Howard the Duck has a humorous encounter with a character resembling Commissioner Gordon, exposing his hypocrisy. The cynical tone of heroism is set by the story of a vampire cow named Bessie. Howard's dark sense of humor is showcased as he sabotages a children's TV program and parodies Spider-Man's origin.
Howard the Duck, created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik, made his debut in the Marvel Universe in 1973, bringing a unique sensibility that has yet to be replicated in American comics. His earliest adventures were a blend of social commentary and surreal, laugh-out-loud moments. Here are 10 of the funniest moments from the Gerber era of Howard the Duck.
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Howard the Duck "Meets" Commissioner Gordon In Giant Size Man-Thing #5, Howard finds himself face to face with an overzealous, straight-laced Commissioner Gordon pastiche named "Commissioner Gordonski." When Gordonski discovers that Howard is actually a duck, he immediately sets him free, comically deflating the character.
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Howard the Duck: Vampire Hunter In the same issue, Howard is on the trail of a vampire killing farmers, only to discover that the vampire is a cow named Bessie. This early adventure sets the tone for Howard's absurdity and cynical take on heroism.
"A Never-Ending Loop of Reboots": Howard the Duck Calls Out the MCU Machine Howard the Duck takes aim at the Marvel Cinematic Universe's propensity for constant reboots and revivals, mocking the endless cycle of remakes and reboots.
In his 50th anniversary special, Howard the Duck has strong words for a group seeking to control all intellectual property and broadcast their stories to the entire galaxy. Howard the Duck #2 introduces Turnip-Man, an unconventional villain that breaks the mold of traditional superheroes and continues Howard's mission of satirizing the genre. Howard also causes chaos on a children's television program in #5, sabotaging a clown and drawing laughs and cheers from the audience. Additionally, in the same issue, Howard parodies Spider-Man's origin, adding another layer of humor to the character's stories.
Marvel's Howard the Duck comic series, created by Steve Gerber and Gene Colan, often poked fun at the company's characters. In one story, Howard enters a wrestling contest to win money, but the promoter refuses to pay him. This is a parody of Spider-Man's origin story from Amazing Fantasy #15, but without the same moral lesson. Instead, it becomes a commentary on the unfairness of life in the modern world.
Howard the Duck's solo title debuted in 1976 during America's bicentennial anniversary and a presidential election. The story, set in a disillusioned post-Watergate America, made national headlines as Howard fumbled onto a third-party ticket and rose in the polls, only to be brought down by scandal. The story brilliantly calls out the American political system.
Marvel's 50th anniversary celebration of Howard the Duck also reflects on the character's limited impact in the Marvel universe, while another story sees Howard foiling a Canadian super-patriot's plans.
Howard was barely recovered from his failed presidential bid when he stumbled upon one of the most bizarre plots in Marvel history: a plan to drop an army of beavers on Niagara Falls to re-dam it and make the water flow backwards. This crazy scheme was the work of Le Beaver, a Canadian superpatriot with a grudge against America. It was revealed that Howard's presidential run was a trick orchestrated by Le Beaver as well. Steve Gerber used this ridiculous plot to call out the dangers of extreme nationalism.
In another issue, Howard the Duck critiqued organized religion as Howard encountered a variety of religious adherents on a bus ride, each claiming to have the truth. The ride turned violent as the adherents clashed, and Gerber used this sequence to satirize organized religion.
The comic also parodied Daimon Hellstrom, a relatively new character at the time, as Howard obtains Hellstrom's powers and goes on a rampage, calling out the character's flaws. Howard's denial of peace to Hellstrom highlighted the character's shortcomings.
Additionally, Howard the Duck parodied Star Wars in issues 22-23, showcasing Gerber's willingness to satirize contemporary characters and themes within the comic book world.
When Howard the Duck reached its peak, Star Wars had become a massive phenomenon, making it the perfect target for parody. Gerber and Val Mayerik joined forces again to create an over-the-top satire, incorporating familiar Marvel characters like Man-Thing in place of the iconic Star Wars characters. The story, while comedic, still embodies the classic essence of Howard the Duck, and features one of his strangest villains yet. This was a time when Howard the Duck was at the forefront of satire, and this parody exemplifies that perfectly.
2023 introduced a slew of new villains to the Marvel Universe who could potentially pose major threats in the future. Among these, there is no character quite like Howard the Duck in Marvel history. Trapped in a world not of his making, Howard's outsider status has led to many humorous yet dark situations over the years.