Metal Gear Solid launched onto the sixth generation of game consoles in 2001 with the release of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Fans stepped back into the boots of Solid Snake for the first act of the game before unexpectedly being placed into the boots of rookie operative Raiden. The character had a controversial debut, but through a heavy evolution in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, the character had a much more positive reception in later releases. Let’s dive into what made Flynn’s performance iconic.

Stepping into Skull Suit: Quinton Flynn as Raiden

The Actor

Outside of his work in the Metal Gear series, Flynn voiced Axel in the Kingdom Hearts series. His other roles in the gaming world include Isaaru in Final Fantasy X and X-2, Silver the Hedgehog in the Sonic the Hedgehog Series, and more. On the anime side of things, he voiced Reno in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Iruka Umino in Naruto, and Kon in Bleach.

The Series

The Metal Gear Solid series is heavily based on stealth action gameplay. Regardless of what protagonist gamers are in control of, they are encouraged to only use a weapon as a last resort.

The series also tends to focus on complex storylines that may take more than one playthrough to completely digest. The Raiden character ends up being in the mix of one of the most complex storylines in Metal Gear Solid 2, which leads to themes of artificial intelligence, memory manipulation, social engineering, and more. These themes are prevalent throughout the entire Metal Gear series as part of the advanced storylines that play out throughout the series.

The gameplay changes in Rising Revengance when stealth is still a mechanic of gameplay, but gamers can also hack and slash their way through the story alongside over-the-top boss fights that push gamers’ swordsmanship to the limit.

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The Character

We first meet Raiden in the second part of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Raiden is sent into the Big Shell, an offshore oil cleanup facility built after a tanker carrying a Metal Gear unit is taken down off the shore of New York City. Solid Snake is aboard the tanker in the first act of the game and is believed to have died in the tanker sinking.

The Big Shell is seized by a group of terrorists during a visit from high-ranking government officials, including the President of the United States. Raiden, who has experience in the US Army and extensive VR training, is sent in alone to extract the President. Although he has some combat experience, he is depicted as a young rookie with no solo field experience. As the story progresses, we learn that Raiden was a child soldier in a civil war that left him emotionally broken, feeling as if he is only useful when on a battlefield. This is played out via codec conversations with mission analyst Rose, who is also Raiden’s partner. As the game progresses, we learn more about how his past made him afraid to love and the struggles he and Rose are going through as a couple.

His character underwent a heavy physical redesign for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Rising Revengance. Raiden debuts a new look that has him in a heavily modified tech-infused body, making him appear more machine than man. The look is kept for Rising Revengance with gamers given the ability to upgrade Raiden’s body as the game progresses.

What Made The Role Iconic?

Extreme Evolution

When gamers are first introduced to Raiden, they meet a naive and young operative who was dropped into a hostile situation. He constantly called his Colonel and Mission Analyst (Campbell and Rose, although Campbell ends up not actually being Campbell…) early in his campaign. As he meets up with Snake and Otacon, he begins to rely on and communicate with them more. He admits to all of these characters at different points that he feels overwhelmed by the pressure of the situation he is put in.

At the conclusion of Sons of Liberty, we find a different version of Raiden that is now battle-tested and ready to join Snake on his campaign to rid the world of Metal Gear units and take down the machine that the Patriots created.

This bleeds into Metal Gear Solid 4 and Rising Revengance when Raiden is portrayed as a cyborg warrior that is hardened by battle and ruthless on the battlefield. Gone is the bright-eyed and overwhelmed rookie that we met off the shores of New York in Sons of Liberty. As Raiden says himself in Guns of the Patriots, “Jack is dead Snake, I am at your side”. That is the first line we hear from Flynn in Gear Solid 4, and it sums up the radical change perfectly.

Flynn is able to give Raiden different levels of maturity that make gamers better understand the different points in life that Raiden is at as they play through his journey. It immerses gamers further into the story and makes them feel like they are deeper into Raiden’s boots.

Navigating Emotional Complexities

Raiden has arguably the most emotional story arcs in the Metal Gear Solid franchise. He is manipulated heavily in Metal Gear Solid 2 by the Patriots during the Big Shell incident. He sent in under the guise of rescuing the President of the United States and disarming a terrorist group that had taken over an offshore oil cleanup facility. In realty, he was being tested to see if he could take over as the next super soilder in the way Solid Snake. The manipulation was taken down to the point that his commanding officer is actually an artificial intelligence commander, and his girlfriend, Rose, being the data analyst on the mission, only for her to confess that she was tasked with becoming his lover by the Patriots to keep an eye on him and that her looks were manufactured to meet his taste to ensure he fell for her.

His character in Metal Gear Solid 4 sees a drastic physical and emotional transformation. The emotionally vulnerable and nervous rookie that we see in parts of Metal Gear Solid 2 is replaced with a cold and ruthless soldier who knows only one thing: battle. He has completely separated from Rosemary after the pregnancy that was uncovered at the end of Metal Gear Solid 2 ended in miscarriage. He has completely shed his real name of Jack and become just Raiden.

Flynn changes his delivery in the early part of Raiden’s campaign to the end after the psychological manipulation has taken its toll on the character. His delivery when talking to Rose, as their relationship is fleshed out to gamers, changes from when he is addressing Snake or the Colonel. When he returns to the series in Metal Gear Solid 4, his delivery is much colder and more blunt. He understood the deep emotional complexities of the character and delivered the role accordingly.

Not Re-Creating Solid Snake

Although the entire Big Shell incident was designed by the Patriots to test Raiden and see if he could become the next Solid Snake, Flynn did not recreate Solid Snake with his delivery of Raiden. He made his own distinctive character that stood side by side with Solid Snake. The characters stood side by side multiple times in the series in battle, but Flynn’s delivery and portrayal of the character is completely different from that of Hayter’s delivery of Snake.

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Hideo Kojima created the world of Metal Gear in 1987 with the first release of the series “Metal Gear” on the MSX2. A sequel came out in 1990, but the series took a big step with the 1998 release, Metal Gear Solid. For the first time in the series, the main protagonist had a voice for gamers to hear as they played through the game. That voice was David Hayter’s, who went on to voice different versions of Snake as the series progressed. Let’s dive into what made this role so iconic.

Stepping into Snake Boots: David Hayter

The Actor

David Hayter is a screenwriter, director, and producer in addition to his voice acting roles. Outside of the Metal Gear series, Hayter has written films such as X-Men, X-2, The Scorpion King, and Watchman. He made his directorial debut with the short film Chasm before directing and writing the 2014 film Wolves.

Outside of the Metal Gear series, Hayter has lent his voice to games such as Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and more. Hayter has also worked in animation with roles in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Street Fighter II V, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, and more.

The Series

The Metal Gear series main story played out in releases from 1987 to 2015, with Hayter being in the bulk of the main line releases. The series follows a complex storyline that features deep themes tied back to philosophy and politics. The games also explore dystopian themes with cyberpunk elements.

The core games put an emphasis on stealth as gamers are encouraged to stay out of the enemies' sight and to complete objectives with as little force as possible. The series storylines often delve deep into espionage, social engineering, artificial intelligence, and more. Snake is typically found in a situation where he needs to take down a weapon of mass destruction (a Metal Gear unit) to prevent a war from breaking out.

The Character(s)

Hayter first stepped in for the 1998 installment as “Solid Snake”. He reprised the role in the 2001 release, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and again in the 2008 release, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

Solid Snake is a genetic clone of the legendary soldier “Big Boss” codenamed “Naked Snake”. He is a hardened battle veteran and a former United States Army Special Forces member with extensive training and battlefield experience.

In Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2, Hayter brings a hardened combat veteran who is sent back into the field to take down a Metal Gear unit to life.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots sees Hayter voice a much older version of Snake. Armed with years of combat knowledge and experience, he must push his aging body to the limit to finish off one final mission.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater serves as a prequel to the entire series. Hayter returns to voice Big Boss/Naked Snake, who would serve as the foundation of what a super soldier would become. His genes were cloned to create Solid and Liquid Snake; the latter became a core antagonist in the series. Gamers adventure with Hayter as Big Boss as he embarks on a mission that earns him the code name “Big Boss” and begins his legacy on the battlefield.

What Made The Role(s) Iconic?

Different Versions of the Same Character

David Hayter voiced Solid Snake and Big Boss through different paces of their respective careers.

