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The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (Collected Editions)
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 1: Squirrel Power
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Graphic Novels & Comics (2015)Collects The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1-4, Marvel Super-Heroes (1992) #8.
Doctor Doom, Deadpool, even Thanos: There’s one hero who’s beaten them all — and now she’s starring in her own series! That’s right, it’s SQUIRREL GIRL! The nuttiest and most upbeat super hero in the world is starting college! And as if meeting her new roommate and getting to class on time isn’t hard enough, now she has to deal with Kraven the Hunter, too? At least her squirrel friend Tippy-Toe is on hand to help out. But what can one girl, and one squirrel, do when a hungry Galactus heads toward Earth? You’d be surprised! With time running out and Iron Man lending a helping hand (sort of), who will win in the battle between the Power Cosmic and the Power Chestnut? Plus: Squirrel Girl’s classic debut!
Doctor Doom, Deadpool, even Thanos: There’s one hero who’s beaten them all — and now she’s starring in her own series! That’s right, it’s SQUIRREL GIRL! The nuttiest and most upbeat super hero in the world is starting college! And as if meeting her new roommate and getting to class on time isn’t hard enough, now she has to deal with Kraven the Hunter, too? At least her squirrel friend Tippy-Toe is on hand to help out. But what can one girl, and one squirrel, do when a hungry Galactus heads toward Earth? You’d be surprised! With time running out and Iron Man lending a helping hand (sort of), who will win in the battle between the Power Cosmic and the Power Chestnut? Plus: Squirrel Girl’s classic debut!
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
285 people are currently reading
15537 people want to read
About the author
Ryan North
538 books1,603 followersHi, I'm Ryan! I was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1980 and since then have written several books. You can read my Wikipedia page for more, or check out my author site at RyanNorth.ca!
I'm the author of the webcomic Dinosaur Comics (that's the comic where the pictures don't change but the words do, it's better than it sounds and I've also done crazy things like turn Shakespeare into a choose-your-own-path adventure, write a comic for Marvel about a girl with all the powers of a squirrel, or mess up walking my dog so badly it made the news.
I'm working on more stuff as we speak, hopefully it's good
I'm the author of the webcomic Dinosaur Comics (that's the comic where the pictures don't change but the words do, it's better than it sounds and I've also done crazy things like turn Shakespeare into a choose-your-own-path adventure, write a comic for Marvel about a girl with all the powers of a squirrel, or mess up walking my dog so badly it made the news.
I'm working on more stuff as we speak, hopefully it's good
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,849 reviews
January 3, 2016
PERFECTION.
November 4, 2016
R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
Any hero that can take down Deadpool, Wolverine, Thanos and Dr. Doom has earned that much.
Tear ‘em up, ya cute lil’ squirrels, yo!!
Squirrel Girl, aka Doreen Green, wants to move out of the Avengers headquarters attic and live a life as a normal person, so she, accompanied by Tippy, her squirrel sidekick, enroll at Empire University and…
…ends up “protecting” the college from the villainy that is Kraven.
Her squirrel network alerts her to an incoming threat by Galactus and the race is on to save the Earth.
To get to the Moon she has to borrow and reconfigure some of Tony Stark’s armor.
Once she faces-off with Galactus, will she become just another inter-galactic boot stain for the big and purple planet (people) eater?
Included as a bonus is Squirrel Girl’s origin, conceived by, of all people, Steve Ditko.
Bottom Line: Marvel Now! produced some fine work by taking alternate spins on existing characters; this is definitely one of the jewels. Fun, funny and brimming with meta-humor (much of it scrolled on the bottom of every page), this is a sweet look at an endearing character. The treatment is a sort-of cross between Hawkeye and Groot.
Any hero that can take down Deadpool, Wolverine, Thanos and Dr. Doom has earned that much.
Tear ‘em up, ya cute lil’ squirrels, yo!!
Squirrel Girl, aka Doreen Green, wants to move out of the Avengers headquarters attic and live a life as a normal person, so she, accompanied by Tippy, her squirrel sidekick, enroll at Empire University and…
…ends up “protecting” the college from the villainy that is Kraven.
Her squirrel network alerts her to an incoming threat by Galactus and the race is on to save the Earth.
To get to the Moon she has to borrow and reconfigure some of Tony Stark’s armor.
Once she faces-off with Galactus, will she become just another inter-galactic boot stain for the big and purple planet (people) eater?
Included as a bonus is Squirrel Girl’s origin, conceived by, of all people, Steve Ditko.
Bottom Line: Marvel Now! produced some fine work by taking alternate spins on existing characters; this is definitely one of the jewels. Fun, funny and brimming with meta-humor (much of it scrolled on the bottom of every page), this is a sweet look at an endearing character. The treatment is a sort-of cross between Hawkeye and Groot.
September 22, 2016
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS 42,000 GIFS AND QUITE POSSIBLY THE ONLY DISSENTING OPINION ABOUT THIS SERIES THAT EXISTS.
My reaction to The Unbearable Squirrel Girl™ Sam Quixote (Don’t let the 3 Star review fool you, Sam must have suffered a head injury when he rated the first issue and has now come to his senses) . . . .
Keep y’all nasty Kool-Aid over there because there is NO WAY I’m jumping on this bandwagon.
I knew things weren’t going to go my way from page uno . . . .
Which had me questioning . . . .
And a couple of pages later when Squirrel Girl’s faithful sidekick Tippy Toe asked . . .
There I was - ♪♫♪♫ All by myseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelf ♪♫♪♫ . . . .
I should have recognized the problem before I even requested this from the library because . . . .
