History ComicBook / UnbeatableSquirrelGirl

[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/db2cf2bd2e6192c1195050ce737cbd4c.png]]
[[caption-width-right:250:Not pictured: [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/5/52246/1454907-squirrel_girl_vs_dr_doom_01.jpg Doctor Doom]]]]

->''♫ Squirrel Girl, Squirrel Girl! She's a human and also a squirrel! Can she climb up a tree? Yes she can, easily! That's whyyyy her name is Squirrel Girl! Is she tough? Listen, bud: she's got partially squirrel blood! Who's her friend? Don't you know: that's the squirrel, Tippy-Toe! Surprise! She likes to talk to squirrels! At the top of trees, is where she spends her time like a huuuuman squirrel. She enjoys fighting crime! Squirrel Girl, Squirrel Girl! Powers of both squirrel and girl! Find some nuts, eat some nuts! Kicks bad guuuuuys' evil butts! To her, life is a great big acorn! Where there's a city crime-torn, you'll find the '''Squirrel Girl!''' ♫''
-->-- '''Doreen Green''', the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl

'''''The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl''''' is an ongoing monthly comic book published by MarvelComics, debuting January 2015. After years spent on the sidelines of the MarvelUniverse as a LethalJokeCharacter (and official nanny of ComicBook/TheAvengers), Doreen Green (ComicBook/SquirrelGirl) finally gets [[ADayInTheLimelight her own solo title]] in the form of this book. Having recently enrolled at [[CaliforniaUniversity Empire State University]], Doreen just wants to be a normal college student like everybody else -- easier said than done, when you got threats like ''ComicBook/{{Galactus}}, Devourer of Worlds'' on your [[PrehensileTail (literal)]] tail.

Written by Creator/RyanNorth and illustrated by Erica Henderson, ''Unbeatable Squirrel Girl'' is [[UnexpectedCharacter the weirdest, unlikeliest]] book Marvel's put out in quite some time -- and that's coming just months before a new ComicBook/HowardTheDuck ongoing is scheduled for publication.

After an initial run of eight issues, ''Unbeatable Squirrel Girl'' will relaunch with a new #1, as part of the ComicBook/AllNewAllDifferentMarvel initiative.

