THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #27
Writer: Ryan North
Penciller: Erica Henderson
Colorist: Rico Renzi
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Price: $3.99
Release Date: 12/13/17
One night at the college dorm, Doreen Green requests that Tippy go over every single detail of their recent moon adventure with Galactus. Not suspicious at all surely, but then Brain Drain asks Nancy to recount how Tippy defeated Galactus as well. What could be happening here in Squirrel Girl #27?
Plot: As soon as Nancy reaches her Physics class in Squirrel Girl #27, she’s treated to a pop quiz about how Tippy could ever possibly defeat Galactus. Considering that she and Tippy are the only ones who realize the entire world has become obsessed this battle, they team up to figure out what’s going on. Soon enough, they learn that they are not even on Earth but rather on the planet Chitt-crrt… And it’s going to be attacked and eaten by Galactus in eight hours.
Back on Earth, Doreen is on the hunt for her friends and enlists the squirrels of the world for extra help.
Story: Squirrel Girl #27 shuttles back and forth between Tippy and Nancy’s countdown to the destruction of Chitt-crrt and Doreen’s search back on Earth, and Ryan North handles both story lines with ease. Each alien and Earth squirrel alike has its own personality and draws as many laughs as their fellow humans do, and the cameos from characters such as Silver Surfer and Loki (in his new Doctor Strange continuity!) add spice to the narrative without overloading it.
The best thing about North’s writing on Squirrel Girl #27, as with the rest of the run, is how specific the comedy is. There is no mistaking what story you are reading when you open one of his comics, and yet extra characters slip right in and still sound like they belong while maintaining the core of their personalities from their own stories. That is not often the case in other series, where a character will guest star and wind up acting completely differently from their solo series.
Specifically in this instance, Loki’s appearance ties back to one of his previous ones by calling on his connection with Nancy (the great creator of Cat-Thor) to make him do the right thing here. It’s a minor detail, but it speaks to how much world-building goes into the story as a whole and it’s a fun way to reward longtime readers for keeping up with the book. It’s too bad their rescue mission is interrupted by the dread Dormammu, but at least that builds the suspense for next issue!
Art: Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi continue to make an excellent team on Squirrel Girl #27, capturing the unique voice and tone of the characters and their wacky world. While the look remains unified, the color palette shifts between pale blues for Chitt-crrt and more vivid purples for the Sanctum Santorum, for example. And while the issue is filled with a lot of close-ups and scenes of characters talking through their issues, the panels are always filled with humorous and emotional expressions. Travis Lanham’s lettering always goes the extra mile as well, deferring to preferred logo fonts and emphasizing the visual differences in speech patterns.
The entrance of Dormammu at the of the issue is a huge shocker, and the art follows suit with a splash page that redefines the word ‘splash’ and grabs the reader’s attention for the next issue.
Verdict: Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #27 is another top-notch offering from one of Marvel’s best titles, and this time she’s making friends all over the galaxy.
Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5