Ahh, you’re nuts.
Squirrel Girl is one of those characters you either love or hate. If you’re the sort of reader who takes your comic book characters seriously, you probably have a problem with a teenager dressed as a rodent besting the likes of Marvel heavy hitters like Doctor Doom, Thanos, and Deadpool. On the other paw hand, if you like breezy, inventive storytelling that’s not afraid to poke fun at itself, then you probably enjoy the adventures of Doreen Green and her seed-loving compatriots Monkey Joe and Tippy Toe.
First introduced in the 1992 Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special, Squirrel Girl was the brainchild of writer Will Murray. Inspired by a “critter-loving” ex-girlfriend, Murray developed the concept alongside legendary comics artist Steve Ditko, who provided the character with her trademark knuckle spikes and buck teeth. In her first appearance, the 14-year-old heroine attempts to convince Iron Man to take her on as his partner.
Ultimately, Iron Man turns her down, but not before Squirrel Girl and her partner Monkey Joe rescue the shell-headed hero from the clutches of Doctor Doom.
After a seven-year absence from comics, the two popped up again in 2005’s Great Lakes Avengers mini-series, breaking the fourth wall to provide tongue-in-cheek narration for the grimly humorous story. It is here she loses Monkey Joe to a sadistic villain posing as Doctor Doom, but she soon finds a new partner in the form of the female squirrel Tippy Toe. The two went on to appear in 2006’s Cable and Deadpool #30, besting the Merc with a Mouth before moving on to a position as nanny to Luke and Dani Cage’s daughter in the Brian Michael Bendis-penned New Avengers series. On October 6, 2014, Marvel announced that Squirrel Girl would be getting her own title, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, though it has yet to appear.
Squirrel Girl has the power set you’d expect from a rodent-based character: she possesses a prehensile tail, superhuman agility and strength, enhanced vision and smell, as well as powerful front teeth, retractable claws, and “knuckle spikes” a la Wolverine. Speaking of Wolverine, she has proven capable of besting the best he is at what he does with ease.
Squirrel Girl has also demonstrated an innate understanding of the language of squirrels, allowing her to both communicate with and understand them. She carries a utility belt comprising multiple pouches that contain nuts to keep her critters happy. In a tip of the hat to the “meta” style of storytelling that has grown popular in the last decade, Squirrel Girl talks directly to the reader, as well as consults her Marvel VS trading card set to determine her foe’s weaknesses.
Lest you think our hirsute heroine is limited to the comics page, Squirrel Girl has appeared in media properties as diverse as Fox’s Fantastic Four and Ultimate Spider-Man cartoons, in both the Marvel Heroes and Super Hero Squad Online games, as well as the Marvel Universe Trading Card Game. While Squirrely did receive a Heroclix playable miniature, fans won’t be satisfied until she has her own Marvel Legends figure. And what would that look like? I’m glad you asked!
Fellow Squirrel Girl aficionado and Fwoosher extraordinaire Discogod delivers the goods with his Squirrel Girl custom. It’s all here, from the characters trademark buck teeth down to her utility belt adorned with “nut sacks.” Yes, you read that right.
Not content with a simple wire armature, Disco shows his dedication to the dark-eyed lass by giving Squirrel Girl a fully articulated tail, providing the figure with some innovative display options.
And where would our heroine be without her trusty partners Monkey Joe and Tippy Toe? Disco ensures she never faces danger alone by providing Squirrel Girl with both of her bushy-tailed pals. Yes, Monkey Joe is technically dead, but this is comics, and no good squirrel ever stays down for long!
Whether beating down the likes of villains like the Mandarin, MODOK, or Thanos, or going head-to-head with fellow mutants like Deadpool and Wolverine, Squirrel Girl always retains her fun-loving spirit and spunky attitude. While an off-the-wall character like this may seem out of place in the dark-n-gritty Marvel of 2014, to readers like myself she’s a breath of fresh air in an otherwise unrelentingly grim universe. Squirrel Girl is a fun and unique take on the concept of super heroics and possesses one of the most toyetic looks in recent memory. Hey, if Rocket Racoon can get get two figures in the Marvel Legends line, can Squirrel Girl possibly be far behind? Say it with me now so they can hear it outside: c’mon, Hasbro! MAKE MY MORT!
How did he do it? Check out the original post here. For more of Discogod’s terrific work head over to his customs thread.
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