It’s Jeff! Who’s Jeff, you ask? Well he’s none other than the adorable baby land shark, and mascot of the West Coast Avengers! Did I mention he’s 
adorable? Because the first panel of the first page has the little tyke wearing an apron and chef’s hat as he uses his little paws(?) to knead baking dough. It’s so stinking cute I about died. I’ll probably mention his cuteness a few more times before this is over so buckle up, kids, as I tell you why a silly book about a land shark is totally worth your hard-earned money this week.
Jeff made his debut back in the most recent volume of “West Coast Avengers” when he was adopted by unlikely team-member Gwenpool. The little runt has changed hands a few times but is most often associated with Kate Bishop or Deadpool, the latter of whom was selected by Gwen to take ownership, citing her concern of never having her own solo series again. Originally published digitally as part of Marvel Unlimited’s Infinity comics line, It’s Jeff! has been reimagined and re-formatted for this print edition of the comic’s “first season.”
Collecting all of Jeff’s early shenanigans, readers are treated to the pint-sized land shark as he attends a super-hero pool party, goes sledding with an Avenger’s prized possession, and even fights MODOK (well, sorta). Writer and creator Kelly Thompson works her magic in this almost-entirely silent series of comic strips, proving she could always find success in the Sunday funnies. Much like her prior work on “Hakweye” and “West Coast Avengers”, she manages to once again use Kate Bishop to great effect, this time as a babysitter and unwitting foil for Jeff’s antics. Thompson doesn’t just deliver cute one-and-done stories, she even uses Jeff’s own limited continuity to provide some honest-to-cuteness character development, showcasing the little guy learning from mistakes and growing as a…person?
Joining Thompson is the art duo of Chifuyu Sasaki and Naoko Kawano, also known as Gurihiru. Their cute, manga-inspired style is perfect for this type of comic, providing a wide range of emotions for the titular star, while always making him look as precious as can be. Not to be outdone, their depictions of Marvel’s other heroes are so unique and full of personality that it’s regrettable they aren’t handling more monthly titles. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, than this one-shot is filled to the brim. It’s little wonder that the digital series was nominated for an Eisner! Packed with fun cameos and adorable shenanigans, It’s Jeff! is a blast that you’ll want to flip through again and again.
It’s Jeff! One-Shot
5.99
Credits
- Writer: Kelly Thompson
- Artist: Gurihiru
- Associate Manager: Annie Cheng
- Sr Manager: Tim Smith III
- Asst Editor: Anita Okoye
Credits (cont)
- Editor: Sarah Brunstad
- Publisher: Marvel Comics
