The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Powers of a Squirrel

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Digest Size Collection #1

by Ryan North, Erica Henderson (Illustrator), Gurihiru (Cover Art)

Collects Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015 A) #1-8.

Eating nuts. Kicking butts. No ifs, ands or buts. Thanos. Fin Fang Foom. Deadpool. They have all fallen to her squirrel-based might — all completely, indisputably in canon. Now the Sciuridae super hero is about to face her biggest challenge yet: majoring in computer science at Empire State University! Oh, and also Galactus. But that college thing is the really hard bit. Can the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed Doreen Green balance her studies with battling bad guys like Kraven the Hunter, Whiplash and — yes! — the Devourer of Worlds? And can she pull it all off without her new comp-sci friends seeing through her seemingly foolproof secret identity? With furry pal Tippy-Toe by her side and the best theme song in comics burrowing into your head, you're about to find out why you just can't beat Squirrel Girl!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Young Adult, Comedy, Animals, Science Fiction

184 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 18, 2019

About the author

Hi, 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

Reviews

[Naja · Rating 3 out of 5]

She's squirrel girl, with the powers of a squirrel and a girl!

This was fun and cute and if you like fun and cute superhero comics I would recommend this.

[Nadja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts felt a bit slow but I liked the art, the humour and the self-awareness.

Magical Readathon. Gear Up: Legacy: pick a familiar. Chosen animal in the title or on the cover.

[SMLauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una historia divertida. Para pasar un buen rato.

[Max Urai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ima get a squirrel girl tattoo try and stop me

[Lauren McGlamery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, light-hearted, FUNNY! This is a comic for folks who may not know where to start. While there are tons of references to other storylines, this was a pretty nice entry point into everything going on in Marvel (or was going on in 2015, lol).

Ryan North is awesome at giving Squirrel Girl some lovable characteristics and an enjoyable personality! Can't wait to continue.

[Can Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly one of the funniest and most earnest titles I’ve seen put out by Marvel - super fun to read, super well-paced, and super endearing, with Ryan North’s writing giving absolute goldmines of dialogue and narration, and Erica Henderson’s art style carrying the fun expressiveness and action of the book so well (some of the most fun and aesthetically appealing art I’ve seen in a Marvel book imo! I also think it’s really cute in the scenes where she switches styles slightly for the “retro cut-scenes”, it’s so well-done!)

Super approachable and appropriate for all ages! Requires no previous knowledge of Marvel comics to read - you could straight-up just even jump in from the 2012 Avengers movie/fandom and read this seamlessly.

I must say, I’m really enjoying these thicker graphic-novel-shaped trade paperback collections Marvel’s putting out for their younger heroes, like Unstoppable Wasp, Miss Marvel, Moon Girl and co! They’re more affordable than the thinner floppier tpb volumes Marvel usually collects its issues in, with more content for a similar price, and I think their book-like shape will really help get more comics into the hands of kids in bookstores and libraries! Not sure if these specific collected editions have a special name?

Overall, this was just such a fun read, and makes me want to pursue reading more Squirrel Girl content in future, as well as more other work by its creators!

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first made aware of this somewhat obscure Marvel superhero because I am a regular reader of Ryan North's Dinosaur Comics webcomic series. While I sat on the knowledge of Squirrel Girl's existence for some time, I finally broke down and bought the two-volume collection of North's imagining of the hero. In this first volume, Powers of a Squirrel, we get to know Doreen Green (aka Squirrel Girl), a computer scientist student studying at Empire State University.

As a much more comedic superhero compared to the likes of Iron Man or Captain America, Squirrel Girl's claim to fame is the fact that she is "Unbeatable." This includes defeating some of Marvel's most fearsome and powerful villains in unique ways that don't involve violence. Sure, sometimes Squirrel Girl has to get her paws dirty, but the more amusing storylines are the ones where she saves the day using unconventional squirrel-based techniques. That being said, it's a funny gimmick the first few times, then it gets repetitive near the end of this volume.

The art for this comic was decent, but the writing was certainly worth the price of admission. Even the little author notes at the bottom of the page were fun to read, despite being in a minuscule font that my 35-year-old eyes had trouble reading. There's a lot of suspension of disbelief in this collection of the first eight issues of Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, but honestly, what superhero comic book doesn't have some amount of this? And while Squirrel Girl is a bit more quirky than other superheroes, I do hope that she'll get her own MCU movie in the future.

A quirky and fun Marvel super hero, I give The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Powers of a Squirrel 4.0 stars out of 5.
   

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, you've got to read a 'Squirrel Girl' comic, just to cheer yourself up.

So much for me giving up on Marvel entirely. I guess anything about Squirrel Girl/Doreen Green is worth your time, as I've yet to be disappointed in an appearance by her.

