While DC steadfastly continues to keep the New 52 going (and keeps pulling insane moves with their licencors like the recent Batman’s wife and Superman “Score” shirts and the new card game with no female heroes), Marvel once again proves how badly they want to court markets not traditionally served by mainstream comics, and in the process take all of my money. Their latest reach into my wallet – a Squirrel Girl ongoing series!
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (god, I love that title!) is just Marvel’s newest book starring one of their more interesting heroes, certainly one of their less conventional ones. Featuring art by illustrator and animator Erica Henderson, the series is written by Ryan North, who brought us the amazing To Be Or Not To Be (a Choose Your Own Adventure version of Hamlet) and the fantastic Adventure Time comic.
The book follows Marvel’s moves to expand their line beyond the X-Men and the marquee Avengers. Recent titles like G. Willow Wilson’s Ms. Marvel, Scottie Young’s Rocket Raccoon and the not-long-for-this-world Hawkeye from Matt Fraction and David Aja show that the company is willing to take risks. These risks have been paying off with massive critical success. They’ve also led to some of my absolute favorite comics in years. Suffice it to say I have high hopes for one of my favorite characters getting her own book.
How can anyone not love her? She controls an army of squirrels and has taken on the most powerful villains in the Marvel Universe and always won. Squirrel Girl is literally the best.
Is it too much to ask that Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel cross over as often as possible? I want these two to be best friends.