“It's the start of a brand-new set of adventures starring the nuttiest and most upbeat super hero in the world!”
Which translates to “this new superhero isn’t real much of a superhero at all, but is instead a MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL” and if you know me at all you know I pretty much have a zero tolerance with respect to inviting those kind of people into my life. The exceptions being . . . .
And . . . . .
This was supposed to be funny – it was not. I was under the impression my lovaaaaaah Deadpool was actually in it rather than just contributing tiny cells containing “Deadpool’s Guide to Super Villains” stats – so there’s another fail. Her superpowerish way of defeating bad guys was shoving a whole mess of squirrels into their mouth and that was just . . . .
And her supersuit??????
^^^^^That looks like she’s crawling out of a giant doo doo.
Basically it seems to me the only redeeming quality Squirrel Girl has is that she’s not scantily clad, but I’m old and confused and was under the impression that the new generation thinks women should dress however they choose . . . .
Guess I was mistaken.
Anyway, everyone loved it but me so I obviously read it wrong. If you’re looking for a character who is pretty much like this 100% of the time . . . .
You’ll probably like it just fine too.
If you’re like me you’ll make sure to bring snacks and booze before coming to my shame corner and then we can talk about how this was the only good thing to come from this abomination . . . .
And then we’ll wait for the day when poor Squirrel Girl’s 15 minutes of fame are up . . . .
WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS 42,000 GIFS AND QUITE POSSIBLY THE ONLY DISSENTING OPINION ABOUT THIS SERIES THAT EXISTS.
My reaction to The Unbearable Squirrel Girl™ Sam Quixote (Don’t let the 3 Star review fool you, Sam must have suffered a head injury when he rated the first issue and has now come to his senses) . . . .
Keep y’all nasty Kool-Aid over there because there is NO WAY I’m jumping on this bandwagon.
I knew things weren’t going to go my way from page uno . . . .
Which had me questioning . . . .
And a couple of pages later when Squirrel Girl’s faithful sidekick Tippy Toe asked . . .
There I was - ♪♫♪♫ All by myseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelf ♪♫♪♫ . . . .
I should have recognized the problem before I even requested this from the library because . . . .
“It's the start of a brand-new set of adventures starring the nuttiest and most upbeat super hero in the world!”
Which translates to “this new superhero isn’t real much of a superhero at all, but is instead a MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL” and if you know me at all you know I pretty much have a zero tolerance with respect to inviting those kind of people into my life. The exceptions being . . . .
And . . . . .
This was supposed to be funny – it was not. I was under the impression my lovaaaaaah Deadpool was actually in it rather than just contributing tiny cells containing “Deadpool’s Guide to Super Villains” stats – so there’s another fail. Her superpowerish way of defeating bad guys was shoving a whole mess of squirrels into their mouth and that was just . . . .
And her supersuit??????
^^^^^That looks like she’s crawling out of a giant doo doo.
Basically it seems to me the only redeeming quality Squirrel Girl has is that she’s not scantily clad, but I’m old and confused and was under the impression that the new generation thinks women should dress however they choose . . . .
Guess I was mistaken.
Anyway, everyone loved it but me so I obviously read it wrong. If you’re looking for a character who is pretty much like this 100% of the time . . . .
You’ll probably like it just fine too.
If you’re like me you’ll make sure to bring snacks and booze before coming to my shame corner and then we can talk about how this was the only good thing to come from this abomination . . . .
And then we’ll wait for the day when poor Squirrel Girl’s 15 minutes of fame are up . . . .
March 8, 2019
Obviously for a much younger audience than me.
October 6, 2015
This is a very silly book. Which is exactly what I was hoping for. Squirrel Girl can be a lot of fun, and I really like her total earnestness. And also that she talks to squirrels. It's a totally irreverent (I bet nobody will ever write Galactus like this again) and weird book, and it's kind of perfect. The art is adorable and fits the title perfectly, and I love the silly footnotes at the bottom of each page. Incredibly fun to read.
January 29, 2016
So this is part of the important wave of strong girl main character comics, and yay, it is another good one you can put on the shelf next to Willow Wilson's Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan. I like the new Ms. Marvel better than this one, but this one has energy and humor. initially the feel of that art (by Erika Henderson) is children's or tween comics, and at a glance it is sort of silly, and I will let you know how my 8-11 year olds think of it, [Harry, 11, interjects, "Yeah, I really liked it! I don't like squirrels, but I like this book!" Lyra nods, with a pancake stuffed in her mouth, "Mm-huh!" which means she liked it just fine!] but I thought it might be more appropriate for people who actually can know the superheroes and villains she is interacting with, so they can get the joke.
Or maybe this is a comic idea for superhero geeks AND their children?! Maybe, because how else can kids get who Galactus is, or Kraven or Nighthawk? Or maybe that doesn't matter. Maybe when some younger kids read superhero books early on, all the superheroes are basically alike, generic; they were for me!
But when Henderson has to draw the superheroes and villains, she draws them faithfully, and impressively. In other words, she can do more than draw cartoony kid characters (though she also does that fine, and appropriately, and attractively).
The idea of a squirrel girl that has to hide her tail, and a sidekick little squirrel who takes on the greats of superhero comics history is silly fun, but it works for me [and closer to target audience, above].
We also get reader letters from the individual comics, which is fun and not usually done, trading card art, AND the original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Marvel Superheroes Winter Special X-Men, where we see Squirrel Girl's classic first appearance! How cool is that?! Cool, I'd say.
