World champion. Olympic medalist. Actress. Mom. Screenwriter? Graphic novelist? Yes you read those last two correctly. They all now describe Ronda Rousey. The former WWE Champion “mom’d” her way into Comic-Con International (SDCC 2024) to promote her upcoming graphic novel, Expecting the Unexpected. Years in the making and drawing heavily from her own experience, the collaboration with publisher AWA takes Rousey’s fighting skills from the ring to the page…. With a very interesting twist. 

SDCC 2024; Rhonda Rousey
David Bautista moderates as Ronda Rousey debuts her new graphic novel at Comic-Con International on July 25, 2024. (Image: JJ Goodman)

At a panel with moderator Dave Bautista earlier today, Ronda Rousey and the creative team behind the project gave fans an exclusive, first hand look at graphic novel. Rousey described the work as “Knocked Up meets John Wick,” an interesting comobination. Axel Alonso, chief creative officer at AWA, went on to describe the story as “blood-soaked action adventure… and a love story.” So what, exactly, is the story about? 

Ronda Rousey kickstarts her graphic novel career (literally)

Rhonda Rousey (Image: AWA)

From the publisher:

Her codename: “Mom.” With a fake baby bump filled with guns, she’s built a reputation as one of the deadliest hitwomen on the planet. But on the verge of her big break in the criminal underworld, Mom makes a fateful decision. Sleeping with a potential target (who just so happens to be a top-ranked assassin himself). A few weeks later, Mom finds that her codename is about to become a lot more literal. What follows is a wild mashup of action, adventure, comedy, and romance as a newly pregnant Mom with a bounty on her head fights off wave after wave of assassins, falls in love with her baby daddy, and decides how to face her personal and professional predicament. EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED sets a new bar for the authenticity of fight scenes through a unique creative process developed by Ronda Rousey, Deodato, and AWA.

Rhonda Rousey
Ronda Rousey hams it up at press interviews for her new graphic novel “Expecting the Unexpected” at Comic-Con International on July 25, 2024. (Image: JJ GOodman)

What’s truly interesting about the story is the translation of her physical career to the printed page. For her, it’s all about the fighting being part of the story: “The fights themselves are part of the story… its not an intermission away from the story, its another way to get to know these people and their situation” as part of the story, not an aside from it. According to Ronda Rousey, the “fighting is a conversation” that propels the story.

Expecting the Unexpected kicked off its Kickstarter campaign with today’s panel. You can learn more, and support the project, HERE.