Greetings robots! We’re here with another edition of Tee Time with Dr.Cyborg! In which I take a few minutes out of my busy golf schedule to give you your opinion about something I’ve read. Accompanied by my trusty caddie, Slugtron, this time we’ll be talking about the newly released Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark. So pour yourselves a Robot Cocktail, (1/2 pint Jack Daniels, 1/8 pint Vodka, 2 drops Grenadine. Mix well, add ice, and serve.) And let’s go golfing!
Sea Bear & Grizzly shark is a combination of Jason Howard, and Ryan Ottley’s 24-hour comic projects, complete with an origin story written by Robert Kirkman, and some gray scales by Cliff Rathburn.
I was really shocked when I heard that Kirkman fidgeted his name onto the back of the comic. -Slugtron
One of the reasons I was so compelled to read this book, was not only the killer premise, but also the gimmick of picking a side.
In fact I think it’s such a great gimmick that by the eighteenth hole, I pledge to have picked a side once and for all. “Bear”ing in mind that sharks scare the hell out of me, and I loved Yogi bear as an adolescent robot. Anyway, let’s get on with the review…Well, actually… before we get all the way started I just wanted to mention that I’ve grown up a lot since last golf season, and I’m no longer going to participate in juvenile games such as bikini golf, or laser golf… Now I play a much more mature game that I call “The essence of golf”. Which is essentially the same as regular golf, but I’ve dug eighteen holes throughout an elephant sanctuary that’s wired to blow if I don’t hit the kill switch hidden in the final green in a half an hour… there are also flamingos.
The first half of the comic was Jason Howard’s Sea Bear. Out of the two, I’m glad that Jason Howard chose to do Sea Bear, I think it plays into the strengths of what he’s used to drawing. (The Astounding Wolf-Man) After all, what is a Wolf-Man, if not a glorified sea bear? Whether I was attempting to be sarcastic or not, I felt like Jason Howard did a good job… Keeping in mind that these were at least attempted 24-hour comics, I think the art on Sea Bear was good. It predictably had a few good scenes of gore, and enough killing spanned over 24 pages that you would have to be suffering a stroke during an Earthquake at Disneyland, in order to be entitled to complain about it’s pacing.
The pages were pretty simple, but they took the story far enough… In fact, I was really surprised to see how far from the sea Sea Bear went. A revenge tale that spanned twenty years, it included what I would easily consider random elements. From cybernetic assassins and mutant bears, to an oddly disfigured female alien woman. Strangely, with all of these oddities it really didn’t seem to be funny, but in its defense, it didn’t seem to try to be. I thought it was a great 24-hour comic, my only complaint is that I wish the actual Sea Bear was in it a little more. I’ll keep the ending a surprise, but at least at this point I have to say I would pick Urkel from Family Ties to fight at my side before Sea Bear.
If grizzly bears could live in the ocean, why are the polar bears doing such a lousy job? -Slugtron
There is literally not even a blank page to separate the books, so therefore I feel as if I should just go directly into the review of Grizzly Shark!
Grizzly Shark is both drawn and written by Ryan Ottley of Invincible fame. I’ve read and liked his past 24-hour comics, but I have to say, this one blew all of the others out of the water. (Which is kind of a pun right?) Grizzly Shark was so good, and not just as a quick side comic, but one of the best comics I’ve read in a long time. I hardly ever laugh out loud, but during this comic I came close! Everything was so over the top, but I loved every second. It was a lot of fun, and I could tell that Ryan had a lot of fun drawing it.
The violence in Grizzly Shark is inspirational to us all! …We should bring back national punch your grandma in the face day! Thanks Ryan Ottley! -Slugtron
Since I called Sea Bear a revenge tale, I feel obligated to label this b-horror movie, complete with a hillbilly named Jonbob. The art was really good, definitely better than I expected, and it was filled to the brim with a mountain of ingenious fatalities. My only possible complaint was that it was established that Cinnamon Bear Jubilee was the sharks kryptonite, but it didn’t aid in his killing at all. I find this to be the worst possible complaint because the ending was so rad anyway. Seriously, this was one of the funnest reads I’ve had in a long time.
Holy mackerel! – Slugtron
Both of these books were well done, but ultimately I’ve decided to vote, “I’m with Shark!” Mostly because Grizzly Shark is eating a baby on the front cover.
Sea Bear & Grizzly Shark is being distributed by Image, and comes out today, (June 23rd) I highly recommend going to your comic book shop and picking it up. The cover price is $4.99, but it is worth every single penny twice!