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Jeff the Land Shark
Jeff the Land Shark on the cover of It's Jeff! #1 (September 2021).
Art by Gurihiru
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceWest Coast Avengers vol. 3 #7
(January 2019)
Created byKelly Thompson
Daniele di Nicuolo
In-story information
Alter egoJeff the Baby Land Shark
SpeciesLand shark
Team affiliationsWest Coast Avengers
PartnershipsGwenpool
Elsa Bloodstone
Wade Wilson
Kate Bishop
Notable aliasesJeffrey
AbilitiesShark physiology
Master of disguise

Jeff the Land Shark (also known as Jeffrey[1]) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Kelly Thompson and artist Daniele di Nicuolo, the character first appeared in West Coast Avengers vol. 3 #6 (October 2018), but was not named and formally introduced until issue #7 (January 2019). Jeff was originally the pet landshark (legged shark) of the superhero Gwenpool but has since had other caretakers such as Deadpool, Elsa Bloodstone and Kate Bishop.

Publication history

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Comic books

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Comic-book panel
Jeff's first official appearance in West Coast Avengers #7 (January 2019) by writer Kelly Thompson and artist Daniele di Nicuolo[2]

Landsharks first appeared in West Coast Avengers volume 3 #1 (October 2018), created by writer Kelly Thompson and artist Stefano Caselli. The issue saw a herd of landsharks running through Santa Monica. One of the landsharks drawn by Caselli caught Thompson's eye, so she created a character, drawing on the shark imagery and her own pet cats. This character, Jeff, was first introduced in issue #7, drawn by Daniele di Nicuolo, being adopted by Gwen Poole and named "Jeff", as part of an ultimately abandoned running gag where Gwen would adopt (and lose) many infant animals and name them "Jeff", having previously adopted a kitten she'd called by that name.[3][2][4] Following a universally positive internet reception, Jeff consequently appeared in the rest of the run of West Coast Avengers.[5]

Jeff appeared in Gwenpool Strikes Back (2019), by writer Leah Williams and artist David Baldeon, and Deadpool (volume 8), by writer Thompson and artists Chris Bachalo and Gerardo Sandoval, as a supporting character.[5][6][7] He was also featured in the one-page story "Monsters" by writer Thompson and artist Pepe Larraz which was printed in Marvel's 80th Anniversary project Marvel #1000 (2019).[8]

Thompson credits a con exhibition piece by The Unbelievable GwenPool artists Gurihiru as popularizing Jeff.[2] Characters in the Marvel Universe started being depicted with Jeff-themed merchandise.[9][2] Starting September 2021, Jeff then starred in his own series, titled It's Jeff!,[10][3][11] written by Thompson and drawn by Gurihiru.[4] This comedy series has no dialogue.[3][12] It's Jeff! premiered as part of the new Marvel's Infinity Comics program; these digital comics are in the vertical scrolling format and are only available to Marvel Unlimited subscribers.[12] A second season of It's Jeff! returned in September 2022, running until January 2023.[13][14] A third season of It's Jeff! launched on October 20, 2023.[15]

Jeff has also appeared in the Marvel Meow Infinity Comic (2022).[16]

It's Jeff! #1 was released in print in March 2023; this one-shot issue collects the short stories originally published in the digital Infinity Comics format.[17][18] It's Jeff: The Jeff-Verse #1 was released in November 2023; this print issue collects issues #13-24 of the Infinity Comic.[19][20]

Jeff was "venomized" as part of Marvel's 2023 Summer of Symbiotes event in the short story "The Rhythm of the Night" written by Thompson and drawn by Gurihiru. This story was printed in Extreme Venomverse #5 (July 2023).[21][22] Jeff has appeared in the Marvel Unlimited crossover Infinity Paws, written by Jason Loo and drawn by Nao Fuji, which released in spring 2024.[23][24] As part of the 2024 Venom War event, Jeff will be featured in the one-shot Venom War: It's Jeff #1 (November 2024) written by Thompson and illustrated by Gurihiru.[25]

Covers

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Jeff, with Carol Danvers, was featured on the variant cover of Captain Marvel #39 with art by Gurihiru; this version was exclusive to Marvel Unlimited Annual Plus subscribers who attended San Diego Comic-Con in July 2022.[26][27] Gurihiru then did two more variant covers, Captain Marvel #42 and Captain America: Symbol of Truth #6, which feature Jeff in October 2022.[28] Nao Fuji (artist of Marvel Meow) also did a variant cover, for Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #4 (October 2022), featuring Jeff.[28] The "venomized" version of Jeff was featured on two of the Extreme Venomverse #5 (July 2023) covers – the standard cover by Leinil Francis Yu and a variant cover by Peach Momoko.[21]

