The Fish That Should've Gotten Away



The Fish That Should've Gotten Away is the first issue ever created in Valiant Comics's Nintendo Comics System imprint. Its title is a parody of the term "the one that got away", which is used in fishing to describe the loss of a catch.

Plot
Mario, while leaping over a lake from a pier, begins to bemoan the fact that he is being chased by a large hoard of monsters, from Clawgrips to Hammer Brothers to Trouters. However, Mario looks on the bright side of things, believing that nothing else could go wrong for him today.

Suddenly, after he stomps on a Clawgrip and avoids a Piranha Plant, Mario is surprised to see a talking fish, who introduces himself as Stanley the Talking Fish, and follows Mario. Oblivious to Mario's predicament with the dozens of nearby monsters, Stanley begins to pester Mario about his girlfriend, Barbara the Bush. Stanley asks Mario for advice about his relationship with Barbara, as some Trouters begin to tell Mario to ignore the talkative Stanley, while trying to eat him.

Managing to reach some nearby land, Mario begins trying to get Stanley to go away while avoiding various creatures, with Stanley still wanting dating advice. Seeing a nearby Warp Pipe, Mario jumps into it as Stanley still tries to talk to him.

Inside the Warp Pipe, Mario finds himself in a darkened area filled with speaking trees and bushes, who, at the mention of Stanley, begin to swoon and ask Mario if he knows Stanley. Mario tells the nearby bushes that of course he knows Stanley; he taught him everything he knows.

Trivia

 * The monsters chasing Mario are Clawgrips, Hammer Brothers, Koopa Troopas, Trouters, Fryguys, Shyguys, Piranha Plants, Beezos, Venus Fire Traps, Spinys, and an octopus that resembles a green Gunion (making this the only Super Mario Bros. comic story to include any Super Mario Land enemies, outside of the Game Boy comics).
 * At the start of the issue, Mario says that he is being chased by Sparks. Despite Mario saying this, no Sparks actually appear in the comic.