The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #18 - A Review

It turns out that Doreen Green's new wealthy mentor - Melissa with the power to talk to all animals - is evil! Which, really, isn't all that shocking. Old, rich people who have a more developed version of your powers who appear out of nowhere and offer to help you out always turn out to be evil in the end.  Seriously!  Remember Ezekiel and Spider-Man and how all that ended?

Oh. Probably not. Because they decided that none of those comics ever happened. Except for the ones that needed to have happened for Morlun to exist so that Spiderverse could exist. And the ones where Gwen Stacy had a one-night-stand with Norman Osborn and had his freaky goblin babies in secret. That's still canon, for some reason.

Man. The Marvel Universe kinda sucks...


Regardless of the Marvel Universe sucking - especially if you're Peter Parker - this comic does not suck. It is, in fact, awesome, and you should be reading it!

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #17 - A Review

This month, you will believe a girl can fly!

...

What? That's not so outrageous. Lots of people in the Marvel Universe can fly! But until now, Squirrel Girl has never flown. Well, not without a Quin-Jet or a borrowed Iron Man suit.

Regardless, thanks to a new mentor with "talking to animal" powers of her own and a small fortune she's willing to spend on a younger hero willing to kick butts and eat nuts in the name of justice, Doreen Green will soon fly thanks to a brand new costume!

Also. did I mention this book has another Cat Thor comic in it? Because it has another Cat Thor comic in it.
 

In all seriousness, this is one of the best drawn, best written and all around fun comics on the stands today. There's not much else to say beyond that.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #15 - A Review

Taskmaster is on the loose and taking on all of the heroes in New York City - including The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl!

This is not their story.

This is the story of what Mew - Squirrel Girls roommate Nancy's cat - does while an epic battle between Earth's Mightest Heroes and Villainy's Greatest Copycat occurs in the background.

(Oh, admit it - you hipsters would eat this up if Matt Fraction did it in Hawkeye!)


The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is one of the best books to come out each month. That said, I think this issue may have set a new gold standard. The script by Ryan North offers a different kind of humor than we normally see on this title, more dependent on visual gags than the usual witty dialogue. Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi produce their usual stellar work on the main story, with Michael Cho providing the pictures for the Super-Villain Guide Cards and Zac Gorman, drawing the comic-strip-style sequences in which Mew dreams her wordless cat dreams. If you like comics that are just plain fun, you should be reading this!

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #14 - A Review

Still trapped in Canada - albeit the southern part where there's Wi-Fi and skyscrapers and most of the trappings of civilization - Squirrel Girl and company still need a plan to stop the self-cloning Enigmo from taking over the world. The good news is they've found the original Enigmo, who is actually a decent guy and wants to solve the problem of his evil clones without violence. The bad news is... well, they still have an army of evil clones to stop and no assets apart from a bunch of physics-breaking Pym Particles, a Nihlistic robot with a human brain, an awesome squirrel, an awesome mom, an awesome roomate and a socialist government that believes in fully financing public education.

Do I love this comic because it bases whole plot-points around how awesome libraries are? Yes, but that's only part of it. Ryan North's scripts leave me literally laughing out loud. The artwork by Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi looks amazing. This is one of the funniest and most fun comics on the stands today and you should be reading it.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #13 - A Review

A self-duplicator dubbed Enigmo has taken over the world by cunningly splitting himself into millions of clones and slowly working his way into several key positions. Trapped in the wilds of Canada without a decent wi-fi signal, Squirrel Girl is powerless to do anything.  The good news is that Brain Drain (Squirrel Girl's appointed substitute hero while she was on vacation) has brought her reinforcements.  The bad news is that the reinforcements are Scott Lang sans Ant Man costume and he's a little cheesed about being dragged to the wilds of Canada on account of the whole "convicted felon not allowed to leave the country" thing.

