5 Current WWE Superstars whose gimmicks were inspired by popular comic book characters

#1 Finn Balor (Demon King) – Venom

Although Finn Balor has been calling himself ‘The Prince’ these days, this Irish Superstar’s alter-ego is inspired by a popular character in Marvel comics. Balor’s ‘Demon King’ gimmick is extremely powerful and is over with the crowd who love to see the former Universal Champion bringing out this side of his persona in his biggest battles.

Just like Venom, the Demon King’s gimmick shows a wide mouth with scary teeth and a long tongue, but this is quite evident. But there’s also a huge similarity between the portrayal of both these characters. Historically, Venom is a Supervillain who occurs in the Spiderman comic books, but his popularity amidst the readers saw him eventually transform into an anti-hero. And now, he appears when he (Eddie Brock) is put in a difficult fight. That means Venom is the one who takes command over the action when he knows that other people won't.

Do you remember that scene when Eddie wanted to use the elevator, and Venom did not hesitate to share his opinion? Well, I can't write the next part of the joke here, but you must watch that scene on YouTube immediately to understand why 'Demon King' is so similar to Venom.

Similarly, we only see the Demon King making an appearance when Balor fails to beat tougher opponents all by himself. It is a well-written gimmick, and WWE are doing well in maintaining the hype around it by limiting its appearance. Other than Venom, Balor’s Demon King also draws inspiration from the Seven Deadly Sins antagonist of the same name.

About the author

Shruti Sadbhav is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. With a triple major in Journalism, English Literature, and Psychology, she has always been drawn to writing. As an avid sports lover, writing about sports was the finest way to combine her passion with her prowess.

Whenever she writes, Shruti puts herself into the shoes of fans to see how she would appreciate an honest account of anything related to something she follows wholeheartedly with engaging and relevant information to cater to the readers' needs.

Shruti has seven years of experience. She previously worked as a content manager at Fox Sports Asia and as an assistant manager and digital marketer at Kickstart FC. Shruti previously worked in multiple roles in Sportskeeda, where she was a WWE features writer, editor, and content manager. She has over 40 million+ reads across all her writer profiles, giving her an immensely diverse audience across WWE and football.

When it comes to pro wrestling, Shruti does not particularly remember the first match she watched. However, she recalls accompanying her brother and getting hooked when she saw The Undertaker – a fascinating wrestler that she, like thousands of others, believed in.
Her views on pro wrestling evolved as she grew older and understood the intricacies of the business. This allows her to appreciate those who dedicate themselves to the craft and, once in a while, it does become what it has always been touted to be – magical. Her favorite wrestler is Finn Balor due to his persistence.

When she is not working as a writer, Shruti loves to read, enjoy a good cup of coffee, and let Manchester City dictate her weekend plans.

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Edited by Akhilesh Tirumala