Created by Steve Gerber & Val Mayerik (art)
‘Trapped In a World He Never Made!’
— the most-used tagline
In the mythology of the Marvel Universe, HOWARD THE DUCK (real name Howard Dickson) looms surprisingly large–a relatively bit player punching well above his weight.
A cranky, cigar-smoking, foul-tempered (or should that be fowl-tempered?) anthropomorphic duck from the planet Duckworld who finds himself trapped on Earth, Howard’s adventures are generally spoofs of genre fiction, pop culture, current events and the Marvel Universe itself, with an oh-so-post-modern awareness of the medium, where nothing is particularly sacred–including continuity.
And so, in Howard’s myriad appearances since his 1973 debut in Adventure into Fear #19 as a secondary character in a Man-Thing story, he’s played many roles. He’s been an unregistered alien, a taxi driver, a presidential candidate, a rent-a-ninja, a department store Santa Claus, an anthropomorphic mouse, a vampire slayer, and Lord knows what else, as he flitted sporadically around the Marvel Universe (in backup features, cameos, a few of his own series for a while,a magazine, a newspaper strip and even a really bad film), rubbing feathers with everyone from Spider-Man to She-Hulk.
I admit I wasn’t a huge fan of the duck, but when Marvel launched another monthly series in 2015 featuring the cult-favorite canard as a Brooklyn-based private eye, well, that got my attention. Written by Chip Zdarsky (Newburn!) and artist Joe Quinones, I took notice.
It only lasted five issues as Marvel tinkered (Surprise!) with the format, but was soon back with the same creative team for another eleven issues. It was fun while it lasted. Howard T. Duck Private Investigations was located in the same Brooklyn building as She-Hulk, and soon enough he and his buddy and his new friend and assistant Tara Tam tangle with Black Cat, Peter Parker’s Aunt May, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, and The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, among others.
So I was all jazzed when Marvel announced there would be a special, supersized one-shot celebrating Howard’s 50th Anniversary, with Howard once again “a hard-boiled P.I. with problems by the duckload.” They promised a:
“… birthday blowout for one of comics’ most unique characters in HOWARD THE DUCK #1!… a giant-sized spectacle that will reunite writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Joe Quinones, the sensational creative team behind Howard’s smash hit and critically acclaimed 2015 ongoing series. Joined by other writers and artists eager to put their own spin on this fan-favorite icon, Zdarsky and Quinones will get into the nitty-gritty of the private-eye’s hectic history with a feather-raising journey through the Howard-verse! This collection of all-new tales will tackle all the different paths Howard could’ve taken during his offbeat adventures, and pose fascinating questions for this furious fowl’s future!”
But it was a crock–I should have read more carefully. Howard’s only a private eye in the skimpy framing sequence by Zdarsky and Quinones. The rest of the book’s filled with spins on how the duck’s life might have turned out as the president of the United States, a Guardian of the Galaxy or an X-Man, etc., all by other writers and creators.
Too bad. I would have liked to see Howard once again walking down those mean streets in a real story, not more one-handed Multiverse wankery. Even Howard seems to agree with me–his break-the-fourth wall comments are all that kept me going.
Of course, the book wasn’t made for me (I stopped Making Mine Marvel years ago), and anyway the hook, at least according to Steve Gerber, who created the damn duck, is that the overriding theme of the entire series has always been existentialist. The main joke, he claimed, way back in 1977, was that there was no joke, but that:
“… life’s most serious moments and most incredibly dumb moments are often distinguishable only by a momentary point of view.”
THAT’S THE PANTS YOU HAVE TO TAKE
- In 1977, the mighty Walt Disney Company (long before they bought up Marvel lock, stock and barrel), noticed that Howard bore a striking resemblance to a certain duck whose ass they owned. Threatening a lawsuit, Marvel agreed to a redesign, a key feature which was that Howard would wear pants.
COMICS
HOWARD THE DUCK
(2015, Marvel Comics)
5 issues
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Art: Joe Quinones- HOWARD THE DUCK
(2015-16, Marvel Comics)
11 issues
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Art: Joe Quinones - HOWARD THE DUCK | Kindle/ComiXology it!
(2023, Marvel Comics)
One-shot
Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Daniel Kibblesmith, Merritt K
Art: Joe Quinones, Annie Wu, Will Robson
COLLECTIONS
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- “Oh mama, I got dem cosmic anthropomorphic P.I. blues again…”
Going to the dogs, the cats and worse. - Eyes on the No-Prize
Private Eyes of the Marvel Universe
Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.