Fictional character biography

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The land sharks were created by MODOK Superior.[29] When the West Coast Avengers led by Kate Bishop defeated the West Coast version of the Masters of Evil that MODOK Superior was a part of, Gwen Poole found and adopted a baby land-shark, naming it Jeff after a kitten of the same name Gwen had adopted earlier in the series but who she had to give up. Jeff became part of the West Coast Avengers.[30]

Concerned that so many of her own titles had been cancelled (as a being from the real world, aware of the fictional comic book nature of the Marvel Universe), Gwen gave Jeff to Deadpool so he would have a more secure future, only for his title to be promptly cancelled as well.[3][5] Elsa Bloodstone became his next caretaker.[8]

It's Jeff! (2021) depicts Jeff as living with Kate Bishop, being given to her by Gwen instead.[31] In the series, "Jeff has been the darling of a superhero pool party; stolen Captain America's shield to sled with the Young Avengers; eaten the Infinity Gauntlet; and swiped a superhero gathering's Thanksgiving turkey". In the 2022 second season, Gwen returns, continuing to care for Jeff along with Kate.[32]

During the "Venom War" storyline, Jeff was briefly bonded to a Symbiote. They found a way to work together and got food from the stands at Coney Island. When the Zombiotes attacked, Jeff assisted Hawkeye, Gwenpoole, America Chavez, and Fuse into fighting the Zombiotes. Once the Zombiotes were defeated, Jeff and the Symbiote separated from each other. Then everyone celebrated by having churros.[33]

Powers and abilities

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Jeff is a quadruped land-shark with a prodigious appetite. His main attack is biting. He possesses the normal attributes of an Earth shark.

To blend in when going out, Jeff uses an assortment of animal costumes.

Reception

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Critical response

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Chris Arrant of Newsarama called Jeff the Land Shark a "fan-favorite," writing, "Jeff the Land Shark slowly became a low-key cult-favorite character for some comics fans."[34] Samantha King of Screen Rant referred to as "Marvel's cutest character," stating, "The little shark has quickly become a fan-favorite in both the real world and Marvel's universe."[35] Nicholas Howe of CBR ranked Jeff the Land Shark 1st in their "10 Cutest Marvel Heroes" list, saying, "Jeff has become one of the most beloved figures of the last few years,"[36] while Darby Harn ranked him 6th in their "10 Most Iconic Pets In Marvel Comics" list.[37] On Jeff's debut in West Coast Avengers, Robbie Pleasant of Multiversity Comics commented that "it was clear from the get-go that Jeff was the next big thing in comics, an absolute superstar that would dominate the industry, or at least our hearts. Here at Multiversity, it quickly became a running gag in the pages of Saturday Morning Panels just how much we all love that little land shark".[38]

Literary reception for It's Jeff (2023)

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Graeme McMillan, for Polygon in 2021, commented that of the new Infinity Comics, It's Jeff! "is pretty perfect from the start" and "an utter joy" unlike the rest of the line.[12] Jim Dandeneau, for Den of Geek, wrote that "if you have a young person in your life, [It's Jeff!] will completely justify an annual Marvel Unlimited subscription".[32] It was nominated for Best Digital Comic at the 2022 Eisner Awards.[8][39]

Following the print release in 2023, Avery Kaplan, for The Beat, called the collected issue a "must-read… or a must re-read".[6] Kaplan commented that while in some places there is obvious evidence of the "vestigial scrolling structure," it doesn't detract from the issue and she appreciated that Marvel went with a longer issue format in order to print all 12 parts of the first season.[6] Susana Polo of Polygon highlighted how the issue isn't more complicated than "Jeff gets into some shenanigans, finds a cute way out of them" – it has Gurihiru's "charming art" and Thompson's writing is "Sunday Funnies simple".[18]

