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The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (Collected Editions)
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 4: I Kissed a Squirrel and I Liked It
The hero who refuses to be beat celebrates 11 consecutive issues without a new #1! And she's letting you seize the chance to be the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl in a choose-your-own path encounter with Swarm, buzzkill made of bees! Then, Doreen takes charge of her life -her love life, that is - and starts dating. But just who will kiss a Squirrel and like it? Surely not...Mole Man?! When the subterranean super villain falls deep in love, he's willing to hold the world hostage to get Doreen's attention. Can she save everything without becoming Mrs. Mole Man? But enough with the hearts and the flowers and the kissing, you read this book for computer science and super heroics (not necessarily in that order). You'll get both - and more - in a showdown with Count Nefaria!
Collecting: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl 7-11
Collecting: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl 7-11
120 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2016
33 people are currently reading
1050 people want to read
About the author
Ryan North
533 books1,599 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
December 12, 2016
Quite possibly my favourite volume of this series yet. After a shaky volume 3 (mostly because that Doctor Doom story was too long), this one gets right back on its feet, eats nuts, and kicks butts.
We open with a done-in-one Choose Your Own Adventure issue as Koi Boi and Squirrel Girl battle Swarm. In a year of innovative comic designs, this one stands out near the top. Not only is it great fun, but you can re-read it at least three times and get slightly different endings. Plus, Galactus.
The bulk of the book is the eponymous I Kissed A Squirrel... three issue arc that has Mole Man basically wreck the planet because Doreen won't go on a date with him. This one is a great story about how relationships can be various degrees of toxic, and how you should treat other people. Plus Doreen kicks a three-headed dragon in the face.
The final issue is the only one not pencilled by Erica Henderson as Jacob Chabot drops in for a dream sequence issue that pits Doreen against Nightmare, who she must defeat using computer science! Seriously, it's amazing.
I laughed out loud at least once per issue reading this; Squirrel Girl is a breath of fresh air and should be on everyone's book shelves.
We open with a done-in-one Choose Your Own Adventure issue as Koi Boi and Squirrel Girl battle Swarm. In a year of innovative comic designs, this one stands out near the top. Not only is it great fun, but you can re-read it at least three times and get slightly different endings. Plus, Galactus.
The bulk of the book is the eponymous I Kissed A Squirrel... three issue arc that has Mole Man basically wreck the planet because Doreen won't go on a date with him. This one is a great story about how relationships can be various degrees of toxic, and how you should treat other people. Plus Doreen kicks a three-headed dragon in the face.
The final issue is the only one not pencilled by Erica Henderson as Jacob Chabot drops in for a dream sequence issue that pits Doreen against Nightmare, who she must defeat using computer science! Seriously, it's amazing.
I laughed out loud at least once per issue reading this; Squirrel Girl is a breath of fresh air and should be on everyone's book shelves.
March 5, 2017
I want to like this book so much more than I actually do. On paper, it sounds tailor made for me: stupid characters getting up to surreal hijinks with an unhealthy dose of punning! In practice, I find that only about a third of the jokes actually make me laugh and I have a huge problem getting past the artwork, which, I'm sorry, isn't my cup of tea at all.
Still, this volume gets bonus points for making one issue a choose-your-own-adventure story. THAT was a stroke of genius.
Also, they gave me a whole bunch of Moloids and I love me some Moloids.
Still, this volume gets bonus points for making one issue a choose-your-own-adventure story. THAT was a stroke of genius.
Also, they gave me a whole bunch of Moloids and I love me some Moloids.
January 4, 2018
The writing has gotten a little better and some of the jokes actually land, but it's still hard to get past that awful art. Jacob Chabot does come in on the last issue and show Erica Henderson how to properly draw faces that aren't constantly suffering from gas pains.
