The entire universe is after Howard! Is it because he’s very handsome? Charming?  Yes! No, wait. Of course not. Sorry. Howard is actually very difficult to be around sometimes. Also, it’s hard to tell if he’s handsome since he’s a duck. Join Chip & Joe for … DUCK HUNT! The storyline created just so we could use that title! Plus the conclusion of the Howard/Gwenpool backup!

We’re back with Howard again, after the second issue’s touching look at the origins of the gender altered clones of Howard and Rocket Raccoon, Linda and Shocket. And, as i usually the case with this series, it’s exactly what I hoped.

Howard The Duck is one of the most entertaining comic book series being published right now, and as you may have noticed from the glowing reviews and praise I heap onto the title. I’m an unashamed fan of this series, and if you want a fun comic, then you should be reading it as well.

Why, you’re probably asking?

Well I’ve said for several issues now that writer Chip Zdarsky isn’t afraid to take subtle pot shots at the All-New relaunched numbering, and the Marvel Universe in general, but he does it in a way that never feels malicious. There’s a dry humour here that I love, and while some of the jokes don’t always make me laugh out loud, I’m usually smiling to myself a couple of times an issue (case in point Howard‘s description of space travel). On top of the the story is engaging with enough of an emotional twinge to it to make you genuinely care about the characters.

Joe Quinones artwork suites this comic perfectly, his facial expressions on the anthromorphic animals are fantastic, as he gives a sense of innocent simplicity to the series that helps the comic distance itself somewhat from the tonally darker stories that had been taking place in the Marvel Universe without being expresly aimed at younger readers. This is a fun comic, but not one you’d give to a younger reader, unlike Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.

This issue also features the conclusion to the backup Gwenpool strip, and while I enjoyed it for what it was, I’m not going to miss it next issue so long as the price drops back to the $3.99. The strip was anything but filler, but I think this is  character that will only work when paired with certain Marvel heroes (Moon Knight, for example, would probably prove a disaster), and even then I think only in small doses.

When all is said and done, there have been some great comics released this week, and for me, this ranks right up there among the best.

Writer: Chip Zdarsky Artist: Joe Quinones & Joe Rivera
Story: 9.5 Art: 9.25 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

First spectacular issue! A great jumping on point! Sure to go up in value! Don’t miss out on the series everyone is calling “Howard the Duck!” The last page will shock you! Nothing will EVER be the same again! Hey! Where are you going? Come back! Waugh!

This is the second first issue of Howard the Duck that Chip Zdarsky  and Joe Quinones have given us this year, and while the story doesn’t carry on where the last issue left off the feel of the comic does, and I absolutely love it. If you think comics should be fun , then you should be reading Howard The Duck. If you think reviews should be longer, well then keep reading.

Howard The Duck ended the last season/volume/five issue series as a comic that took great delight in poking fun at the Marvel Universe, and the plethora of reboots and relaunches that the company, and industry in general, has been so fond of lately. Thankfully, that hasn’t changed. Chip Zdarsky is still taking good hearted pot shots at the comics industry, but he’s doing it without detracting from the well written (if somewhat simple) story line. Joe Quinones artwork continues to shine in this issue, his pencils giving a sense of innocent simplicity to the series that works very well with how the writing distances itself somewhat from the tonally darker stories that had been taking place in the Marvel Universe.

Chip Zdarsky has written a comic that is willing to take a poke not only at itself, but at the Marvel Universe as a whole. There are tongue in cheek jabs at everything from interstellar travel times to typical comic book conventions such as the recap page that make everything from the front cover to the very last page worth reading.

I’m an unashamed fan of this series, and I’ve been singing it’s praises since the first issue. It’s one of the highlights of my pull list every month, and I’ve really enjoyed Howard‘s almost irreverent treatment of some of Marvel‘s biggest names in the series so far. To say that I’m happy the series is back would be a bit of an understatement.

As with the last issue, amidst all the zany antics that Howard and Tara find themselves in this issue, there are still poignant moments between the shape shifter and the anthromorphic duck.

If all that wasn’t enough to encourage you to think about picking Howard The Duck #1 up, there is also a backup strip featuring Gwenpool. Admittedly I am nowhere near familiar with this character (was she a fan art mashup that took off? Am I remembering that right?) the backup story was just as entertaining as the main strip. Why is Gwenpool featuring in Howard The Duck?

Honestly, I had no idea. It seemed like it was shoe horned in to add some buzz to a title that, as much as I love it, may have been lost among the other big name Marvel offerings during the All New All Different relaunch. Whether that’s the case or not, the back up story is actually really entertaining. I was expecting to rate this comic ignoring the Gwenpool story (and even without it, Howard The Duck #1 is worth buying), but the back up story isn’t filler. Instead the backup strip is as good as, if not better than, most of the other full comics I’ve read this month.

There have been some great comics released this week, and this ranks right up there among the best.

Writer: Chip Zdarsky Artist: Joe Quinones & Joe Rivera
Story: 10 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.75 Recommendation: Buy

Also posted on Ramblings Of A Comics Fan