Or maybe this is a comic idea for superhero geeks AND their children?! Maybe, because how else can kids get who Galactus is, or Kraven or Nighthawk? Or maybe that doesn't matter. Maybe when some younger kids read superhero books early on, all the superheroes are basically alike, generic; they were for me!
But when Henderson has to draw the superheroes and villains, she draws them faithfully, and impressively. In other words, she can do more than draw cartoony kid characters (though she also does that fine, and appropriately, and attractively).
The idea of a squirrel girl that has to hide her tail, and a sidekick little squirrel who takes on the greats of superhero comics history is silly fun, but it works for me [and closer to target audience, above].
We also get reader letters from the individual comics, which is fun and not usually done, trading card art, AND the original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Marvel Superheroes Winter Special X-Men, where we see Squirrel Girl's classic first appearance! How cool is that?! Cool, I'd say.
March 27, 2016
Well that was glorious.
May 16, 2016
Squirrel Girl is the new bae
Read
September 30, 2021#BannedBooksWeek
Move over, Deadpool, Ant-Man, and Star Lord! Here's a Marvel-ous young woman who will give you a run for your money, fighting supervillains with charm and wit! Squirrel Girl, aka Doreen Green, is a college student with several secrets, including her ability to speak Squirrel, "borrow" Iron Man's flying armor, and convince Galactus to devour some other planet than the Earth. Great fun! - Louisa A.
Move over, Deadpool, Ant-Man, and Star Lord! Here's a Marvel-ous young woman who will give you a run for your money, fighting supervillains with charm and wit! Squirrel Girl, aka Doreen Green, is a college student with several secrets, including her ability to speak Squirrel, "borrow" Iron Man's flying armor, and convince Galactus to devour some other planet than the Earth. Great fun! - Louisa A.
March 13, 2016
"You know what happens to a squirrel when it gets mad? The same thing that happens to everything else.
Which is to say, increased heart rate, elevated adrenaline and norepinephrine production, a lessened capacity for self-monitoring, etc., etc."
HIL-arious. Love all the sly humor and in-jokes and just...good-natured ribbing of super heroes and super villains in this graphic novel.
Which is to say, increased heart rate, elevated adrenaline and norepinephrine production, a lessened capacity for self-monitoring, etc., etc."
HIL-arious. Love all the sly humor and in-jokes and just...good-natured ribbing of super heroes and super villains in this graphic novel.
May 2, 2016
There isn't one thing about this comic that isn't ridiculous. Did I say fabulous? I meant ridiculous.
Especially the footnotes at the bottom of each page that just can't help calling attention to how ridiculous this all is.
Like so:
Or this:
And there's some pretty spot-on personality coming out of this Doreen chick:
But the best part is how unflappable she is:
The Unflappable Squirrel Girl sounds waaaay better than The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, don't you think? Of course you do.
Doreen's the plucky, always-optimistic friend you have that bugs the shit out of you in real life. Like, you wish you could maintain that unwavering positive attitude, but instead because you fail at life you wish they secretly go home and self-mutilate, or cry into a bowl of dry corn flakes, or seethe in their aloneness (because no one can truly relate to them).
But hey, in the pages of a fictional story, awesome!
Stick with this book - I promise you, I actually laughed more frequently the further I got. Maybe my genetically enhanced cynicism has a limit, beyond which I just relax and enjoy something this sweet and (generally) innocent.
I mean, not all of North's (wait, a Canadian comics writer whose name is literally "North"? A bit _on_the_nose_ don't you think folks?) jokes are Comedy Awards-winning (although how would I know? I don't watch whatever passes in the comedy industry for a televised awards show - unless Craig Kilborn's late night show was it, because I'd totally believe that), but there's a few that brought on entirely *involuntary* laughter, so forgive that snot bubble we'll both just pretend didn't happen right in front of you.
Especially the footnotes at the bottom of each page that just can't help calling attention to how ridiculous this all is.
Like so:
Or this:
And there's some pretty spot-on personality coming out of this Doreen chick:
But the best part is how unflappable she is:
The Unflappable Squirrel Girl sounds waaaay better than The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, don't you think? Of course you do.
Doreen's the plucky, always-optimistic friend you have that bugs the shit out of you in real life. Like, you wish you could maintain that unwavering positive attitude, but instead because you fail at life you wish they secretly go home and self-mutilate, or cry into a bowl of dry corn flakes, or seethe in their aloneness (because no one can truly relate to them).
But hey, in the pages of a fictional story, awesome!
Stick with this book - I promise you, I actually laughed more frequently the further I got. Maybe my genetically enhanced cynicism has a limit, beyond which I just relax and enjoy something this sweet and (generally) innocent.
I mean, not all of North's (wait, a Canadian comics writer whose name is literally "North"? A bit _on_the_nose_ don't you think folks?) jokes are Comedy Awards-winning (although how would I know? I don't watch whatever passes in the comedy industry for a televised awards show - unless Craig Kilborn's late night show was it, because I'd totally believe that), but there's a few that brought on entirely *involuntary* laughter, so forgive that snot bubble we'll both just pretend didn't happen right in front of you.
October 17, 2015
Are you sick of comics featuring macho men doing macho men things?
Are you sick of comics showing women with balloon boobs and endless legs?
Are you sick of comics that are all death, sadness, and conflict?
Do you just want to feel good when you read a comic?
Do you want to laugh?
Do you want to read about a confident lady?
Do you like squirrels?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is for you. This comic is the most fun I've ever had while reading comics. It's clever, silly, geeky entertainment. Squirrel Girl, also called Doreen Green, tries to juggle college orientation and saving the world, and does it in her own way. Every page is filled with colourful cartoony art that will instantly brighten your day.
