Howard the Duck, Vol. 2: Good Night, and Good Duck

Howard the Duck

by Chip Zdarsky, Kevin Maguire (Illustrator), Joe Quiñones (Illustrator)

Here’s Howard — he’s the Duckiest! When a case takes Howard and his friend Tara to the Savage Land, they’ll need all the help they can get! But they’ll just have to make do with Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Daredevil and Steve Rogers! Then, Howard finally gets a chance to go home — but after all this time is there any such place for him? Back in New York City, Howard’s strangest case yet awaits. It’s a missing person investigation — and the client is the missing person! She’s also Lea Thompson, star of 1986’s Howard the Duck movie! WAUGH-HUH?! Plus: The person behind all of Howard’s troubles will stand revealed! Can Howard outwit fate? Can any of us? Find out as Zdarsky and Quinones close out their run!

Collecting: Howard the Duck 7-11

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Humor, Superheroes, Fantasy, Comic Book

112 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 2016

About the author

Chip Zdarsky is a Canadian comic book artist and journalist. He was born Steve Murray but is known by his fan base as Chip Zdarsky, and occasionally Todd Diamond. He writes and illustrates an advice column called Extremely Bad Advice for the Canadian national newspaper National Post's The Ampersand, their pop culture section's online edition. He is also the creator of Prison Funnies and Monster Cops.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This run of Howard the Duck got off to a bit of a shaky start but by the time we got to this final volume the creative team were firing both barrels. This was some really pretty special comicbook making. I loved the issue with Bev, I loved the issue with Lea Thompson (swoon!) I loved the 'meta' shenanigans and I loved the affectionate send-off the book got with the superb final issue. They even worked in a Gatchaman/Battle of the Planets reference for me!

Nice work, folks... Here's hoping we see Howard again sooner rather than later.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Read as single issues]

It doesn't get more meta than this.

Howard reunites with Beverley Switlzer, only to then run into Lea Thompson, the actress who played her in that god-awful movie. Then he finds out that everything in his life is totally out of his control thanks to Mojo and aliens. It's hilarious, totally off the wall, and then it kicks you in the stomach and rams feelings down your throat too, because why the hell not.

Howard's book is one that you could easily dismiss, but you'd be missing out on so much fun. Joe Quinones' artwork is lovely, it sells all of Chip Zdarsky's zany jokes, and this is just a book you really should be reading.

[Brandon Forsyth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This got super-meta super-fast, and while I applaud Zdarksy's willingness to make himself (and Marvel) look like total asshats, the story as a whole really doesn't come together. Howard gets a sweet ending that doesn't really feel deserved after all the team-ups and superteams of the past ten issues have taken the focus away from him. If you're intrigued by this character, just read the volume zero stuff and you'll get the best of this run. Zdarksy really took the character to some wonderful places there, but it feels like he only had about five issues in him (and is very upfront in his final issue letter that he fully expected to get cancelled after issue one). All that being said, I think the time is right for Howard to return - I think Trump's America could use a pessimistic alien who has to learn to co-exist with the other and build real connection with those he can't stand.

[Peter Derk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of the series? Already? The hell? The shit? The fuck?

Well, it all wraps up nicely. Reality is warped just enough. I wasn't sure about the reality that intrudes on, uh, reality, but when I saw the window thrown wide open to have TWO Biggs-es, Biggs and Biggs Prime, I saw the genius of it and felt that, perhaps for the first time, the 4th wall was broken with good purpose.

I'll miss this series. It was so goofy but not without heart. The art was great. All of it worked. Even when you had stupid stuff like old man Captain America in there, it worked.

[Alex E · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series wraps up following... the death of Howard the Duck???

Well... kinda. You know how it is.... comics, am I right? I liked this way more than I thought I would. I mean, I enjoyed the first volume, but to me it was more of the writers putting Howard through the ringer just for adventure's sake. But this book literally pulls back the curtain and shows us how truly right I was in saying that. It breaks all kinds of 4th walls, yet constructs another wall around that. And yeah, I know that's confusing, but if you read it, you will know what I mean.

I think Zdarsky has a great voice for Howard, and even more so, then entire book. It literally made me laugh out loud more than once, and even pulled a couple of the old heart strings. Which is shocking because I really don't care about Howard the duck. Never read any of the old material or saw the movie. But Zdarsky really made this work, and I'm actually sorry to see it end.

And the Quinones art was really good. Actually, all the artist were really spot on. They made the book spring to life. I think one of the highlights is seeing the pop art stylings of each artist, and seeing how they dealt with the revolving door of cameos like Spidey, Doctor Strange, Human Torch and much more.

