Street Sharks #1
Illustrated by: Ariel Medel
Written by: Stephanie Williams
IDW
2025
Spoilers and Nostalgia ahead!
MINISERIES PREMIERE! THE FIRST OF FIVE JAWSOME ISSUES!
The first Street Sharks comic in more than 20 years brings you extreme stories and a fintastic time! But don’t call it a comeback: They’ve been waiting for everyone ELSE to get ready for more jawsome adventures!
The four Bolton Brothers were happy playing sports and meeting babes. But when a run-in with a mad scientist turned them into giant sharks, they only got COOLER!
Kick some serious fin with Ripster, the great white head of the pack; Streex, the rollerblading ladies’ man (er, ladies’ SHARK); Jab, the hammerhead who loooves using his noggin; and Big Slammu, the whale shark with the whale-sized muscles, on their newest adventure! They’ll need all the help they can get to stop their arch nemesis, Dr. Piranoid, from developing…THE PERFECT PREDATOR! Little do they know, it’s already too late to stop the grossest monster they’ve ever fought from being born!
Stephanie Williams (Nubia and the Amazons, My Little Pony) and Ariel Medel (TMNT vs. Street Fighter) bring you the most righteous shark tale you’ve ever read!
Remember Street Sharks? The animated series premiered in the United States on September 7, 1994, along with its toy line, riding that wave of mutant animal heroes that dominated the decade. As a toy collector, I’ll admit I was never a big fan of the action figures, but I did enjoy the cartoon. So when IDW announced they were bringing the franchise back, I was cautiously curious.
This new comic from writer Stephanie Williams and artist Ariel Medel is way better than it has any right to be. The issue wastes no time throwing us into action as the Bolton brothers—Ripster, Jab, Streex, and Slammu—battle Dr. Paradigm’s sea creature henchmen through Fission City. Williams leans into the franchise’s inherent absurdity while adding genuine character moments, like when the brothers reference their dad’s bear hugs mid-fight. It shouldn’t work, but the family dynamic feels real enough to ground all the hammerhead backbreakers and seismic slam powerbombs.
What surprised me most is how the comic tackles public perception. News reports show a divided city questioning whether the Street Sharks are heroes or menaces. One civilian points out that sure, Slammu saved a kid when the dock collapsed, but would the dock have collapsed if they weren’t fighting there in the first place? That’s actually smart writing that gives the series somewhere to go beyond just monthly punch-fests.
The art is kinetic and easy to follow despite the chaos, and Valentina Pinto’s colors pop without being garish. Sure, Dr. Paradigm’s villain dialogue is peak Saturday morning cartoon cheese, and his henchmen are pretty one-note, but honestly? That’s part of the charm. This comic knows exactly what it is and embraces it fully.
If you have any nostalgia for the original series, or just want a fun action comic that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this is worth picking up. Street Sharks #2 hits shelves November 5, 2025, and I’m genuinely curious to see where this goes. Shark yeah!
Street Sharks #1 Proves 90s Nostalgia Still Has Bite!
Street Sharks #1 exceeds expectations with fun action and surprising depth. Writer Stephanie Williams balances nostalgia with smart storytelling, exploring public perception alongside over-the-top shark battles. The art pops, the family dynamic works, and it's genuinely entertaining throwback comics.
Beam Me Up Scotty
Born and raised in the city of Miami. Lifelong pro wrestling fan. Been deep in the 'zine scene since ’84, interviewing locals, Hardcore, Punk, and Metal bands. Spent 26 years in the comic book biz and still obsessed with all things pop culture—Mego, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, Die-Cast Metal Super Robots, you name it. I can go on about comic books and bad movies all day.