I thought the Choose Your Own Adventure issue fell flat. The Mole Man arc was decent. I've also suffered from just showing someone some basic human decency and then they won't leave you alone syndrome as well. The last issue where Squirrel Girl uses computer science to defeat Nightmare was the best of the bunch.
I thought the Choose Your Own Adventure issue fell flat. The Mole Man arc was decent. I've also suffered from just showing someone some basic human decency and then they won't leave you alone syndrome as well. The last issue where Squirrel Girl uses computer science to defeat Nightmare was the best of the bunch.
December 16, 2017
Quirky, fun and enjoyable as ever. I enjoyed this volume. What other graphic novel/comic is going to have a whole issue devoted to computer programming and it's how she defeats the villain. Only Squirrel Girl is who. They even throw in a Choose your adventure at the beginning.
I had never heard of mole man. That was an interesting sequence. This is light, airy, clever, funny and the best thing ever.
They need to make a movie.
Squirrel!
I had never heard of mole man. That was an interesting sequence. This is light, airy, clever, funny and the best thing ever.
They need to make a movie.
Squirrel!
January 1, 2018
Squirrel Girl comics are always enjoyable and this was no exception.
I liked how clever this volume was. The choose your own adventure comic was so much fun. Plus, Doreen’s foray into online dating was so relatable. I loved how the last comic gave us a (totally not boring) computer science lesson.
Overall, this was another great volume.
I liked how clever this volume was. The choose your own adventure comic was so much fun. Plus, Doreen’s foray into online dating was so relatable. I loved how the last comic gave us a (totally not boring) computer science lesson.
Overall, this was another great volume.
February 6, 2017
5 FUCKING STARS!!
Was this my favorite because it gave commentary on what it's like to be a woman on the dating scene?
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: FUCK YES.
Was it my favorite because it said things like "you think just because you're nice to me, I owe you something?" and "you don't get points just because you're not a tool?"
Was it my favorite because the notes at the bottom made LOL???
YES.
Was it my favorite because Squirrel Girl is queen?
Yes, Yes, and...FUCK YES.
Was this my favorite because it gave commentary on what it's like to be a woman on the dating scene?
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: FUCK YES.
Was it my favorite because it said things like "you think just because you're nice to me, I owe you something?" and "you don't get points just because you're not a tool?"
Was it my favorite because the notes at the bottom made LOL???
YES.
Was it my favorite because Squirrel Girl is queen?
Yes, Yes, and...FUCK YES.
March 1, 2022
Corny? Check. Happy? Check. A healthy (or unhealthy) dose of computer science humor, basic instruction, and core principles? Check.
Oh, and a super creepy date sequence. I'm sorry, but Mole Man should remain an incel.
This will probably never be my favorite comic run ever, or even in the top half, but it does have its good points and optimism is NOT unwelcome right now. In fact, it's just plain wholesome.
So that's what we've got here. Wholesome.
Oh, and a super creepy date sequence. I'm sorry, but Mole Man should remain an incel.
This will probably never be my favorite comic run ever, or even in the top half, but it does have its good points and optimism is NOT unwelcome right now. In fact, it's just plain wholesome.
So that's what we've got here. Wholesome.
January 2, 2017
Fantastic. This collection is bookended by one-off issues, a choose your own adventure style comic and a dream explanation of basic computer science concepts. The meat of the collection is Mole Man's turn as Nice Guy, and it's really great, almost painfully on point.
December 15, 2016
I laugh more when I'm reading Squirrel Girl than I do with any other comic, and volume 4 delivers the laughs in spades. Squirrel Girl fights Nightmare with computer science (which was quite educational in addition to being funny), and she teaches Mole Man the true meaning of love. There's also a choose-your-own-adventure issue that is a lot of fun. Be sure you read all versions of the story to get the most laughs out of it. North and Henderson deserve an award for their work!
