8 Secrets Behind WWE Posters You Never Noticed

You might not think there's much to your bog standard wrestling poster, and in the majority of cases, you'd be absolutely right. Mere marketing literature with the primary purpose of making punters part with their pennies, posters, whilst often artistic, generally need to get the pertinent facts across as expediently as possible.

There's no time for Saul Bass-type fannying about here, which is why an overwhelming quantity of wrestling quads come in one of three formats, designed to prominently advertise the upcoming events' most appealing performers. You have your typical tête-à-tête, which sees feuding foes staring down with cross faces - think WrestleManias III and XXVIII. Then there's the 'angry man on the warpath' category - The Undertaker and Triple H are absolute pros in this department. Finally, and usually reserved for the biggest shows, is the high-school yearbook collage of just about everyone on the roster imaginable, with John Cena at the front.

All very familiar, and all very, very boring. There's the odd original variation on the three most common themes, but for the most part rarely anything to telegram home about. Yet peer close enough, and even some of the most utterly dull WWE posters of the last 30+ years hide a hidden secret or two. Or in one very particular case, specifically does not.

The fascinating thing about Royal Rumble '91's enduringly popular illustration is less about what's on it, but who drew it. Look closely at the bevvy of bruisers making a beeline to prove their Battle Royal bestness, and you'll notice that quite a few of the company's then top-stars look just a little bit off.

Texas Tornado is dressed like Zeus, Earthquake is providing the template for buddy Fred Ottman's fall as The Shockmaster (albeit sans mask), and Mr. Perfect is right out. Even Hulk Hogan looks markedly wrong.

Big Boss Man is fine, though it's tough to get a copper too far off. There's a reason for this inaccurate albeit awesome art; it wasn't inked by a resident WWE doodler, but future Marvel Comics artist Jim Jusko, who the company commissioned for a few novel projects beginning in '91. Jusko would eventually go on to paint the iconic WrestleMania VII poster, featuring a much more on-model Hulk Hogan waving an enormous American flag, but his first job was to come up with some concepts for a brand new character the company was preparing to debut - a certain Undertaker.

So there you go: Undertaker in the MCU confirmed.