February 9, 2004

  • We need a Lucha Libre Publication! - Eddie

    With Lucha Libre as an aesthetic becoming more visible than ever, there seems to be a conspicuous lack of real, straight-from-the-source, English-language Lucha Libre reporting.

    Sure there are Mexican Lucha mags such as Box Y Lucha available – and these are a great source of info whether you can read Spanish or not – but it seems we’re missing a lucha magazine that bridges the gulf between sport and popular culture; between the CMLL/AAA federations in Mexico and Lucha Va Voom. We are missing a magazine that speaks clearly to both diehard fans and newcomers.

     

    For a long time now, there has been a magazine out there that achieves this – the legendary From Parts Unknown. FPU is the perfect mix of Masked Wrestling Pop Culture and Lucha news. It hasn’t set itself up as reporter of results and events, it manages to get the right blend of Santo movies and the sweaty happenings between the ropes down south.

     

    With there being such a long time between FPU issues, there is a real need for a lucha publication to step up and fill that gap… 

     

    Lucha Libre means different things to different people.To some it’s the schlocky, Lucha-as-freakshow-entertainment spectacle that is Lucha Va Voom.To others it’s the authentic Mexican experience, where matches are three falls, with passion and intensity coming from audiences made up of old and young. On top of this, there’s Revolution Pro, AWS, FMLL and other hybrid independent promotions in SoCal, where unknown masked wrestlers give their 200%.

     

    And then there’s Rey Mysterio and WWE

     

        

    Images: Rey Misterio video cover/WWE;
    Masacarita Sagrada & nurse ©Bob Debris/Lucha Va Voom; 
    ring action © Rosalio Vera/CMLL website

     

    As a devotee – as a fan of Lucha Libre, I would love to see a publication that can encompass all these things, and do equal justice to each.

     

    Lucha Libre should never forget its roots – and its roots are still on display, Friday night in Tijuana, or at Arena Coliseo or Arena Mexico.

     

    The world needs a publication that can help achieve this; whether it’s an actual book, the continuation of FPU – whatever. Just something so that when a ‘Time’ magazine or ‘The Face’ references Lucha Libre, there is something else out there that can help give the full story…

     


    Lili: We were at Keith’s birthday last night. Lots of fun -  food, great company, Christa dressed as a furry ’Abe Lincoln’, and masked piñata bashing. This morning Eddie and I started talking about From Parts Unknown magazine (which Keith publishes) and the huge part it has played in our lives/career. Hence this post…

    There used to be a comic bookstore on George St (Sydney) called The Land Beyond Beyond (now closed down), which was where I first happened upon Issue 3 of FPU magazine.

    It was 1998 or 1999 - I can’t keep track of time anymore - and I had bought this issue of FPU as a surprise Valentine’s Day present for Eddie (along with a Bill Wray comic book). That was our very first Valentine’s Day together.

    When he opened up the brown paper package, his eyes lit up. The rest of the week, Eddie was jumping up and down like an excited kid, showing off this rare gem to everyone around him. (Masked Wrestling Pop Culture, huh?) A new world opened up from that moment on.We started digging around for more info about lucha libre, searching for more FPU issues, ordering lucha videos from the USA (online) and designing masked wrestlers for a kids’ cartoon idea… The rest is history.

    So back to FPU – we are ever so grateful for this great publication. Lucha Libre is obviously really hot right now and I agree with Eddie that the world needs the sort of information that FPU excels at dishing out.

    I think it’s important to keep a perspective on the bigger picture - distinguishing between the Mexican sporting tradition and what “lucha” signifies in American popular culture.  

    So, Keith…Thank you for FPU and (nudge nudge) we look forward to the coffee-table From Parts Unknown compendium!

     

Comments (2)

  • I grew up watching El Santo and Blue Demon films dubbed in English on television. I thought they were just good fun. I had absolutely no idea that the whole Lucha culture even existed until I was well into my 30s.Seems silly in retrospect, but 30 years ago, there was a lot less interaction between caucasian and hispanic culture in LA than there is nowadays.

  • MrBaliHai, that is a very good point.  Like you, I had only seen the Santo/Blue Demon movies, and had no idea that there were actually wrestling federations in Mexico!
    Eddie
     

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