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!Tropes associated with The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl
* {{Adorkable}}: Tomas/Chipmunk Hunk and Ken/Koi Boi, though not for the former's [[{{Hunk}} lack]] [[BigManOnCampus of]] [[DashingHispanic trying]] (or maybe because of it...). And of course, Doreen Green/Squirrel Girl, herself.
* TheAdjectivalSuperhero: The '''unbeatable''' Squirrel Girl.
* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: Maureen Green, Doreen's mom, she has all the childhood stories and the [[EmbarrassingOldPhoto baby pictures]].
* AndYourLittleDogToo: Kraven The Hunter threatens Tippy Toe, which Doreen does ''not'' take kindly to.
* ArtShift: When Galactus describes how the flaws in his world-devouring M.O. have brought him failure in the past, the style changes to classic Kirby, complete with an ultra-dramatic Silver Surfer pose.
* BadassAdorable: The first scene of this book opens with Doreen fighting off muggers ... while singing a customized version of SpiderMan's theme song.
* BerserkButton: Do not dare to damage Doreen's SelfDemonstrating/{{Deadpool}} trading cards, you'll regret it.
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: ''Loki'' of all people winds up saving the day in the eight issue. Helping to distract Ratotoskr long enough so the Thors can get their hits in and Doreen can free herself.]]
* BigWhat: Tippy-Toe's reaction upon learning Doreen's chosen major, [[HiddenDepths computer science]]:
--> '''Tippy-Toe''': '''WHAT?''' You got accepted into college and you're not even gonna major in '''SQUIRRELS?'''
--> '''Doreen''': [[ImADoctorNotAPlaceholder I'm Squirrel Girl, not Achieving Consistency Across Distributed Database Systems Girl]].
%%* BlackBestFriend: Nancy, Doreen's roommate.
* BittersweetEnding: Issue eight, at least for [[spoiler: Agent Loki.]] While things end on a pretty good note for them, anyone familiar with their [[Comicbook/LokiAgentOfAsgard own book]] knows that [[spoiler: things are about to come crashing down hard for them, particularly their friendship with Thor.]] The footnotes even suggest you [[SnicketWarningLabel avoid said book if you want that happy feeling to last]].
* BoyishShortHair: Due to the new design, Doreen's hair often time looks like this. Combined with a few outfits in the series, you'd be forgiven for thinking she [[LadyLooksLikeADude looks a boy sometimes]].
* CaliforniaUniversity: Doreen attends Empire State University, the go-to college of the MarvelUniverse.
* CallBack: The second issue featured both multiple references to her debut issue, when she defeated SelfDemonstrating/DrDoom, and a bit featuring the Squirrel-A-Gig, a one off vehicle from the ''Deadpool/GLI Sumer Fun Spectacular''.
* {{Cameo}}: Comic blogger [[http://bettyfelon.com/ Betty Felon]] and artist Jordan Gibson show up as a pair of students in issue #1. They also appear in issue #7 as two of the rioters that get tied up by Thor.
* ChewBubblegum: Parodied several times during her fight with Galactus. The first time, he can't hear her because they're in space, and the second time, when she does it while touching his feet so that he can feel the vibrations, he interrupts her.
-->'''Doreen''': ''(while touching Galactus's foot)'' We're, uh, we're here to kick butts and eat nuts, and--
-->'''Galactus''': ''(grabs Doreen by the helmet)'' AND LET ME GUESS: YOU ARE ALL OUT OF NUTS
-->'''Doreen''': Basically, that's the gist of it, yes.
-->'''Tippy Toe''': Also, you, uh, you can't eat nuts in space without a special helmet.
-->'''Doreen''': Yeah, also, you can't eat nuts in space without a special helmet. I mean, ''you'' could, ''obviously,'' since you're Galactus, but, uh...but we couldn't.
* CompressedHair: She manages to hide her huge bushy tail in a relatively normal looking pair of slacks. Though she lampshades that doing so gives her HartmanHips.
* ContinuityNod: In Issue #6, the panel featuring the New York Bulletin's top stories include "Astronomers: 'That Nut Planet We Discovered Last Month Isn't There Anymore, Weird", and "Kraven Apparently Hunting Fish, Transatlantic News Cables".
* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu: Doreen's battle with Galactus [[spoiler: ends with her befriending him and finding him an uninhabited planet to devour, then hanging out on the moon.]]
* DistractedByTheSexy: Doreen when she's around Tomas.
* EarWorm: As suggested by the title quote, the Spider-Man theme song keeps getting [[FilkSong filked]] with new lyrics by and about Doreen. Directly [[InvokedTrope invoked]] by the narrator in the first issue of Series 2.
* EpilogueLetter: The first run ends with [[spoiler:Loki]]'s letter to [[spoiler:Ratotoskr]], which explains the plan and has serious footnote fever basically creating a written representation of the HeelFaceRevolvingDoor (from villain to hero to troll).