She, and her stories, are just so cute, funny, wholesome and positive (the ones I've read are, at any rate). 'The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Powers of a Squirrel' collects her first starring volume by Ryan North and Erica Henderson, plus a few subsequent issues - all entertaining and fun. I whizzed through it all, even while also reading the extra humorous footnotes at the bottom of nearly every page.

Squirrel Girl talks to bad guys and acts as their therapist (including Galactus), as well as beats them up. She is super strong, super agile, and has a big bushy tail. But most importantly, she is body positive, super smart, worldly, adaptable, unflinchingly optimistic and altruistic, effortlessly hilarious, and freaking adorable. Surprisingly human and down-to-earth, too, for a squirrel mutant hybrid who is literally unbeatable in the Marvel universe. I love her best normie friend and college roommate, Nancy Whitehead; she truly is the best. The comedic duo really work well together.

This comic contains Squirrel Girl reimaginings/tales, squirrel squad armour (the furriest sentient armour!), an Iron Squirrel suit, Chipmunk Hunk, Koi Boi, Thor (the female version, so she should actually be called the Mighty Thor), Spider-Man, Captain America, Black Widow, a mind controlling space squirrel from Asgard, and Loki with a cat head, as Cat Thor. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

It's fun, cute, cartoony, harmless, self-aware, and consequence-and-tie-in-free Marvel material. An astronomical breath of fresh air. From the innocent, relaxed, happy time of 2015. Starring one of the greatest superheroines ever created. No joke.

It's Squirrel Girl. Nothing more needs to be said.

Look at all the squirrels! So many squirrels! So much squirrel love present. And Squirrel Girl's own Spider-Man-like theme song sounds genuinely cool and clever and funny.

Final Score: 3.5/5

[Louis Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awww. I totally loved this book and need more Squirrel Girl in my life. Doreen is so much fun and a genuinely nice person, not just because she’s a hero, but because she’s made like that. She’s a bit awkward but makes friends easily once she allows herself to open up to others.

I love her best friend, Nancy. I was a bit worried about the best Black friend, but Nancy is a character and hero in her own right, and gets to go on adventures separate from Doreen. That was great.

The villains were so much fun! Kraven and Galactus being sweet-talked into finding alternatives to their villainy was great to read.

I loved the team-ups. The final arc with Doreen, Nancy, and the Thors was so good and wholesome. I hope I get to read about them hanging out with the Avengers.

I thought the issue about different people’s idea of Squirrel Girl was hilarious and a wonderful read. And it ended up bringing Nancy and Doreen closer together, which is so sweet.

I liked the art, it’s a bit goofy but definitely fits the story and characters. I like that Doreen isn’t skinny or a waifu. She looks like she has some muscle on her to fight.

I wasn’t always sure about the narration at the bottom of the pages. But some of them were so funny that I laughed out loud.

What an enjoyable and fun read. I’m going to find more Squirrel Girl books to read.

[Monita Roy Mohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book would be more fun than it turned out to be. I like that Squirrel Girl is really powerful, and unique. But the writing was turgid and the asides were often tedious. I didn’t mind the social media introductions—those were really amusing reads, especially SG’s banter with Tony Stark. But the footnotes were intrusive and honestly felt like the writer was trying way too hard.

I think this book was also overlong. Like, get to the point of each chapter already. Interesting characters were introduced too late, and I felt like I was wading through a whole bunch of nothing for far too many pages.

I do wish more actions was on page. How are we supposed to know how she defeated that group of superpowered people?

I did enjoy the little nod to the original X-Men film monologue about mutants.

All in all, I think SG as a character is cool and smart, an I dig the Mixed Nuts, but this writing is a slog.

[Raven Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was SO VERY VERY VERY excited (if you haven't guessed) about a superhero that was part squirrel/part girl. I was hoping this was going to be the COOLEST ever. Instead, I am not sure what I read. Every story was SG kicking butt and winning. No real setbacks. No real issues. And her fight with Galticus was so dull I fell asleep. And her friends, Koi Boi and Chipmunk Hunk? Sorry. That's not doing it for me either. And mentioning things "out of the blue" with little to no context was hard to understand. Some of us are new to SG and did not know her Thanos connection. However, Loki's cameo was amusing and had a storyline that was both FAH (Funny As Heck) and something one could sink their teeth into. The one saving grace is that the illustrations are good. I enjoyed the tradition comic/graphic novel look, colors and details. Also, the alternative images and sketchbook at the end are also pluses.

