e person than Sherman . . . except that he's a shark. Make that a great white shark and the star of Jim Toomey's Sherman's Lagoon, one of the funniest takes on life to be found above or below the water. So sit back and watch this shark hit his mark in The Shark Diaries: The Seventh Sherman's Lagoon Collection.

Once again, the big-hearted but thick-skulled Sherman is joined in the deep by his Louis Vuitton-packing girlfriend, Megan, Fillmore the sea turtle, and a hermit crab named Hawthorne, among others. This salty crew swims through a world of witty observations, sharp rejoinders, and crystal clear views of everything from ""hairless beach apes"" to bulk shopping at the local Price Club store. The result is a humor soaked in fun yet just a shade drier than the Sahara.

The Shark Diaries includes daily and Sunday strips. The silly yet sophisticated setups are front and center. Sherman and his buddies' numerous neuroses can't be missed. The fun returns with a splash, and this one promises to be a whale-um, shark-of a winner.