A Jaw-somely Good Time — Reviewing ‘Street Sharks’ #1

It may not be July, but it’s definitely shark week again. The most extreme fin-tastic 1990s heroes are back, taking a real jagged bite out of crime in a brand-new comic book series.

That’s right, it’s time for Street Sharks #1 to bring the short-lived cartoon series a whole new bit of life. It’s a Jaw-some affair from Stephanie Williams, Ariel Medel, Valentina Pinto, and Jeff Eckleberry.

A lot of the ’90s is kind of a blur at this point. Having recently walked into my fourth decade of life, I imagine it’s not that out of the question for things to get fuzzier. All of this is to say, I’m not certain if I actually watched Street Sharks back in the day.

What I did for sure watch was everything like it. From Ninja Turtles to Power Rangers to every other vigilante superhero showcase of the era. That makes me feel like I most definitely probably watched the Shark boys.

Either way, I enjoyed this a lot.

Williams captured so much of the energy of that era as well as the voices. Some of the dialogue and the way the characters talked would feel out of place were it happening in many other comic books. Here though, it works because it’s mirroring the kind of ways that cartoon characters were delivering their lines to our youthful ears.

Focusing on a chase with the main villain of the series, some minor villains, the heroes themselves, and a few other tidbits was a solid choice. It gives a refresher crash course for old fans and introductions for new readers. All without bogging things down or feeling like a clip show or prolonged expository dump.

Similarly, Medel captures that similar visual appeal of the cartoon and others of its ilk. She grabs that hefty whimsical heavy feeling with a lot of fluidity and kinetic energy. Characters look big and bold and dynamic in every panel. Really surging around as the action demands.

All of the colors that Pinto is utilizing bolsters these feelings. Overall, they are very neutral or in the middle in some respects, keeping the overall feeling quite toned down. This allows the spaces to feel authentic even with the slightly more colorful aquatic hybrid beings running amok, shifting more vibrant flashy color for some of the panel spreads or specific moments.

Speaking of the voices previously, their delivery is part of also what makes them work. Eckleberry adds the right punch to the dialogue, SFX, and more as it flows around the page, letting things get bigger, smaller, more colorful, or modified in other ways to really just let it all explode.

Can’t believe I have to wait another whole month to read the next issue. Bring on more sharky goodness.

Street Sharks #1 is now available from IDW Publishing.