Comic book reviews for The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #19, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #20, and The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #21 by Ryan North and Erica Henderson
Average rating: 3.6/5 stars
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #19 by Ryan North
Art: Erica Henderson
Usually, Squirrel Girl is a comic that combines the silliness of superheroes with some real world principles. Doreen often solves her problems with friendship, but also physics, computer science, psychology, personal finance skills, etc.
I still find it wholly unbelievable that Nancy would fetch the NYPD over the Avengers to take care of these animals. Nancy trusts the Avengers. The NYPD would probably shoot her because she’s black. Not to mention, many of these animals are endangered species so cops would make it worse and most of these animals would die.
Dead animals = the antithesis of Squirrel Girl.
Which is why I’m so glad that the conclusion of Chef Bear and Alfredo the Chicken is that they went to a lawyer and now are possibly in love. But I have so many questions. Starting with Melissa mentions she never got her dinner, and can’t she still control them? (I appreciate this nonviolent ending, North. Even if it’s messed up like Mole Man.)
I loved the flashbacks to Grace Hopper and how Melissa’s grandma tried to sabotage her. It was a nice excuse for Ryan to put in some computer science history of awesome women in computer science. (Which, in previous reviews, I complained about how Melissa could’ve been a wonderful role model for Doreen and company, especially given the lack of women in technology who run huge companies and considered successful.)
What Melissa doesn’t know is that by manipulating Doreen, Tomas, and Ken to all go to the same college, she helped them all become friends. This is the good side of it.
The bit where Nancy tells Doreen that she can tell the difference between a normal cat and a cat being manipulated by Melissa to kill Doreen was perfect. Perfect cat lady logic. Nancy is the best.
Howard the Duck remains overrated. I just find him really unappealing, even though I do like Zdarsky’s writing.
I’m really glad they choose the dog in the White House not to be Bo. Remember when the world was more innocent and the biggest scandal was that Obama might not get his daughters a puppy? I miss those days. Now we have a soulless man who doesn’t have a pet, probably never has, and likely doesn’t like animals, which is how I know he’s soulless.
The part where Melissa rants about how humans were so stupid to find her tests of controlling animals funny and made YouTube videos out of them was great. Those still make great YouTube videos, Melissa.
The cockroaches and mosquitoes are both gross. I’d hide indoors too.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #20 by Ryan North
Art: Erica Henderson
This issue got a little tedious for me. There was a lot of exposition when the group was just standing around trying to figure out what to do. I don’t blame North for not writing a bunch about the team punching animals.
However, the whole Doombear part seemed extra long when it came to the story’s pacing. There was far too much time with both sides exploring their plans to take down each other. Even Doreen and crew gave away too much information to Melissa.
I did enjoy Mary and Nancy working together to assemble the EM device to short circuit the devices controlling the animals. They truly saved the day. Well, that and Tippy-Toe sacrificing her luscious coat in order to get close enough to Melissa to make the EM device effective. Hopefully, the magic of comics will have allowed her fur to grow back by the next issue.
Ratatoskr is back!
Chef Bear and Alfredo the Chicken got married and lived happily ever after. And I’m not going to think about this one too hard.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #21 by Ryan North
Art: Erica Henderson
This book just isn’t its charming self without Doreen. Koi Boi made the puns. Chipmunk Hunk never called on his chipmunk friends and Koi Boi never needed assistance from fish. (Anyone else find this weird.) And no one really understood Brain Drain’s motivations.
Or female friendships.
Okay, maybe North just understands enough of female friendships to know that it’s hard to get enough time with your female bestie. Not that we don’t need space. But I just spent a bunch of time on a trip to Disneyland with mine, and we could hang out forever.
There was not enough Mew shenanigans in this book.
Yes, this book has running gags about villains and cosplay, but it fell flat. Even if it is an interesting puzzle and approach to being a villain. Also without Brain Drain, there would’ve been chaos on both days Squirrel Girl was gone.
She does keep everything in check.