Written by Chip Zdarsky
Art by Joe Quinones
Colors by Rico Renzi
Published by Marvel Comics
The first issue of Howard the Duck is an exciting beginning. It comes with thrills, action, adventure, and mystery. And if that alone is not enough for a reader Howard the Duck # 1 offers humor, famous heroes, and a plot to that leads the main character on a wild goose chase. Grab a magnify glass to investigate Howard the Duck # 1.
Writer Zdarsky grants the audience a prologue note of how Howard has arrived into the current reality via the Nexus of All Realities from several years ago. The story proper opens with an alien being chased as the narrator describes his situation as being trapped in a cage surrounded by apes. After a few panels, the comic finds Howard in the slammer with his ear being talked off by a stranger. Howard and a woman, Tara, are released from the jail cell. As they do, Detective Mike Corson questions why Howard and Tara have no record of existing. Tara explains how in the recent battle of superheroes to save mankind made an impacted her personal history as she had to move around a lot. Howard explains his situation as he is a talking duck from another reality.
Together Howard and Tara leave the police station and discuss why Howard became a detective. Howard goes back to his office and there he talks with She-Hulk, who serves as an assistant. In Howard’s office, he finds a client, a Mr. Jonathan Richards, who asks him to get back a missing family heirloom. From here Howard begins his search for an heirloom gone into the keep of the thief, Black Cat, and that is the just the beginning of the adventure.
The comic shines best in the dialogue and rapport of the characters because it creates a humorous atmosphere while making characters believable and well rounded. Howard refers to attractive females as “Doll.” The comedy in his dialogue comes from the females rejecting the title and offering to harm him, such as Tara refusing to be addressed as doll and instead offers to harm Howard should he continue. The timing between the line delivered by Howard and Tara provides insight to their characters. Howard’s dialogue helps establish him as out of place in the current setting by his slang. Meanwhile, Tara comes across as tough, and she will not stand for what can be seen today as a degrading term for women. Furthermore, the use of dialogue pokes fun at Howard while making references to the character’s background. For example, in the comic there is an ad about Howard’s agency, but the crowd cannot guess who he is. Someone shouts “Donald” to answer the ad, which refers to how Howard was based on similar concepts of Donald Duck. Also the speaker’s reaction once he understands who Howard is in the ad is “never heard of him;” which reflects the efforts of Howard’s past efforts to lead a normal life. Zdarsky’s writing adds the right amount of spunk and wit to give plenty of laughs in Howard the Duck # 1.
Come for the mystery and action in Howard the Duck #1. Stay for the wit and humor. The story has a plot that surely will delight and amuse as it develops further in time.