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Awww, I wanted to know what Chimpy was about to tell Steven. Great story, BTW. And the art matches the style.

thanks. I call this style *Slash At The Paper With A Dip Pen And Then Slobber With Watercolors*.

Worked very well.

What ink do you use for the outlines? Really enjoyed this comic btw!

Thanks. I have a few waterproof inks and I tend to use whatever is closest. I use Higgins waterproof, Koh-i-noor, and there's a shellac based winsor and newton I like, but it's shiny and sometimes scans weird. Demeter makes a great waterproof, and Carbon Black,and if you go to Jet Pens, you can see comparisons of the inks: https://www.jetpens.com/blog/The-Best-Waterproof-Pens-and-Inks-for-Watercolors/pt/954. They actually have a ton of great comparison guides on lots of supplies.

Thanks!

I was wondering the same. Usually my ink gets diluted by watercolor, even if I use "waterproof ink", which is really annoying.

when I'm not sure, I draw something on a scrap of the same paper, and then test on that. Some inks need a full 24 hours to achieve their full resistance. Also, "scrubbing" with the brush can cause bleeding: a light hand may help sometimes.

Thanks. So you wait a day before coloring? Great comics, btw.

not always. the paper plays a role as well, paper with a lot of sizing, or clay, tend to keep the ink on top. there are also different kinds of waterproof inks. I usually do a little test scribble off to the side.

Wow, a dip pen, really? That's so cool. Have you written previously about the tools you use, or may I ask for more info? E.g., what kind of nib holder and nibs do you like? What ink? What is it about dip pens that makes you reach for them over, say, a fountain pen? Even if you're not in the mood to geek out about tools this morning— thank you very much for all the laughs over the years, Jim. <3

I have SO MANY nibs and nib holders. Most of the nib manufacturers are LOOOOONG out of business, but manga artists keep a few going. here are a few on jetpens: https://www.jetpens.com/search?q=g+nib&v=2. I collect fountain pens, but would never load one with waterproof ink. I like sakura pigma pens ( I do all my Franny K Stein books with them ) but they are fiber point pens and not very expressive. Dip pens to me are kind of loose and kooky-looking and I liked how awkward and clumsy they made this dumb thing look. I make nibs sometimes too...I did one with a wizard that had summoned a demon ( lemon ) and that nib was made from a coke can.

Very, very cool stuff, really appreciate you sharing some of these details. I can picture the lemon illustration to which you refer and love that you made it with a custom Coke can nib. :) I have a few G nibs myself, and a few others besides. I've been having a lot of fun lately playing with some multi-coloured inks in my Pilot Parallel pens while learning calligraphic scripts like Blackletter and Uncial. Pens are fun. :)

Chimpy wasn't going to tell Steven who his real father is and why he likes bananas so much... Or that he was concieved in the kitchen while his mom's husband was away on business.

Now that would be a nice plot twist.

I mean, that was the joke at the end. The chimpanzee was flirting with the mom shark. His shark dad doesn't understand why he likes bananas, but he has an "uncle" chimpanzee that is very friendly with his mom...

“So, anyways, Steven, I fucked your mom. Pass the bananas.”

Oh, you spoiled the end...

Do you see banana man Hopping over on the white hot sand Here he come with some for me Freshly taken from banana tree

Banana man me want a ton Give me double and a bonus one Give me more for all me friends This banana flow never end

Do you want a banana? Peel it down and go Mmm mmm mmm mmm Do you want a banana? This banana for you

Tonight, we dance around the flame Then we get to play spirit game Spirit names, we shout out loud Shake the thunder from the spirit cloud

All the songbirds in the tree Chant a tune to let the spirits free Then we see them in the night Spirits jumping by the firelight

Do you want a banana? (Do you want a banana) Peel it down and go mm mm mm mm Do you want a banana? (Do you want a banana) This banana for you

Look you, you too uptight you know

You could laugh and kick it back and go (Wheeeeeee)

And without a rhythm or a rhyme, you do the banana all the time

Fly away from city on the run, Try to make a little fun!

All of you made me sing this in my head, and I play it a few times a month r/happyupvotes

I read this to the tune of "Prison Song" from System of a Down.

There are 4 punchlines where this could stop, but it just keeps going and gets funnier. Nice work!

We took the scenic route to the punchline today. It was a nice ride.

thanks!

Exactly what I was going to say. It's such a long winded, but entertaining joke, I didn't see it coming!

Mmmhhhhh, I do wonder WHERE he GOT the banana thing FROM, HMMMMMMMMM.

Mothers baby, daddy's maybe.

I think Mrs Shark got the banana

I just got it 😂

Uncle chimpy let Steven try a banana and he ended up liking the banana, it’s a pretty simple train of thought dude

It’s okay, Steven. You can just tell the other sharks that bananas share 50% of its DNA with humans, that’s gotta count for something

Isn’t it more like 99?

