Writer North understands the lunacy of Squirrel Girl fighting Galactus but he’s also writing a comic called The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl so he’s got to come up with something good. And he does. He doesn’t take the comic too seriously, which helps because Squirrel Girl doesn’t need to be realistic, it needs to obey internal logic and amuse.

It does both.

North turns Galactus into a great banter partner for Squirrel Girl–and Tippy Toe–while keeping a decent amount of action in the comic. Henderson’s style doesn’t seem a fit for comic book space opera but she really gets it. The Galactus encounter on the moon is full of memorable shots and set pieces.

There’s even tension–which should be difficult since North has a bunch of framing devices but it all works out rather nicely. If Squirrel Girl can take on Galactus and win, it can do anything.

CREDITS

Writer, Ryan North; artist, Erica Henderson; colorist, Rico Renzi; letterer, Clayton Cowles; editors, Jon Moisan and Wil Moss; publisher, Marvel Comics.

It’s another good issue of Squirrel Girl with a whole bunch of action. Doreen gets into a big fight with Whiplash–while I get what North’s trying to do with the dialogue, the Whiplash dialogue isn’t any good, which might be my only complaint about the dialogue–and then has to save her roommate from bank robbers.

And then get to the moon and deal with Galactus. It’s a busy issue, no doubt.

North knows how to pace that busy issue out in a way it reads fast and never has to slow for the exposition to set up the next problem. Some of that comes to how North blocks out sequences–emphasizing Doreen talking to her squirrel over her adventures in an Iron Man suit–but it’s also just the approach to the comic.

Fast and fun; it’s got depth because North’s able.

Though he does endanger many squirrels.

CREDITS

Writer, Ryan North; artist, Erica Henderson; colorist, Rico Renzi; letterer, Clayton Cowles; editors, Jon Moisan and Wil Moss; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Cruel, cruel cliffhanger. So cruel.

After an awesome–Doreen would agree with the adjective–issue of Squirrel Girl, writer North finds the perfect spot for a cliffhanger. Not so much for what’s going to happen next, but because of what’s happened just before. The way North plots the issue is fantastic. There’s a combination of Doreen in college, Doreen in the Marvel Universe as Squirrel Girl, Doreen as her own as Squirrel Girl.

Well, with Tippy-Toe, of course.

North has the most fun with the plot in the second half of the issue, with Doreen having to break into Stark Tower, but his best work is in how he establishes her friendship with roommate Nancy. North’s use of thought balloons reminds why they’re a great tool in the comic writer’s cache.

Henderson’s handling of Doreen on art is the important thing. The expressions have to work. And they do.

CREDITS

Writer, Ryan North; artist, Erica Henderson; colorist, Rico Renzi; letterer, Clayton Cowles; editors, Jacob Thomas and Wil Moss; publisher, Marvel Comics.