August 27, 2017
Squirrel Girl tackles dating, and things go hilariously wrong in multiple ways. This volume is even more fun than the previous time-travel with Dr. Doom (although reading the choose-your-own-adventure issue on a digital device is a little challenging, and it doesn't quite stand up to North's other choose-your-own-adventure issues/books [but he's set a high bar on them - See To Be or Not to Be]). Mole Man makes for an interesting match, and the final collected issue, against Nightmare, is a high-water-mark for the series combining multiple villains, bad dreams, and computer programming in unique and often hilarious fashion. There's no sign here that the luster is coming off the character or this awesome creative team.
June 1, 2017
I'm a fan of Squirrel Girl! Great art! The stories are funny and it's always a treat to see how Squirrel Girl will win and do it nicely. Absolutely adorable!
November 18, 2018
There's a quote on the front cover of this volume from Vulture--whatever that is--that sums up the appeal of Squirrel Girl so much better than I ever could: “Delightfully inventive.” Curse you, Vulture, for taking the words right out of my … oh. I see what you did there …
“Delight” is a descriptor that comes readily to mind. It's a pure pleasure to read Squirrel Girl. It brings the fun as few other titles can. Yes, it can be silly or even goofy at times, but that's a large part if its charm. It revels in its own geekiness, but not in an insular way. There are jokes about the minutiae of the Marvel Universe and computer programming and everything, but not in a sense of, “If you don't get these jokes, you don't deserve to read comics at all,” but rather an enthusiastic, inclusive, “We’re all having so much fun being smart, but we're not stuffy about it. Come join the party!”
As always, the inclusion of the letters pages from the original comics adds to the party atmosphere. It's so nice to see evidence of the sense of community among SG readers, and it enhances the sense of belonging to the best club you’ve ever been a member of.
Yes, there are actual stories in this book--Doreen tries out an online dating service, the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure issue, the battle against Nightmare--but they almost don't matter. Just getting to spend time with SG and her friends is rewarding, no matter what they’re doing. Highly recommended!
“Delight” is a descriptor that comes readily to mind. It's a pure pleasure to read Squirrel Girl. It brings the fun as few other titles can. Yes, it can be silly or even goofy at times, but that's a large part if its charm. It revels in its own geekiness, but not in an insular way. There are jokes about the minutiae of the Marvel Universe and computer programming and everything, but not in a sense of, “If you don't get these jokes, you don't deserve to read comics at all,” but rather an enthusiastic, inclusive, “We’re all having so much fun being smart, but we're not stuffy about it. Come join the party!”
As always, the inclusion of the letters pages from the original comics adds to the party atmosphere. It's so nice to see evidence of the sense of community among SG readers, and it enhances the sense of belonging to the best club you’ve ever been a member of.
Yes, there are actual stories in this book--Doreen tries out an online dating service, the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure issue, the battle against Nightmare--but they almost don't matter. Just getting to spend time with SG and her friends is rewarding, no matter what they’re doing. Highly recommended!
December 21, 2016
This might be the best one yet. All the stars for the dating storyline alone.
May 29, 2017
Very fun as usual! I did get rather tired of Mole Man ngl.
October 18, 2018
Quite simply, Squirrel Girl continues to be one of the funniest comics I've ever read. Multiple laugh-out-loud bits in every issue? That's gold.
Choose-your-own adventure with Doreen? Very innovative and amusing.
Doreen goes on dates? Absolutely hilarious, the height of the whole comic, though the Stalker-Mole-Man plot that follows drags a little. (Despite that, it's totally woke on dating roles and gender expectations.)
Doreen has some dreams? Hilarious, and touching at the end. And binary handsigns? Brilliant.
Choose-your-own adventure with Doreen? Very innovative and amusing.
Doreen goes on dates? Absolutely hilarious, the height of the whole comic, though the Stalker-Mole-Man plot that follows drags a little. (Despite that, it's totally woke on dating roles and gender expectations.)
Doreen has some dreams? Hilarious, and touching at the end. And binary handsigns? Brilliant.
