Punk's got a lucky arm
http://www.wwe.com/content/media/images/3883682/5683174
When asked to participate in Superstar Ink, CM Punk joked about the amount of ink he’s acquired over the years.
“Man, I have a lot of tattoos, huh?” the ECW Champion told WWE.com.
Yes, you do, Punk.
Getting his first tattoo at age 17, all of his ink holds special meaning, and represent different aspects of his life that are important to him.
“Tattoos are like wearing your heart on your sleeve,” said Punk, whose ink-laden arms are running out of empty space. “It’s about showing who you are on the inside by showing it on the outside. You shouldn’t go into a tattoo parlor and pick something off the wall, that’s just boring. Each tattoo you get should have some deep, deep meaning.”
An example of the dual meanings for his tats includes the four aces on his left arm. “The thing is, I don’t even believe in luck,” he said. “The four aces may symbolize luck, but they’re also a tribute to Ace Steele, the man responsible for breaking me into this business.”
What’s even more interesting about the “good luck arm,” as Punk refers to it, is that the Superstar who doesn’t believe in luck also has a rabbit’s foot, a four-leaf clover, a horseshoe and a coy fish (which is good luck in Japanese).
Besides the “straightedge” ink plastered across his stomach, which he considers his most important, the paw print on his forearm is another one of importance. “That was from my dog Callie, who I still think is cooler than most humans I know. I made a print of her paw and got it on my arm so I’d remember her.”
The Mr. Skull Pez dispenser on his right triceps is actually a joke, and one that breaks his own rules for tattooing etiquette. “I have a rule about not getting women’s names on my skin anywhere, but as a rib I broke that rule. I didn’t use her name, but I used her nickname.” Something important to remember, says Punk: “She wasn’t my girlfriend. Never, ever get a girlfriend’s name tattooed, please. Bad idea.”
As a self-admitted “comic nerd,” Punk says he added a certain Marvel character onto the web on his right elbow to show his support. “I’ve got Spider Man hanging off the web with the lucky 13 in it – again with the good luck.”
Operation Ivy, an influential punk rock band that formed in 1987, has its logo on his left calf. “I thought it was cool, and I love Operation Ivy’s music.” The band later turned into Rancid, and Punk has become friends with the band members.
“I’m also a fan of traditional tattoos,” he said. “I like old school traditional tattoo art, which includes some of the stars and a few anchors I have on my arm, there is a lightning bolt on there somewhere, too.”
He acquired two tattoos right after he lost something – his job pumping gas when he was an adolescent. “I just quit my job at some Speedway, so I decided to get the cobra and the ‘spitfire.’ They were numbers four and five respectively, and I think the Pepsi tattoo was right before that one.”
Admitting he’s no religious zealot, Punk said he got the evil skull of the Virgin Mary because of its romanticism, not necessarily to draw lines in the sand over religion. “It’s like a prayer card but it’s a skull. I love the portrait, there is just something romantic about it. I think it’s very cool.”
Punk believes he has spent days in a tattoo chair, and plans to spend even more time there in the near future. If he has his way, before Cyber Sunday he’ll again make an appointment for another session in his hometown of Chicago.
“I still have to cap off my shoulder,” he said. “Then I’ll probably have to move into my chest area. Don’t be surprised if you see me in the very near future with some new ink.”
