Forget all other summer comic book events and crossovers because Squirrel Girl and Howard the Duck teaming up is all you need Read on for our review of “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” #6 but be warned, there are spoilers.
Written by Ryan North and Chip Zdarsky
Illustrated by Erica Henderson
PART ONE OF “ANIMAL HOUSE,” A CROSSOVER WITH HOWARD THE DUCK!
• Squirrel Girl and Howard will team up against an enemy that neither Squirrel Girl (who has defeated Galactus) or Howard the Duck (who has defeated… uh… well, listen, I’m sure he’s got other qualities) could take down on their own!
• Will they fight over a trivial misunderstanding? Will they band together against a common enemy? Will Squirrel Girl say “duck!” to mean “lower your head” but Howard will misinterpret it as a call for his attention, leading him to get hit on the head by something?
• At least ONE of those three questions will be answered with a “yes” in this issue!
• CONCLUDED NEXT MONTH IN HOWARD THE DUCK #6!
On their own, “Howard the Duck” and “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” are a ton of fun. The comedy is always a great blend of pop culture references, sarcasm and witty observational humor. “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” however has had an added level through Doreen’s trials and tribulations as a college student. She’s had to balance being a superhero and getting her degree. But this is a comic book so of course, it’s been a complicated mess, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been fun.
“The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” #6 is the start of a crossover with “Howard The Duck”. Doreen and her roommate Nancy are trying to come up with a way to contain the Hellcow, a cow that Squirrel Girl has decided is a “Dracula” based on it’s appearance. This is interrupted by Howard The Duck who tries to steal Nancy’s cat because he wanted an easy job. Out of nowhere, Kraven the Hunter shows up and takes Howard the Duck away and Doreen discovers a woman with a strong love of cosplay but with very, very misguided desires.
First off, if you’ve never read “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” before, but are aware of the character, this is not a bad place to jump into the series. It’s the start of a crossover but it does take a little bit of time to expand upon Squirrel Girl, Howard The Duck and even Kraven. The story doesn’t really build off of much that came before it because even when Kraven comes into the story, there’s enough backstory given to understand where he fits in.
Very rarely do you come across a crossover that feels this perfect. Both series have a lot in common in regards to comedy and tone and “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” #6 even has Ryan North and Chip Zdarsky writing together. This is a collaboration that is really in sync. The dialogue flows like great banter on television comedy and isn’t afraid to be really weird or cute and that’s what makes it so fun. The dueling footnotes are a riot and is such a clever way to break the fourth wall. I am not exaggerating when I say that I laughed with every page. There isn’t a single dull moment in “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” #6. From the ongoing Twitter war between Doreen and Tony Stark to squirrel Wolverine, you’ll find yourself outwardly laughing.
I love everything about Erica Henderson’s art. I’ve talked about how much I love her design of Squirrel Girl in the past but it bears repeating. Squirrel Girl actually looks like someone who does superhero stuff. She’s not proportioned weirdly and she’s got a very modern, college kid style to her. Henderson’s Squirrel Girl has been cosplayed so much because it’s functional and stylish and completely Doreen without making her unrecognizable from her previous incarnations. Her Howard the Duck is perfectly duckish while being human enough. It’s made funnier when you start to think about how his hands work thanks to the written dialogue but it’s his reactions that really sell his scenes. Henderson really gets how to make react to the events and world around them. Howard’s “waugh” and his serious look when Squirrel Girl keeps delivering puns are such different looks that tell a story all on their own without the dialogue.
Continued belowHowever it’s Kraven that really takes the cake in this issue. He’s really such a silly villain. He’s a guy who wears cheetah print tights and runs around New York City trying to hunt Spider-Man. In “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl”, Henderson gives him this extra pizzazz. Kraven is the epitome of beefcake in this series as his pelts and tights leave very little to the imagination and it works. His very serious personality and code are played up for laughs and it’s pretty much the best version of him once you add in his kick ass van, the Kra-Van. The action scenes are really like watching something out of an animated series. There’s lot of big punching and kicking and it all really fits with the tone of the series. Rico Renzi continues to kill it on colors. Each page is a vibrant and stunning feat that really sets the tone for the series and keeps the sense of humor of the book.
I’m really burned out on crossovers and event comics but this team up between Squirrel Girl and Howard The Duck is off to a great start and I can’t wait to read more.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl” continues to be a blast.