March 27, 2017
This is the best TPB in the history of TPB's, or comics for that matter, and it's not cos I'M IN IT!!! (That's right, in Letters from Nuts at the end of issue 9, that's me like a year ago, with a SGesque hair cut! Just another Friendly Neighborhood Librarian doing my bit.....OK, so maybe that IS why I love it the best. Sue me.)
But it's also just funny and I definitely appreciate SG's dating angst.
Anyway. READ IT!
But it's also just funny and I definitely appreciate SG's dating angst.
Anyway. READ IT!
September 17, 2017
A lot of people have said it, but I love how relatable Doreen is.
Also, beating her own nightmares was fantastic. And Count Nefaria had me ROLLING.
Also, beating her own nightmares was fantastic. And Count Nefaria had me ROLLING.
January 30, 2025
I’m enjoying my read through of this series so much. Doreen is such a joy and so positive. The guttter notes are hilarious, as is the social media posts in the beginning of each issue.
It can be silly and absurd, but that’s why I love it. Ryan North writes this title perfectly. And I’ve finally gotten to the point where I enjoy Erica Henderson’s art. It’s quirky enough that it works perfectly for Squirrel Girl.
It can be silly and absurd, but that’s why I love it. Ryan North writes this title perfectly. And I’ve finally gotten to the point where I enjoy Erica Henderson’s art. It’s quirky enough that it works perfectly for Squirrel Girl.
March 23, 2017
So... this wasn't as bad as the last volume. It was creatively done
but
My ship sank.
That kind of made me really upset because the team played a big part in volume 2 and I LOVED that volume. I was hoping they would bring that back in this one, but that didn't happen.
I really like Squirrel girl, I really do. But for some odd reason these last two volumes have been disappointing. I'm hoping that volume 5 improves and I'm also hoping my ship hasn't completely died.
but
My ship sank.
That kind of made me really upset because the team played a big part in volume 2 and I LOVED that volume. I was hoping they would bring that back in this one, but that didn't happen.
I really like Squirrel girl, I really do. But for some odd reason these last two volumes have been disappointing. I'm hoping that volume 5 improves and I'm also hoping my ship hasn't completely died.
October 15, 2016
Still my favorite marvel title! What a great team of creators. I was wary of seeing a new artist in the final issue for the dream sequences, but I'm glad Erica Henderson's still on top. Mole man is stupid but written so well. Also the choose-your-adventure was hilarious.
June 19, 2017
I think this was my favorite volume of Squirrel Girl to date. The whole arc around dating and online dating was eminently relatable and the crafty shut-down of a "nice guy" with powers was fabulous. Kudos to Ryan, Erica, and team.
December 31, 2023
4.2/5.0
Such wholesome and hilarious content that expands the potential of Marvel villains in an accessible manner. A Sentinel being turned down for a date wasn't something I expected to cackle so much at.
Such wholesome and hilarious content that expands the potential of Marvel villains in an accessible manner. A Sentinel being turned down for a date wasn't something I expected to cackle so much at.
July 20, 2017
3.5 stars rounded up for full-on computer science nerdery.
December 17, 2017
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol 4: I Kissed a Squirrel and I Liked It written by Ryan North and (mostly) illustrated by Erica Henderson is the forth volume in the current/modern run of Squirrel Girl comics. This volume contains a three-issue arc nestled between a couple of stand-alone issues.
As always, Squirrel Girl makes for a fun read. The first issue was a "choose your own adventure" comic, which was amusing but slightly annoying to follow. Funny, but not a gimmick I'm keen to see too often. The story involved Swarm, a villain made of bees.
Next up was a three-issue arc in which Squirrel Girl attempts online dating and has some unfortunate experiences. Some of the dates are just mediocre, but one (which involved a superhero truther — denying their existence as part of a large conspiracy complete with animatronics) leads to an encounter with Mole Man. Mole Man had been planning to go on an evil rampage, but when Squirrel Girl is civil to him and convinces him to leave, he decides to hold the world to ransom to get a date with her. Classy. Lots of nice feminist commentary from Nancy in this one, though. And lots of gross stuff from the media, of course.
