Shirtless is searching for his lost family leads him to an unexpected place… the god Ursa Major! Your Major Spoilers review of Shirtless Bear-Fighter 2 #3 from Image Comics awaits!

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SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER 2 #3

Writer: Jody Leheup
Artist: Nil Vendrell
Colorist: Michael Spicer
Letterer: Dave Lanphear with Troy Peteri
Editor: Sebastian Girner
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 19, 2022

Previously in Shirtless Bear-Fighter 2: Shirtless’s quest to find his birth parents leads to Ursa Major himself as the bear god stands revealed! Meanwhile, Silva goes on the hunt to find out who’s killing innocent bears.

Has Shirtless finally succumbed to his anger?

THE GOD OF ALL BEARS

On the slopes of a frozen mountain in Japan, Shirtless Bear-Fighter climbs, barefoot, and… y’know… shirtless. Through the freezing storms, he climbs, making his way to the top of the mountain to call out Ursa Major, the god of all bears. He finds himself in a cave, where paintings on the walls show Ursa descending from the heavens, falling in love with a human woman, and fathering a child. As he realizes that he has finally found his father, the bitter god addresses him, explaining that he was destined to be the enforcer of Ursa Major’s will. Sadly, his humanity got the better of him, with his compassion for others making him unfit to be the sword of divine vengeance. Shirtless finds himself surrounded by strange ghostly bears, who slash at him with their phantom claws, after which he blacks out, waking up days later in Tokyo. Running afoul of the local Yakuma (HEH), Shirtless is drawn into a fight that only ends with Agent Silva arriving… and ARRESTING him.

OVER-THE-TOP ACTION

The premise here is absolutely ludicrous, which is why it’s so much fun to see it played entirely straight. Shirtless’ discovery of his demigod nature has the elements of Greek tragedy, ending with him laid low and sent to prison, helpless because the uniform has a shirt. Leheup’s story is full of entertaining and clever touches (like Silva tricking him into throwing up his hands in triumph so that her agents can put a shirt on him), while Vendrell’s art brings it all to ridiculous life. The heavily tattooed mobster bears are glorious but it’s the concept (and visual execution) of their ally, Nunchuck Bear, who leaves me most amused. The reveal of his parentage is also striking, with the lovely ursine cave paintings giving way to a ghostly, disturbing bear deity.

BOTTOM LINE: SOMETHING MAGNETIC ABOUT THIS ONE

If you like two-fisted comics action, Shirtless Bear-Fighter 2 #3 is a book to scratch that itch, with dynamic art and a story that manages to be over-the-top in all the right ways, being ridiculous and goofy, and somehow utterly riveting, earning 4 out of 5 stars overall. It’s pure comics, with comedy, adventure, and pathos all building into more than the sum of its parts.

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