes of the Squared Circle Meta: Billionaire Brucie
While I'm polishing up the next couple of chapters of Heroes of the Squared Circle, I thought I might start posting a little meta now and then about the series: inspiration for some of the character designs, visual references for some of the moves and matches, etc. Pro wrestling is a crazy, crazy world with a lot of bizarre inside lingo, and I have to admit the idea of sharing some of it is really fun, so...
BILLIONAIRE BRUCIE.
One of the basic types of heel is the "vanity heel," and they tend to break down into either the "wealthy heel" or the "intellectual heel." Brucie obviously is mostly the former, but he has some aspects of the latter as well.
The most obvious inspiration for Brucie is an older wrestler named Ric Flair and his amazing, AMAZING entrance robes. Look at this man. Genuflect before his awe-inspiring wardrobe:
Another inspiration was the Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase, whose motto was "Everybody's Got a Price." He pulled some of Brucie's stunts like openly bribing referees or opponents--he also stuffed hundred dollar bills in the mouths of his defeated opponents. You can see him in action in a couple of videos:
This one features his fantastic theme music and his maniacal laugh.
This one has a good example, at :35, of the heel chestnut of attacking someone while shaking hands with them.
And both videos show perhaps his best heel moment: kicking away the basketball of an adorable tyke trying to win a dribbling contest. Oh, you bad man!
However, most of Brucie's actual mannerisms come from a much more recent wrestler, Damien Sandow, "The Intellectual Savior of the Masses," who I...I love.
I love his vocabulary, I love his hot pink trunks and neon lilac leg guards, I love that one of his moves is the Cubito Aequet (Latin for "Elbow of Disdain") which is listed in Wikipedia as "Elbow drop, with theatrics":
I love everything about him but his beard, basically.
So there you have it: Billionaire Brucie, the vanity heel, sequins and feathers and all. :) I leave for the States on Wednesday, but am planning to post the next chapter of Heroes either just before I go or just after I land!
BILLIONAIRE BRUCIE.
One of the basic types of heel is the "vanity heel," and they tend to break down into either the "wealthy heel" or the "intellectual heel." Brucie obviously is mostly the former, but he has some aspects of the latter as well.
The most obvious inspiration for Brucie is an older wrestler named Ric Flair and his amazing, AMAZING entrance robes. Look at this man. Genuflect before his awe-inspiring wardrobe:
Another inspiration was the Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase, whose motto was "Everybody's Got a Price." He pulled some of Brucie's stunts like openly bribing referees or opponents--he also stuffed hundred dollar bills in the mouths of his defeated opponents. You can see him in action in a couple of videos:
This one features his fantastic theme music and his maniacal laugh.
Click to viewThis one has a good example, at :35, of the heel chestnut of attacking someone while shaking hands with them.
And both videos show perhaps his best heel moment: kicking away the basketball of an adorable tyke trying to win a dribbling contest. Oh, you bad man!
However, most of Brucie's actual mannerisms come from a much more recent wrestler, Damien Sandow, "The Intellectual Savior of the Masses," who I...I love.
I love his vocabulary, I love his hot pink trunks and neon lilac leg guards, I love that one of his moves is the Cubito Aequet (Latin for "Elbow of Disdain") which is listed in Wikipedia as "Elbow drop, with theatrics":
I love everything about him but his beard, basically.
So there you have it: Billionaire Brucie, the vanity heel, sequins and feathers and all. :) I leave for the States on Wednesday, but am planning to post the next chapter of Heroes either just before I go or just after I land!