WWE The New Day: The Power of Positivity #1 Review

Writer: Evan Narcisse, Austin Walker / Artist: Daniel Bayliss / Boom! Studios Despite the popularity of The New Day, I at best, have a passing interest in the wrestling fandom. I’ve seen a couple of televised events and I have many friends who follow the stories with much more intent than I ever have. I enjoyed Netflix’s GLOW when it was released, but I never really had a strong attachment to the spectacle. While I don’t see that changing in the long term, I can say that WWE The New Day: The Power of Positivity got me invested in a very similar manner to how Haikyu!! got me into volleyball a while back. Which, I think, is the biggest compliment I can give a piece of media. The Power of Positivity details the origin story of the New Day wrestling team consisting of Kofi Kingston, Big E, and Xavier Woods. And from the first ‘en media’ of the team strutting out to the ring, you know you’re in for this fantastic time. The bright illustration from Bayliss pops off the page and Hopkins’ lettering carries a very specific and inherent joy. It’s that type of excitement and energy that carries through the entirety of the issue, especially when Narcisse and Walker pivot to the characters’ backstories.

This ebb and flow between present and past is a well-loved trope and Narcisse and Walker leverage it beautifully. Getting to see Kofi, Xavier, and E navigate their respective teenage years is endearing, as each has a different arc that they have to navigate. We’re allowed to form deep, …