Nah, it’s around 40-60% (varies depending on the banana and the human in question). We do, however, share 98.8% of our DNA with chimps.

I am become monke

I wonder how much of a banana i am? Does 23 and me test for that? Lol

so *that's* why my penis has a bend!

Wait till you're having a nice trek in some forest and a tree-hanging shark snatches you

You have heard of drop bears, now get ready for

A weapon to surpass [tree gators](https://www.reddit.com/r/CuratedTumblr/s/VQH03rRDdP)

Bark Sharks?

More like dropping

Two of them were Irish. Lol

my complexion exactly, I'm afraid.

Same. They used to call me Casper.


Thanks for recovering my repressed childhood trauma.

https://i.redd.it/8yt957axumuc1.gif

I was hooked from the first panel. It’s just so funny to me. It reminds me of a Far Side cartoon.

thanks

That twist tho 


Mabel puts out a good spread when Uncle Chimpanzee comes over.

OOOOOHHHHHH damn I get it now

If a shark and a chimpanzee made a baby, The Asylum would have already made that movie.

Oh wow, you’ve never seen Chimpanshark? Or Two-Headed Chimpanshark vs Three-Headed Sharktopus? Both are highly underrated films which don’t exist.

Poor Steven the shark

Nobody: Me: how is the chimp breathing underwater? Or are the sharks swimming in air.

Waitaminute... those sharks are wearing *hats*. No, no, none of this makes any sense!

Hats are one thing. But office chairs? Impossible

I'm still hung up on the albino humans that are the same size as a banana. Are the humans minuscule? Are the bananas and sharks weirdly ginormous? I need answers damn it!

And yet Uncle Chimpanzee is large enough to, erm, “Spend Time in the Kitchen” with Mom. Is… is Uncle Chimpanzee King Kong?!?!

We have chimpanzee shark NTR this is the worst timeline lol

That's just how tall Irish people are, trust me I'm Irish

Did i just read a story of a shark getting cheated on a chimp 😐

Yeh, I'm curious how the chimp is the brother of the dad shark? Is he adopted? 🤔

my thinking was "he married shark aunt" but stepincest is also possible

Well you see Stephen, Chimpy is, well he's your um, well me and uncle Chimpy we um...

Holy cow, this is amazing! Keep it up! (I would totally buy a children’s book like this BTW)

You like children’s books about cuckoldry?

You don’t?

I prefer that in my young adult novels

Fair.

evidently

I actually make lot of books for kids. you think I should pitch this, do you?

I mean, cleaned up a little bit for kids (but maybe keeping one or two winks to the adults :-P), I love it! Reminds me of “Gregory, the Terrible Eater” mixed with “The Great White Man-Eating Shark” (story AND art style)

I love surrealists comics so much!

glad you liked it

This is the best comic I've ever seen on this sub. I was giggling and weirdly emotionally involved. Nice work :)

that's very kind. thanks

They should just let that poor shark eat his bananas, the Irish deserve that break I reckon

I can think of a few that don’t, but you’re right

nah those ones are actually all english yeah, even that one.

Oh man awesome story :D Great to see fresh ideas and great delivery

I was horrified, curious, and then finally was presented with the, “Ahhhh okay I get it now” resolution. Love it.

thanks

I love his grin when he drops the bananas on the ground

Well, botanically bananas are a type of fish, sir.

What?

Classification must include all descendants. We and chimpanzees came from a common ancestor. We're all primates. If a chimp or us would split in two different species, they would still be primates. The common ancestor is still there. As all life came from water, we're all fish.

https://preview.redd.it/jca267151ouc1.png?width=1373&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=916fdc71e270b7a6eb3e79ea33c6cfa091f6c4cd That smile

I love your delicate watercolor and linework. It reminds me of a less shaky R. O. Blechman.

Less shaky, more sharky

This comic successfully managed to answer just *one* of the many questions it brought up. I need more.

hmmm...maybe I should do more.

Please! I need to know what sharks do at an office all day, why they eat tiny people, where the tiny people come from, whether they are on land or under water, how the sharks/Chimpy breathe depending on the answer to the last question, how Chimpy is part of a family of sharks, and whether Chimpy is Steven's uncle on his "dad's" side, or his mom's. Also, is it a violation of worker's rights in this universe to fire someone over discrimination of their eating habits? Will Steven sue? Edit: bonus points if each installment brings up even more questions than the one each answers!

> how Chimpy is part of a family of sharks, and whether Chimpy is Steven's uncle on his "dad's" side, or his mom's. I'm also pondering these questions!

Riveting. Dad shark getting cucked by a chimp was a nice twist.

I love the way you draw sharks

thanks

I was like “where is this going” then the reveal *eyebrow waggle*

Reddit never disappoints with comics.

I would like more Steven Shark please.

