salTy
El Dandy
Posts: 8,425
|
Post by salTy on Oct 12, 2007 8:29:28 GMT -5
A lot of people credit Steve Austin with being the first real mainstream anti-hero -- a character that wasn't really a true babyface, but was insanely popular with the fans.
I'm not sure I agree with this, because even as a kid I was drawn to the more edgy characters. I can definitely think of characters that came before Steve Austin that portrayed a more anti-hero type character.
Razor Ramon and The Undertaker come to mind right off the bat. I'd even go so far to say Randy Savage. Anyone else?
|
|
|
Post by uncleslam on Oct 12, 2007 8:31:39 GMT -5
Hogan was the first real mega face that used cheating tactics such as eye racking, choking, closed fists and other heel-type moves. He even screamed like a heel in his promos. Before him, you had Backlund, Sammartino and Pedro Morales, all squeaky clean cookie-cutter babyfaces.
|
|
|
Post by Loki on Oct 12, 2007 8:41:37 GMT -5
Hogan was using underhand tactics as "extreme times, extreme measures" kind of deal, but he didn't really have the "antihero" vibe. Ditto for Savage.
I'd say Jake Roberts and Roddy Piper were the prototype of badass face. But Piper was somehow living off his heel days...
|
|
|
Post by dewey6 on Oct 12, 2007 8:52:45 GMT -5
The Road Warriors - Hawk and Animal were prototypical of what a tag team made up of badassed babyfaces would be like.
|
|
|
Post by uncleslam on Oct 12, 2007 8:54:26 GMT -5
The Road Warriors - Hawk and Animal were prototypical of what a tag team made up of badassed babyfaces would be like. I think we have a winner. I remember as a kid being scared shitless of these guys, even though they were babyfaces.
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Marzvon Zombie M.D. on Oct 12, 2007 8:55:34 GMT -5
Freebirds to me were the start of the bad guys being cool. Even alittle further back Superstar Billy Graham was even thou a heel was cheered.
|
|
|
Post by th3ruffian on Oct 12, 2007 12:40:36 GMT -5
For me, my first experience with the anti-hero was Jake Roberts. He was blatant about his being a little more dark and heelish, and yet he still had something of a kayfabe conscience the people loved him for it. Then again, I first started watching wrestling not by choice, so heels quickly became my favourites. Anything that would infuriate my older brother, which cheering for Jake would do without fail.
|
|
|
Post by eJm on Oct 12, 2007 12:52:32 GMT -5
'He's an Anti Hero! They're the worst kind of hero! They give us Villains a good name!'
|
|
|
Post by steenerico on Oct 12, 2007 12:55:08 GMT -5
Austin wasn't the first for sure.Can't think of a favorite right now off the top of my head.
|
|
BxB
Unicron
Only the shift key stands between him and copyright infringement.
Posts: 2,849
|
Post by BxB on Oct 12, 2007 13:05:09 GMT -5
Jake Roberts and Road Warriors are my favorite "anti-heroes" as well. I remember when I first started watching wrestling in the early 90's and my brother had a huge collection of wrestling tapes which I would go over and I was surprised to see that Jake was a face for most part of his WWE career. I thought the guy was born to play a heel, but he did a good job of being a face, as well.
|
|