What would be scarier than getting attacked by a bear in the woods? The answer is obvious – getting attacked by a SHARK in the woods! How is this possible? Four simple words – “They got mixed up!”
Somewhere in the Caribbean, a family is vacationing on their boat. Dad has his fishing pole in hand, and notices that he has one heck of a bite on the line. “Woah, Tom! Your pole is about to snap. Did you hook a shark?” “No, it’s a SEA BEAR!” Twenty years later, the lone survivor of the slaughter returns to the scene of the attack, seeking revenge. “You owe me a life, bear!”
Elsewhere, a father and his son are on a hunting trip. “There are SHARKS in these woods!” The warning comes too late, as Grizzly Shark comes roaring out of the forest. And don’t forget, it can smell blood from oh-so-far away! A rock climber laments the paper cut he just got on the sharp cliff side… (Don’t think too hard about it.) And seemingly out of nowhere – “RAWR!”
As a fan of the original creature features that seem to dominate the SyFy channel, this one-shot was a no-brainer for me. Image Comics regulars Ryan Ottley (Invincible) and Jason Howard (Astounding Wolf-Man) collaborated on this admittedly goofy idea. The two penned their tales independently, and also penciled their own art. Mutual colleague Robert Kirkman (yes, THAT Robert Kirkman) even contributed an introduction and origin story. Both shorts were just as outlandish as I had hoped – lots of teeth-chomping violence combined with transparent plots. However, I was a bit disappointed that the two creatures never crossed paths. I would have loved either a team-up or a face-off with the two. I was also a little bummed that the creatures only swapped habitats – no Sharktopus-esque combination animals. However, the two tales do each have their charms. Ottley’s Sea Bear has an over-the-top action movie vibe, while Howard’s Grizzly Shark has more of a campy “Scary Movie” feel, going for gross-out laughs more than story continuity.
Just remember – next time you are out on a boat or trekking through the woods, be on the lookout. And whatever you do, never underestimate your foe (real or imagined). You wouldn’t want your last words to be “Don’t worry – I doubt sharks can smell through water.” (Again, don’t think too hard about it.)
Story – 8 out of 10
Art – 7 out of 10
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Mel Lang is the store manager for Prairie Dog Comics in Wichita, KS. She lives there (in Wichita, not at the comic book store) with her husband, Matt, and their four-legged kid, a black lab named Phog. In her spare time, she enjoys comic cons and running her store’s fantasy Walking Dead league. Mel is stoked to be a part of the StashMyComics community – it gives her an excuse to catch up on her reading!
