One Perfect Moment: Squirrel Girl

[angelophile]

It doesn't really get any more perfect than her origin story, does it? You know the one. For the Doom fans out there, it was undoubtedly a Doombot, right?

Taken from 1992's Marvel Super-Heroes #8, by Steve Ditko and Will Murray and proving that the 90s weren't all bad.

Comments

[euthanatos]

I've never, ever understood the fascination with Squirrel Girl. I think I never will. I don't even mean that in an ironic way or mean her harm. At all. I just truly don't get it. I must not have a heart.

[okkult3000]

You don't. See a doctor.

[introverted_excavator]

... Forget the heart, I'm concerned with whether or not you even have a soul.

[his-spiffyness.livejournal.com]

She's easily understood: She's a bubble of Silver Age fun and spunkiness pressing out against the all the post-modern, deconstructionist, existentialist, grim and gritty, Sturm und Drang, angst riddled pressure of modern comic story telling.

[btravage]

How is Squirrel Girl not post-modern or deconstructionist?

[darkblade]

I can undersyand seeing her as post modern, but I'll need you to explain what you think is deconstructionist about her?

[falseaesop]

What's to get? The above story was an obscure tale done by a comics legend (Steve Ditko) late in his career. It languished in obscurity until like a decade later the Internet discovered it. A oddball character whose power was talking to squirrels who beat Dr. Doom in a canon story by Steve Ditko that was never retconned into being a Doombot? It struck a coord.

Scans of the story started to circulate along with the meme that since she hands down beat Dr. Doom something that no one but "That blasted Richards" gets away with she clearly was one of the most powerful characters ever! So it became an in joke in 'who would win' internet discussions that Squirrel Girl would win... because she's so powerful she beat Doom. It didn't matter who the fight was against Squirrel Girl wins.

Eventually Marvel got in on the joke and brought her back, everytime she appeared having he beat more and more powerful foes (generally off panel). Thus maintaining that she is the most powerful character in the Marvel U... its just a big in joke that the company got in on. Sure some people think its dumb... others done get it (and once you explain a joke like I just did its not funny anyway)... but some people think its great.

[jlroberson]

That's nothing compared to the Deathcult of Nancy. Damn you, Bill Griffith.