It was the end of an era when WWE Magazine announced that it would cease production on its print publication. The final issue in October featured Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns on the cover, symbolically showing a sort of passing of the torch of the next generation of Superstars as opposed to the previous Superstars to commonly grace the cover such as John Cena, Rey Mysterio, and The Undertaker.
It’s a hard time for the print industry in general, with bookstores closing and diminishing and stories moving from the shelves of Barnes and Noble to the screens of laptops and tablets. With the decline in circulation of magazines, there’s still a pro wrestling presence in the publishing world, as seen with Pro Wrestling Illustrated. With the end of WWE Magazine, its 30-year history ended as well. While wrestlers still get interviewed and photographed by WWE’s official website as well as television appearances, radio stations, online journals, etc., WWE Magazine will be forever remembered as an excellent niche for WWE’s unique world.
Even though the world of print is declining, storytelling is forever, as these tales are shifting to digital means. On top of magazines, books are still popular, with Chris Jericho’s third book, (and follow up to A Lions Tale and Undisputed) The Best In The World…At What I Have No Idea, released earlier this month to positive reviews being an example of pro wrestling’s presence in the world of storytelling. The Internet has brought another exciting and enriching dimension to the world of storytelling, especially when it comes to pro wrestling, but it’s nice to take a minute and reminisce and remember the years of amazing interviews, photos, Q&As, articles, lists, countdowns, and specials that WWE Magazine has brought fans over the years.
-Celine
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