COMIC BOOK COMPULSIVE — Slam Force
I’ve already devoted one of these things to an obscure toy comic (Big Jim’s P.A.C.K.) but S.L.A.M. Force is really obscure, as in there’s almost no information about it online. As far as I can tell this mini-comic from 2000 was included in the packaging of an action figure line (at least there’s copy on the box reading “Mini comic book included!”) based on WCW (World Championship Wrestling) wrestlers.
S.L.A.M. was an acronym for Secret Legion Against Monsters, a anti-supernatural evil organization staffed entirely by professional wrestlers, each with their own SF/fantasy accessory. Like, Chris Benoit had Wolverine type hand spikes, Goldberg lightning power gloves, Kevin Nash a rocket war hammer and Sting a flaming magical sword. But poor Bret Hart got totally gypped; he only got a bow and arrow set.
In spite of the fact I’m not entirely ignorant when it comes to professional wrestling I’ve got to confess when first picked this one up I didn’t automatically connect it to the WCW (in spite of it’s big logo appearing on the cover) and had no idea that it had been a toy line. When I casually leafed through it I just somehow automatically assumed it was a Marvel UK comic from the 90′s that I hard never heard of. Not just because it’s totally lame, though it absolutely is, but because it’s that very special level of 90′s lame that only Marvel UK comics could reach.
It’s a pity the missing link did not survive the adventure as he would have made a fine addition to the team/WCW wrestler. His special SF/fantasy accessory; an Adamantium folding chair!
As you can see the action figures from Toy Biz actually came out (I’ve even found some for sale on eBay)…
…but though this subscription offer appeared in the comic as far as I can tell the actual series never got off the ground.
— Steve Bennett
There was an earlier attempt by Marvel at a WCW comic in 1992-93 that actually got published and released but lasted only 12 issues, which was sort of an average length run at the time. Sting was part of the earlier book as well, along with some surprises!
Gavok did a three-part look at the series starting here: http://www.4thletter.net/2007/04/secret-war-games-the-marvel-wcw-comic-part-1/
Toy Biz owned Marvel at the time, and have heard of the success of the then-recent wave of wrestling comics, led by upstart Chaos! Comics and their fully-licensed line of WWF comics, which also included Image’s ‘Nash’ (Starring Kevin Nash, of course!), The 10th Muse (Featuring Rena ‘Sable’ Mero), and Antarctic Press’ ‘The Fifth Force Featuring Hawk and Animal’ (Starring the legendary ROAD WARRIORS!)
Jeremy Aron Patterson.