If you are a fan of irreverent humor and good old fashioned Marvel zaniness, do yourself a favor and pick up not just this volume, but the entire run. It's a surprisingly good time. Waugh!

[Alex Sarll]

After an issue which emphasises the book's JLI lineage by getting guest art from Kevin Maguire for a feast of superheroes and dinosaurs, a total (but never jarring) shift of gears for a quiet, poignant reunion with Howard's old friend Bev. And then, a case working for Lea Thompson. Yes, the same one who played Bev the first time Howard made it to the cinema screen. Which leads into the beautiful, ridiculous, self-indulgent and thoroughly amusing revelation of why the poor bird is such a trouble magnet in the first place. An entirely suitable place to end his story. For now, at least.

[Tyler Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a fantastic ending to a fantastic comic. From the hilarious narration to the references to the original Howard the Duck movie to the excellent call backs from the entire series. The writers understand this character and really push the limits with the sorry they tell. It gets so damn weird by the end that I just couldn’t stop from laughing and saying “what” and “what is this” the last couple issues. I’ve recently learned that the head writer Chip Zdarksy did one of the recent comics events so now I’m excited to read that when I get a chance. Never thought I’d be saying a Howard the Duck comic was one of my favorites but here we are.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the last Howard the Duck series?

Part 2 of HtD vol.6 (2015-6) goes all over the map, sort of- missing persons cases in the Savage Land, rogue Sentinels in Maine and Brooklyn...

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This comic took a surprising turn and became even more meta. I loved it!

[Shantal Murillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5... it was funny enough

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turns out that the author apparently agreed with my previous review (which I wrote well after he wrote his book.) but this only fits in with the meta-story that ends this run of HTD.

[Fizzgig76 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reprints Howard the Duck (3) #7-11 (July 2016-December 2016). Someone is manipulating Howard, and Howard would like to know who that is. After a trip to the Savage Land, Howard finds himself reunited with his friend Beverly Switzler and learns what Beverly has been up to since his life turned upside down again. The mystery of who is manipulating Howard deepens with the arrival of Lea Thompson…whose missing memory blocks might hold the key to Howard’s recent bad turn of events!

Written by Chip Zdarsky, Howard the Duck Volume 2: Good Night, and Good Duck is the final volume in the Marvel Comics Howard the Duck relaunch series. Following Howard the Duck Volume 1: Duck Hunt, the collection features art by Kevin Maguire and Joe Quinones.

I love Howard the Duck. The original series was original, edgy, and something that most mainstream comic books never reached…then Howard the Duck (who was created as a joke) became a real joke with the Howard the Duck movie. With the return of Howard in Guardians of the Galaxy, Howard has some hope…and Zdarsky manages to recapture some of that original Howard the Duck inane style.

The series manages to both be kind of canon and a farce at the same time. You have extreme versions of characters like Spider-Man (who bemoans his failures all the time) and you have Howard going up against real villains…but they are villains that mostly fit the context of the character. The original series created a number of villains for Howard to fight, but characters like Mojo and She-Hulk work in a comic like this just because of the tone of Howard’s comic.

The issues that are the most fun in this collection revolve around Beverly Switzler. Though I don’t mind Tara, Beverly is Howard’s girl. In the 1970s, Beverly was ditsy and an unfocused dingbat…something rather un-PC now. The “fixing” of Beverly in the movie version of the film is part of the reason the film was wrecked. Zdarsky does a good job bridging the gap between the original Beverly and the Lea Thompson Beverly by giving Beverly a real goal and depth. The inclusion of Lea Thompson does poke fun at the movie and gives the series the weird reflexive-ness it needs to rise above a simple parody of superhero comics.

Howard the Duck was a fun Marvel title while it lasted. Howard is notoriously difficult to write because of the tone, but Zdarsky gets it right (or as close to right as possible). I wish the series could have had a long life, but at least the story wraps up and has some logical closure instead of a completely rushed ending…I’m sure Howard will “fly” again someday.

[Jacob A. Mirallegro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The run ends on a comforting and wholesome note. I just wish I read more of the classic issues and even rewatched the movie before reading this run because I feel like that would've made the stuff in this volume more touching. There's plenty of laughs and some amusing meta twists that, while kind of coming out of no where, are still fun and go well with the general tone. Again the art/paneling lends itself to comedic timing in a way that works great with the writing.
Absolutely recommend this series if you're a fan of the character or creative team, and if you aren't a fan I feel like this run has the ability to change that.