And the final issue in this volume is a short one-off in which Squirrel Girl battles a villain mainly using the powers of computer science, so that was pretty cool.
All in all, an enjoyable read and one for fans of Squirrel Girl and female-led superhero stories generally. This volume doesn't rely very much on events of the past, so I don't think it's a terrible place for new readers to start. Of course, starting at volume 1 gives you more Squirrel Girl to enjoy, but I suspect the comics are still enjoyable out of (volume) chronological order.
4.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
As always, Squirrel Girl makes for a fun read. The first issue was a "choose your own adventure" comic, which was amusing but slightly annoying to follow. Funny, but not a gimmick I'm keen to see too often. The story involved Swarm, a villain made of bees.
Next up was a three-issue arc in which Squirrel Girl attempts online dating and has some unfortunate experiences. Some of the dates are just mediocre, but one (which involved a superhero truther — denying their existence as part of a large conspiracy complete with animatronics) leads to an encounter with Mole Man. Mole Man had been planning to go on an evil rampage, but when Squirrel Girl is civil to him and convinces him to leave, he decides to hold the world to ransom to get a date with her. Classy. Lots of nice feminist commentary from Nancy in this one, though. And lots of gross stuff from the media, of course.
And the final issue in this volume is a short one-off in which Squirrel Girl battles a villain mainly using the powers of computer science, so that was pretty cool.
All in all, an enjoyable read and one for fans of Squirrel Girl and female-led superhero stories generally. This volume doesn't rely very much on events of the past, so I don't think it's a terrible place for new readers to start. Of course, starting at volume 1 gives you more Squirrel Girl to enjoy, but I suspect the comics are still enjoyable out of (volume) chronological order.
4.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
December 29, 2018
Ok, so for one: that choose-your-own-squirrelventure was a lot of fun - ridiculous defeats surrounding the One True Doreen Way, plus an acceptable amount of science learning to boot.
(Is this series sponsored by Scholastic? Do they sell this in those school book boxes that used to come every year? Wait, that wasn’t a thing where you lived? Man I feel sorry for you - having a catalogue of bland, corporate-profits-approved paperbacks to choose from - in a captive market where the buyers (kids) don’t understand the concept of limited funds to prioritise your purchase desires - was a joyous occasion every year. But seriously, if I had this kind of science-nerd junk food as a kid I prolly would’ve ended up exactly where I am in life today, but with additional happy memory-feels to make life incrementally better.)
The Romance Novel cover is spectacular.
The dialogue on the date with Brad is on point.
And yet it has taken me eight tries to get through this trade. Why is that exactly? It’s entertaining and clever, there’s very little about it that’s predictable (well, maybe predictable in always going the other way - do I mean “non-conformist to the Typical Superhero plotting”?).
But I still dragged my feet through this. I really want to enjoy this more - it’s got a lot of clever puns, nerdy science, stupidly fun and unexpected plots. Maybe it’s just the feeling that Ryan North is trying SO HARD to make an ultra-clever/sweet/marketable book, and at least to me, the strain of keeping up with the bar he set for himself is showing.
(Is this series sponsored by Scholastic? Do they sell this in those school book boxes that used to come every year? Wait, that wasn’t a thing where you lived? Man I feel sorry for you - having a catalogue of bland, corporate-profits-approved paperbacks to choose from - in a captive market where the buyers (kids) don’t understand the concept of limited funds to prioritise your purchase desires - was a joyous occasion every year. But seriously, if I had this kind of science-nerd junk food as a kid I prolly would’ve ended up exactly where I am in life today, but with additional happy memory-feels to make life incrementally better.)
The Romance Novel cover is spectacular.
The dialogue on the date with Brad is on point.