Starting in the full-blown prequel to the series, Snake Eater, Big Boss is an experienced soldier, but has not earned the distinction as Big Boss and has not gone down in the history books yet. Hayter plays the role with confidence, but also isn’t afraid to show the vulnerable moments, such as when he is betrayed by his mentor, “The Boss,” or when he takes a nasty fall down into a cave and needs to patch himself up. These tense moments show the hero in a vulnerable position, and Hayter pushes himself to make the gamer feel the pain of Big Boss in those moments.

The character evolves in the Portable Ops game as he works to clear his name after being convicted for starting a revolt. Again, Hayter brings an approach that makes gamers feel like the character is more of a hardened soldier who has left part of himself on the battlefield.

As Solid Snake, we see the character go from a hero in Metal Gear Solid to a wanted fugitive in Metal Gear Solid 2 to a legend that is rapidly aging and has to save the world one more time in Metal Gear Solid 4.

Again, Hayter is able to deliver many different versions of the same character. The way he delivers in Metal Gear Solid 4, the gamers can feel the pain of the character through the screen. The final scenes of the game show Snake in a near-deathly amount of pain, and the aches and screams let out by Hayter are felt by gamers as they play through the dramatic ending. This differs significantly from the Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2, who is a strong presence in battle with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Complex Storylines

No one can accuse Hideo Kojima of writing simple storylines. Much of the complex backstory in the series plays out while gamers are in control of either Solid Snake or Big Boss.

Hayter is able to take the lore and deliver it in such a confident and smooth way that it helps gamers take in what is happening in the moment and watch the story unfold in front of them.

Some great examples are at the end of Metal Gear Solid 2, when he is explaining his plans to Raiden, following Aresnel Gear washing up on the shore of New York City.

At that point in the game, the story becomes very philosophical and delves deeper into the topics of social engineering and artificial intelligence. Hayter delivers the dialogue with so much clarity and confidence that it keeps the gamer engaged, even though the story can be hard to follow.

Interaction With Other Characters

Throughout the series, both Solid Snake and Big Boss interact with a slew of different characters. Some characters become constant communication partners, such as Otacon, Roy Campbell, and Raiden. Hayter developed a great chemistry with many of his co-stars, and the relationships are felt through the screen.

At the end of Metal Gear Solid 2, Otacon is forced to cope with the death of his estranged sister. As Snake is by his side during the moment, we can feel the bond between the two. The relationship comes a long way from their initial meeting in Metal Gear Solid, where Snake saves Otacon from Grey Fox, where Snake is suspicious that Otacon may have bad intentions surrounding the Metal Gear unit being housed at the Shadow Moses base in Alaska.

Roy Campbell was his commanding officer during Metal Gear Solid, and we can feel the frustration Snake feels as the plot develops, which is largely taken out on Campbell. Gamers feel more immersed in the games as we can feel the tension rising between Snake and Campbell. Hayter’s gruffness and blunt delivery add to the realism of the dialogue between the two. This is evident when Naomi Hunter is being arrested, and Campbell claims not to know what is going on. Snake is being fed information by Liquid Snake, who is disguised as Snake’s former mentor, Master Miller. The blunt and gruff approach and back and forth with Campbell pulls gamers in beyond the screen.

Raiden is introduced in Metal Gear Solid 2 and goes through quite a personal journey as the game progresses. He meets Snake early on in his section of Metal Gear Solid 2, and Snake becomes somewhat of a mentor to him.

Hayter delivers key lines with a confident and philosophical approach to a struggling Raiden, such as:

“Find something to believe in, and find it for yourself. When you do, pass it on to the future.”

“Life isn’t just about passing on your genes. We can leave behind much more than just DNA. Through speech, music, literature, and movies... what we’ve seen, heard, felt... anger, joy, and sorrow... these are the things I will pass on. That’s what I live for.”

The quotes themselves go down in gaming history, but Hayter’s delivery made them stick with gamers as they replayed the series time and time again. In this moment, Snake is trying to keep Raiden grounded after Raiden has a big part of his reality crushed. We get the feeling through the screen that Snake is playing a big brother and mentor role to Raiden through the connection between the voice actors and the characters they are playing.

An Iconic Role

David Hayter has worn a few different character hats in the Metal Gear Solid universe. His delivery of different versions of the same character throughout the series, along with his interactions with other characters over a complex storyline, made gamers feel more immersed as they played through the adventures of Solid Snake and Big Boss.

Have you played the Metal Gear series? Which entry is your favorite? Sound off in the comments below.

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Bullet Club’s Legacy: Where the Stable Members Landed

The Originals

Bad Luck Fale

The original enfourcer and longest running member of the group, Bad Luck Fale, always made his presence felt when he was in the ring, or ringside during a Bullet Club match.

Although Bullet Club is no longer, Fale is still active with the House of Torture, which started as a subset of Bullet Club and has turned into a standalone faction in NJPW. The original leader of the House of Torture EVIL is now in NXT, but fellow former Bullet Club member Ren Narita leads the stable alongside Fale, Chase Owens, Dick Togo, Douki, Sanada, Sho, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Yujiro Takahashi.

Karl Anderson

The Machine Gun Karl Anderson was joined by his tag team partner, Doc Gallows, shortly after Anderson joined the faction. After Gallows joined the club, the two became a prominent tag team within Bullet Club. The two would go on to reunite with Bullet Club in 2021 during a crossover between NJPW, AEW, and IMPACT Wrestling. Anderson and Gallows continue to work in the independent circuit as well as in Japan with Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Tama Tanga

One of the stable’s longest tenured members, Tama Tanga, became associated with his brother Tanga Loa as a tag team within the stable. The Guerrillas of Destiny went on to become 7x IWGP Tag Team Champions. The duo was kicked out of the group in 2022 before heading to WWE in 2024.

From there, Tama Tanga and Tanga Loa joined the Bloodline storyline in 2024 alongside Roman Reigns. He would go on to tag with his brother, along with others in the MFT stable consisting of Tama Tanga, Solo Sikola, and Talla Tonga (Hikuleo). Although Tonga Loa was released in 2026, Tama Tanga continues the Bullet Club legacy inside a WWE ring.

Prince Deveitt (Finn Balor)

The one that started it all. The original leader and founder of Bullet Club was also one of the first high-profile independent wrestlers signed to the re-envisioned version of WWE developmental, NXT. Finn Balor (Prince Deveitt in NJPW) has gone on to win the inaugural WWE Universal Championship, the Intercontinental Championship, the United States Championship, and multiple tag team championships in a WWE ring.

His most recent storyline with the company saw him departing the Judgement Day stable and storyline and returning to a babyface gimmick. He brought back his signature demon gimmick at WrestleMania 42 in a street fight against Dominik Mysterio.

He has given nods to his Bullet Club past with his “Balor Club” merchandise, as well as the “Too Sweet” hand gesture given in a match between him and the leader who succeeded him, AJ Styles.

The Leaders

AJ Styles

The second leader of the club, AJ Styles, followed a similar path to that of Balor. After leaving the Bullet Club and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Styles headed to WWE, where he debuted as a surprise entrant in the 2016 Royal Rumble.

He spent a decade in WWE, where he reunited with Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson under the group name “The OC”. The three were a heel stable and had callbacks to their shared time in NJPW and the Bullet Club, including the “Too Sweet” hand gesture and signature Bullet Club arrogance and sneak attacks on unsuspecting opponents. Styles retired from WWE following a loss against Gunther in a career-threatening match at the 2026 Royal Rumble.

Kenny Omega

The leader of “The Elite” era of Bullet Club, Kenny Omega, was also one of the key members in the formation of All Elite Wrestling. Since departing NJPW and Bullet Club, there have been many callbacks to “The Cleaner” and his time in NJPW.

He continues to both tag and feud with The Young Bucks and Hangman Adam Page. The four made up “The Elite” tag team/sub-group within the Bullet Club. He also reunited with Gallows and Anderson during a cross-promotional feud with IMPACT Wrestling, which again called back to the legendary stable that ran roughshod over NJPW for over a decade.

Most recently, he teamed with The Young Bucks as part of the “Stadium Stampede” match at Double or Nothing 2026 to take down the team of The Demand, The Don Callis Family, and The Dogs.

Jay White

Jay White had big shoes to fill when he took over the leadership role of The Bullet Club following Omega’s departure. White held the role until 2023, when he departed NJPW to join AEW.