Ryan North is one of the greatest humorists working in modern comics. There are multiple levels to the comedy in this issue and it's impressive how he manages to keep all the gags moving like a master plate-spinner. From the idea of a villain taking over the world through hard work and showing up to the animosity between Doreen and Scott (she has objections to mind-controlling animals, he thinks she's nuts for actually talking to squirrels) and the well-meaning incompetence of Brain Drain whose purely logical perspective leads to totally illogical actions, this series has a lot to keep you laughing.


Erica Henderson matches Ryan North quite well. Her animated style perfectly presents the comedic timing North's scripts require and colorist Rico Renzi does a fantastic job finishing the artwork. Yet attention must also be paid to guest artists Anthony Clark and Hannah Blumenreich, who provide the artwork for one of the series' best running gags - 'Deadpool's Guide To Super-Villains' Information Cards. Get Marvel's Marketing wing on making that product a reality!

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #12 - A Review

This month, Doreen Green (a.k.a. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) must face her greatest nemesis - boredom!  "Treated" to a vacation with her mom and roommates in a rustic cabin, Doreen finds herself without electricity, without Wi-Fi and without any villain butts to kick!  It's intolerable. Thankfully, there's a mystery waiting to be solved right under Doreen's pert little nose. And back at home, newbie hero Brain-Drain - called in to cover Squirrel Girl's turf while she's away - encounters a problem that even his superior cyborg intellect cannot fathom!

Honestly, I loved this issue even before the gratuitous plug for libraries and librarians. Ryan North says that librarians and librarians are both awesome. And he's right!  They are awesome! And so is The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, which, I'm happy to note, is proudly available in the library I work at.

In all seriousness, this is a great comic. North's scripts are hilarious and well-matched by the artwork of Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi. If you like good comics, you should be reading The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #11 - A Review

Evil never sleeps. Well, metaphorically. Most super-villains do require some degree of sleep, even though there's supposed to be no rest for the wicked! But there is one villain whose whole gimmick is attacking heroes while they sleep. He is Nightmare and he has it in mind to drive Squirrel Girl nuts!

But a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. And it turns out what Doreen Green doesn't know can't hurt her. What does she know? Computer science! And she's going to use it to save the day and educate all you lucky readers!

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is a delightful book on every level. And this one-shot story is a perfect introduction for those who have yet to give this series a shot. Ryan North's script is a hoot, playing upon the literal nature of Nightmare's powers to great effect. The artwork by fill-in artist Jacob Chabot proves close enough to Erica Henderson's style that it took some work to find the one panel Henderson did draw for this issue. And the color art of Rico Renzi leaves every panel popping on the page. Simply put, this is one of my favorite comics right now. And this issue is a prime example why it is one of my favorite comics right now.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #10 - A Review

What can I say about this book that isn't said by its cover?


...

Well, I'd better say something or we don't have a review!

Squirrel Girl's non-violent efforts to deal with Mole Man's latest invasion of the surface world have won his heart. Unfortunately, her efforts to let him down easy when he asked her to be queen of the his realm were less successful. Now, with the great monuments of the world under siege (and under-ground!), the pressure is on for Squirrel Girl to give Mole Man the dream date he so desperately wants. But can she give up her agency and self-respect for the sake of the world?
This book is as hilarious as ever and it is to the creators' credit that they don't make the obvious joke about basement-dwelling men's rights activists. This book makes its point about a serious problem (particularly in fandom circles) without losing its stride or its sense of humor and it looks great while doing it. If you don't read The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, then you should!