* {{Expy}}: Koi Boi is essentially a WesternAnimation/SuperFriends era ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}, with his powers being played for [[RuleOfFunny comedic purposes]].
* FootnoteFever: Almost every page has humorous author's commentary at the bottom.
* GreatBigBookOfEverything: Well, great big trading card collection of everything supervillainy. "Selfdemonstrating/{{Deadpool}}'s Guide to Super Villains" (4522 cards) and "Deadpool's Guide to Super Villains Super Accessories" (1622 cards).
* {{Hunk}}[=/=]DashingHispanic: Chipmunk Hunk fancies himself this, purposefully trying to invoke these Tropes. In practice, he comes off more as a [[{{Adorkable}} lovable dork]], though.
* HurricaneOfPuns: The whole series is very puny but dear gods the clubs. All the clubs.
* IdeaBulb: Doreen gets one in the shape of an acorn.
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The line about Doreen being "legally distinct from a mutant" (with the emphasis on "legally") is a reference to the ongoing rights issues between the MarvelCinematicUniverse and Fox's ''Film/XMen'' franchise.
* MaliciousMisnaming. "Prairie Dog Costume Woman" and "Furry Woodland Creature Lady" are two digs at Squirrel Girl's codename, [[EvilIsPetty courtesy of Kraven The Hunter]].
* MostDefinitelyNotAVillain: The ex-Hydra cyborg when they enrol him to the university. Complete with a badge with '''HUMAN''' written on it.
* MuggleBestFriend: Nancy. Once Koi Boy and Chipmunk Hunk show up, she's disgruntled to realize she's become "the Xander".
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: PlayedForLaughs with a fake out. The end of issue 3 has Galactus and Doreen about to face off. 4 starts with her sitting on a collapsed Galactus going "Well, that was easy." followed by the issue's mailbag. ''Then'' we get a WholeEpisodeFlashback showing what actually happened. Issue 7 gives us several more as Doreen and company stop the mobs and riots caused by Ratotoskr, [[spoiler: including defeating five Avengers in only 26 seconds]].
* PaperThinDisguise:
** The only real difference between Squirrel Girl and Doreen Green is the lack of a large PrehensileTail, which happens to double as [[MsFanservice "a conspicuously large and conspicuously awesome butt"]] when stuffed into her pants. {{Lampshaded}} when Nancy easily guesses Chipmunk Hunk's identity and then says that {{Domino Mask}}s don't work well in real life.
** Nancy finds an article written by Charles Xavier under the pseudonym "Chuck X. Avier."
* PhlebotinumKilledTheDinosaurs: [[spoiler: Loki]] claims that the last time Ratotoskr was loose, "all the raptors got replaced by hairless apes who invented fax machines."
* {{Retcon}}: The series ignores her mutant origins, instead saying multiple times the she has "partially squirrel blood." In legal terms this would make sense, as by leaving her as a mutant, any live action versions of the character would be under the control of Fox, despite her never having appeared in any X-Men related book outside of a few issues of ''SelfDemonstrating/{{Deadpool}}'', while making her origins a little more vague would leave her fully under Marvel's control should they ever choose to use the character. The first issue of the second run stated it "clearly" that she is not a mutant, but was born with her powers, apparently because her mother suffered almost all superpower granting tropes (from squirrel bites to cosmic radiation and untested nut products) in her ''eventful'' pregnancy.
** Sadly, the real reason for the {{Retcon}} probably has less to do with leaving Doreen free for live-action appearances and more to do with making sure that her fun comics aren't burdened down by the rather dark problems all the mutant heroes are coping with in the All New Marvel Universe.
* RuleOfFunny: Galactus cloaking himself but forgetting to make it work on squirrels? Why yes, Mr. North, you are ''totally'' allowed to get away with that.
* SecretIdentity: Doreen uses one in this run. Nancy figures it out by Issue 4, however. As of issue 6 we can call this Nancy's superpower as she sees through the Chipmunk Hunk and Koi Boi in less than a scene.
* SheatheYourSword:
** Doreen decides the best way to defeat Kraven The Hunter is through reasoning with him, recognizing his ChallengeSeeker-tendencies and suggesting he look for a deadlier catch than herself or SpiderMan.
** Doreen does the same thing to Galactus. She shows him a planet full of nuts that he can get life-energy from, rather than eating Earth.
** Done once again in issue 6 against Hippo. After Hippo reveals he's only robbing banks because it's hard to get a job, she suggests he go into demolition instead using his powers.
* ShoutOut:
