In Shark Years I'm Dead

Sherman's Lagoon Treasury

by Jim Toomey

In an imaginary lagoon near the island of Kapupu in the South Pacific lives a group of nutty but sophisticated underwater creatures-complete with neuroses that rival those of humans (also known as "hairless beach apes"). Their wet world, oddly enough, is not so different from our own.

Sherman, a great white shark, is a typical guy, and Megan is his ruthless but nurturing wife. Rounding out the aquatic crew are Fillmore the turtle, geeky fish Ernest, and macho hermit crab Hawthorne. Salty old Captain Quigley, who lost his leg to Sherman years ago, is hell-bent on seeking revenge against the shark.

Sherman and friends effectively reflect human behavior and occasionally must confront humans' encroachment on their unspoiled habitat. Activist groups have applauded this comic strip with a social conscience for promoting marine conservation.

Sherman's Lagoon has been syndicated since 1991, currently by King Features, and has a circulation of more than 200 daily newspapers on five continents.

Genres: Comics, Humor, Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2006

About the author

Jim Toomey is an internationally published humor writer and syndicated cartoonist best known as the creator of the popular comic strip Sherman’s Lagoon, published daily in over 150 newspapers including The Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Chicago Tribune. Jim has produced 28 Sherman’s Lagoon books, published by Andrews McMeel, and most recently a travel memoir, entitled Family Afloat, about his two years sailing the world’s oceans with his wife and family.

Sherman's Lagoon combines two of his lifelong interests: art and the sea. In addition to drawing his comic strip, Jim is active in ocean conservation and serves on several nonprofit boards, including the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Jim has given talks at a variety of venues, including the Royal Society in London, Harvard University and twice at TED. The conservation message in his comic strip earned him the Environmental Hero Award in 2000, presented by NOAA “for using art and humor to conserve and protect our marine heritage.” Jim won the award again in 2010.

Jim holds degrees from Duke and Stanford. He currently lives in Annapolis, Maryland, with his wife and two children, where he tries to get his family back on a sailboat as frequently as possible but can rarely make it happen.

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know that this comic has been around forever (but I don’t know if it is still going), but I just cant’. I am DNFing at ½ way though. I just got so tired of the “dumb” jokes, and the fat jokes. This book is 13 years old but the humor feels like it was written by a 13 year old.
+16 #TBRread

[Ross Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tonight is the start of Shark Week 2022 - and so, I decided to read a treasure of shark themed comics.

In this group, we see Sherman taking on a Sherlock Holmes personality, a war between south pacific gods, various schemes to make money, and someone new is introduced...

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

More excellent Sherman's Lagoon strips.

[Mycki Coutts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Sherman's Lagoon. Clever and cute, with little storylines I enjoy following! When Sherman and Hawthorne share a panel, it never fails to make me giggle. Love, love, love them!

[Lisa Tangen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious. Toomey is brilliant.

[My · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pura diversão, além de crítica da razão pura. Todos temos algo de Sherman, nem que seja o peso e o apetite.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

i laughed out loud at least once every 15 minutes while reading this book.

[Duane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this guy's work and this volume shows some of his best work! A laugh out loud comic strip book that will become one of your favorites!

[SeanV CLC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this strip.

[Narariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun collection that includes the birth of baby Herman.