Upon debuting in AEW, he reconnected with Juice Robinson, forming the Bullet Club Gold stable. They shortly added Austin and Colten Gunn to the stable, continuing the Bullet Club name in AEW. The group would be renamed to the Bang Bang Gang in 2024 while retaining the same members of the group.

Unfortunately, Jay White has been injured since April of 2025 and has not appeared on AEW programming since.

David Finlay

The final leader of the Bullet Club and leader of the splinter faction “Bullet Club War Dogs” headed to AEW in early 2026 shortly after the Bullet Club stable formally dissolved. Finlay, along with fellow War Dogs members Gabe Kidd and Clark Connors, reformed in AEW under the name “The Dogs.” With the team name and attitudes reflecting their time in Bullet Club together, the three won the AEW Trios Championship. However, the title reign was short-lived, and Kidd has been out with a shoulder injury since the three dropped the titles. Connors and Finlay participated in the Double or Nothing Stadium Stampede match against fellow former Bullet Club Members Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks.

The Legacy of Bullet Club

The stable saw many faces come and go, and those members are still scattered throughout professional wrestling. The stable will go down in pro wrestling history as one of the most influential and prolific.

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Who were your favorite members of Bullet Club? What were some of your favorite moments from the stable? Sound off in the comments below

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Let’s Revisit a Classic PlayStation 2 Tag Team

Already had HD Remasters

The original trilogy, as well as the spin-off game Jak X and the later release The Lost Frontier (more on that later), were all released on the PlayStation 2. With Jak 3 wrapping up the main storyline of the game and Lost Frontier never releasing on the PlayStation 3, the main line series was contained to the long-running system.

With Naughty Dog moving onto the Last of Us and the Uncharted series for the PlayStation 3, gamers could not jump back into the boots of Jak on the next-generation consoles.

Naughty Dog gave gamers a taste of diving back into the world of Jak and Daxter through the Jak and Daxter Collection. The collection remastered the first three games via an upscale port to the PlayStation 3 and sold close to a million units (VGChartz)

The trilogy was once again released on the PlayStation 4 marketplace in 2017 and has been downloaded over 600,000 times (VGChartz). In addition to the digital releases, Limited Run Games produced physical copies of the trilogy and Jak X: Combat Racing on physical discs on the PlayStation 4. The physical copies sold out in both the standard and collector editions.

The numbers don’t lie. The remasters have sold strong numbers in both physical and digital mediums. The fan base has not forgotten about two of the PlayStation 2’s best-known heroes and would love to step back into the immersive worlds of Jak and Daxter.

Great Bonus Content Options

Remaking the trilogy would not be a fast process. Much like the Resident Evil remakes, there is a lot of content to cover in a potential remake of the three core Jak and Daxter games. The games would likely have years between the release windows.

That is where bonus content can be issued in the meantime. Although the three mainline games make up the core trilogy of the series, there are other releases from the franchise.

A PlayStation Portable (PSP) spin-off, Daxter, was released in 2006. The spin-off puts gamers into the boots (or paws?) of Daxter in the two year peroid that takes place during the start of Jak 2 when Jak is held prisoner by Baron Praxis.

The racing-centered spin-off Jak X Combat Racing saw Jak and Daxter race in a high-stakes tournament with their lives on the line.

The most controversial release was Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier. Some fans of the series don’t consider it part of the canon due to the development being outside of Naughty Dog, the heavily changed voice cast, and the departure from the mechanics of the core trilogy.

With a remake of the core trilogy, there is a chance to bundle these extra games in as a bonus. Although Daxter has been released digitally on the PlayStation Store for next-gen, it has never had a physical release outside of the PSP. This would be a fun add-on to a remake of one of the core trilogy games.

Remakes Are a Hot Topic

Remakes have become a staple of modern-day gaming. Franchises from all different genres have remade fan favorite titles and brought them to modern-day gaming. Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and other franchises have rebuilt titles from the ground up. The remakes have largely been successful from both a sales and fan/critical reception standpoint.

With the Jak and Daxter series not having a new release since 2009, there is a pent-up demand for the franchise to return to the PlayStation. While a Jak 4 seems like a dream at this point, a remake would at least give the fan base something to be excited about. With the remake model proven to be an overall success by other large franchises and more than enough pent-up demand for something fresh from the Jak and Daxter camp, a remake makes sense for everyone involved.

An Active and Engaged Fanbase

Although it has been over 15 years since a new release in the franchise, the fan base remains strong. Multiple groups and pages on Facebook have thousands of followers who are actively engaging in discussions about the franchise. The games also have an active Reddit community with 27,000 weekly visits. The community is still strong and active despite the franchise having gone cold.

The sales numbers above from the HD remasters show that the fan base would come out and support a new and fresh remaster of the original trilogy.

More From Heart As Art

Did you play the Jak and Daxter games? Would you like to see a remake of the original games? Sound off in the comments below.

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As a long-time fan of the series, I am excited about the prospect of stepping back into the boots of Sam Fischer and sneaking my way through different levels, avoiding detection and leaving no trace of my presence behind.

A Splinter Cell Remake Wishlist

The Original Voice Cast Brought Back

Part of what made the original games (and most subsequent games, minus one voice swap for Irving Lambert) was the gravely rugged voice of Sam Fischer, provided by Michael Ironside, and the no-nonsense, authoritative voice of Lambert, provided by Don Jordan.

Sam Fischer is an elite stealth operative and ex-Navy SEAL with extensive military insurgency experience. Ironside provided a voice that made the gamer believe that this character had been through extensive training and military operations and was a true veteran who could be trusted with the high-stakes missions that gamers played through.

On the other side of the mission was Iriving Lambert. Sam’s handler and main point of contact while out in the field. Lambert monitored the missions from the National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters and gave Sam important updates as gamers progressed through the level. Lambert was known for being brief and direct. Sam did not have time to waste in the field, and Lambert did not waste any time. Don Jordan brought a serious and intense voice that immersed gamers into a world where national security was at risk.

Other characters, such as Vernon Wilkes Jr. and Anna Grimsdottir, play background roles in assisting Sam in the field, but Lambert is his main contact.

The return of Ironside and Jordan as Fischer and Lambert, respectively, would set the tone of the remake early. Their voices are synonymous with the characters, and the remake would not feel right without them in it.

Even if they are not available to lend their voices, they could always go the route of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater and use the original audio to keep the voices intact.

A Fully Definitive Version Combining The Content From All Versions

The original Splinter Cell was released on Xbox, PC, GameCube, and PlayStation 2. Although the core story and content stayed the same, there are a few differences between the different releases.

The Xbox and PC versions include three downloadable missions that center around a Russian nuclear submarine.

In addition, the Xbox and PC versions have a more difficult start to the CIA mission. Fischer must sneak in through an open air-conditioned vent to gain access to the CIA headquarters. The PlayStation 2 version has gamers walking in with a fake ID card to gain access to the facility.

The PlayStation 2 version featured a new intro cutscene that gave more context into the disappearance of agents Robert Blaustein and Alison Madison, which sets up the first in-game mission, as well as a playable mission in a nuclear power plant in the Kola Peninsula. The GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions also gave gamers binoculars to use in the field.

A remake with the additional levels and CIA mission start from both the Xbox/PC and PlayStation 2 versions, along with the in-game features such as the binoculars and sticky grenade that are only available in the GameCube version, would make the remake feel complete. The remake could be marketed as the first “complete version” with all content under one disc in a way that has never been released before. Gamers who only played one version of the game can see what they missed out in other versions.

The intro cinematic that was featured in the PlayStation 2 version would look great upgraded into modern graphics.

The Full Graphical and Environment Update

Of course, a remake would not be complete without a full graphical and environmental update to today’s standards. The game came out in 2002 and was cutting-edge for its time. 24 years later, however, technology has changed rapidly, and the many different environments seen in the game, such as fire, trees, snow, water, and more, would look life like.

The game was built upon using darkness and shadows to stay hidden from the enemy. Only using a weapon as a last resort (to quote Lambert). Stealth was monitored by an on-screen sliding bar that moved left to right depending on how visible the player was.

With today’s graphical updates and utilizing technology like ray tracing, gamers could experience stealth in a whole new way. Gamers would be able to more easily find dark spots to hide from enemies, adding to the realism of the game.

The Core Story Left Untouched

The original Splinter Cell put gamers into the middle of a geopolitical conflict that rested on the shoulders of Sam Fisher. If Fisher had not completed his mission and completed it the right way, the world would have quickly headed for a world war. The high stakes of every mission taken on by Fischer and team made the game challenging and all the more enjoyable.