Hannah Rose of CBR asserted, "While it doesn't boast anything groundbreaking or deep, It's Jeff! #1 is a welcome respite of aesthetically pleasing fun, sweetness and mischief, putting a spotlight on a minor character whose appeal cannot be understated."[40] Chase Magnett of ComicBook.com gave It's Jeff! #1 a grade of 4.5 out of 5, writing, "In addition to splendidly told strips, the full comics page provides plenty of space for background gags that are bound to absorb readers with nods to beloved characters. For those seeking the lighter side of Marvel Comics, It's Jeff! is a can't-miss collection filled with laughs and love for animals."[41] In May 2024, Pleasant rated It's Jeff! #1 a 10 out of 10 and highlighted that the transition into print was done with "bit of a visual distinction to the flow".[38] Pleasant opined that "between [Thompson's] story and Gurihiru's artwork, we get the tale of a happy little land shark who can get into trouble, but mostly just wants to have fun, be loved, and eat all the food he can find. [...] What It's Jeff comes down to is one thing: Jeff the Land Shark is adorable and gets into amusing hijinks. It's not a deep story or character exploration, but it's cute and fun, which is exactly what we want from this comic".[38]

The comic It's Jeff: The Jeff-Verse #1 won Best Humor Publication at the 2024's Eisner Awards.[42][43]

In other media

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Video games

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Board games

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  • In 2023, Jeff the Land Shark appears in Marvel: Crisis Protocol as part of the "Gwenpool Character Pack."[48]
  • In 2023, Jeff the Land Shark appears in Marvel United: Multiverse board game by Spin Master Games and CMON as a Kickstarter stretch goal. He was added as part of the Pet Companions expansion to the game which includes new standalone miniatures and corresponding cards.[49] Jeff was also featured as part of Gwenpool's Kickstarter exclusive miniature in Marvel United: X-Men (2021).[50]