** The girl running the booth for the "Humans vs. Zombies Club" in issue #2 looks like [[Comicbook/TheWalkingDead Michonne]].
** "[[Film/XMen1 You know what happens to a squirrel when it gets mad? The same thing that happens to everything else."]]
*** In Issue #6, Nancy finds an article written by "Chuck X. Avier," which opens with a parody of the evolution monologues used in the first two ''Film/XMen'' movies.
** When Nancy realizes she's the only person in her immediate circle of friends without superpowers, she laments that this makes her "[[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer The Xander]]" of the group.
* SpaceIsNoisy: {{Averted| Trope}}! Doreen starts boasting to Galactus, until she realizes he probably can't hear her.
-->'''Tippy-Toe''': Wait, he's got the Power Cosmic, right? Doesn't that let you talk in space?
-->'''Doreen''': I dunno, dude, that seems ''super impossible.'' Sound needs a medium to travel in, Power Cosmic or not! Galactus needs a Tony's Own[[TradeSnark (TM)]] Radio Transmitter in his helmet or something.
* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Doreen apparently speaks with a "Northeastern" dialect of Squirrelese. Just guess what's included in the Chipmunk Hunk's and Koi Boi's superpower package. Poor Nancy feels very left out.
** Galactus can understand squirrel, too, apparently.
-->'''Galactus''': YOU DO NOT NEED TO REPEAT EVERYTHING THE SQUIRREL SAYS
-->'''Doreen''': Frig, no way! You can understand Tippy-Toe?
-->'''Tippy-Toe''': You can understand me?! ''Nobody'' understands squirrels! ''This is amazing!''
* SpearCounterpart: There is a hero named Chipmunk Hunk in this series, who sounds like a male version of Squirrel Girl.
* StealthInSpace: Why has nobody else noticed Galactus coming?
-->'''Tippy Toe:''' Near as we can figure out, he's coming in with some stealth field around the ship, so everyone else just sees the stars they're expecting. But he forgot to make it work on squirrels!
* TheStinger: Issue #1 ends with a tease of what's to come later in the book: ''ComicBook/{{Galactus}}.''
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Upon meeting someone on campus:
--> '''Doreen''': I'm Doreen, and I'm actually a totally regular person.
** And once again later, after talking her way out of a fight with Kraven The Hunter amidst fellow students:
--> '''Doreen''': Okay, well, bye everyone! I don't know any of you and I definitely don't go to school here!
* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: Doreen's no slouch when it comes to combat, but more often then not she manages to get villains to back off simply by convincing them of better, less destructive alternatives. Heck she saved Earth this way [[spoiler: against ''Galactus'']] of all people.
* UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny:
** In Marvel's own words, "the [[ComicBook/{{Galactus}} Power Cosmic]] vs. the Power Chestnut." Fans have been ''waiting'' for this one.
** Since they didn't have any fanmail yet, the letters column in the back of the first issue consists almost entirely of "Who would win in a fight, Squirrel Girl or [insert character here]?"
* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: Doreen tries to sneak into "Stark and/or Avenger's Tower" and gets caught and kicked out. Then reveals her ''real'' plan was to be a distraction while her squirrels snuck in and nabbed parts for a suit. Directly lampshaded by the author's note:
-->I didn't let you, the reader, know her plan because it's a better narrative surprise this way! Also: how do I know I can trust you, huh?? You could be ''literally anyone''.
* VagueAge: Because of how inconsistently she's been [[DependingOnTheWriter written]] and [[DependingOnTheArtist drawn]] since her first appearance in 1992, Doreen's actual age has been a subject of contention for many, but the premise of this book suggests she's old enough to be a freshman in college -- probably eighteen or nineteen.
* WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong: How Doreen shrugs off Tippy-Toe's warning about [[ComicBook/{{Galactus}} some colossal, incoming threat]] on its way to Earth, at the end of the first issue.
* WolverinePublicity:
** Comicbook/TheAvengers appear on the cover of the first issue, but don't actually show up in the story. At least they are obviously in an ImagineSpot.
** Parody of the trope from the solicits of issue #8:
--> And yes, “Norse Squirrel God” means that Comicbook/{{Thor|2014}} shows up to help! AND Selfdemonstrating/{{Loki}}!\\
* Loki’s a huge character! He’s been in THREE [[Film/{{Thor}} different]] [[Film/TheAvengers2012 movies]] [[Film/ThorTheDarkWorld so far]]. [[RuleOfThree Three]]!\\
* He’s only in our comic for a couple of pages though[[note]]Actually Loki's in most of the issue... just playing Cat Thor for everybody's great annoyance.[[/note]].
** Played straight the cover for issue #1 of the relaunch. The [[Comicbook/NewAvengers2015 New Avengers]] are prominently featured on the cover, but don't show up in the story at all.