And yet it has taken me eight tries to get through this trade. Why is that exactly? It’s entertaining and clever, there’s very little about it that’s predictable (well, maybe predictable in always going the other way - do I mean “non-conformist to the Typical Superhero plotting”?).
But I still dragged my feet through this. I really want to enjoy this more - it’s got a lot of clever puns, nerdy science, stupidly fun and unexpected plots. Maybe it’s just the feeling that Ryan North is trying SO HARD to make an ultra-clever/sweet/marketable book, and at least to me, the strain of keeping up with the bar he set for himself is showing.
September 20, 2020
This book collects Issues Issues 7-11 of Squirrel Girl (Vol. 2).
Issue 7 is a "Choose Your Own Adventure" style comic where Squirrel Girl battles the Swarm. It's a fun little story that just takes enough space for its concept.
Issues 8-10 is the heart of the book. Doreen/Squirrel Girl decide to date as the one cute guy she was attracted to is dating someone else. However, the most normal she has is with a giant sentinel robot. Her worst date is with a "Superhero truther" who insists that all the Superheroes are government conspiracies. That is until she runs into the Mole Man, who wants to kill her and then falls in love with her. It's mostly a very fun story. It has its own message and ideology which is worked in subtly enough.
Issue 11 finds Squirrel Girl battling Doctor Octopus, even though he's dead. There's a very clever twist and she'll need all her computer science to survive. I do appreciate how this is worked in as well as the issue's guest artist. This is an exceptionally good one-shot story that's well-worth a read.
Overall, this is another strong volume in the Squirrel Girl, with two fun one-shots sandwiching a pretty solid three-part arc.
Issue 7 is a "Choose Your Own Adventure" style comic where Squirrel Girl battles the Swarm. It's a fun little story that just takes enough space for its concept.
Issues 8-10 is the heart of the book. Doreen/Squirrel Girl decide to date as the one cute guy she was attracted to is dating someone else. However, the most normal she has is with a giant sentinel robot. Her worst date is with a "Superhero truther" who insists that all the Superheroes are government conspiracies. That is until she runs into the Mole Man, who wants to kill her and then falls in love with her. It's mostly a very fun story. It has its own message and ideology which is worked in subtly enough.
Issue 11 finds Squirrel Girl battling Doctor Octopus, even though he's dead. There's a very clever twist and she'll need all her computer science to survive. I do appreciate how this is worked in as well as the issue's guest artist. This is an exceptionally good one-shot story that's well-worth a read.
Overall, this is another strong volume in the Squirrel Girl, with two fun one-shots sandwiching a pretty solid three-part arc.
March 29, 2021
Seriously, Squirrel Girl just gets better and better. It’s hysterically funny, she still mostly wins all battles by actually talking to her opponent and then helping them become better people AND in this one she decides she doesn’t have to go on a date just because some guy was nice!!! “You think just because you were nice to me, I owe you something?” is an actual line from this book!! I mean, come on. It’s perfection!!! Squirrel Girl is just that awesome.
February 7, 2018
first read of 2018 bay BEE! it taught me how to count in binary on my hands AND confirmed one of the main characters as trans, so hell yeah 2018's off to a good start
February 3, 2018
Feminism AND a lesson in computer science? How do you top that? You can't. You literally can't.
Read
August 25, 2016It's bookended by a choose-your-own-adventure takedown of Swarm (who, as a Nazi made of radioactive bees, has one of the best villain concepts ever) and an issue which introduces basic computing concepts through the medium of a very strange dream. But, as the title's pun sort of suggests, the main story here sees Doreen face her greatest challenge yet: dating. Put it this way: the Sentinel is probably the best of them. Both superhero truther Brad, and the Mole Man's new turn as a self-proclaimed nice guy whom she owes a chance (and if she doesn't give him one, he'll sink Earth's landmarks), are painfully and hilariously well-observed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews