He has subsequently appeared in a variety of additional media. He headlines in the digital Marvel's Infinity Comics series It's Jeff! written by Thompson and drawn by Gurihiru, which was first published in September 2021. This vertical scrolling format comic returned for a second season in September 2022 and for a third season in October 2023. At the Eisner Awards, It's Jeff! was nominated in 2022 for Best Digital Comic[5] and won in 2024 for Best Humor Publication.[6] In December 2024, Jeff debuted as a playable character in the video game Marvel Rivals.[7][8]
Landsharks first appeared in West Coast Avengers (vol. 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.[9][2][10] Following a universally positive internet reception, Jeff consequently appeared in the rest of the run of West Coast Avengers.[11] Thompson highlighted that Jeff's original design included side flippers, however, they were removed early on.[2]
Jeff appeared in Gwenpool Strikes Back (2019), by writer Leah Williams and artist David Baldeon, and Deadpool (volume 8: King Deadpool), by writer Thompson and artists Chris Bachalo and Gerardo Sandoval, as a supporting character.[11][12][13] 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).[5]
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.[14][2] Starting September 2021, Jeff then starred in his own series, titled It's Jeff!,[15][9][16] written by Thompson and drawn by Gurihiru.[10] This comedy series has no dialogue.[9][17]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.[17] A second season of It's Jeff! returned in September 2022, running until January 2023.[18][19] A third season of It's Jeff! launched on October 20, 2023.[20]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.[21][22]It's Jeff: The Jeff-Verse #1 was released in November 2023; this print issue collects issues #13-24 of the Infinity Comic.[23][24]
Jeff has also appeared in the Marvel Meow Infinity Comic (2022)[25] and in the Marvel Unlimited crossover Infinity Paws, written by Jason Loo and drawn by Nao Fuji, which released in spring 2024.[26][27]
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).[28][29] As part of the 2024 Venom War event, Jeff was featured in the one-shot Venom War: It's Jeff #1 (November 2024) written by Thompson and illustrated by Gurihiru.[30]
Jeff appears in Jeff Week Infinity Comic (2024), a five-issue limited series written and drawn by Gustavo Duarte.[31] He also appeared in Marvel Rivals Infinity Comic (2024), a six-issue limited series by writer Paul Allor and artist Luca Claretti.[32][33]
Covers
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.[34][35] Gurihiru then did two more variant covers, Captain Marvel #42 and Captain America: Symbol of Truth #6, which feature Jeff in October 2022.[36] Nao Fuji (artist of Marvel Meow) also did a variant cover, for Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #4 (October 2022), featuring Jeff.[36] 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.[28]
Fictional character biography
The land sharks were created by MODOK Superior.[37] 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, MODOK Superior's former employee and nemesis 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, Gwen also motivated to adopt him in previously having had a shark-theme herself. Jeff became part of the West Coast Avengers.[38]
Gwen, a real world being aware of the fictional comic book nature of the Marvel Universe after being transported there, was concerned that so many of her own titles had been cancelled. In an attempt to secure a better future for Jeff, she briefly entrusted him to Wade Wilson, only for his title to be promptly cancelled as well.[9][11]Elsa Bloodstone became his next caretaker.[5]
It's Jeff! (2021) depicts Jeff as living with Kate Bishop, being given to her by Gwen instead.[39] 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 and continues to care for Jeff along with Kate.[40]
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 Kate, Gwen, America Chavez, and Fuse in fighting the Zombiotes. Once the Zombiotes were defeated, Jeff and the Symbiote separated from each other. Everyone then celebrated by having churros.[41]
Powers and abilities
Jeff is a quadruped land-shark with a prodigious appetite. He possesses the normal attributes of an Earth shark. His main attack is biting. To blend in when going out, Jeff uses an assortment of animal costumes.