[Susan Chow-Dukhan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good illustrations but the characters and stories are a mixed bag of nuts that may lead to a different ranges of reviews, depending on the age and sex of the reader.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is a strong female role model that should be recommended for middle grade readers, although she comes across as a negative role model when interacting with Tomas and Chipmunk Hunk. While some of the dialogue is witty, the level of the conversations is more appropriate for older readers.
While Squirrel Girl's ability to defuse most situations by talking to the villains is admirable, an increase in physical confrontations would provide more excitement in some of the stories. The blurbs on the bottom of the pages are light coloured and written in a small font, making them difficult to read and eventually becomes a nuisance that is preferably avoided.

[viv reads whatever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doreen is so refreshingly awkward! We're close in age and it's so nice to see a young adult navigate the troubles of her first year of university and still act her age. And she talks to herself in a way that's so charming– how can you not love her??

Most of all, her unwavering kindness is incredibly inspiring to read. She fights the bad guys, sure, but she actually takes the time to get to know them and empathizes with them.

The only thing missing was a scene of Doreen baking a cake with squirrels much like the cover

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Squirrel Girl. She’s one of my favorite superheroes. This compilation of issues was brilliantly written and illustrated.
Also, Loki masquerading as Cat Thor is the best thing on earth.

[Bookevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing like kicking butts and eating nuts with Squirrel Girl and Tippy-Toe!

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Squirrel Girl collection is a balm for the soul - charming and delightful.

[Steven Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! A Marvel superhero with a sense of fun (and an off-the-wall ability, to boot). Or to tail, so to speak ...

[Ryan Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super-strength hero who solves problems by understanding the villains. It’s about time that supers realize that not everything can be fixed by punching things. And it’s stinkin’ hilarious.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

an ok superhero graphic novel. I wasn't super impressed.

[Kevin Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, silly read.

[hailey dostal · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story. not a fan of the art though.

[Robyn Cain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious and a fun read.

[Caitlyn G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love how this leans into the campiness and silliness that is superhero comics while also appreciating and not tearing down the genre

[Rachael Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up I love humorous comics more than dramatic ones. This was a great balance of silliness and action and it was fun to experience heroes from more serious comics in these silly situations.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! It was my first introduction to Squirrel Girl, and it had me laughing and turning pages to find out what would happen next. I appreciated the sense of humor and comparatively light tone for the genre. Now I'm interested to seek out more Squirrel Girl and her pals the Great Lakes Avengers. My one complaint is the cover! I really like the way Squirrel Girl is drawn as strong and squirrelly-looking in the comic. But for the book cover, they used alternate art where Squirrel Girl is cute-ified. A jaded person would say that's because sex sells, but as a Squirrel Girl fan, I maintain my eternal optimism and faith in the goodness of people. Still - boo!

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this before (no idea when)*, but for the life of me I couldn't remember what happened in it, despite my heavy interest in the subject matter.

A quick** re-read reminded me why. PART of it is there's a not-really-secret message at the bottom of almost every page, which interrupts the flow of the narrative. Like, a LOT. Of course, I can NOT read the messages, but that makes me feel like I'm skipping a large part of the story, since every message only make sense in the context of the page it's on.

Top-notch writing all the same, especially the "not-Twitter" story recaps! No doubt it's from years of practice writing stories for the same artwork over and over and having to exercise extra creativity to make up for the repetition!

I do admit I have some problems with the (interior) art: Lips in particular look strange to me (probably because most graphic novels I read don't draw them on people), and things like "body suit made of squirrels bundling up together" are... weird (though, I don't know how anyone would draw that to NOT look weird). The pin-ups/alternate covers look decent, at least, though some of that is from most of them being different artists, and from being pin-ups/cover art.

On the whole, it's a fun read, but I can see why I forgot most of it. I do at least appreciate that, even though Squirrel Girl/Doreen may start out fighting a villain physically, most of them are placated by her realising, oh, we DON'T have to fight, let me think of a nonviolent solution for you such as giving you a better alternative to whatever bad thing you were originally planning! I don't see as much of that in superhero stories in particular, so it's always great to see when it happens!

**for varying definitions of "quick"

*Edit to update: Found when I first read it! Wow, that was a bit ago!

[gw · Rating 5 out of 5]

great comic book for someone who isn't that into comics! also a really good price – you get 8 whole issues for $13 USD! doreen is such a fun character and this book has been a balm during this tumultuous time in my life. excited to read more of erica henderson's work !

[Jester · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl novels, I just had to read the graphic novel, and I wasn't disappointed. She really is unbeatable! I was a little sad that her best friend from the novel wasn’t in it, but the new characters are great too! I especially enjoyed the bits where the characters interacted on social media. The footnotes were uninteresting—I skipped a majority of them. Besides that, it was still an entertaining book, and I will continue the series.

Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.