The remake should keep the majority of the original story intact, with the linear mission-based system at the core of the game.

More From Heart As Art

Did you play the original Splinter Cell? What would be on your wish list for the remake? Sound off in the comments below.

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The Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) took over McCormick Place from March 27th to 29th. The vast show floor had a variety of artists and vendors interacting with guests and showing off a variety of products, art, and more. One of the vendors, David. A Rodriguez took some time to chat with me about the BattleMex comic series. David is the lead writer of the series and had a table set up displaying his work with the comic and talking to guests about the book and what is coming up for the series. He took a few minutes to chat with me about all things BattleMex.

He was joined by Chicago Cosplay Sarah, who took some time to sign covers of the comic and magazine. Sarah is the cosplay model for the main character Adelita - 1.

Audio Only Podcast

David A. Rodriguez Talks BattleMex at C2E2 2026

The full interview can be found above. A few of the topics we discussed include:

• David’s start as a writer

• Childhood wrestling moments

• How BattleMex came to life

• Chicago Cosplay Sarah becoming part of the series

• The accompanying soundtrack to the comic

All Things BattleMex

• Website

• Kickstarter

• David’s Instagram

Keep Up With Chicago Cosplay Sarah

• Instagram

• TikTok

More From Heart As Art

Thanks for reading! Be sure to subscribe to HeartAsArt.com (100% free) to receive the latest wrestling and gaming opinions, editorials, interviews, and other content straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow on socials, and feel free to reach out to HeartAsArtMedia@gmail.com

Combat Arms is considered a “dead game” with a very small player base playing both the “Reloaded” and “Classic” versions of the game. However, it once had a strong player base of gamers across the globe that logged in daily to join in the online fun (including this writer). Join me as I take a walk down memory lane of why Combat Arms meant so much to me.

Looking Back at Combat Arms

Renewable Fun

I first dove into the world of Combat Arms in 2009, as the Call of Duty franchise was hitting what could be argued as its peak period with the Modern Warfare and Black Ops titles releasing back-to-back years.

I was an Xbox 360 kid in middle and high school. I played the first Modern Warfare and Black Ops titles online for hours on end with my friends after school, on weekends, school breaks, etc. As much as I enjoyed playing those games, there was one thing that I (and my parents) did not enjoy… they had an expiration date of approximately one year after the release date. As soon as the next title came out, we all moved away from the previous title.

This meant more money spent on a new game with a short lifespan every year. As a high school kid with not a ton of spare cash sitting around, this started to become a turn off and began to feel like buying the new Madden every year. Just a replay of the same game with a slightly different skin slapped on top of it.

With Combat Arms, I was able to just launch the game on my PC whenever I felt like it. There wasn’t a new version to shell out $60 for every year. Just the same game and game modes. It was a great pick up and play game that gave me my multiplayer shooter fix without having to shell out cash for the game and Xbox Live itself.

Gaining Rank

Since a new game did not need to be purchased every year, I did not lose my rank in Combat Arms (I wish I could remember what rank I made it to).

With games such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, etc., a new game meant starting over from square one. Other PC shooters, such as Counter-Strike, did not have a ranking system. For me personally, it did not keep me wanting to come back since I didn’t have anything to work towards. Combat Arms kept my rank as the years went on. It made it more appealing for me personally to come back day after day and run through a few games.

Don’t get me wrong, I fell for the new Call of Duty release every year as well and sunk many hours into it with my friends. Combat Arms always had a special place for me, though, so I could keep going back and ranking up.

Zombies

What did Call of Duty and Combat Arms have in common? Other than being first-person military-themed shooters? ZOMBIES!

Granted, the modes had some heavy differences between the games, but the goal for both of them was simple… eliminate the zombies.

When I didn’t have friends online to fire up a mode of Call of Duty Zombies (like if I was taking a sick day from school), I could fire up Combat Arms and get a few quick rounds in online of zombie and non-zombie related action. It had round limits from 5 to 30 rounds with varying degrees of difficulty that were perfect for quick rounds. I spent many hours playing those varying difficulties when I needed a break from the team deathmatch-style game modes.

Was it Perfect?

Absolutely not. The game felt repetitive and redundant at times and could not stand up to the technical abilities of the Call of Duty and Battlefield games that were releasing during the same window I was playing Combat Arms.

The game also had numerous technical glitches throughout its most popular days; Combat Arms was far from perfect.

What it did offer was an avenue for this young gamer to step into the world of PC gaming. It also gave a simplistic alternative to play when I was feeling the burnout of Call of Duty. The game was far from perfect, and the current player base has gone from thousands to under 100 consistent players. Although the game is considered a “dead” online game, the memories it gave me through my high school years are some of my favorite gaming memories from that period of my life.

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Did you play Combat Arms? What were your memories of it? Sound off in the comments below

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Who Should Induct AJ Styles into the WWE Hall of Fame?

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin

AJ Styles is synonymous with TNA Wrestling. The company that was built on the X-Division, the division that wasn’t about weight limits, but no limits. It often featured smaller talent (but not exclusively as Samoa Joe was a key part of the division) working a fast and high flying style in the ring.

There were many early pioneers of the X-Division, including AJ, Daniels, Amazing Red, Low Ki, and others such as Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. Shelley and Sabin would go on to have decorated singles careers as well as tag team success as the Motor City Machine Guns. However, their early successes can be traced back to the X-Division and TNA, a similar story to that of AJ Styles. He squared off with both men in the TNA ring with the X-Division title on the line more than once. As all three men have made their way to WWE, it would be fitting that they give AJ the induction to the WWE Hall of Fame.

Finn Bálor

Finn Bálor was the original leader of the Bullet Club stable in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). Under the name Prince Devitt, he started the stable with Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, and Karl Anderson in May of 2013. Devitt left in April of 2014 to sign with WWE as part of the original NXT black and gold era. He left at the Invasion Attack 2014 following a loss to Ryusuke Taguchi in a loser leaves town match. AJ made his debut with NJPW at the end of the same event where he attacked the International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP) champion, Kazuchika Okada, and became the new leader of Bullet Club.

Bullet Club went on to become one of the biggest and most popular stables in New Japan Pro Wrestling history. Styles was the leader of the stable until January of 2016, when he departed to join WWE.

The stable lives in NJPW history as one of the most notorious stables in the promotion’s history. The stable often featured heels and anti-heroes and were known for playing by their own rules.

The two paid homage to their shared history with the stable when they faced off in a WWE ring during their match at TLC 2017 by sharing the “Too Sweet” hand gesture that Bullet Club reintroduced from the New World Order (NWO) stable.

Both men made large contributions to the stable and are synonymous with the success of the stable in Japan and the United States. Having Finn induct AJ would be a fitting nod to their time in NJPW together.

Bobby Roode

Bobby Roode made his first United States televised appearances on TNA television as part of the Team Canada stable. He grew up with TNA in both the singles and tag team divisions as part of the Beer Money Inc tag team with James Storm, and also as a two-time TNA World Champion.

Roode stayed with TNA until 2016 and was one of the longest tenured roster members at the time of his departure. Much like Styles, his career is synonymous with TNA. Even though he went on to have success in NXT and is now a producer in WWE, his in-ring career lasted the longest with TNA, and his work with the company is still shown today.

Abyss

Much like Roode, Abyss was an early addition to the TNA roster and stayed with the company until 2019, when he departed to become a producer for WWE. The Abyss character made a return to the screen for a cameo on AJ Styles' Appreciation Night in February of 2026.

Abyss was a dark character who brutalized opponents in the ring and often competed in hardcore variants of matches in a TNA ring.

He also went to an unmasked Joseph Park gimmick that had a humorous twist to it.

Abyss and AJ Styles will both go down in TNA history as key elements to the brands succuss. Abyss became one of the go to hardcore wrestlers in TNA, and footage of his matches is still shown in TNA today. AJ was known as the face of TNA and brought the high flying X-Division, while Abyss brought the dark character and hardcore element to early TNA. They both made crucial contributions, and it would be fitting to see Abyss/Joe Parks induct AJ Styles into the Hall of Fame.

R-Truth

Can you imagine the silly introduction he would come with? Acting like he is inducting a completely random WWE star instead of AJ?

In all seriousness, though, R-Truth, under the name Ron The Truth Killings, was a key part of early TNA as a tag team wrestler in 3Live Kru and as a singles wrestler, where he held the NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship. The speech would be entertaining with R-Truth being R-Truth, but would also callback to the time the two shared in a TNA ring as part of the early days of the promotion.

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Who do you think should induct AJ Styles into the Hall of Fame? Sound off in the comments below.

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Charitable Events at C2E2 2026

ComicBooks For Kids Award Ceremony

ComicBooks For Kids delivers comic books, coloring books, plushies, and more to children hospitalized across the country. The charity aims to bring a smile to the children who are fighting cancer and other serious illnesses and require constant hospital care.

The charity partners with comic writers, artists, publishers, and retailers to not only send out comic books to sick children and deployed troops, but also create original comics for kids to read while hospitlized.

Comic artists and ComicBooks For Kids collaborators Chrissie Zullo and Arty Baltazar will be at C2E2 as part of Artist Alley, sharing their work with attendees. Fans will be able to stop at their tables to chat and see the work they have done both inside and outside of CB4K.

On Friday from 3 pm-4:30 pm in room S402-A, the organization will host the ComicBooks For Kids awards. Mark and Michelle Weiss will recognize artists, writers, retailers, and others who have helped the organization grow in its vision and achieve its goals in the past year.

The panel will see presenters share heartwarming stories of the recipients of the care packages shipped all over the country.

Last year, the panel filled up quickly, so getting a seat early is recommended.

St. Jude’s Charity Auction

Saturday tends to be the busiest day of the convention with a high amount of panels, autograph signings, and other events taking place. As busy as Saturday will be, one event will stand out from the rest.

An art auction featuring donated pieces from different creators will take place in panel room S-402B at 7:30 pm. The proceeds will benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. St. Jude’s specializes in treating rare and hard-to-fight childhood cancers. The funding from donors ensures that families don’t receive a bill for the care, transportation, and lodging involved in treating the illnesses.

The funds raised from the art auction will go straight to research and patient care for those who need it the most. Attendees will be able to take home art pieces of their favorite heroes while raising money for children fighting cancer.

More C2E2 coverage can be found here.

Will you be at C2E2? Are you planning on attending these events? Sound off in the comments below.

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Formula 350 will be set up on the show floor at table 1617, and David Fielding will appear alongside Jason Faunt, Michael Copon, and Philip Andrew. The full interview can be found below.

Audio Only Podcast

David Fielding Talks All Things Power Rangers and C2E2

A few of the topics we discussed include:

• Coming to Chicago for the convention

• How he landed the role of Zordon

• Working with the original cast on set

• Working on the Battle for the Grid video game

• The Netflix redo of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

• Working as a producer

• The Order project

You can keep up with David Fielding at the links below.

More from C2E2 can be found here.

Keep Up with David Fielding

Instagram

TikTok

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What is your favorite iteration of Power Rangers? Are you headed to C2E2? Sound off in the comments below.

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The game was met with very positive reviews, as most of the main entry Metal Gear Solid games have. However, it is not always in the conversation for the best Metal Gear Solid Game. That honor is normally given to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, which was just recently remade as Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.

As well-received as Metal Gear Solid 4 was, it is not without criticism. The lengthy cut scenes and confusing storyline that heavily relied on gamers being up to speed on the three previous main console entries in the series drew criticism upon release.

No video game is perfect, but Metal Gear Solid 4 has more pros than cons, and with the game coming back into the mainstream thanks to the upcoming re-release, I would like to argue that it is the best game in the series.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Deserves to be in the Conversation for Best in Series

Snake Was Vunreable

The Metal Gear Solid series is largely built around Solid Snake being built as a legendary soldier, and the only one who could surpass the legendary soldier Big Boss. Gamers have been put into Snake’s boots while he takes down Metal Gear units and thorted terroist plots that boosted his status to legendary inside and outside of the United States millitary.

Gamers played through Snake’s toughest moments, such as the infamous Ocelot torture scene in Metal Gear Solid and the tanker sinking in Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty. We have seen him in tough situations, but nothing compared to his challenges in Guns of the Patriots.

The beginning of Metal Gear Solid 4 introduces a much older Snake than we saw at the end of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Despite the game taking place just five years after Sons of Liberty, Snake is rapidly aging due to his genetic coding as a clone of “Big Boss”. Both Solid and Liquid Snake were genetically coded to rapidly age in order to decrease the likelihood of them being used as weapons or being cloned further.

This brings a new element to the series. Gamers are used to seeing Snake in good shape and easily able to out run his enemies. The rapidly aged version of Snake in Guns of the Patriots sees Snake having reduced stamina and constantly being in a more vulnerable state. Stress now has a stronger impact on Snake, and being hunted by the enemy will increase the stress on Snake’s body and deplete his psyche meter, making it harder for him to aim a weapon, make his back hurt, and more likely to pass out after suffering damage.

For the first time in the mainline Metal Gear Solid series, we see the legendary Solid Snake in a vulnerable position. It changes the way gamers approach the game as being tailed by the enemy becomes more dangerous than ever. This difference in Snake’s abilities leads to a different story arc for gamers to enjoy. It adds a unique challenge to the game and gives gamers the chance to step into Snake’s boots when he is not at his physical best. This complete change in Snake’s appearance and endurance changes things up for gamers, making the game different for gamers to experience without giving up the core Metal Gear Solid elements.

Raiden’s Rebirth

Speaking of character evolutions, Metal Gear Solid 4 saw a rebirth of the controversial character from Metal Gear Solid 2. Raiden was introduced in the second part of the story of Sons of Liberty and was met with a very mixed reception. Fans and critics felt that the game was falsely advertised as Raiden was not in any of the promotional material for the game, but was the playable protagonist for more than half the game. His appearance and personality were critiqued, and many felt that he did not live up to the same status as Solid Snake (and later Big Boss) as a Metal Gear Solid mainline protagonist.

Fast forward to 2008 and the release of Guns of the Patriots. Raiden’s appearance was heavily overhauled to that of a cyborg ninja similar to the Gray Fox appearance from the first Metal Gear Solid game.

His emotional story arc was also heavily overhauled as his partner from Metal Gear Solid 2, Rose, left him for Colonel Roy Campbell, and the pregnancy revealed at the end of Sons of Liberty ended in a miscarriage.

The first codec conversation that Raiden and Snake have in Guns of the Patriots has Raiden say that “I am Raiden, Jack is no more,” referring to Raiden’s real name, Jack, and signifying that the Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 2 is long gone.

The Raiden character evolved massively in the game and was much better received by fans and critics alike. The character starred in a spin-off game, Metal Gear Rising Revengeance that saw the new arsenal of weapons and modifcations on Raiden in action.

His character arc came full circle in the final act when he helped clear a path for Snake to get to the control room and upload a vrius to take down the Patriot AI network. The endgame cut scene also shows Raiden getting his personal life rebuilt.

The drastic overhaul of the character after the backlash from Sons of Liberty showed the evolution of the series, and the creative feedback was taken by game creator and director Hideo Kojima and the character and his story arc were rewritten into more favorable creative angles.

Wrapped up the Series and Storylines

In a way, the game felt like a big family reunion. The game features appearances from characters Roy Campbell, Meryl Silverbaugh, Johnny (yes, that Johnny), Olga’s daughter Sunny, Naomi Hunter, EVA, Major Zero, Vamp, Mei Ling, and even Big Boss himself.

The characters are reintroduced to gamers through flashbacks to the last three mainline games as Snake encounters each of them in the campaign of Metal Gear Solid 4.

Many of the characters get closure to their storylines. Roy and Meryl reconcile as she marries Johnny. Raiden finally gets is revenge on Vamp, Naomi gets a chance to help Snake after the FOXDIE incident, EVA gets to meet her “son” in Snake, and Snake finally gets a face-to-face with Big Boss and Major Zero.

The game also has many moments that pay tribute to pivotal moments from earlier in the franchise, such as Snake and EVA escaping on a motorcyle similarlly to how Big Boss and Eva did so in Metal Gear Solid 3. Snake and Ocelot (who has been taken over by phsyqe of Liquid Snake) duke it out similarly to how Solid and Liquid did at the end of Metal Gear Solid, and Snake has another showdown with Psycho Mantis (don’t switch controller ports this time).

It felt like a true goodbye to many characters and story arcs that gamers enjoyed for a decade prior to the release of Guns of the Patriots. The conclusions didn’t feel forced or campy. The tribute moments were different enough to feel unique while still honoring the moments that inspired them.