Reception
Critical response
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."[42] 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."[43] 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,"[44] while Darby Harn ranked him 6th in their "10 Most Iconic Pets In Marvel Comics" list.[45] 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".[46]
Literary reception for It's Jeff
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.[17] 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".[40] It was nominated for Best Digital Comic at the 2022 Eisner Awards.[5][47]
Following the print release in 2023, Avery Kaplan, for The Beat, called the collected issue a "must-read… or a must re-read".[12] 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.[12] 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".[22]
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."[48] 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."[49] 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".[46] 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".[46]
The comic It's Jeff: The Jeff-Verse #1 won Best Humor Publication at the 2024's Eisner Awards.[50][6] Joshua Kazemi, in a review of Venom War: It's Jeff #1 for CBR, highlighted that the one-shot is "incredibly satisfying thanks to Jeff himself" and while it is not very "substantive" and lacks "meaningful character arcs", the issue "is very fun and very cute".[51] Kazemi commented that due to the issue's "great panels, there's never a moment where a reader is questioning what's happening or how Jeff is feeling".[51]
Marvel Rivals (2024)
Echo Apsey of Rolling Stone highlighted that Marvel Rivals (2024) has "thrust" Marvel side characters such as Jeff "into the spotlight".[52] Cass Marshall of Polygon commented that they were "delighted to discover" the character through the video game where Jeff is a playable character and that they were "not alone" in becoming "obsessed with Jeff".[53] Marshall highlighted that in play they enjoy Jeff's "toe beans, the way he hums menacingly when he submerges beneath the ground, his reload animation that has him flip on his back and snack on a tasty fish".[53] Marshall also noted that "hilariously enough," the character's ultimate ability called 'It's Jeff!' is considered "one of the most rage-inducing" as Jeff makes a whirlpool "and then gobbles up each enemy caught in the whirlpool's radius. Jeff can then spit those enemies out, sending them off a cliff, or into the middle of a bunch of hostile duelists. It's great fun".[53] Apsey commented that his Marvel Rivals version has not removed "his loving personality" and gave Jeff the ability to "heal allies", however, this version is also "far more terrifying" due to his whirlpool attack.[52] Kenneth Shepard of Kotaku commented that at first glance Jeff is "just a silly little guy", however, "few characters are as chaotic as Jeff" and "Marvel Rivals players have learned, this happy dude is actually one of the biggest menaces in the game, and god, I hope NetEase keeps him like this forever".[54] He highlighted that Jeff's "destructive power contrasted with his cute, unassuming demeanor has made him the center of so many jokes in the game's community just days after launch".[54] Apsey similarly noted that Jeff has become an "instant favorite for his adorably menacing antics" and an "internet darling".[52] Herb Scribner of The Washington Post highlighted the "massive reaction to Jeff" on social media where the fan reaction is divided with some describing the character as "MVP or the GOAT" while others "hate him" after being on the receiving end of his abilities.[55]Rich Johnston of Bleeding Cool noted that the resale value of West Coast Avengers (vol. 3) #7 on eBay increased following a spike in "Jeff's popularity" due to "his prominent appearance in the Marvel Rivals video game".[3] He highlighted that while a small land shark chases Gwenpool in issue #6, issue #7 is where the small land shark is named Jeff and that the "market favors issue #7" over issue #6 as Jeff's first appearance.[3]
In other media
Board games
Jeff the Land Shark appears in Marvel United: X-Men (2021) via Gwenpool's Kickstarter exclusive miniature.[56]
Jeff the Land Shark appears in Marvel: Crisis Protocol (2019) via the "Gwenpool Character Pack" released in 2023.[57]
Jeff the Land Shark appears in Marvel United: Multiverse (2024) via the Pet Companions expansion which was released as a Kickstarter stretch goal.[58]
Video games
Jeff the Land Shark debuted as a playable character in Marvel Puzzle Quest (2013) in 2023.[59]
Jeff the Land Shark debuted as a playable character in Marvel Rivals (2024) when the game launched in December 2024.[7][8] In this version, the character was a prisoner in the Collector's menagerie before being part of prison break led by Mantis who was encouraged by "Jeff’s optimism".[62] "Jeff was added to the Rivals late in development" when the designers felt they needed to expand the game's hero roster – the character was picked because Jeff "is well-liked among Marvel comic books fans".[55] The 2024 Winter Celebration features a new game mode – Jeff's Winter Splash Festival – similar to the Nintendo series Splatoon where all the players play as Jeff.[63][64]
Miscellaneous
Jeff the Land Shark received an action figure in Hasbro's Marvel Legends line in 2020.[65] The figure was included in a pack for Shiklah.[66] Thompson noted that Jeff's first action figure includes the side flippers which were subsequently removed from the character's design.[2]
Jeff the Land Shark appears in Lego Marvel Avengers: Mission Demolition.[citation needed]
^Thompson, Kelly (July 21, 2022). "JEFF LIVES!". 1979 Semi-Finalist (Newsletter). Substack. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
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