Zack Ryder first entered WWE as an Edge look-alike, providing backup for the superstar. But today his once-long hair is short and spiked, and he is becoming a superstar himself. Known as The Long Island Loudmouth, Ryder became the United States Champion in 2011.

Though he first got his start as a look-a-like for another wrestler, Zack RyderÕs personality has set him apart from the rest. Nicknamed the Long Island Iced-Z, he gets a leg up on his competition with the Broski Boot. Reluctant readers will be impressed by Zack's ride to the top.

The millions of fans who watch World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) programs each year are well aware of their role in building the narrative of the sport. #WWE: Professional Wrestling in the Digital Age explores the intersections between media, technology, and fandom in WWE's contemporary programming and business practices. In the Reality Era of WWE (2011 to the present), wrestling narratives have increasingly drawn on real-life personalities and events that stretch beyond the story-world created and maintained by WWE. At the same time, the internet and fandom have a greater influence on the company than ever before. By examining various sites of struggle and negotiation between WWE executives and in-ring performers, between the product and its fans, and between the company and the rest of the wrestling industry, the contributors to this volume highlight the role of various media platforms in shaping and disseminating WWE narratives. Treating the company and its product not merely as sports entertainment, but also as a brand, an employer, a company, a content producer, and an object of fandom, #WWE conceptualizes the evolution of professional wrestling's most successful company in the digital era.

Wrestling Figure Checklist is a signature look into the world of professional wrestling and its action figures. Unlike any other wrestling figure checklist out there, this publication uniquely presents almost 10,000 different action figures, playsets and accessories in rough chronological order of their release, designed to show the reader the evolution of wrestling figures from their inception in the 1960s, all the way to the end of the 2010s. The idea behind this is to allow the reader to go back to a certain era, and to see what they toy aisle would look like at that respective time. And it's not just America, this book also explores the world of Japanese and Mexican figures as well. Even if you consider yourself a wrestling figure historian, you are bound to expand your knowledge with this one-of-a-kind book! This publication contains many wrestling promotions, including: WWE and WWF, TNA, WCW, ECW, AWA, NJPW (Japan), AJPW (Japan), NOAH (Japan), AAA (Mexico), and CMLL (Mexico). On top of this, also the many manufacturers, including: Mattel, Jakks Pacific, Hasbro, LJN, Toy Biz, Marvel Toys, Remco, Character Product (Charapro), Mogura House, Kelian, The Original San Francisco Toymakers, Just Toys, and Galoob. Whether you want to expand your knowledge, find out what figures you are missing, or find out all the figures of a particular wrestler, your journey begins here.

"Engaging images accompany information about Zack Ryder. The combination of high-interest subject matter and light text is intended for students in grades 3 through 7"--Provided by publisher.