When you see a squirrel you usually think, “look at that cute squirrel with its mouth full of acorns.” You probably don’t think, “I bet that squirrel could come together with its squirrel buddies and take down Dr. Doom.” That would be crazy. A squirrel taking down one of Marvel’s greatest villains. Well, it’s not crazy. You see, when it’s an army of squirrels, controlled by the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, your fate rests in the name.
Image: Marvel
Doreen Green (aka Squirrel Girl), created by Steve Ditko and Will Murray in 1992, has taken the comic world by storm after it seemed no one but the fictional characters of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones cared about her.
After her first appearance in an issue of Marvel Super-Heroes Vol. 2, where she defeated Dr. Doom with the help of Iron Man and the aforementioned “squirrel buddies,” the Unbeatable One resided in dreaded comic book limbo where characters go to hide until talented folks like Geoff Johns or Grant Morrison resurrects them.
Image: Marvel
Sporting the powers of “squirrel blood” and general squirrel ability, she ranks among the heavy hitters in the Marvel universe like Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther and even Spider-Man. She also has a giant, and very literal, squirrel tail and talks to a squirrel – one that only she can hear – named Tippy-Toe. The name Squirrel Girl honestly doesn’t do justice to just how much squirrel this girl really is. Yet, she fell into obscurity and served as the punch line to the Marvel Universe fan base and a nanny to Luke Cage and Jessica Jones.
Image: Marvel
Squirrel Girl finally found success, with 2015’s, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, written by Ryan North and art by Erica Henderson. Taking from the same cloth as Spider-Man, Unbeatable follows Green as she balances classes as a freshman in college with fighting the likes of Kraven the Hunter and Galactus. Unbeatable was relaunched during Marvel’s Secret Wars with the same writing team in October 2015. Squirrel Girl will also be featured in Marel Rising: Secret Warriors, an animated film, and New Warriors, a live-action TV show in development.
Squirrel Girls is pretty awesome, sound off in the comments and let us know some of your favorite squirrely moments.
