We heard from a lot of folks all over the industry in the hours following word getting out that Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods had turned down the restructured contracts TKO/WWE wanted them to sign, deciding instead to exit the company.
One person a lot of people were waiting to hear from didn’t say much, but the artwork the third member of New Day* shared on his Instagram Story yesterday spoke volumes to anyone familiar with comic book history.
In fact, you just might get what Big E was putting down even if you’re not that into superhero comics. You’ve probably come across it at some point if you’re immersed in any of the “geek culture” New Day’s championed on and off WWE television the past 12 or years.
Here it is from the original artist’s own Instagram, followed by the John Romita, Sr-pencilled panel from 1967’s The Amazing Spider-Man #50 that inspired it:
If that snippet from “Spider-Man No More!” doesn’t do anything for you, this particular geek will tell you that Stan Lee’s script has Peter Parker’s life falling apart all over, leading to his decision to leave his costumed hero-ing days behind him. Even though in kayfabe E was kicked out of The New Day for having his neck broken and being forced into retirement as part of a heel turn for Kingston & Woods that WWE never really did much with even when they won the tag belts for a couple months, he’s calling his boys decision the REAL end of their run as the Princes of Positivity.
But not even J. Jonah Jameson’s smear campaign kept Parker from being reminded of that “great responsibility” his Uncle Ben told him about and getting back to web-slinging. Maybe E will find away to reunite with Kofi and Woods somewhere down the line, and maybe they’ll let him manage them this time? Would that happen in WWE, where Large Epsilon still works as a host/interviewer? Or wherever his boys end up?
Let us know what you think of E’s reaction or The New Day’s future in the comments below, Cagesiders.
* Nobody better even jokingly comment “Grayson Waller” to this, or I’ll put them on the front of a box of Booty-Os.