The Good
Creativity and novelty are often underrated in this industry. As much as the call sounds for new and interesting characters and stories, those tend to fall by the wayside unless they are either very lucky or of an incredibly high quality that demands attention. OR, in the case of this title, they fill a niche that has long gone unattended. UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL is an all-aged book that never once condescends to its audience or treats them like they can’t handle “big” concepts. Ryan North certainly throws out a big ‘un as Squirrel Girl has to defend Earth from a Galactus encroachment masked by both a ship in stealth mode AND Galactus’ realization that sending someone ahead of him is a great way to warn a planet that has shown itself fully capable of fending him off. Despite the massive scale and stakes, this is actually a fairly small issue, focusing mostly on the conversations of Doreen, Tippy-Toe and the Big Man himself while injecting plenty of humor by having Galactus forgo his usual pompous, epic speech patterns in favor of things like calling Thanos a tool. North has established a universe where, while the previous context of Marvel stories certainly happened, this only prooooobably doesn’t quite fit into what one would call “canon.” But it fits JUST enough to feel like a part of the universe. It’s almost like it’s off to the side, doing it’s own wacky, goofy thing. But while North appears to be writing fluff, there’s actually a fun, dynamic story being told and even some interesting philosophy dispensed. Also: the way in which the Unbeatable One retains her title is genuinely novel and still allows Galactus to retain his dignity and his position as an unstoppable force.
Erica Henderson lends her trademark delightful, wonderfully whimsical visuals to the issue, but in this one also manages the trick of making Galactus seem menacing and like a credible threat, even in the context of this story. The sense of scale she gives the character does him tremendous credit, and the block and panel control she exerts over what is a fairly scattershot tale is likewise impressive. Rico Renzi’s colors add a tremendous amount to the tone and tenor of the issue, ensuring the reader that while things may LOOK dark and grim from time to time, it’s all going to be alright in the end. It gives the issue its usual cartoonish look, and leans into it hard, without making it unrelatable or one-dimensional in terms of tone.
The Bad
This is a ridiculous story told ridiculously. Some people may not enjoy that.
The Verdict
This is a title that puts the laughs well before things like plot, though character development also takes a front seat in the list of priorities. This title is underrated in its ability to generate human characters, even if they might not be the most “realistic,” that would actually feel disingenuous in an issue that’s going for smiles and laughs more than pathos and introspection. The meta beginning alone is worth it AND perfectly communicates what the issue, and the book at large, is all about.