Are you sick of comics showing women with balloon boobs and endless legs?
Are you sick of comics that are all death, sadness, and conflict?
Do you just want to feel good when you read a comic?
Do you want to laugh?
Do you want to read about a confident lady?
Do you like squirrels?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is for you. This comic is the most fun I've ever had while reading comics. It's clever, silly, geeky entertainment. Squirrel Girl, also called Doreen Green, tries to juggle college orientation and saving the world, and does it in her own way. Every page is filled with colourful cartoony art that will instantly brighten your day.
September 3, 2015
Comedy superhero comics have usually rested on the assumption that there is something rather silly about superheroes, and you can get a good laugh by laying bare what it is. It works, because these assumptions are true. But superheroes are also awesome, so there is a lot of room for a superhero comedy which takes THAT as its starting point.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is that comic. As the title suggests, there is no confrontation Squirrel Girl cannot win, and the joy is in seeing her do it. Of course, these are the narrative conventions that underpin basically every Marvel or DC title: this one just lays them out upfront and gets on with having fun and treating the Marvel Universe like a playground full of hilarious toys. It's a perfect vehicle for Ryan North's joie de vivre and his typically stylised dialogue - Doreen Green's voice in the comic is a perfect blend of fourth-wall breaking and the real self-consciousness of a clever 18-year-old.
Some readers hate this - Squirrel Girl is a lightning rod for disgruntled fans who feel Marvel is becoming stupid or childish and pandering to a new audience of hipsters or - gasp! - girls. In fact it's one of the most grown-up comics Marvel has published for years. Doreen Green in this series is a superhero who mainly solves problems the way they are ideally solved in the real world - negotiation leading to a mutually acceptable compromise solution. Nothing juvenile about that, even if she does it with a squirrel sidekick and occasionally clad in living squirrel body armour. Erica Henderson's effervescent art is a great fit too, full of joy, energy, and a complete lack of regard for the narrow range of faces and bodies you normally see in a superhero comic.
Most of all, though, it's very funny, and as generous as it's entertaining. The weakest issue here - #5 - is the one which comes closest to outright parody, and that's no accident. The rest of the stories are a joy - big-hearted superhero romps by a team who understand that punching is the least interesting part of superheroics. The best comic Marvel's publishing right now. PS: Galactus is so right about Thanos.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is that comic. As the title suggests, there is no confrontation Squirrel Girl cannot win, and the joy is in seeing her do it. Of course, these are the narrative conventions that underpin basically every Marvel or DC title: this one just lays them out upfront and gets on with having fun and treating the Marvel Universe like a playground full of hilarious toys. It's a perfect vehicle for Ryan North's joie de vivre and his typically stylised dialogue - Doreen Green's voice in the comic is a perfect blend of fourth-wall breaking and the real self-consciousness of a clever 18-year-old.
Some readers hate this - Squirrel Girl is a lightning rod for disgruntled fans who feel Marvel is becoming stupid or childish and pandering to a new audience of hipsters or - gasp! - girls. In fact it's one of the most grown-up comics Marvel has published for years. Doreen Green in this series is a superhero who mainly solves problems the way they are ideally solved in the real world - negotiation leading to a mutually acceptable compromise solution. Nothing juvenile about that, even if she does it with a squirrel sidekick and occasionally clad in living squirrel body armour. Erica Henderson's effervescent art is a great fit too, full of joy, energy, and a complete lack of regard for the narrow range of faces and bodies you normally see in a superhero comic.
Most of all, though, it's very funny, and as generous as it's entertaining. The weakest issue here - #5 - is the one which comes closest to outright parody, and that's no accident. The rest of the stories are a joy - big-hearted superhero romps by a team who understand that punching is the least interesting part of superheroics. The best comic Marvel's publishing right now. PS: Galactus is so right about Thanos.
August 5, 2025
3.5/5
Review for volumes 1-8:
It's purely humor, and it's good humor.
It's aimed at a younger audience, so there is little complexity in the story or characters, but again, it's all just humor.
Review for volumes 1-8:
It's purely humor, and it's good humor.
It's aimed at a younger audience, so there is little complexity in the story or characters, but again, it's all just humor.
December 12, 2015
I am not sure what makes people so squirreliffically excited about this comic. It's for sure cute with some clever gimmicks and it makes sure you know how cute and quirky and slightly-left-of-clever it its.
Maybe part of my luke-warm feeling toward the comic is my general dislike for any super-hero-type comics that let action stand in for or get in the way of storytelling. There is some okay storytelling in here, but it doesn't get much better than okay.
All of this said, I appreciate that Squirrel Girl exists. In a very good way she's not a femme fatale. She's super optimistic. She's good at negotiating with humans and squirrels and etc. A great role model in many ways. I just didn't find her to be compelling. Sort of a one-or-two-trick pony-squirrel with the volume always turned way up on those one-or-two-tricks.
So, I'm glad I read this, but I don't think I will be seeking out the next volume.
Maybe part of my luke-warm feeling toward the comic is my general dislike for any super-hero-type comics that let action stand in for or get in the way of storytelling. There is some okay storytelling in here, but it doesn't get much better than okay.
All of this said, I appreciate that Squirrel Girl exists. In a very good way she's not a femme fatale. She's super optimistic. She's good at negotiating with humans and squirrels and etc. A great role model in many ways. I just didn't find her to be compelling. Sort of a one-or-two-trick pony-squirrel with the volume always turned way up on those one-or-two-tricks.