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Guns of the Patriots is not without its flaws. However, the pros far outweigh the cons, and the game is a near-perfect wrap-up to a beloved character and story arc. The game more than deserves to be in the discussion for best Metal Gear game as we prepare for its rerelease later this year.

How do you feel about Guns of the Patriots? Which Metal Gear game is your favorite? Sound off in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to subscribe to HeartAsArt.com (100% free) to receive the latest wrestling and gaming opinions, editorials, interviews, and other content straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow on socials, and feel free to reach out to HeartAsArtMedia@gmail.com

The first of this years events took place on Wednesday February 11th. The brewery hosted the Chicago based game company Dice Dojo who supplied board games and trading card games for guests to enjoy while sipping on a cold Revolution beer.

Other events scheduled for the coming weeks include a game test event with the Design Museum of Chicago. Guests will be able to test games that are in late state prototype and give feedback to the developers. The pop ups will end with the signature Cosplay Red Carpet event.

I had a chance to attend the event and catchup with some of the Revolution Team and Dice Dojo team. The full interviews can be found below. Special thank you to Danny Reyes (Drey6) for recording this footage for me!

Revolution Brewing and Dice Dojo Pop Up Party

James from Revolution Brewing chatted about the pop up events, the Yard at C2E2, and more! Lex from Dice Dojo joined me to chat about the store, community events, and more.

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Many wrestling stars from both WWE and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) were part of the legendary faction at one point. The group often drew comparisons to the New World Order (NWO) stable from World Championship Wrestling (WCW) during the 90s Attitude Era of Pro Wrestling. The NWO transcended pro wrestling and bled its way into mainstream popular culture. Bullet Club also transcended its way into North American wrestling culture. Let’s take a look at how they brought the NJPW product to an American audience.

Bullet Club Brought New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) to the United States

WWE Started Signing It’s Stars

Triple H took the reins of NXT, in 2014 and the black and gold era began to set itself apart from the main roste. He began to scout independent promotions for talent to bring to NXT. Talent such as PAC (Adrian Nevelle), Kevin Steen (Kevin Owens), Sami Zayn (El Generico), and others began to head to Full Sail in Orlando for NXT tapings.

One of the first major signings to the brand was none other than original Bullet Club leader Prince Devitt (Finn Balor). Others, such as the second leader, A.J Styles, and Adam Cole (bay bay), would also go on to have prominent roles in NXT and/or WWE.

Finn, A.J, and Cole were all major parts of the Bullet Club stable, and their jumps to WWE brought attention to Bullet Club and NJPW. With the NJPW World streaming service, fans were able to go back and watch events that featured Bullet Club and the WWE signees from their time in NJPW. This made the stable and NJPW more prevalent in the United States pro wrestling scene.

The Elite Era and All In

Arguably, the biggest needle mover for Bullet Club and New Japan Pro Wrestling was the 2018 independent wrestling event, All In. The event was produced fully by Bullet Club members The Young Bucks and Cody Rhodes.

The event sold over 10,000 tickets and sold out at the Sears Center (now known as the NOW Arena) in Hoffman Estates, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Many members of the Bullet Club competed on the card, such as Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, Hangman Adam Page, Marty Scurll, Stephen Amell, and the Young Bucks.

The show was heavily promoted on The Young Bucks’ YouTube show “Being The Elite” as well as on Ring of Honor television, where the Bucks and Cody were signed at the time. The stage setup was Bullet Club themed, and the event was streamed live on pay-per-view. The hype surrounding the show, being independently financed and produced by Bullet Club members, drew many eyes to the card and the Bullet Club faction. Many of the Ring of Honor Bullet Club members also often appeared on New Japan Pro Wrestling programming through the talent exchange that the two promotions had prior to Ring of Honor going under in 2021.

All In became a springboard for AEW to form in 2019, and the heavy presence of Bullet Club members in the organization and execution of the event bled into mainstream wrestling and even into non-wrestling news outlets due to the magnitude of a non-WWE event selling 10,000 tickets to a show. All of this gave more eyes and presence to the NJPW stable.

Later Signings in TNA and AEW

With The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and Hangman Page heading to AEW in 2019, Bullet Club lost some key members from the ranks. That did not stop the stable from rolling on, however.

Jay White assumed the leadership role of the stable after Omega’s departure from NJPW and would hold the position until he headed to AEW himself in 2023. Although he was no longer the leader of the Bullet Club, he found himself in an expansion of the stable alongside Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn, and Colton Gunn as Bullet Club Gold/Bang Bang Gang. This offshoot of the Bullet Club stable gave fans who came to the AEW product in the years after its launch some exposure into the legendary NJPW stable.

The promotion also expanded in TNA/IMPACT Wrestling with the tag team of Ace Austin and Chris Bey joining the ranks of the stable as IMPACT Wrestling started a working relationship with IMPACT Wrestling in 2022.

This again brought the Bullet Club stable to an American audience with two members from a non-NJPW promotion.

Pro Wrestling Tees

Pro Wrestling Tees has printed NJPW wrestler t-shirts, including shirts for Bullet Club, since 2014. The shirts were constantly top sellers as the stable began to grow in popularity in the United States. This gave fans access to the merch from a US based shop where they didn’t have to pay international shipping to rock their favorite Bullet Club members’ merch.

In 2017, Pro Wrestling Tees also signed a deal with Hot Topic to distribute merchandise in their stores, including Bullet Club merch. This again made the Bullet Club merchandise easily accessible to a United States audience and put the logo in front of more wrestling and non-wrestling fans in the US.

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Who were your favorite members of Bullet Club? What were some of your favorite moments from the stable? Sound off in the comments below

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WrestleMania 42 will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Allegiant Stadium on April 18th and 19th, 2026. Wrestling fans have the date marked on their calendar, but also have the 2027 edition of the event in mind.

WrestleMania 43 will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. WrestleMania is the main event of the weekend, but there is no shortage of other programming for the weekend. The regularly scheduled WWE live events, such as Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, as well as special events such as the Hall of Fame and WrestleMania Fan Axxess. However, the host city for WrestleMania also gets invaded by a slew of independent wrestling promotions. Although it is becoming harder and harder for independent wrestling promotions to stay afloat (that is a different story for a different article), the weekend has always meant something to fans and wrestlers alike.

With WrestleMania 43 going to Saudi Arabia, it leaves a giant gap for wrestlers and fans alike to be part of independent shows. That begs the question: Can there be an independent wrestling resurgence on WrestleMania weekend without WWE? Let’s dive into this fantasy booking fun.

Can There Be an Independent Wrestling Weekend Without WrestleMania?

An Independent Resurgence

Independent wrestling has fallen on some hard times. With All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and WWE both recruiting from the independent talent pool (moreso AEW), promotions found it harder and harder to book a card that would draw a crowd in person and over a live stream on Triller/FITE TV, Highspots. IWTV and other streaming platforms.

That, mixed with the increased cost of running shows due to nationwide inflation and AEW running independent-style wrestling on television twice a week, it is becoming more difficult for independent wrestling promotions to survive.

With all that being said, there are still plenty of independent wrestlers on the scene who are worth checking out. Check out any Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), DEFY/Progress Wrestling, Warrior Wrestling, or other regional independent wrestling promotion, and you’ll see a slew of talent that are hungry to put on a show.

The independent scene is no doubt hurting, and WrestleMania weekend is usually the marquee time for the independent wrestling scene to show the world what they have. However, with the right pieces in play, independent wrestling could have a new stage to shine on, without the biggest wrestling company in the world.

A Wrestling City

The first thing to examine is, of course, a host city. Like the saying goes in real estate, location, location, location. There are a few cities that come to mind immediately. Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and Atlanta all come to mind as possibilities. They are major metropolitan cities giving plenty of travel options for fans and wrestlers alike. They are also driving distance from many major Midwest, East Coast, and West Coast wrestling hubs, making it easier for talent to get in and travel to multiple shows.

The cities also have plenty of event spaces within close proximity of one another, and public transit/ride share options to make it easy for fans to get from place to place.

There are a couple of other options that could be viable and have a need for a large scale wrestling weekend…..

New Orleans was scheduled to host WrestleMania 42 in April of 2026 before the show was abruptly moved to Las Vegas for a second year in a row. The city has hosted WrestleMania multiple times. The town was promised another WrestleMania weekend, but it was pulled away unceremoniously.

