Sabu vs Sandman - Stairway to Hell (Way of the Blade Art Print)

"Sabu vs Sandman - Stairway to Hell" - ink & digital illustration

Hi pals! On the way to the upcoming Way of the Blade sequel, I’ve got another little ‘look-back’ for you of one of my very favourite matches from the original (from the great guys at Hybrid Shoot, written by the rad Phil Schneider, illustrated by yours truly!)

This amazingly reckless & wild affair took place on January 10th, 1998 at ECW House Party 1998 in the home of extreme, the ECW Arena in South Philly.

I really adore this match because it is the exact opposite of much of what current day Pro Wrestling has become. As a big time fan of Extreme Championship Wrestling, this was just such a treat to get to illustrate. Just totally off its hinges, completely reckless, ‘unsafe’ & totally out of control in just the best of ways. Rumour has it that before this match, Sandy took a couple tabs of acid & thought he was fighting a dragon! Sabu also reportedly breaks his jaw on a dive to the outside & with the help of Fonzy, tapes it shut to finish the match! Only for Hak to hit him in said jaw with the Singapore Cane for the finish!! In many ways, this match excellently sums up the beautiful chaos that was ECW.

Several years after creating this illustration for the original Way of the Blade, I was recently commissioned to create the artwork for @thesandmanpodcast! Which just felt like such a privilege! So weird how these things come along. If you feel like you need some backstory to some of your favourite ECW moments, I’d very much recommend checking that out!

I’ll always be a massive fan of both Sandman, Sabu & of course, ECW. If you haven’t already & want to see some proper wildin’ in your wrasslin', watch this match!

ENJOY!!

Fancy, high quality art prints of this book illustration are now available to purchase for as little as 25 clams, FREE worldwide postage!

HQ Basic Art Prints: Printed on 189gsm, museum-quality matte paper stock, printed with high-quality multicolour, water-based inkjet printing technique. (Printing & delivery arranged by Printful).

'Premium' Art Prints: Voluptuously extra thick, textured & hand-signed! Printed on 320gsm 'Sihl Masterclass Textured Cotton Rag', French made, Cold Press style textured art paper. 1cm additional border for easy framing unless otherwise requested. High archival rating, printed with 12 colour Canon Lucia EX pigment Inks, expected life over 100 years if displayed correctly. Since I send these out myself, I'll also include a little bonus 'surprise' for you! + ALL PREMIUM PRINT PURCHASES COME WITH CHRIS THINGS ZINE VOL. 1!!

Pre-Framed Art Prints: For those who don't want to worry about the hassles of framing! Pre-framed basic art-prints printed on 189gsm, museum-quality matte paper stock, printed with high-quality multicolour, water-based inkjet printing technique. Ayous wood .75″ (1.9 cm) thick, light-weight wooden frame from renewable forests. (Printing, framing & delivery arranged by Printful).

Please don't hesitate to send me a message if you require a different size - all prints made to order.