Interview: Stephanie Williams talks new STREET SHARKS #1

IDW is giving ’90s kids something to blow their fins out of the water with the new #1 issue of Street Sharks. Writer Stephanie Williams is taking the helm and teaming up with artist Ariel Medel, colorist Valentina Pinto, and letterer Jeff Eckleberry to bring readers jaw-some new tales from Fission City. Williams was kind enough to chat with The Beat about the brand-new Street Sharks #1, her favorite Seavites, and how fun it is to write this new series.  

Street Sharks #1 will be on shelves September 17, 2025. Monday, August 11, is the last day to ensure your local comic store pre-orders you a copy.

Check out the interview below!

JAVIER PEREZ: Street Sharks was a massive franchise back in the ’90s. Did you grow up with it, or are you new to the fandom? Is the book aimed at new readers or old-school fans?

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS: I grew up with the Street Sharks. It was a show that my brother and I watched religiously every Saturday, and we even begged our parents to take us to KB Toys to get all the Street Sharks things, including those hand puppets. 

The new series is aimed at both new readers and old-school fans. My hope while working on the series is to show new readers what made/makes the Street Sharks unique beyond their look, and to give old fans something that feels both familiar and fresh. 

PEREZ: Your writing is very varied; it can go from a small emotional story to a big action hero tale. What is it like working on Street Sharks? Are you having fun with it?

WILLIAMS: I am incredibly thankful for the many opportunities I’ve had to write a variety of stories. I love telling stories, no matter the length or the genre. Whatever the story calls for, that’s what I’m there to carry out. It’s like the ultimate imagination exercise. Working on Street Sharks has been an absolute blast. I sincerely mean that. It’s the kind of fun that replenishes me creatively. I get to write stories for sharks with abs and get paid for it. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that would be something I’d be doing as an adult. 

PEREZ: Do you have a favorite Seavite, and will we see more of them or even new ones? 

WILLIAMS: My favorite is Slash. He is the henchman you want to underestimate the most, and rightfully so, since he is always getting that nose of his stuck in something. His overall design is also fun. The confidence he has to wear that purple bodysuit is unmatched. He was rocking SKIMS well before Kim Kardarshain even made it a thing. 

PEREZ: One of the things that I find funny about the show is the constant fish puns in every episode. Will you continue with that, and do you need to become a marine biologist to keep this bit going? 

WILLIAMS: The constant fish puns are my favorite thing! I’ve joked on social media that writing Street Sharks is as close as I’m ever going to get to fulfilling one of my childhood dreams of becoming a marine biologist. I’m swimming in good vibes and having a whale of a time. 

PEREZ: The SDCC ashcan dropped the reader in the middle of the action. Are you going back to give the origin of the Street Sharks? A background on the Bolton Family or Dr.Pardigm?

WILLIAMS: As far as I know, we don’t have any plans to dive into the origin story of the Bolton Brothers or Dr. Paradigm. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways for us to inject bits of the origin story for each character. 

PEREZ: Do you feel that the Street Sharks are a force for good, or do their detractors have a point about property damage?

WILLIAMS: I believe they are a force for good. Good can sometimes require getting your hands (fins) dirty, but in the case of the Street Sharks, it’s just a matter of fixing asphalt that more than likely needed to be redone anyway. They bite and fight for everything right; the trade-off is worth it. It’s either that or the citizens of Fission City waking up one day gene-slammed thanks to Dr. Paradigm. 

PEREZ: What is it like to work with artist Ariel Mendel? I loved how vibrant the colors were in issue #1; it gave me a flashback to watching cartoons as a kid. 

WILLIAMS: Ariel is FINNOMENAL! I love how expressive he makes the sharks, which is no easy feat given their massive heads. He makes their movement look so fluid, which I love because of all of the wrestling moves we have the sharks executing. Pinto is our colorist, and she is off the scales amazing at what she does. Her colors pair perfectly with Ariel’s art. Our letterer, Eckleberry, brings it all home with the SFX and makes the shark puns stand out.