So, I'm glad I read this, but I don't think I will be seeking out the next volume.
September 4, 2016
omg this was fun and super-cute! I'd never heard of Squirrel Girl before and throughout the book I kept going "you've gotta be kidding me" but it was awesome :) Also had no idea she'd been around so long! Thanks Papa Stan! And a big thanks to Ryan and Erica for this awesome comic. Seriously, Doreen and Tippy-Toe and Nancy and Mew are the BEST.
Now time to find more Squirrel Girl, particularly involving Deadpool.
Now time to find more Squirrel Girl, particularly involving Deadpool.
February 5, 2017
When Squirrel Girl was created by writer Will Murray and artist Steve Ditko for the Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special in 1991, she seemed to be a contrast to the majority of female superheroes at that time who are not only born out of dramatic tales but also with perfect physicality to sexually appeal the male readers. When you read her debut issue “The Coming of ... Squirrel Girl”, which appears at the end of this first volume, she is clearly a fan girl who wants to partner with her favourite Avenger Iron Man whilst the two of them battle Doctor Doom. Following her time with both the Great Lakes Avengers and the New Avengers, Doreen Green is finally starring in her own series, which is one of the funniest in recent Marvel history.
As Squirrel Girl begins her life in college as she starts a course in Computer Science – much to the disapproval from her squirrel friend Tippy-Toe who insists on a course on the animal – her role as a superhero becomes more important when a hungry Galactus heads toward Earth, and apparently only she can save the world.
Right from the start, it is clearly a parody of superheroes that appeals to both young and old, as oppose to the X-rated sensibilities of Deadpool, though he is greatly acknowledged in the trading cards that Squirrel Girl collects with the Merc with a Mouth giving some jokey insight about the villains she is up against. In how this title breaks the fourth wall is at the bottom of nearly every page features a subscript footnote that although humorously acknowledges what’s happening on the page, it never explains who is the voice behind the footnotes; most likely Ryan North experimenting with his comic writing.
What makes North’s writing stood out is in the characterisation of its eponymous hero who may be quirky, but isn’t dumb as she is starting a course in computer science, even if her conversations with a squirrel makes it hard to socialise with her classmates. She is also has a very positive outlook on life and even when she battles villains, violence isn’t the only solution and the outcome is strangely sweet. I would’ve liked to have seen more of her adjusting to college life which is only shown through her friendship with her cat-loving roommate Nancy.
With her cutesy cartoonish art style, Erica Henderson is a perfect fit to the quirky writing, as well as showing a lighter presentation of established characters like Kraven the Hunter and Galactus. Also in the way Henderson illustrates Squirrel Girl, her physical appearance is not at all sexualised, whilst acknowledging her comfort with her “large and conspicuously awesome butt”.
Although the meta-comedic writing can at times run out of steam, this first volume of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is a very enjoyable read with its quirks and off-the-wall squirrel action.
As Squirrel Girl begins her life in college as she starts a course in Computer Science – much to the disapproval from her squirrel friend Tippy-Toe who insists on a course on the animal – her role as a superhero becomes more important when a hungry Galactus heads toward Earth, and apparently only she can save the world.
Right from the start, it is clearly a parody of superheroes that appeals to both young and old, as oppose to the X-rated sensibilities of Deadpool, though he is greatly acknowledged in the trading cards that Squirrel Girl collects with the Merc with a Mouth giving some jokey insight about the villains she is up against. In how this title breaks the fourth wall is at the bottom of nearly every page features a subscript footnote that although humorously acknowledges what’s happening on the page, it never explains who is the voice behind the footnotes; most likely Ryan North experimenting with his comic writing.
What makes North’s writing stood out is in the characterisation of its eponymous hero who may be quirky, but isn’t dumb as she is starting a course in computer science, even if her conversations with a squirrel makes it hard to socialise with her classmates. She is also has a very positive outlook on life and even when she battles villains, violence isn’t the only solution and the outcome is strangely sweet. I would’ve liked to have seen more of her adjusting to college life which is only shown through her friendship with her cat-loving roommate Nancy.
With her cutesy cartoonish art style, Erica Henderson is a perfect fit to the quirky writing, as well as showing a lighter presentation of established characters like Kraven the Hunter and Galactus. Also in the way Henderson illustrates Squirrel Girl, her physical appearance is not at all sexualised, whilst acknowledging her comfort with her “large and conspicuously awesome butt”.
Although the meta-comedic writing can at times run out of steam, this first volume of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is a very enjoyable read with its quirks and off-the-wall squirrel action.
December 29, 2015
I have never, EVER loved any comic as much as I head-over-heels ADORED The Unbeatable Squirrel, Volume 1! It was so hilarious and so AWESOME. I looooooooooove Doreen/Squirrel Girl and her main squirrel sidekick Tippy-Toe, I love her fabulous roommate Nancy (and Nancy's cat sidekick Mew), and OMG do I love the humor throughout, both in the fantastic, witty writing and in the equally fantastic & witty art. I laughed out loud again and again (often at the nearly-hidden footnotes, which I finally discovered halfway through the first issue and which turned out to be SO FUNNY). Halfway through reading this volume, I went online to find out if Volume 2 was out yet. And it is! I can't wait to read it.
I LOVE THIS COMIC!
PS: Also, one more reason why this kind of art is so valuable beyond just how much fun it all is: when I showed my 7-year-old son the front cover, he frowned in total confusion and said, "Why is she fat?" Because - for all the different animated shows he's watched in his life - he's literally never seen a woman drawn like a realistic, average-sized woman before. They're all incredibly thin, even the great animated characters like Aviva in Wild Kratts. He was so genuinely BAFFLED to see an average-sized woman (with muscled thighs, which make a LOT of sense with her superpowers) drawn on the page.