Minneapolis had also been rumored for a Mania weekend for years after the new US Bank Stadium opened up, but it never came to fruition. They are hosting SummerSlam in 2026, which is a nice consolation, but they never got the true Mania weekend experience. Both are viable options to host a massive wrestling weekend.

A Giant WrestleCon or StarrCast

A core part of the WrestleMania weekend experience is the WrestleCon convention that features wrestler meet and greets as well as independent wrestling shows. The event draws fans attending and not attending WrestleMania, and in many ways feels like an independent version of WrestleMania Axxess.

Starrcast, on the other hand, ran alongside the inaugural All In with a full weekend of panels and wrestler meet and greets. The events tend to run around All Elite Wrestling pay-per-views and usually feature a heavy roster of AEW talent.

Although WrestleCon is more associated with WrestleMania weekend, a large convention of sorts would help add to a big independent weekend.

An All Elite Appearance?

WWE is going to be running halfway across the world for their biggest event of the year. This leaves a massive opening for AEW to build to a marquee event that could headline a massive independent wrestling weekend. We have seen this happen on a smaller scale during the promotions marquee events in Chicago, Las Vegas, and other major markets.

Assuming that Wrestlemania will have an early afternoon start time like the 2026 Royal Rumble from Saudi Arabia will, that leaves a massive opening for a traditional Saturday night pay-per-view slot.

With the right build of storylines in the ring and some marketing behind it, the show could feel like the original All In did in 2018. The feeling of excitement around independent professional wrestling and an alternative to what WWE was offering at the time. AEW owns the Ring of Honor brand, which traditionally ran the Supercard of Honor pay-per-view during WrestleMania weekend. The promotion also featured appearances from New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) wrestlers. A throwback show with legacy ROH/NJPW talent such as Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, Mark Briscoe, Jay White, Katsuyori Shibata, Samoa Joe, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, etc., would add some buzz to an otherwise cold Ring of Honor product.

These are all possibilities to headline a weekend that could re-ignite the independent professional wrestling scene, even if for just one weekend.

Can a major independent wrestling weekend happen without WWE and WrestleMania? Sound off in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to subscribe to HeartAsArt.com (100% free) to receive the latest wrestling and gaming opinions, editorials, interviews, and other content straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow on socials and feel free to reach out to HeartAsArtMedia@gmail.com

Reinvented Themselves on the Independent Circuit

Cody left WWE in 2016, while Cardona was let go in 2020. Although the independent landscape was very different when they left WWE, they both headed to the independent circuit to reinvent themselves.

Cody was looking to shed the damage done by the Stardust gimmick to the perception of his character. Cody came into the independent circuit with the “American Nightmare” gimmick. A callback to the “American Dream” gimmick that his father, Dusty Rhodes, was synonymous with. The gimmick was the complete opposite of the eccentric Stardust character that was based on the Goldust gimmick portrayed by his brother Dustin Rhodes for much of his wrestling career. The American Nightmare gimmick was a no-nonsense passionate wrestler that wanted to honor the traditions and legacies of the pro wrestling business. He was able to utilize this gimmick effectively as both a face and a heel. Rhodes traveled to different promotions and presented himself similarly to the way that a territory day wrestler would have before the rise of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the 1980s.

Fans responded well to the gimmick change, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like Cody Rhodes was able to be himself in the ring and on the microphone. The American Nightmare would go on to have marquee matches in Impact Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and other independent promotions.

Matt Cardona also went through a re-invention on the independent scene. Most notably in Game Changer Wrestling (GCW). Cardona was never known for doing hardcore matches in WWE. Which was why it was surprising to see him step into a GCW ring against Nick Gage, who is a well known deathmatch wrestler. Cardona proved he could hold his own in a deathmatch as he defeated Gage to win the GCW World Championship in a bloody and brutal deathmatch and went on to defend it in matches that no one could have predicted he would find himself in just a year earlier. With Cardona being the complete opposite of everything GCW represented, he was an easy target for the hardcore GCW fans to gang up on and boo out of the building.

He also went on to collect many independent championships from different promotions and would become known as the “Indie God” stepping into the doors of any independent promotion and taking over. Both of these gimmicks are a stark difference from the fun-loving Zack Ryder, who was frequently booked to lose matches in a WWE ring. He was able to use the arrogance of winning the belts to have a heel personality in the ring and get fans to cheer against him. This was a far cry from the fan pleasing Zack Ryder personality in WWE.

Both men left the WWE ring and stepped into the independent ring to reinvent their characters and become ingrained in fans’ minds as serious contenders anytime they enter a ring.

Left the Comedic Gimmick Behind

As mentioned earlier, Cody left WWE in 2016 after an eight-year run on the main roster and two year run in the developmental Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) territory. The end of his WWE run saw him portraying an over-the-top comedic Stardust character. The character was meant to mirror that of the Goldust character, portrayed by his brother Dustin Rhodes, and the two did team together for a bit during this part of Cody’s WWE career. Although the character did get a reaction from the fans in attendance, it became clear that Rhodes wanted to move on from the character. He asked for his release in 2016, citing issues with his creative and positioning within WWE. Rhodes left the comedic and hokey gimmick in the rearview and has not looked back since.

Cardona, on the other hand, was able to do this to an extent while still in WWE. After the “La Familia” stable broke up, he adopted the loudmouth goofy Long Island Iced Z gimmick that would be part of his WWE career until his departure in 2020. Although he toned down the goofiness of the gimmick in the second half of his WWE run, some core elements remained. We saw the goofiness go away in exchange for a more smug and arrogant heel that used the previous goofy elements as a parody to get under the skin of fans (mainly in GCW).

Used Social Media to Their Advantage

WWE evolved to include social media in their programming to advance storylines in the 2010s, one of the earliest adopters was Matt Cardona/Zack Ryder. He utilized channels such as YouTube and Twitter to connect with the WWE audience outside of the weekly television programs. This practice continued for the rest of his WWE career, and his online following went with him after he returned to the independent scene. He continues to be one of the most active and engaging wrestlers on social media, constantly engaging with fans in Kayfabe to progress his character when the cameras are not rolling.

Cody followed a similar formula. After leaving WWE in 2016, Cody began using Twitter to communicate with fans directly. He would constantly respond to fans who would tweet him. His most famous use of Twitter was responding to a tweet from Dave Meltzer, who claimed that Ring of Honor could not sell out a 10,000-seat arena in the United States. Cody responded, saying he would take that bet and put together “All In” in 2018, which served as the precursor to All Elite Wrestling. All In felt like the wrestling community coming together to support independent wrestling. This feeling was constantly conveyed when Cody would use social media to communicate with fans. It felt as if he was building a community around him for those who loved professional wrestling and wanted an alternative to what was happening in WWE.

Both men were able to reinvent themselves in similar ways using the independent wrestling circuit, adjusting gimmicks, and using social media to promote themselves and communicate directly to fans to advance storylines. This all culminated in their respective returns to the WWE.

More From Heart as Art:

What do you think of Cardona’s return to WWE? Do you see parallels between his return and the return of Cody Rhodes? Sound off in the comments below.

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Little Red Fox Cosplay Live From Illinois Comic Con

We talked about a variety of topics, including:

• How Illinois Comic Con was for Little Red Fox?

• Her introduction to cosplay

• Being active in live theater productions

• Gaming and the different fandoms she cosplays from

• Mermaid cosplay

Keep Up with Little Red Fox

• Instagram

• Facebook

• TikTok

More from Illinois Comic Con can be found here.

More From Heart As Art

Did you attend Illinois Comic Con? Did you attend in cosplay? Sound off in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to subscribe to HeartAsArt.com (100% free) to receive the latest wrestling and gaming opinions, editorials, interviews, and other content straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow on socials, and feel free to reach out to HeartAsArtMedia@gmail.com

The full interview can be found below. The audio-only podcast version can be found here.

Barry Lowin at Illinois Comic Con

A few topics we discussed include:

• Barry’s start in acting and stunt performing

• His start as a Star Wars fan

• How he got the call to be in The Mandalorian

• What being on set was like and in the Mandalorian costume

More from Illinois Comic Con can be found here.

More From Heart as Art

Did you attend Illinois Comic Con? Did you chat with Barry at the show? Sound off in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to subscribe to HeartAsArt.com (100% free) to receive the latest wrestling and gaming opinions, editorials, interviews, and other content straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow on socials, and feel free to reach out to HeartAsArtMedia@gmail.com

Allison’s Art Boutique: Illinois Comic Con 2025

The table had a variety of original art pieces done by Allison for attendees to see. The pieces were available for purchase in sticker and other formats.