** Played straight the cover for issue #1 of the relaunch. The Comicbook/NewAvengers are prominently featured on the cover, but don't show up in the story at all.

* He’s only in our comic for a couple of pages though[[note]]Actually Loki's in most of the issue... just playing Cat Thor for everybody's great annoyance.[[/note]].

* {{Hunk}}[=/=]DashingHispanic: Chipmunk Hunk fancies himself this, purposefully trying to invoke these Tropes. In practice, he comes off more as a [[{{Adorkable}} lovable dork]], though.

* {{Retcon}}: The series ignores her mutant origins, instead saying multiple times the she has "partially squirrel blood." In legal terms this would make sense, as by leaving her as a mutant, any live action versions of the character would be under the control of Fox, despite her never having appeared in any X-Men related book outside of a few issues of ''SelfDemonstrating/{{Deadpool}}'', while making her origins a little more vague would leave her fully under Marvel's control should they ever choose to use the character.

* He’s only in our comic for a couple of pages though[[spoiler]]Actually Loki's in most of the issue... just playing Cat Thor for everybody's great annoyance.[[/spoiler]].

* He’s only in our comic for a couple of pages though.

* AndYourLittleDogToo: Kraven The Hunter threatens Tippy Toe, which Doreen does ''not'' take kindly to.

* MuggleBestFriend: Nancy.

* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: Doreen's no slouch when it comes to combat, but more often then not she manages to get villains to back off simply by convincing them of better, less destructive alternatives. Heck she saved Earth this way [[spoiler: against ''Galatcus'']] of all people.

* {{Expy}}: Koi Boi is essentially a WesternAnimation/SuperFriends era ComicBook/Aquaman, with his powers being played for [[RuleOfFunny comedic purposes]].

* BittersweetEnding: Issue eight, at least for [[spoiler: Agent! Loki.]] While things end on a pretty good note for them, anyone familiar with their [[Comicbook/LokiAgentOfAsgard own book]] knows that [[spoiler: things are about to come crashing down hard for them, particularly their friendship with Thor.]] The footnotes even suggest you [[SnicketWarningLabel avoid said book if you want that happy feeling to last]].

* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: Doreen's no slouch when it comes to combat but more often then not she manage to get a few villains to back off simply by convincing them of better, less destructive alternatives. Heck she saved Earth this way [[spoiler: against ''Galatcus'']] of all people.

-->• And yes, “Norse Squirrel God” means that Comicbook/{{Thor|2014}} shows up to help! AND Selfdemonstrating/{{Loki}}!\\
• Loki’s a huge character! He’s been in THREE [[Film/{{Thor}} different]] [[Film/TheAvengers2012 movies]] [[Film/ThorTheDarkWorld so far]]. [[RuleOfThree Three]]!\\
• He’s only in our comic for a couple of pages though.
** The cover for the first issue of the relaunch features the Comicbook/NewAvengers. Justified since Squirrel Girl is now officially an Avenger!

* BittersweetEnding: Issue eight, at least for [[spoiler: Agent! Loki.]] While things end on a pretty good note for them, anyone familiar with their own book knows that [[spoiler: things are about to come crashing down hard for them, particularly their friendship with Thor.]] The footnotes even suggest you [[SnicketWarningLabel avoid said book if you want that happy feeling to last]].

* BittersweetEnding: Issue eight, at least for [[spoiler: Agent! Loki.]] While things end on a pretty good note for them, anyone familiar with their own book knows that [[spoiler: things are about to come crashing down hard for them, particularly their friendship with Thor.]] The footnotes even suggest you avoid said book if you want that happy feeling to last.

* PaperThinDisguise: The only real difference between Squirrel Girl and Doreen Green is the lack of a large PrehensileTail, which happens to double as [[MsFanservice "a conspicuously large and conspicuously awesome butt"]] when stuffed into her pants. {{Lampshaded}} when Nancy easily guesses Chipmunk Hunk's identity and then says that {{Domino Mask}}s don't work well in real life.