WE NEED MORE OF THEM. Especially when they're this much fun!
I LOVE THIS COMIC!
PS: Also, one more reason why this kind of art is so valuable beyond just how much fun it all is: when I showed my 7-year-old son the front cover, he frowned in total confusion and said, "Why is she fat?" Because - for all the different animated shows he's watched in his life - he's literally never seen a woman drawn like a realistic, average-sized woman before. They're all incredibly thin, even the great animated characters like Aviva in Wild Kratts. He was so genuinely BAFFLED to see an average-sized woman (with muscled thighs, which make a LOT of sense with her superpowers) drawn on the page.
WE NEED MORE OF THEM. Especially when they're this much fun!
December 14, 2016
One of the wonderful things about Christmas is that it gives me an excuse to buy books I've wanted to read, so I can read them first then give them as gifts. I've heard wonderful things about Squirrel Girl, so I bought this for my 11-year-old son. He loves funny superheroes like Teen Titans Go. I think this is perfectly suited for his age, and I thought it was a hoot, too. I adore how Squirrel Girl is drawn--she's curvy and proud of it! She's also smart, and manages to beat the bad guys with her wits rather than with brute strength (though she's not above calling on squirrel mobs to help). The whole message of it is fun and positive.
July 2, 2017
This was actually really fun!
February 26, 2022
Ah, Marvel. You've got hopeful, crafty, spunky, horror, snarky, and so many other kinds of styles going on. You've even got fourth-wall-breaking Deadpool. The only thing you need now is OVERPOWERED OPTIMISM.
Welcome Squirrel Girl to your ranks. She is utterly unflappable, really into nuts, and will never back down from ANY challenge.
And, I have to admit it, super cute and awkward as all hell.
Yes, she took town Kraven, Galacticus, and Doctor Doom in this volume. Like, utterly. And in Doctor Doom's case, made him into an utter laughing stock, totally, utterly humiliated. And she's all chipper through everything.
No, this isn't all that deep or serious. It's just cute. Sometimes funny. And always outrageous.
I think I needed this right about now. The rest of the world is going to hell. We need to be reminded of the good, too.
Welcome Squirrel Girl to your ranks. She is utterly unflappable, really into nuts, and will never back down from ANY challenge.
And, I have to admit it, super cute and awkward as all hell.
Yes, she took town Kraven, Galacticus, and Doctor Doom in this volume. Like, utterly. And in Doctor Doom's case, made him into an utter laughing stock, totally, utterly humiliated. And she's all chipper through everything.
No, this isn't all that deep or serious. It's just cute. Sometimes funny. And always outrageous.
I think I needed this right about now. The rest of the world is going to hell. We need to be reminded of the good, too.
May 15, 2016
When I first heard about Squirrel Girl, I thought…Marvel? This must be a joke, right? But when I noticed I could actually order it and it had the Marvel logo on the cover, I knew this was for realz.
Apparently, Squirrel Girl made an appearance in Marvel’s Super Heroes #8 (1990) in a story alongside Iron Man. What’s absolutely fantastic about this first Volume is that the story from that issue is included in the back of the book. Here’s what Squirrel Girl looked like back then:
And what she looks like now:
As you can see, she’s a lot more ‘realistic’ looking now. It’s something I really like about this comic because even though Doreen Green (a.k.a. Squirrel Girl) might be a college girl superhero, she still looks like an average girl with an average figure (plus they removed the weird Kiss-make-up obviously).
A bit more about Doreen: she’s a 17-year old Computer Science student with squirrel genes and a big fluffy squirrel tail. Together with her sidekick, a regular (apart from wearing a pink bow) squirrel named Tippy-Toe, she fights crime! What’s so amazing about Squirrel Girls’ powers? Well, she can do basically anything a squirrel can do: jump/fly, climb trees, and crack nuts. Oh, and she’s very strong. And able to communicate with squirrels and summon them to her aid.
Yes, this all sounds a bit goofy and unconventional, but that’s what it’s supposed to be.
While fighting crime, Squirrel Girl uses cards from ‘Deadpool’s Guide to Super Villains’ to determine who her foe is and how to combat him/her. The cards are probably the greatest thing about this book. I love Deadpool and I love these cards.
What I like so much about Deadpool is that he doesn’t seem to take himself very seriously. Squirrel Girl does a bit of the same while making fun of other Marvel superheroes.
Now you might think that I’m completely smitten with this comic, but sadly, I’m not. I liked it and it was funny (I liked the little ‘hidden’ notes from the author on every page as well), but I think I surpassed the teen girl phase a little and it’s really aimed at that particular audience. There’s not a lot of violence (no real graphic violence at all) going on and Squirrel Girls’ powers are mostly cute if you ask me. This is why I can highly recommend it to younger girls, but it’s not entirely my cup of tea. I’m giving it 3 brownies because I did like it and was entertained by it. However, I liked the original issue from 1990 a lot more!
Oh, one more thing that’s pretty cool is the fanmail section:
You can write to Ryan and Erica and have your question (and their answer to it) featured in the next issue. How awesome is that?
I remember writing letters to the Donald Duck magazine and to the Babysitters’ Club Fan Club. Those were the days!