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #8 - A Review

Being a girl with the powers of a squirrel and a girl is great for fighting crime but it doesn't make dating any easier. So when Doreen Green (aka The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) discovers that her buddy and secret crush Tomas Lara-Perez (aka The Adjectiveless Chipmunk Hunk) is dating someone, she is inspired to go looking for love. Unfortunately, Doreen keeps getting set-up with total losers - from a love-lorn Sentinel to unreformed super-villains all the way up to a superhero truther who doesn't believe that costumed heroes are real, despite living in New York City!
Uneatable Squirrel Girl remains one of the best books on the stands. Ryan North's scripts poke fun at the absurdity of life in the Marvel Universe without being mean-spirited.  The artwork is all-around amazing. The colors are bright and cheerful, as befits the titular heroine. And the lettering is bold and eye-catching while remaining easy to read.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #7 - A Review

Have you ever wanted to be a superhero? Do you like the Choose Your Own Adventure books? If the answer to either of these questions is 'yes', you're in luck! Because this month's Unbeatable Squirrel Girl gives you - yes YOU - the chance to be Squirrel Girl and decide the direction of the story.

It's interactive fiction without a computer!  Amazing, isn't it?

Oh, and Galactus narrates the whole thing!


Ryan North's script for this issue is as hilarious as usual. It also perfectly captures the feeling of an R.A. Montgomery book, with a number of branching and interchangeable scenes. And there's also a few arbitrary and utterly insane ways to die because it wouldn't be a Choose Your Own Adventure story if you didn't just randomly die because of a perfectly reasonable choice.


Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi offer up their usual excellent effort. Turning the pages and following the arrows twisting around the panels is a fun bit of mental exercise and everything looks bright and fun. I have to wonder, though - where does Galactus find a smoking jacket in his size?

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #6 - A Review

Howard The Duck has a new case! One that will not involve any weirdness like cosmic-powered clothing or alien fanboys trying to abduct him. Unfortunately, his efforts to find a missing cat do lead to The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.

Why is that unfortunate? Because that also puts him in the path of Kraven The Hunter, who has been hired to abduct him on behalf of a human fangirl. See? That's totally different! And there's nothing cosmic about it!

Now The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl must rescue her new... acquaintance. Thankfully, Squirrel Girl and Kraven have something of an understanding. But even if he is willing to stand aside once his contract is fulfilled, can Doreen Green face the peril of an army of cosplaying Doom-bots?

Is there any story that has been more frequently adapted for comics than The Most Dangerous Game?  Probably not. But Ryan North and Chip Zdarsky manage to build upon the classic concept with a heaping-helping of humor that makes the whole thing new and hilarious. And yes - the Kra-van is indeed the greatest thing to happen to Kraven The Hunter in the last 20 years.


The artwork for this issue conforms to the usual high standard we expect of Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi. We're also treated to a bit of artwork from Howard The Duck artist Joe Quinones, who painted the side of the Kra-Van. Even Chip Zdarsky gets in on the act, providing the artwork for Howard The Duck's card in the Deadpool's Guide To Super-Villains collector card set, which needs ot be a real piece of merchandise ASAP!

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #5 - A Review

Squirrel Girl's plan to stop Doctor Doom from taking over the future from the past with an army of computer science students armed with the best EMP generators 1960s technology could create has failed! But all is not lost! For another Squirrel Girl from the future, armed with her own Doom Armor, has arrived to join the fight!
There's so much about this book that I love. I love the cutesy artwork by Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi. I love the humor-packed script by Ryan North. And I especially love that Squirrel Girl has a "science-vision" power that enables her to determine that it's okay to trash a museum while fighting Doctor Doom, because the dinosaur bones in one exhibit are plaster replicas and clearly not real, horribly-valuable dinosaur bones!

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is an incredibly silly comic. It is also incredibly fun and funny, in a way rarely seen in the modern age of American Comics. I am thankful this comic exists, if for no other reason than its very existence seems to annoy those people who take their funny books far too seriously. Relax, pull up a bowl full of nuts and enjoy one of the best books on the stands today!

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #4 - A Review

Doom has conquered the world!  Only nobody has noticed because he did it in the past before there were any heroes who could have stopped him. Or so Doom thinks. Because there is one hero, conveniently trapped in the 1960s, who MIGHT stop him yet - The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl!