[Silas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one got weird. Given that it's a Howard the Duck book, that makes perfect sense. The Savage Land story was a simple one-off, but the Beverly story really drew me in. I really wanted to see them reunited, and the writing was particularly good for that interaction. The rest of the book just got weirder and weirder, but always in a way that made an odd sort of sense. There is an ongoing theme of Howard getting unusual sources of power from other heroes or interacting with their villains, and that is continued here to amusing effect. I really enjoyed the older Howard the Duck books, and this one was also rather good.

[Nathan Sizemore · Rating 3 out of 5]

75/100

The final book in this run of Howard. The final two issues are a fun, fourth-wall bursting piece where Lea Thompson shows up and the movie Howard and then two aliens named Chipp and Joh who have been orchestrating all the crazy events in Howard's life for a company/planet called Mojo. I'd love it if Marvel went way out on a really fun limb and introduced Howard into the next Spider-man movie. I mean, he's already canon in the MCU thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy.

It's never gonna happen.

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

So ends the Chip Zdarsky/Joe Quinones Howard the Duck saga. This last volume was not as good as the previous, the writing seems to be more slap-dash, the artwork seems to be lower in quality, which is saying something because in the previous volume the artwork was good for Quinones but atrocious for the Squirrel Girl chapter drawn by someone else. Anyway overall I'm giving it 3 stars because it's Howard, there's some nice cover art at the back, including a Zdarky Howard the Duck portrait which is pretty nice, I admit. The story & art I give 2 stars though for what it's worth. Thank you.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series sort of jumped up its own ass, leaving behind the real heart that was hinted at in the first volume. I can't tell if this labored, self-gratifying storyline was the reason the series got cancelled or if the series got cancelled first and Zdarsky said "Fuck it, let's go!"

It was clever. Not terrible. But I thought I could have really liked Howard the Duck on a level beyond its humor and cuteness. Sort of a missed opportunity there. But again, if they were getting cancelled anyway, at least they had some fun with it.

[Connor · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was going to give this two stars, but I think that might be too generous. The first issue with the team-up was good. I guess the creators ran out of ideas after that, because I think they just put themselves in the comic. They killed Howard and then brought him back to life. . I checked out. Luckily this series is over, because I think I'm done with Howard the Duck. This has turned me off reading other books about this character.

[Darik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll admit: I did not expect this to take a sudden turn into "metatextual clusterf@#$" territory with Howard meeting his "creators". But that said, it's a trope that's executed decently here... and there's enough pathos to keep the reader genuinely invested when the book devolves into endless inside-baseball jokes and references.

Plus, it gives Howard a sweet, sincere ending. Not too shabby for a goofy comedy book.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have never expected a Zdarsky penned Howard book to go all Morrison/Animal Man at the end, but he pulled it off well enough with just the right amount of Zdarsky wackiness. This was a weird series, but I think that's the sign of a good Howard run.

[Beelzefuzz · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did like this, I can see why it failed. It jumps around in its own timeline a bit too much between issues and starts to turn into a light fever dream by the end, feeling a bit too jumbled. Still fun overall, and I miss Howard already.

[Adan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww, I’m gonna miss Howard and Tara and Biggs and the Iron Punisher. But Chipp, he’s a grade-A jerk, and I hope I never see him again (except in London comic shops when he’s being interviewed by Kieronn).

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ultimately, the ending largely feels like a cop-out. It does give us the Marvel 2017 character of the year: That guy that's supposed to be Ryan North.

But on the way there, we have some good fun and bury the George Lucas Howard to boot.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

- johnny is dating medusa?? didnt he like,, date her sister :(((
- i really love tara's new hair tho
- "oh my daddy" ???? I HATE IT HERE
- "your life was the equivalent of a post-credits cameo" OKAY
- I'm really vibin w the aliens, v meta
- I WOULD UNIRONICALLY DIE FOR BIGGS

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty, weird and heart warming. Zdarsky is becoming one of my avorite comic writers. I can't wait to read his Spidey book.

[Mei Ridorsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

No sé si això és canon, però jo sempre ho consideraré així.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice temporary ending to Howard. I'm sure he'll be back soon.

[Jason Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the addition of Mojo, but man... I did not enjoy this Howard the Duck series.

[Yuiko · Rating 2 out of 5]

This last vol sorta sucked I only liked the issue about the dinosaurs

[Joey Outten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this run. I’m sad it’s done.