Apparently, Squirrel Girl made an appearance in Marvel’s Super Heroes #8 (1990) in a story alongside Iron Man. What’s absolutely fantastic about this first Volume is that the story from that issue is included in the back of the book. Here’s what Squirrel Girl looked like back then:
And what she looks like now:
As you can see, she’s a lot more ‘realistic’ looking now. It’s something I really like about this comic because even though Doreen Green (a.k.a. Squirrel Girl) might be a college girl superhero, she still looks like an average girl with an average figure (plus they removed the weird Kiss-make-up obviously).
A bit more about Doreen: she’s a 17-year old Computer Science student with squirrel genes and a big fluffy squirrel tail. Together with her sidekick, a regular (apart from wearing a pink bow) squirrel named Tippy-Toe, she fights crime! What’s so amazing about Squirrel Girls’ powers? Well, she can do basically anything a squirrel can do: jump/fly, climb trees, and crack nuts. Oh, and she’s very strong. And able to communicate with squirrels and summon them to her aid.
Yes, this all sounds a bit goofy and unconventional, but that’s what it’s supposed to be.
While fighting crime, Squirrel Girl uses cards from ‘Deadpool’s Guide to Super Villains’ to determine who her foe is and how to combat him/her. The cards are probably the greatest thing about this book. I love Deadpool and I love these cards.
What I like so much about Deadpool is that he doesn’t seem to take himself very seriously. Squirrel Girl does a bit of the same while making fun of other Marvel superheroes.
Now you might think that I’m completely smitten with this comic, but sadly, I’m not. I liked it and it was funny (I liked the little ‘hidden’ notes from the author on every page as well), but I think I surpassed the teen girl phase a little and it’s really aimed at that particular audience. There’s not a lot of violence (no real graphic violence at all) going on and Squirrel Girls’ powers are mostly cute if you ask me. This is why I can highly recommend it to younger girls, but it’s not entirely my cup of tea. I’m giving it 3 brownies because I did like it and was entertained by it. However, I liked the original issue from 1990 a lot more!
Oh, one more thing that’s pretty cool is the fanmail section:
You can write to Ryan and Erica and have your question (and their answer to it) featured in the next issue. How awesome is that?
I remember writing letters to the Donald Duck magazine and to the Babysitters’ Club Fan Club. Those were the days!
March 11, 2016
This was ADORABLE and so funny. I've always loved Ryan North's comedy writing, and his writing combined with Erica Henderson's art style is a perfect match. I laughed out loud so many times. Plus, Doreen's habit of always at least trying to see peaceful resolution is a breath of fresh air. ALSO THERE WERE SO MANY GREAT PUNS ABOUT NUTS. :D :D :D
December 1, 2015
Well, even though I don't own any Squirrel Girl underoos I do count myself as a long-time devotee of the character right back to her Steve Ditko conception. She's a character who gives Marvel an outlet for some much needed self satirization and I usually have a good time in her company, barring her guesting in Bendis' godawful New Avengers. Ryan North gets the tone pretty much right though he doesn't quite hit the ground running. Some bits worked better than others and humour that pokes fun at the comic industry can be a bit hit and miss depending on your levels of inner geekness regarding comics that often date back to before some of the readership was born. But by issue 3 the title starts feeding off itself and amusement and the odd chuckle start to flow more readily. I loved all Squirrel Girl's vanquished foes having after-brawl moans on social media. And Galactus warns the Earth that he's popping round for a bit of planet devouring but he has no followers/friends so no one reads it. Erica Henderson goes for an art style that makes no attempt to draw realistic characters (or what usually passes for realism in superhero art), as with her Jughead work, which is perfect for the spoof on spoof tone. Steve Ditko's original designs achieved the same effect when he created the character back in the early 90s. You don't have to dig too deep into the history of art in comics and animation to discover that the best examples of successful satire walk hand in hand with deliberately unrealistic caricatures. The book compiles issues 1-4 and Marvel Super-Heroes Issue #8.
March 22, 2017
I'd had this lying around the house for ages, but given that my 7-year-old daughter had now finished the second volume too it was time to get round to reading and rating it properly. And that's some of my joy in Squirrel Girl: finally, a superhero comic that a little girl can read and love as much as her big bad grumpy dad.
This is a proper "comic", which is to say, it has lots and lots of comedy in it, but it's not just a knees-up: Doreen Green defeats villains the likes of Kraven and Galactus, not by beating them with her proportional squirrel speed and strength, but by empathising with them and working out acceptable compromise positions. Which has got to be harder to write and is certainly more interesting to read than the traditional macho contests of super-strength. It remains to be seen over how many volumes Doreen's cheerful charm offensive can remain effective, but it feels like it would be really churlish to dock any stars from this opening salvo.
This is a proper "comic", which is to say, it has lots and lots of comedy in it, but it's not just a knees-up: Doreen Green defeats villains the likes of Kraven and Galactus, not by beating them with her proportional squirrel speed and strength, but by empathising with them and working out acceptable compromise positions. Which has got to be harder to write and is certainly more interesting to read than the traditional macho contests of super-strength. It remains to be seen over how many volumes Doreen's cheerful charm offensive can remain effective, but it feels like it would be really churlish to dock any stars from this opening salvo.
January 24, 2016
Such a fun read! Squirrel Girl might seem like just a one note joke, but over the years since her creation, she's proven herself time and time again, and Marvel has finally started taking her seriously -- but not too seriously! This is not just a fun read, but, along with Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal, it's an important read for young comic fans who need to see positive, confident young heroes like this.
March 28, 2016
Super adorable! As someone who is not a big superhero fan, this was so for me. For one, she tries to get out of fights with other supers. For another, she is Squirrel Girl and her squirrel sidekick is a hoot. Everything that comes out of her mouth is dripping with cleverness and cuteness. The power of cute RULES!