The greatest thing about the series is how it revels in the sheer insanity of The Marvel Universe without having to exaggerate a thing.  Doom is played completely straight in Ryan North's script, which makes it all the more hilarious when the likes of Squirrel Girl and a bunch of second year computer science students are trying to thwart his plans. You don't see this kind of fun in modern comics often and thank goodness The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is here to provide it.


Erica Henderson's artwork is the perfect medium for capturing this anarchic spirit. There is a raw passion to Henderson's aesthetic that is well suited to North's scripts. And the colors by Rico Renzi are well chosen.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #3 - A Review

The good news is that Nancy - roommate of the lost-in-time Squirrel Girl and the only person who remembers that Doreen Green exists - has stumbled across someone with a time machine who also remembers Squirrel Girl. The bad news is that person is Doctor Doom. And not just any Doctor Doom but the "just-jumped-forward in time" Doctor Doom who, from his perspective, just suffered an undignified defeat at Squirrel Girl's hands!

Of course Nancy might still be able to talk Doom into helping her... assuming she can stop a fight from breaking out between Doom and literally every other superhero in New York who just happens to pass by at that exact moment.  Doom is nothing if not reasonable and the idea that one of his greatest enemies is in a position to accidentally rewrite history is not something Doom would allow. But could the very act of trying to prevent further damage to the timeline cause greater damage? And what is Doreen doing in the past right now anyway?
I love the writing on this book. And just when I think I can't love it anymore, Ryan North treats us to something like The Punisher cheerfully apologizing for harassing someone he is told is a cosplayer. Or the fact that among the many wonders of Doctor Doom's armor is the fact that his gauntlets can operate touch screens! This book is just plain fun.

The artwork by Erica Henderson is equally enjoyable. Henderson's cartoonish style is a good fit for North's manic scripts. Yet she also draws a suitably menacing Doctor Doom. The colors by Rico Renzi are also praiseworthy.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1 - A Review

Doreen Green has a secret. To the world, she's just an average computer science major with a fantastic badonkadonk, who still uses the word badonkadonk. But whenever people need help, Doreen Green becomes Squirrel Girl - a superheroine with all the powers of a squirrel and a girl! Also, she can talk to squirrels and understand them when they talk back. And most of the time they'll do what she tells them. Not because she commands them or anything - they just really like her!


The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is back and not a moment too soon. This is one of the most hilarious books on the market but Ryan North also instills a sense of innocent fun that is sorely lacking in most modern comics. This is a comic that knows how silly The Marvel Universe can be and revels in the sheer insanity of villains like Brain Drain.

On that note, Marvel really needs to market a line of Deadpool's Guide To Super Villains flashcards.


The artwork is well matched to the writing. Erica Henderson has a cute style and an acute ability for depicting the ludicrous action of North's scripts. The color palettes utilized by Rico Renzi are well chosen. And Joe Morris does a fine job on the Deadpool Guide card this month.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #8 - A Review

This final issue of Unbeatable Squirrel Girl sees our heroine facing off against Ratatoskr - an evil girl squirrel from Norse Myth out to destroy the Earth. But enough of that. The real star of this book is Cat Thor!

You heard me. Cat Thor! It is a cat with the power of Thor! And it is the greatest idea ever!


Such is the power of Cat Thor that even proud Loki decides that from hence forth he shall be Cat Thor! He wields a hammer that is shaped like his own adorable and colossal head called Meowler - the most adorable and deadly weapon of all! All hail Cat Thor!


Of course the script for this book is wonderful, because it gave us Cat Thor. And the artwork is amazing - even the bits that don't involve Cat Thor!  But then, is there ever any way to have enough Cat Thor?  I say thee nay!

A new Squirrel Girl series will be starting up soon.  Alas, Marvel has yet to announce that Cat Thor will be getting his own book.  Maybe once Loki: Agent of Asgard ends?  Until then, pester Axel Alonzo with messages demanding a Cat Thor book as soon as possible. Cathoooooooooooor!

