Bears. Beards. Brawls. Such is the conceit of Shirtless Bear-Fighter!, a title as wonderfully wild as it is completely literal. The latest from Image Comics, Shirtless Bear-Fighter! tells the story of Shirtless, the buffed-up, bushy-bearded result of a Jungle Book-style rearing gone tragically wrong. With bears in the streets and revenge on his mind, Shirtless is left to do the one thing he does best--and what he does best isn't beary nice.
In advance of the book's June 21 release, IGN conducted an email interview with writers Jody LeHeup and Sebastian Girner, wherein they discussed their inspiration, their collaboration with artists Nil Vendrell and Mike Spicer, and which bears are most deserving of a fist to the face. We also have three exclusive pages from the series' first issue.
IGN: Shirtless Bear-Fighter!—it’s as straightforward a title as you can get. Where’d the idea come from?
Jody LeHeup: Sebastian and I were roommates when we came up with the title and concept for the book. We’d been editors in comics for a while, both of us at Marvel (which is where we met), then me at Valiant and Sebastian freelancing, so we were used to shooting ideas back and forth. When we were living together though it was a non-stop, 24-7 creative retreat. One day one of us, not even trying to come up with something amazing, jokingly referred to someone as looking like a “Shirtless Bear-Fighter”. Soon as it came out of our mouth it was an epic “Oh shit” moment.
Sebastian Girner: Once we had that kernel of an idea we nurtured it like a big bearded baby that got shoved through our doggy door and reared it into the comics juggernaut it is now.
IGN: The first few issues wear a great many influences. Beyond the more specific ones like The Jungle Book, what else did you draw from in shaping this story?
LeHeup: Yeah, so there’s a lot more going on with SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER! than it might seem at first blush. A lot of different styles and tones as you mention being brought to...er...bear to achieve different goals.
Girner: The humor and gags come from us riffing off of 80’s VHS classics over beers, trash-talking when Jody uses Kuma to kick my ass at Tekken (damn cheatin’-ass bear!), and just overall subversion of other genres...like tall tales, superheroes, Saturday morning cartoons, etc.
LeHeup: Right. SBF is something of a love-letter to all that stuff and a testament to the elasticity of comics as a medium. But while in many ways we’re parodying the hero’s journey, it also IS a hero’s journey. Or rather a fallen hero’s journey. We’re dealing with themes like revenge, redemption, dealing with loss...and along the way there’s a lot of twists and betrayals and battles with corrupt moneymen. So in that sense there are some film noir influences as well.
But the emotional core of the story has to do with anger. Specifically the damage it can do to friends and loved ones if it’s not dealt with in the right ways. It’s a very human thing to be hurt and lash out. It’s something we can all relate to and we’re pulling from our own experiences with those feelings as well.
IGN: When we first meet Shirtless he’s an almost mythical figure with a penchant for punching and a fondness of flapjacks. As the series progresses, more human and relatable qualities shine through. How would you describe the tone of this book? Girner: I’d call it something like “Hyper-Reality” maybe? The emotions, the stakes, the internal struggle and emotional journey of the characters are real and relatable, but the external factors are all angry bear-fights, killer toilet robots and southern half-man-half-pig hillbilly sorcerers. So while the book surprises, entertains and shocks on every page, the underlying themes are something we think readers are really going to love and feel satisfied by.
IGN: Because PETA will likely ask, what do you have against bears? What makes them the perfect foil for your lead?
LeHeup: Well in reality, if you attack a bear, that bear is probably going to maul the shit out of you. You could die. In some cases you could like...SUPER die. We’ve mentioned this elsewhere but PETA has nothing to worry about. Bear-fighting is its own deterrent. And really that’s what’s funny about it. It’s an insane thing to dedicate your life to doing. Not to mention the non-sequitur idea of this half-naked guy punching enormous alpha predators in the face is just hilarious. Something existentially satisfying about defying your cosmic insignificance and willing yourself to relevance.
But the metaphor here is that sometimes we can be so blinded by our emotions that we do stupid things that are dangerous to ourselves and our relationships. So it is with our would-be hero Shirtless and his quest to battle all bears.
IGN:This book has it all—massive bears, pixelated nudity and a whole load of knock-down, drag-out brawls. When it came time to pick an art team for this book, what lead you to Nil Vendrell and Mike Spicer?
Girner: This comic does have it all, and that calls for an art team that can DRAW it all. We have a wide range of diverse backdrops, dramatic character moments, comedic beats, and battles of many kinds (not just with bears). It’s a deceptively tricky book to draw because ALL those moments need to jive and work in tandem.
LeHeup: Lucky for us, Barcelona Wild Man Nil Vendrell stepped out of the fog of history and wore every damn one of those hats like a boss. We really can’t imagine anyone else bringing SBF to life now. He was already a monster talent, but he’s sharpened his formidable claws on this comic and we think the dude’s gonna conquer the universe.
Girner: Mike Spicer is a longstanding pro colorist of enormous range and depth. He’s developed this bright, expressive, easy-on-the-eyes style that reminds is of a really awesomely twisted Saturday Morning Cartoon.
IGN: You’re writing a Wilderness Survival Guide. Under “Bear Encounters”, what would be Step 1?
LeHeup: Look him up on Grindr and check his cuticles.
Girner: Best not to let it come to an unwanted encounter in the first place! Bears are attracted by insecurity and self-doubt. So when you enter an area that you suspect may have a bear in it, puff yourself up and shout in a loud and clear voice: “I BELIEVE IN MYSELF! I AM A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL WITH THE CAPACITY TO LOVE AND BE LOVED!” (This also works when stuck in traffic, or on a crowded elevator.)
IGN: If you could both punch one bear, fictional or otherwise, who would it be and why?
Girner: I would punch infamous Picnic Ruiner Yogi Bear so hard it’d make his stupid little hat spin. Then I’d high-five Boo-Boo because you know he’s been wanting to do that for years.
LeHeup: I would punch the bear that tried to break into my Alaska friend’s cabin while she was trapped alone inside right in its stupid bear-face. We need Shirtless now more than ever!
IGN: I’ve got room for one more title—why is it Shirtless Bear-Fighter?
Girner: Shirtless Bear-Fighter! is, without exaggeration, the best COMIC you can put on display in your store. It’s a comic that wants to BE a comic, full of unbridled joy of the medium, a celebration of the craft and a perfect union of word and art and bears and punching.
LeHeup: Yeah, look, you want SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER! on your shelf because it is impossible not to fall head-over-heels in love with it. I’m telling you, word of mouth on this book is gonna be off the charts when it hits and you need to be ready for it. The FOMO is real. Already starting on social. Don’t sleep.
Shirtless Bear-Fighter! #1 will hit stores on June 21.
Jeff is a writer for IGN. He can make the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs, probably. Follow him on Twitter and IGN.
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