December 2, 2016
This review can be found on my graphic novels blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2016/12/0...
My life has been nuts lately, so what better book to check out than Squirrel Girl!
This book has been highly recommended by my friend Michael at the blog My Comic Relief who waxes poetic about this series. Combined with my need for a short book to review this week, due to a time crunch with the upcoming holidays and a big final project due in one of my grad classes, I gave it a go. The book was funny, quirky, girl-friendly, and well drawn…but a bit annoying.
We are introduced to Doreen, aka Squirrel Girl, who is moving into her college dorm and meeting her roommate Nancy (♥) for the first time. To hide her secret identity, Doreen tucks her tail into her pants, giving her a Kardashian look on her already voluptuous figure. Already, I like that she is realistically proportioned, and not some fanboy version of what a female should look like.
She gets pulled into battles with Kraven the Hunter, Whiplash, and later with the mighty Galactus in between attending classes. How does she fight these super villains, when her powers are not equal to theirs? She talks them to death. The back and forth banter between all the characters is clever, with additional social media inserts that are amusing, but at times overkill. In addition, there is running commentary at the bottom of many pages that I found distracting.
The artwork is bright and attractive, with a varied layout of panels that pull you into the story. The Deadpool cards were an awesome addition. I loved how they put the first time SG ever appeared in a Marvel comic, and her story with Iron Man, in this book. Flashback to the epic costumes and drawing styles of the late 80’s/early 90’s! While this is somewhat her origin story, I would like more info on how she acquired her powers.
I look forward to Michael’s longer and more in depth blog about Doreen. He will certainly make connections that I couldn’t muster during my initial read through. This short and sweet review (just like SG!) will have to do for now. So remember- you don’t need luck, just eat nuts!
My life has been nuts lately, so what better book to check out than Squirrel Girl!
This book has been highly recommended by my friend Michael at the blog My Comic Relief who waxes poetic about this series. Combined with my need for a short book to review this week, due to a time crunch with the upcoming holidays and a big final project due in one of my grad classes, I gave it a go. The book was funny, quirky, girl-friendly, and well drawn…but a bit annoying.
We are introduced to Doreen, aka Squirrel Girl, who is moving into her college dorm and meeting her roommate Nancy (♥) for the first time. To hide her secret identity, Doreen tucks her tail into her pants, giving her a Kardashian look on her already voluptuous figure. Already, I like that she is realistically proportioned, and not some fanboy version of what a female should look like.
She gets pulled into battles with Kraven the Hunter, Whiplash, and later with the mighty Galactus in between attending classes. How does she fight these super villains, when her powers are not equal to theirs? She talks them to death. The back and forth banter between all the characters is clever, with additional social media inserts that are amusing, but at times overkill. In addition, there is running commentary at the bottom of many pages that I found distracting.
The artwork is bright and attractive, with a varied layout of panels that pull you into the story. The Deadpool cards were an awesome addition. I loved how they put the first time SG ever appeared in a Marvel comic, and her story with Iron Man, in this book. Flashback to the epic costumes and drawing styles of the late 80’s/early 90’s! While this is somewhat her origin story, I would like more info on how she acquired her powers.
I look forward to Michael’s longer and more in depth blog about Doreen. He will certainly make connections that I couldn’t muster during my initial read through. This short and sweet review (just like SG!) will have to do for now. So remember- you don’t need luck, just eat nuts!
June 20, 2016
***Wanda’s Summer Carnival of Children’s Literature***
Who’s a cute, sassy superhero who will appeal to girls? Why Squirrel Girl, of course. She’s smart, but a bit of an adorable dork. She eats nuts and kicks butts. Except she does much less butt kicking that you would expect from that slogan—she actually solves a lot of problems by making reasonable arguments and making friends—a good thing really, as I value those skills over butt-kicking.
Also appreciated is that (other than her fluffy squirrel tail) she has a normal human figure. No wasp waists or gigantic breasts. And she wears a modest outfit that is very suited to leaping through trees and doing other squirrelly things. Not gorgeous, but brainy and talented, I think a lot of nerdy girls will identify with her and enjoy her adventures.
Who’s a cute, sassy superhero who will appeal to girls? Why Squirrel Girl, of course. She’s smart, but a bit of an adorable dork. She eats nuts and kicks butts. Except she does much less butt kicking that you would expect from that slogan—she actually solves a lot of problems by making reasonable arguments and making friends—a good thing really, as I value those skills over butt-kicking.
Also appreciated is that (other than her fluffy squirrel tail) she has a normal human figure. No wasp waists or gigantic breasts. And she wears a modest outfit that is very suited to leaping through trees and doing other squirrelly things. Not gorgeous, but brainy and talented, I think a lot of nerdy girls will identify with her and enjoy her adventures.
July 11, 2016
Doreen Green a.k.a. Squirrel Girl was originally created as a one-joke character - a hero with a ridiculous set of powers who can somehow defeat the most powerful foes in the Marvel universe. Ryan North and Erica Henderson are happy to milk the joke for everything they can get out of it, and there are plenty of cheeky, squirrel-based jokes to go around - but if that was all these creators had going for them it wouldn't be enough to sustain an ongoing series. So what we get, thankfully, is a (hilarious) series about a young woman with a positive self-image and insane levels of confidence, balancing her superheroing with life as a college freshman.
Who talks to squirrels. Which is awesome, by the way. Just ask her.
Who talks to squirrels. Which is awesome, by the way. Just ask her.
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