Crazy Nuts

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is a return to when comics were fun.   I'm not saying they all need to be "fun," but they don't all have be so dark and dreary (yes, I'm pointing fingers at you DC New 52 and Marvel NOW!). 

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is about Doreen Green who is a nerdy girl going off to college for the first time.  She just happens to have all the powers of a squirrel (?), can communicate with squirrels, and has a big bushy squirrel tail.  How does she become inconspicuous at college with a big ol' tail?  Why, she neatly tucks it into her pants, giving her a Kim Kardashian booty. 

It's apparent that Doreen doesn't have a lot of friends outside of squirrels, probably because they think she's a bit -- pardon the pun -- nuts because she talks to squirrels, or just looks like she's talking to herself.  Her new college roommate has a secret cat in their dorm room, and they already seem to be hitting it off, so good for her.  Doreen also gets flirted with a bit, gets scared, and runs off.  You know, normal college girl stuff.
 
Besides establishing her character and supporting cast in issue #1, Squirrel Girl also battles Kraven the Hunter.  Well, not so much battles him as she outwits him.  

Writer Ryan North provides a fast, enjoyable read, and Erica Henderson's art is cartoonish, which normally I wouldn't like for comic books but it suits Squirrel Girl's style.  

While The Unbeatable Squirrel doesn't hold the same exciting appeal for me as the new Ant-Man comic, I will continue to pick it up every month, as it's fun and a nice break from all the darkness and seriousness that plagues too many comics today.

The Force Is Strong With Them

Star Wars #1
(Marvel Comics 1977)

As a kid, I loved loved loved everything Star Wars.  Except the comic book.  I could never get into it.  I guess I never felt like Marvel Comics captured the magic that the movies did.  

Star Wars #1
(Dark Horse Comics 2012)

After Dark Horse Comics got the licensing for Star Wars in the early 1990s, I gave them a try, too, but wound up with similar results.  Many years went by with nary a Star Wars comic in my monthly reading collection.  I got excited when, in 2012, Dark Horse was going to feature a new series with the original characters.  Unfortunately, even this series left me a little flat. 

With Disney acquiring Marvel and Star Wars, it was only a matter of time before they took back the rights to create their own Star Wars comic books.  So, today in 2015, we have a new Star Wars #1 from Marvel Comics.  I must admit it's the best rendition so far that I've read of these classic characters.  I feel like it captures the excitement, adventure, and mystery of the first film.  The issue held my interest throughout, and when it reached its cliffhanger conclusion, it made me look forward to issue #2. 

Star Wars #1
(Marvel Comics 2015)

Congrats to Jason Aaron on the great writing and to John Cassaday on making the characters lifelike, resembling the actors who portrayed these spectacular characters on the silver screen.  You've finally captured the magic of the Force. 

No Small Feat

I just finished reading Ant-Man #1.  Now that, my friends, is how you start off a comic book series.  Not only was this issue one of the best first issues of a series I've ever read, but it was one of the best comic book issues I've read in quite a long time.  Too long of a time.  

I've never been that interested in Ant-Man, but with the movie coming out soon, I decided to give the series and character a try.  I'm very glad I did.  Nick Spencer did a fantastic job establishing the character, his personality, and his supporting characters.  And this is coming from someone who's very unfamiliar with the Scott Lang Ant-Man.  I already feel like I know (and like) him.  He's down on his luck, but he's got a sense of humor about himself.  He's got responsibilities that he know he's ignored for too long.  He's screwed up his past and now wants to make amends.  In other words, he feels real.  And that's what's missing from most comic books today that are too focused on epic battles.  The human side is missing.  The character interaction is missing. 

In this first issue, we're given a well-written overview of Lang's origin (all new information to me), as told to a job interviewer.  It was different than your typical first-issue origin comic and better because it wasn't just a retelling-of-origin issue.  Spencer informed readers of Lang's origin, but mostly set up the series going forward.  

I'm not familiar with artist Ramon Rosanas, but after reading Ant-Man #1, I already like him, too.  His art fits well with Ant-Man, or really any comic book superhero, I would imagine.  It's clean and realistic looking. 

With only one issue under its belt, Ant-Man has quickly jumped to the top of my monthly comic book reads.  I only hope Ant-Man continues with its fine storytelling and doesn't jump on the epically boring bandwagon.

Hawkeye Goes to the Dogs

Why was the 2012 Hawkeye series canceled by Marvel Comics?  I'll tell you why:  it sucked.

Pizza Dog

Don't get me wrong; when the series first started, Matt Fraction and David Aja did a fantastic job.  I even hailed it in a previous review.  Sadly, it quickly went to the dogs.  (And I don't just mean Pizza Dog.)  

Pizza Dog himself was a great addition to the Hawkeye supporting cast.  Who wasn't?  "Hawkeye" Kate Bishop.  I'm pretty sure the reason Marvel gave Hawkeye his own series was due to his popularity in a tiny movie called The Avengers.   I don't recall ever seeing Kate Bishop in the movie. 

Shown above, the series originally promised us Clint Barton (a.k.a. Hawkeye) and his life outside of the Avengers.  Sadly, the series quickly became about some teenage chick that Fraction apparently has fantasies about who would never ever warrant her own book.  Heck, she can't even sustain a team book (Young Avengers).  That's how crappy her character is.  And do we even need a second Hawkeye?  Why not just call her Speedy or something?

Surprisingly, that wasn't the worst thing about the series.  Yes, I'm talking about issue #17.  The summary for that book is as follows:  

Who could forget that time when Clint Barton let his neighbor's kids watched a holiday cartoon at his place?  At long last, this issue is pretty much the cartoon they all watch.

And they are correct.  Not only are we subjected to Kate Bishop instead of Clint Barton, but now we're given a joke for our $2.99.  It had to be one of the worst comics I've ever read in 30 years.  With issue #18, the story returned to -- you guessed it -- Kate Bishop.  

And THAT, my friends, is why this series was canceled.  Who wants to continue reading this garbage?  

Now Marvel (or is that Marvel NOW!?) is putting out the All-New Hawkeye in 2015, restarting the series with #1.  Naturally, that's not uncommon nowadays for Marvel (sigh...), and it's probably meant to coincide with the release of the next Avengers movie. 

In the first issue's summary, we're told that we'll be getting "a fresh new look into the life of everyone's favorite Avenger."  Then the next sentence starts, "With Kate Bishop, his trusted ward and protégé back at his side..."  I guess Marvel hasn't learned their lesson.  Have you?  I have.  I won't be spending $3.99 now for a series that still can't get it right.