As for how she became involved in art, she has been drawing since she could walk and has been a lifelong painter and artist. One of her signature categories is painting pet portraits. This started after a family member of her husband commissioned a painting of their pet for Allison to create. Since then, she has taken on over 100 commissioned art pieces.

Although pet pieces are a core part of her art, they are not the only art pieces that she brings to life. Her original pieces take on different forms and include pieces that crossover different parts of media, such as her “Batman riding a pterodactyl” or the mashup of Pokémon Charizard, Yu-Gi-Oh card Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Black Lotus card from Magic: The Gathering onto a play mat for a friend.

The lulls in commissions give her the time to create the original pieces that were seen on the show floor. Other mediums that Allison has tackled include custom hats and earrings.

Expanding the Business

One of the prominent displays on the table at the show was a binder featuring various credit card sticker covers of Allison’s art. This idea arose after a trip to Las Vegas with her husband for a convention, where they encountered a vendor doing something similar. Allison’s husband began to research the dimensions, paper, adhesive, and printing materials needed to transfer Allison’s art to credit card covers.

Although Allison’s art is the focal point of the boutique and their traveling convention setup, her husband, Austin, is helping her evolve the business to the next phase. As Allison continues to create new art, the business will expand with new ways to reach people.

Allison also spent some time with Route 66 Cosplay, as cosplayers and fans alike were able to come and get photos and videos taken against the backdrops set up on the show floor.

Keep up with Allison on Facebook and Instagram

More from Illinois Comic Con can be found here.

Did you attend Illinois Comic Con? Did you see Allison’s art on the show floor? Sound off in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to subscribe to HeartAsArt.com (100% free) to receive the latest wrestling and gaming opinions, editorials, interviews, and other content straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow on socials, and feel free to reach out to HeartAsArtMedia@gmail.com

The Creation of the Lucha Championship

The championship was introduced in June of 2021 as part of the 2021 Stadium Series for Warrior Wrestling. Long before the title was introduced, Warrior Wrestling focused on lucha style wrestling as it was incorporated into nearly every card the promotion produced.

Luchadores such as Pentagon Jr, Rey Fenix, Dragon Lee, Bandido, and even Rey Mysterio took part in the first few shows produced by the promotion. Early notable matches include the Lucha Brothers vs. A-Kid (now known as Axiom) and Carlos Romo, El Hijo de Dos Caras vs. El Hijo del Fantasma (now known as Santos Escobar), Drago vs. Aero Star vs. Black Taurus vs. Gringo Loco vs. Rey Horus, and many more!

With Warrior Wrestling having such a rich history with lucha libre, it was only a matter of time before a Lucha Championship was introduced alongside the Men’s and Women’s World Championships. The belt debuted at night one of the 2021 Stadium Series. When asked about the creation of the championship and what lucha action means to Warrior Wrestling, Steve Tortorello, Warrior Wrestling founder and promoter, had this to say:

“Eric (co-promoter) and I spent a lot of time brainstorming how to do something special and new. Lucha libre had been a prominent part of Warrior Wrestling since day one, and we kicked around - what if there was a lucha specific title? We hemmed and hawed about it but ultimately agreed to it and hammered out the idea of a lucha War of Attrition and who would participate over drinks the afternoon of Day 2 of WrestleMania in Tampa in 2021. Sat at a restaurant and kept drinking beers until we had the whole idea baked.” - Steve Tortorello

Eight wrestlers entered the ring for Warrior’s signature match, the War of Attrition. The match starts as a four-on-four tag match. Whoever scores the pinfall or submission for the team chooses their tag team partner from the winning team and they square off in a traditional tag match against the other two members of the winning team. The winner of that tag match then competes in a one-on-one match.

Aramis, Arez, Dragon Bane, and Laredo Kid defeated the team of Black Taurus, El Hijo de Canis Lupus, Golden Dragon, and Gringo Loco. Aramis and Arez then defeated Dragon Bane and Laredo Kid before Aramis scored the final pinfall on Arez to become the inaugural Lucha Champion. Why have the inaugural champion decided in a War of Attrition Match?

”We thought back to how we crowned our first Warrior champ and how successful and awesome that match was, and we thought about how well modern lucha style lends itself to multi-man matches, and we thought it was a perfect fit!” - Steve Tortorello

The Four Champions in Warrior History

Arez defended the title successfully throughout the rest of 2021 with defenses against Daga, Mr. Iguana, Gringo Loco, Rey Horus, and Flamita.

The first title change came at the first show of 2022, Warrior Wrestling 18. It was also the first show outside of the Chicagoland area as the promotion ventured to South Bend Indiana.

It has here that Arez defended the title in a five-way scramble against Sam Adonis, Gringo Loco, ASF, and Drago Kid. Sam Adonis, who has been a pillar of the promotion since its first show, took home the Lucha Championship.

Adonis defended the title in a Warrior ring against Lince Dorado and Psycho Clown before taking the championship to WrestleCon as part of the WrestleCon USA vs the World show in April of 2022 where he successfully defended the title against Golden Dragon, La Hiedra and Mr. Iguana. He returned to the Warrior ring and wrapped up 2022 with successful defenses against Aramis, Rey Leon, and Johnny Warrior (John Hennigan).

Due to time commitments with other promotions, Sam Adonis was forced to vacate the title at the end of 2022. Setting the stage for another scramble match at the Bendix Arena in South Bend. El Hijo del Vikingo, Flamita and Rey Horus stepped into the ring in the main event of Warrior Wrestling 27 for the chance to become the next Warrior Lucha Champion.

After pulling off a massive dive from the top of a brick structure in the arena, Vikingo picked up the win to become the third Lucha Champion.

He defended in a four-way match against Black Taurus, Aeroboy, and Aramis at Warrior 28 and went on to face Arez at Warrior 29. The Arez match took a turn when Gringo Loco cashed in his Championship Medallion that he won back at Warrior 24 in a scramble match against Alpha Wolf, ASF, Dragón Bane, Golden Dragon, and Ninja Mack. This medallion allowed him to cash in for a Lucha Championship match at any time of his choosing. He cashed in at Warrior 29, making the match a three way and pinned Arez to become the new champion.

Gingo Loco defended the title in a triple threat at Warrior 30 against Vikingo and Gabriel Fuerza. Shortly after that match, the promotion went on hiatus. Now that Warrior is back, the first title defended in a Warrior ring will be the Lucha Championship.

The Resurrection of the Belt

Why is the Lucha Championship the first to be brought back?

“Honestly, it all comes down to logistics over art / philosophy. The Warrior Championship is with KC Navarro who’s out injured, and the Warrior Women’s Championship is with Skye Blue who is currently on hiatus from the indies following her return from injury, so the Lucha Championship is the only one to be featured on 12/5.”

Gringo Loco will defend the belt for a second time against Rey Horus on December 5th. This will be Rey’s third shot at the Lucha Championship. The belt has not been defended since June 30th of 2023. Will we see a new champion crowned? Or will Gringo Loco continue his reign as champion?

What can fans expect from the match?

Pure adrenaline! Lucha libre matches at Warrior wrestling are like getting punched in the face by a lightning bolt. Come ready to cheer and to be amazed!

Tickets are available to see the match in person here.

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Have you seen any Lucha Championship matches at Warrior Wrestling? Sound off in the comments below.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to subscribe to HeartAsArt.com (100% free) to receive the latest wrestling and gaming opinions, editorials, interviews, and other content straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow on socials and feel free to reach out to HeartAsArtMedia@gmail.com

The full interview can be found below. The audio-only podcast can also be found here.

Danielle DeNicola Interview

We discussed a few things, including:

• Danielle’s start in cosplay

• New skills and abilities she has learned from cosplay

• Resident Evil, Dead Space, and other survival horror games

• What Danielle is playing and live streaming currently

• Inspirations to start voice acting

• Convention experiences

• What to expect from her Twitch stream

Keep Up with Danielle DeNicola

• Instagram

• Cosplay Instagram

• Twitch

• Voice Acting

• X, formerly known as Twitter

• YouTube

• TikTok

• Facebook

More From Heart as Art

Thanks for reading! Be sure to subscribe to HeartAsArt.com (100% free) to receive the latest wrestling and gaming opinions, editorials, interviews, and other content straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow on socials, and feel free to reach out to HeartAsArtMedia@gmail.com