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #7 - A Review

How hilarious is Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #7 you ask me, oh metaphorical reader?  Even the title page is a laugh riot. Unfortunately, it will cause the Iron Man song from the 1960s cartoon to get stuck in your head. And if you don't know it, you will feel compelled to seek it out on YouTube and listen to it. Resist its siren song, dear reader!  There is the path down which madness lies!


Speaking of madness, this issue sees it taking over Manhattan thanks to a mischievous Norse squirrel god. No, really!  Squirrel Girl and her classmates are on the case but this is a bit beyond even her pay grade. Or it would be if superheroes besides Luke Cage and Iron Fist got paid. So after stealing Captain America's phone (long story and totally justified!), she puts in a call for help to Thor.  Both of them.


This is one of my favorite books to read each month. The scripts by Ryan North are always enjoyable. The artwork by Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi is equally amazing. If you like fun and fun comics, you should be reading this.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #6 - A Review

New York City is a city of heroes.  You can't swing a fist without hitting a costumed hero!  In fact, two of Doreen Green's new classmates are superheroes with the power to talk to specific animals too! Which is super fun and cool. But now Squirrel Girl's thunder is being stolen by another new hero... a hero called Girl Squirrel?!


Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is one of the smartest, funniest comics on the stands. Ryan North satirizes the silliness of classic Marvel Comics and the sheer absurdity of the superhero genre in addition to offering up good old-fashioned sight-gags. The whole book is hilarious on multiple levels.


The artwork of Erica Henderson adds to the fun of this title. Henderon's cartoonish style matches the humor of North's scripts quite well. Eloise Harrington does a fine job on the artwork for the Deadpool's Guide To Supervillains flash cards. And the colors by Rico Renzi are well chosen and vivid.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #5 - A Review

Getting taken hostage by super-villains is a frequent problem for New Yorkers in the Marvel Universe.  So what's a civilian to do with all that down time?  Why, tell stories about the heroes who are surely on their way to rescue you, of course!  Thus does Doreen Green's roommate Nancy find herself hearing stories about Squirrel Girl that might be true on some alternate Earth but bear no resemblance to the Squirrel Girl she knows and loves.  Well, hardly any!


Erica Henderson deserves an award for her work on this issue.  She doesn't alter her usual style, nor does she go out of her way to ape the look of other artists' work. Yet all of the stories in this volume can be aesthetically compared to various classic comics of the 1960s and 1980s thanks to some clever homages.


Ryan North also deserves praise for his clever and funny script. The stories in this issue pay homage to the Marvel Comics of yesteryear even as they poke fun of them in a good-natured way. The whole issue is truly hilarious!

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #4 - A Review

Lo!  The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl has saved the Earth from Galactus in record time!  In fact, she did it so quickly, that they had no choice but to publish the letters page early and show you a bunch of blank paper instead of an actual comic.

Okay. They can't actually do that. So even though the ending is totally spoiled, we do get to see exactly how Squirrel Girl did it and learn a lot of interesting facts about The Marvel Universe in the process. Is it true that each species perceives Galactus in a different fashion? Does The Power Cosmic allow you to understand squirrels?  And why does Galactus dress like a giant tuning fork?

Okay. That question doesn't get answered. But shouldn't it?


There is little I can say about this book beyond the fact that it is a laugh riot.  There's no complicated story nor heavy continuity to discuss. This book is just a fun read. And that is all it needs to be. For goodness sake, you have Galactus and his purple helmet talking to squirrels in space! If that description doesn't make you smile, you probably won't enjoy this book. Also, you have no soul.


I must confess the artwork by Erica Henderson - while largely excellent- seems a little wobbly at times this month. That said, I believe this was by design, meant to portray the strangeness of space. Either that or she's unable to hold her pencil straight because she is laughing so hard from reading Ryan North's scripts. I know I couldn't, were I inclined to hold a pencil while I read this book. Perhaps I'll make that a challenge for next month's issue?