Lucha Abuela

An illustrated story by Sol Studio · Action · Comic book · All ages · English, Turkish, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean

Also in: Türkçe · Deutsch · Español · Português · Français · Bahasa Indonesia

A teenager discovers that his tiny, sweet grandmother was a legendary masked wrestler, just as a show-off champion mocks their neighbourhood gym.

The Luna Gym in Mexico City has two weeks before it closes. When the famous champion Rayo Dorado, who trained there as a boy, comes to laugh at it, Tío Beto challenges him to an exhibition match to raise the rent. Nobody can fight him, until fifteen-year-old Mateo finds an old silver mask in his grandmother's trunk. Tiny, sweet Abuela Chayo was once La Colibrí, the undefeated Hummingbird. For one night she puts on her mask again, flies circles around the champion, and reminds everyone, Rayo included, where they come from.

Characters

Mateo (The grandson): A fifteen-year-old who spends more time filming on his phone than paying attention to his family.
Abuela Chayo (Sweet grandmother and secret legend): Mateo's tiny, gentle grandmother, who sells tamales every morning and was once the undefeated masked wrestler La Colibrí, the Hummingbird.
Tío Beto (Gym owner and coach): Abuela Chayo's son and Mateo's uncle, a big, soft-hearted former wrestler who runs the old neighbourhood gym.
Rayo Dorado (The show-off champion): A famous young wrestling champion who trained at the Luna Gym as a boy and now acts as if he never did.

Episode 1: Two Weeks Left

The neighbourhood gym is about to close, and the champion Rayo Dorado comes to laugh at it. Mateo notices his grandmother is much stronger than she looks, and finds an old trunk.

The old gym with a closing notice on its door. — *Mexico City. The Luna Gym has two weeks left.*

Inside, Tío Beto coaches the neighbourhood kids. — **Tío Beto**: Tuck and roll, champions! Tuck and roll!
**Mateo**: Tío, why bother? It closes anyway.

Rayo Dorado bursts in with a camera crew. — *BAM!*
**Rayo Dorado**: Rayo Dorado has arrived!

Rayo mocks the gym from the ring ropes. — **Rayo Dorado**: Look at these ropes! This place is a museum!
**Tío Beto**: This gym made you, Rayo. Remember?

Beto challenges him to an exhibition match. — **Tío Beto**: One exhibition match. The tickets save the gym.
**Rayo Dorado**: Fine! But who will fight me? You, with your bad knees?

Tiny Abuela Chayo arrives with tamales. — **Abuela Chayo**: A warm tamal, young man?
**Rayo Dorado**: Thanks, little granny. Go sit down, okay?

After he leaves, Abuela lifts a huge stack of mats with one hand. — **Mateo**: Abuela?! How did you lift that?
**Abuela Chayo**: Yoga, mijo.

That night, Mateo looks for a charger in Abuela's closet. — **Mateo**: Where does Abuela keep the chargers?
*Clunk!*

Inside the trunk: a silver mask, a belt and old posters. — **Mateo**: "La Colibrí. Undefeated." Is this... Abuela?

Abuela appears in the doorway, smiling. — **Abuela Chayo**: I wondered when you would find that.

Episode 2: The Hummingbird's Secret

Abuela tells Mateo she was the legendary La Colibrí. She decides to fight one last time, trains at the gym, and the whole neighbourhood buys tickets for the mystery challenger.