Creature feature: 3 new beastly Marvel Comics

From the nutty to the slashy via the tiny, here are three new animal-related Marvel comics that made their debut last week.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1

Writer: Ryan North

Artist: Erica Henderson

SQUIRREL Girl, Squirrel Girl, she’s a human and also a squirrel! Can she climb up a tree, yes she can, easily, that’s whyyy, her name is Squirrel Girl!

Ok, of all the superheroes in the Marvel universe, Squirel Girl is probably the last one I expected would get her own solo title. Then again, Howard the Duck’s getting one as well, so maybe it’s not so far-fetched after all.

In case you’ve never heard of Squirrel Girl, her real name is Doreen Green (really), and she has the proportional speed and strength of a squirrel. She fights crime with the help of her squirrel sidekick Tippy-Toe (we know), who is, er, a squirrel (what else) with the proportional speed and strength of a squirrel!

Thanks for the nuts: And for putting the Spider-Man ... er, we mean, Squirrel Girl theme song in our heads, Doreen.

But hey, don’t laugh at her powers – she’s come up against countless super villains, including Dr Doom, Modok, Terrax and Thanos. That’s where the “Unbeatable” tagline comes in, you see.

Anyway, Squirrel Girl was last seen working as a nanny to Luke Cage and Jessica Jones’ baby. This first issue sees Squirrel Girl going to college, where she promptly gets into a fight with Kraven the Hunter.

Squirrel Girl’s fight against Kraven The Hunter wasn’t going too well.

In terms of humour, quirkiness and downright silliness, this book is unbeatable (sorry, Deadpool). The cartoony artwork takes some getting used to at first, but it gives the character a certain Archie-like feel that is both endearing and fun at the same time. Also equally funny are the footnotes in which Squirrel Girl (presumably) gives the reader a running narrative of what’s happening on the page.

Yes, the whole premise sounds a little silly, but that’s just what this book is all about. Hey, it’s a book about a girl with the tail and powers of a squirrel, so it has every right to be as, well, nutty as it wants to be.

Ant-Man #1

Writer: Nick Spencer

Artist: Ramon Rosanas

LAST year was a really big year for this little superhero. During his tenure as leader of the temporary Fantastic Four in the FF series, Scott Lang led the Future Foundation to Latveria and proceeded to hand Doctor Doom the worst beatdown the villain has ever experienced, thus avenging the death of his daughter Cassie.

Then, at the end of the AXIS crossover event, Lang got thrown another curveball when an inverted Doom, in a fit of remorse, decided to resurrect Cassie!

So, after such a momentous year, where does Scott Lang go from here? Well, getting his very own solo title and a summer blockbuster movie can’t hurt.

While giving Lang his own book is reason to cheer, I’m in two minds about Ant-Man #1, though. On one hand, it’s a cleverly written book that introduces Lang’s history, abilities and personality perfectly; on the other hand, it seems completely out of sync with Lang’s recent exploits.

Hey Mr Man, your ants are on fire.

There is no mention of his victory over Doom whatsoever, Lang’s relationship with Darla “Ms Thing” Deering (which started at the end of FF), and most crucially, Cassie’s death and subsequent return.

You’d think that being miraculously brought back to life barely a year after Lang avenged her death would warrant SOME sort of mention, but no, Cassie’s presence in Ant-Man #1 is written as though she never died at all.

These continuity issues aside, there is quite a lot to like about Ant-Man #1. The dialogue is quirky and fun and has shades of Spencer’s similar-in-tone The Superior Foes Of Spider-Man. Lang himself is a very likable character, and the artwork by Rosanas manages to higlhlight Ant-Man’s powers and skills while balancing it out nicely with the tiny scale of the world in which the hero operates.

If they’d just address the continuity issues listed above, Ant-Man could well be one of 2015’s best new titles.

Ant-Man never gets antsy during a fight, he just gets ants.

Wolverines #1

Writer: Charles Soule

Artist: Nick Bradshaw

SO, life without Wolverine begins with this series, which sees Logan’s former allies and enemies – X-23, Sabretooth, Mystique, Lady Deathstrike and Daken – going on a mission to help save five members of the revamped Weapon X programme: Shogun, Neuro, Endo, Skel and Junk.

That “help” is not exactly voluntary, since all the Weapon X guys are pretty much forcing them to go.

If you haven’t read the two recently-concluded Death Of Wolverine series (The Logan Legacy and The Weapon X Project), you’d be pretty confused reading Wolverines #1.

Who are those strange new characters? Why are they all working together? Why is Sabretooth all heroic-like? And what the heck is going on with Daken’s hair?

Daken and gang discover Wolverine’s body in Wolverines #1.

Amidst a mess of flashbacks and flash-forwards, the group tackles the Wrecking Crew and ends up discovering Wovlerine’s adamantium-covered body.

By the time Dr Sinister shows up to snatch Logan’s body from under their noses, and leave a healing-factor-less Daken mortally wounded, you’ll be wishing that Marvel would just resurrect Logan NOW, and spare us the whole sordid mess.