Shirtless Bear-Fighter vol. 2

Again, there’s a pretty good chance you already know if this is going to be worth your time.

If you were one of the few who came out of vol. 1 on the fence, however, then know this:  Shirtless Bear-Fighter is still fighting bears!  To an unhealthy extent, even.  Which means that it’s not long before he’s kicked off FUZZ by his friend, Agent Silva, and left to drift through life (and a knock-off Chuck E. Cheese) before returning to his old training ground.  It’s there that he summons the courage to finish the last lesson of his training where he learns an awful truth about his origin.  Where the coming of the bear god Ursa Major is foretold and the subjugation of mankind is at hand.  When it’s all over, Earth will be no more… and BEARTH will be in its place!

Writer Jody Lehup and artist Nil Vendrell continue to be excellent at presenting utterly ridiculous concepts – Japanese gangster bears known as Yakuma, the Self-Care Bears, Shirtless’ nemesis whose name is too good to be spoiled here – completely straight.  Which makes them only funnier to see in print.  Better still is that they’re telling a bigger and even more absurd story with vol. 2 which manages to top the original.  It’s not completely immune to moments of convention or sentimentality, but those bits are better tempered with humor and Shirtless’ origin is actually interesting in the context of the story.

Vol. 2 does wrap things up in a conclusive enough fashion to suggest that Lehup and Vendrell have reached the end of the title character’s journey for now.  I can’t begrudge them that since there’s always the chance that a series as ridiculous (and enjoyable) as this will overstay its welcome sooner rather than later.  Still, if they do decide to deliver a third part to this saga, then I’ll be there for it.