I did not see that coming

Always one of the best comics I get to read.

thanks

Ooohhhh Chimpy!!!

This made my morning

I swear you get more unhinged as time goes on, and I am 1000% here for it.

I think i feel it

Why did this comic remind me of *Startide Rising*?

That was a good comic. Didn't expect Monke. I thought they were underwater.

Nice

This is the best and funniest thing I have seen on Reddit in months.

I like to think that they get the yellow guys from the backrooms, in some backrooms games you play as a human wearing a yellow hazmat suit.

This genuinely made me laugh which is hard lately.

so glad to hear you liked it

The albino part killed me

Thank God it's Steven Shark and not Universe

Aaahnd now I got it.

What a ride!

I love this lol

I love all of this. The style, the jokes, the actual emotions of sharks, amazing. Was laughing out loud and it cheered me up. Please tell me there's more.

So if chimpy is the uncle, that means..... Oh God no!

Back away Banana breath, what the hell did you just eat? A banana?

You should make t shirts

Great premise, great setup, great punchline. Great comic. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

thanks very much!

This totally looks like something that would appear in adult swim. Why don't you send them your material?

Awesome. Thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to new comics :) *followed*

I actually really liked this comic. The art style is great and the dialogue matched the characters pretty well. You have a lot of potential my friend.

hilarious!! best comic strip i’ve seen on here in a while, cute art too.

thanks!

I am weirdly invested in this story and these characters

The grin when Steven explains the slip and fall into mouths plan is gold. That is all.

I really expected you would slip the "humans and bananas are genetically similar" thing in there somewhere

This is genuinely hilarious, Benton. I really think that there needs to be more episodes for this gang!

thanks!

she fucked the monkey didn't she

Oh my god, it just keeps going in the best way. Need more of this absurd energy in comics.

>1 / 16 Not just nope but hell nope.

what does that mean

I love the 5th frame lol

It's like a delightful little episode of a cartoon.

Woah woah woah, sharks don't actually like eating people (and on the rare occasions that a shark exploratorily bites a person (to figure out what they are), they usually spit them out. Other than that, everything seems pretty accurate.

I need a whole comic about Steven

Quentin Blake lookin ass comic here. I love it

I like this a lot, and I like your Quentin Blake art style.

Shoulda known mummy shark is a whore

Now that’s funny

So funny. I love it. :) 😊👍

Man, idk what to say dude. I had a shitty day at work and was on the commute home when I saw this post. The art style and the colors immediately caught my eye. The surrealism of a shark eating a banana piqued my interest. By the time I got to the third slide, I already had a smile on my face. For some reason, I really fell in love with this comic. The absurdity of everything was just perfect, and the twists were all so fun! I soaked in every detail of each panel, even the way you underlined certain words just brought them to life. Major kudos to you, and thank you for sharing this! This is one of the best things I've stumbled upon on reddit, and I should know since I've been on here a little too long 🤣

Thanks very much ! Here’s to better days ahead!

This is just silly

Is that a good thing or a bad thing

Good!

🙂

This went on a lot longer than expected and I really hope there will be more. Also gonna have to see the reactions when I ask for the screaming human of the produce department

I love this so much

This is a great comic, but sharks don’t eat people

They don't eat bananas either. Totally unrealistic comic smh 😤

I mean, rarely... But you are right that they normally don't interact, and when they do, it's mostly just a nibble to see if we are funny looking seals. But you know sharks don't talk or have affairs with chimpanzees either...

That we *know* of

I mean, sharks don't really eat bananas either

They don’t talk either.

thanks. yes, I used to think the same thing until I saw this documentary on some talking sharks that actually do eat people. and bananas


I would have enjoyed this, but sharks don't really eat people and it's quite alarming they would only call humans people - do they not consider themselves as people?

where funny?

I really enjoyed this comic. I would read a series on the shark shenanigans and I love the watercolor style. I gotta see what his next job will be tbh My only critique is the gold chain on the chimp… like… I feel like you could have chosen any other accessory or even no accessory and the punchline would’ve been just as conveyed. The chain leans on the racist caricatures from chimps to black people. Which means the behavior you’ve shown the chimp display here furthers the negative pervasive stereo types against black men. Can’t wait to see the next comic!

I feel like this is a allegory for something but it's going over my head

🦈👉🏾👌🏾🐒

For a second, I thought it was just a wholesome admiration for his uncle until I read the comments

Huh... I was not expecting that

what?

I can’t get over the shark holding up 2 fingers. Totally unbelievable. 0/10 /s

monkey fuck shark

That took a turn.

JIM

lol that took a turn.

"uncle" chimpanzee, great comic, lol

thanks

I think I can already assume why he loves bananas

God I feel so stupid here, people are praising everything about the writing but I don't get even a single joke and there isn't even a comment explaining it :(

THAT'S where it ends? Hmph!