When I'm back on campus and people ask me how my summer went, I'm going to say it was unbeatable.
If it wasn't clear by now, I'm about to give that credit to "The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl", an acclaimed run of comic books from Marvel about a female superhero with the powers of both squirrel and girl. In simpler terms, it's a recipe for instant happiness and everyone needs to read it like, yesterday.
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I know that I'm dishing out some very quick and very vague praise here, but don't worry; if you're still curious about this bright-eyed and bushy-tailed heroine, it just so happens that you clicked on a whole listicle extolling some of her series' top virtues. So, feel free to continue reading at your leisure, and/or to run to the nearest comic book store ASAP.
10. It doesn't take itself too seriously.
I get it: a series of comic books about a girl with literal squirrel powers sounds a bit silly. But its style of humor is actually super smart! "The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl" has an Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt-esque, fourth-wall-breaking, joke-a-minute flair, and it's perfect. It simply embraces the wackiness of comics while also expressing reverence for the very same. Also, bonus: each issue features tweets from the characters to summarize the events of the previous issue, and these tweets can all actually be found on Twitter. How 'bout that for balancing hilarity and new media literacy?
9. You can judge the books by their covers.
A.k.a, the art by Erica Henderson is wonderful. Her drawings are the perfect compliment to Ryan North's writing--they're bright, fun, and packed with visual gags. Pay particular attention to the tiny footnotes at the bottom of each page, too; they're utter gems.
8. It appeals to both new and veteran comic readers.
"The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl" was the comic that got me into reading comics, or my "gateway comic", as it were. This isn't to say that I suddenly consider myself an extremely well-seasoned comic book reader, but I think it's important to know that I came into this series looking for a good place to jump into a whole new medium, and I found that place right from the very first page. It's really accessible!
That being said, "Squirrel Girl" has also proven to be a favorite of longtime Marvel enthusiasts, whose fan letters are featured in each issue. I think it's appeal boils down to the fact that it uses the Marvel canon extremely well; the series really takes care to feature entities both instantly recognizable and less-so, from Tony Stark, to Deadpool, to "Hippo the Hippo". Basically, "Squirrel Girl" has something for everyone, so I hope you're already halfway to your local comic book store because I know you'll love it, trust me.
7. Back to school? No problem.
All of the main characters are college students, so they're especially relatable at this time of year. As many of us return to school, we can keep Doreen Green--badass computer science student and superhero extraordinaire--in our hearts on move-in day and beyond.
6. Two words: Nancy Whitehead.
Her interests include knitting, cats, and running ASCII conversions in her head. In short, she's awesome. Nancy is Doreen's roommate and best friend, and her bond with Doreen is one of my favorite things about the entire series. It's so nice to see a front-and-center female friendship in any sort of work, let alone one that also places value in STEM women and squirrel jokes.
5. Two more words: body positivity.
Characters of all shapes, sizes, colors, and identities are included in "The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl", and it's a beautiful thing. From the reveal that Doreen's friend Ken wears a binder, to Doreen's consistent celebration of her "callipygian badonk" (a.k.a. her nice butt), there's a huge element of inclusivity to this series that can't be ignored.
4. Two MORE words: cute animals.
As if this series doesn't have enough going for it, there's also the likes of Doreen's pet squirrel/sidekick Tippy Toe, Nancy's beloved cat Mew, and a host of other adorable animals to contend with. Their very existence is obviously enough of a gift, but their inclusion also leads to tons of squirrel and cat puns throughout, which I consider to be totally PAW-some! (*cue chorus of boos and groans*)
3. Its pair of creators are just as awesome.
I mentioned Ryan North and Erica Henderson earlier, but they deserve another shoutout because I just think they're super cool. They're everything you could want in leaders of a fan community: they love hearing from their readers (see: their witty responses to fan letters in every issue), they have great social media presences (see: the Squirrel Girl tumblr blog that they curate), and they have an even better taste in music (see: their Squirrel Girl-inspired Spotify playlist). Having met Erica at Boston Comic Con a few weeks ago, I can personally attest to her coolness, even though I didn't think to get a picture with her (aw NUTS!). (*chorus of boos and groans continues*)
2. Its run so far is at a Goldilocks length.
Not to long, not too short--perfect for those who want to jump in at this very moment (are you at the comic book store yet or what?). There are currently three volumes available as trade issues, and another storyline is just starting up with a new issue out every month. Also, there's an upcoming graphic novel set for release in October. It's all very exciting, squirrels and boys. (*chorus deafens*)
1. Squirrel Girl is literally unbeatable.
If you still aren't convinced that you and everyone else in the world should read "Squirrel Girl", then consider this: she really does live up to her title. That is, Squirrel Girl has never once been defeated by any foe, ever.
Plus, the best part of Squirrel Girl's winning streak is her refreshing approach to resolving conflict: she appeals to those who oppose her with compassion first. Don't get me wrong, she can still kick butts with the best of them, but her greatest power is her ability to understand others and help them change for the better, and that's what I think makes her truly great.
So, what are you waiting for? Go forth, eat some nuts, kick some butts, and read some Squirrel Girl!