Merchandise

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References

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  1. ^ Deadpool vol. 8 #6
  2. ^ a b c d Thompson, Kelly (October 9, 2021). "Secret Origin: Jeff!". 1979 Semi-Finalist (Newsletter). Substack. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d King, Samantha (October 14, 2021). "Comic Creator Reveals the Origin of Marvel's Cutest Character". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Johnston, Rich (September 9, 2021). "Jeff the Land Shark Gets a Marvel Comic by Kelly Thompson & Gurihiru". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Gaber, Nabeel (2020-08-10). "Deadpool's New Sidekick Is Marvel's Next Baby Groot". CBR. Archived from the original on 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  6. ^ a b c Kaplan, Avery (2023-03-29). "The Marvel Rundown: Hit the ground running with IT'S JEFF #1". The Beat. Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  7. ^ Wyatt, Liz (May 20, 2020). "Marvel: 5 Reasons Why Jeff The Land Shark Should Be Your New Fav (& 5 Why It Should Be Chewie)". CBR. Archived from the original on 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  8. ^ a b c Mooney, Colin (June 12, 2022). "The History of Marvel's Newest Eisner-Award-Nominated Hero Jeffrey the Landshark". CBR. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  9. ^ Arrant, Chris (September 11, 2021). "Are you aboard the Jeff the Land Shark bandwagon yet?". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  10. ^ "It's Jeff Infinity Comic (2021) #1". Marvel. September 2, 2021. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  11. ^ "Marvel's Kelly Thompson Teases New Project with Deadpool's Jeff The Shark". ComicBook.com. January 2, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  12. ^ a b c McMillan, Graeme (September 15, 2021). "Marvel's new webcomics line needed more time to bake". Polygon. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  13. ^ Kaplan, Avery (September 9, 2022). "Jeff: The Revenge! IT'S JEFF Infinity Comic returns to Marvel Unlimited". The Beat. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  14. ^ Mooney, Colin (September 27, 2022). "It's Jeff is Bringing Back His Most Popular Handler - and her Trademark Artist". CBR. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  15. ^ Ezekwe, Nnamdi (2023-10-16). "Jeff the Land Shark's Adventures Continue on Marvel Unlimited". CBR. Archived from the original on 2023-10-17. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  16. ^ "Marvel Meow Infinity Comic (2022) #8". Marvel Entertainment. June 10, 2022. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  17. ^ "Marvel's Jeff the Landshark Leaps from (Eisner Nominated!) Webtoon to Print". ICv2. December 12, 2022. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Polo, Susana (2023-04-03). "The best pet in Marvel Comics finally has his own comic book". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  19. ^ Terror, Jude (October 27, 2023). "It's Jeff: The Jeff-Verse #1 Preview: Jeff Bites Marvel Universe". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  20. ^ "It's Jeff: The Jeff-Verse (2023) #1". Marvel Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  21. ^ a b Terror, Jude (July 15, 2023). "Extreme Venomverse #5 Preview: When Good Sharks Go Bad". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  22. ^ Loving, Casey (2023-04-12). "Marvel's New Venom Turns Its Cutest Character into a Deadly Symbiote". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on 2023-06-22. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  23. ^ "Jeff the Land Shark and Alligator Loki Assemble Super-Powered Pets for Infinity Paws". ComicBook.com. October 16, 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  24. ^ Ezekwe, Nnamdi (2023-10-15). "NYCC: Jeff the Land Shark Unites With Marvel's Other Animals for Infinity Paws". CBR. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  25. ^ Adams, Timothy (July 4, 2024). "Marvel Announces Venom War: It's Jeff (Exclusive)". ComicBook.com. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  26. ^ "Jeff the Landshark Makes Big Waves on a New Series of Variant Covers". Marvel Entertainment (Press release). September 8, 2022. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  27. ^ Thompson, Kelly (July 21, 2022). "JEFF LIVES!". 1979 Semi-Finalist (Newsletter). Substack. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  28. ^ a b "Jeff the Landshark Teams Up with Marvel Heroes in New Variant Covers". ComicBook.com. September 28, 2022. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  29. ^ West Coast Avengers Vol. 3 #1. Marvel Comics.
  30. ^ West Coast Avengers Vol. 3 #7. Marvel Comics.
  31. ^ Belt, Robyn (November 25, 2021). "Celebrate Thanksgiving with Jeff the Land Shark". Marvel. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  32. ^ a b Dandeneau, Jim (December 31, 2021). "The Best Comics of 2021". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  33. ^ Venom War: It's Jeff! #1. Marvel Comics.
  34. ^ Arrant, Chris (September 9, 2022). "Why Marvel's Jeff the Land Shark is so popular". Newsarama. Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  35. ^ King, Samantha (October 14, 2021). "Comic Creator Reveals The Origin of Marvel's Cutest Character". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  36. ^ Howe, Nicholas (September 18, 2022). "10 Cutest Marvel Heroes, Ranked". CBR. Archived from the original on 2023-09-24. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  37. ^ Harn, Darby (May 11, 2020). "10 Most Iconic Pets In Marvel Comics, Ranked". CBR. Archived from the original on 2022-12-03. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  38. ^ a b c Pleasant, Robbie (May 31, 2024). ""It's Jeff!" #1". Multiversity Comics. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  39. ^ Schreur, Brandon (May 18, 2022). "DC's Nightwing Leads 2022 Eisner Awards with Five Nominations". CBR. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  40. ^ Rose, Hannah (March 30, 2023). "REVIEW: Marvel's It's Jeff! #1 Is an Adorable One-Off Adventure". CBR. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  41. ^ Magnett, Chase (March 29, 2023). "Comic Book Reviews for This Week: 3/29/2023". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  42. ^ DeArmitt, Grant (May 16, 2024). "And the 2024 Eisner Award nominees are..." Popverse. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  43. ^ Puc, Samantha (July 27, 2024). "SDCC '24: Announcing the 2024 Eisner Award winners". The Beat. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  44. ^ Damore, Meagan (April 6, 2023). "Piecing Together MARVEL Puzzle Quest: Jeffrey (Land Shark) & Jeffrey (Symbiote)". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  45. ^ Foley, Tom (April 19, 2023). "Jeff the Baby Land Shark is Marvel Snap's Latest Sensation". CBR. Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  46. ^ Gealogo, David (2023-09-05). "Best Jeff the Baby Land Shark decks in Marvel Snap (September 2023)". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on 2023-05-06. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  47. ^ Penwell, Justin (July 26, 2024). Thor and Jeff the Land Shark Join Marvel Rivals Roster Alongside Adorable Trailer. Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  48. ^ Hoffer, Christian (March 12, 2023). "Marvel: Crisis Protocol Tease Squirrel Girl and Gwenpool Miniatures". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  49. ^ Aguilar, Matthew (February 8, 2023). "Marvel United: Multiverse Adds Jeffrey the Land Shark, Goose, Alligator Loki, and More". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  50. ^ CMON [@CMONGames] (May 3, 2021). "We just unlocked Gwenpool (and her adorable landshark, Jeff)! Be sure to check out the campaign and catch up on all of the action here: [LINK][IMAGE]" (Tweet). Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Twitter.
  51. ^ Fallon, Sean (June 1, 2020). "Deadpool Marvel Legends Strong Guy BAF Wave Includes a Jeff the Baby Land Shark Figure". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  52. ^ Nafpliotis, Nick (June 1, 2020). "Marvel Legends: Hasbro reveals full Strong Guy BAF Deadpool wave". AIPTComics.com. Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
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