Fantastic Four/Giant-Sized X-Men Free Comic Book Day 2025 #1

Picked this up at Most Excellent Comics and Games in Enfield CT USA on Free Comic Book Day 2025.

Title: Fantastic Four/Giant-Sized X-Men Free Comic Book Day 2025
Issue: 1 
Date: 2025
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Ryan North, Jason Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Chip Zdarksy
Artist: Humberto Ramos, Iban Coello
Colorist: Edgar Delgado, Brian Reber
Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna, VC's Clayton Cowles
Editor: Martin Biro, Annalise Bissa, Tom Brevoort

Free Comic Book Day freebie just in time for the upcoming FF film. The Fantastic Four story is adorable, featuring alien children engaging in some very familiar spooky fun and accidentally "summoning" the Fantastig Four from Earth. Johnny has... a mustache, apparently? Anyway, this was adorable.

The second story was a reboot of the New X-Men, previewing a, well, reboot of Giant-Sized X-Men #1. This was just Cyclops beating everyone else up in the Danger Room, and is probably the kind of thing that will generate a lot of outrage on the internet because Scott makes everyone from Logan to Ororo to Thunderbird (remember him?) look like jobbers. Oh, and Ms. Marvel is in it, just to give it a bit more of an update, I guess. She's apparently already made the team, so is saved the indignity of getting beat up by Cyclops.

The last story is Wolverpool and Deadverine, and it's just trying so hard to be even more meta than meta. This story has never "meta" fourth wall it didn't want to break. Nice to see a two-panel appearance by Ox, though. 

Rating: 5.5/10

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Volume 2: Squirrel You Know It's True

I got this at Ryan North's signing at Port Con Maine in Portland ME USA, June 2018.

Title: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl
Issue: Volume 2: Squirrel You Know It's True
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Date: 2015
Writer: Ryan North, Dan Slott
Artist: Erica Henderson, Matt Haley, Kieron Dwyer, Ty Templeton, Eloise Narrington
Colorist: Rico Renzi, Erica Henderson, Laura Villari, Jorge Maese
Letterer: VC's Clayton Crowles, Dave Lanphear
Cover: Erica Henderson
Editor: Jon Moisan, Wil Moss, Tom Brevoort, Lauren Sankovitch

The opening story in this volume, with a group of hostages describing various alternative versions of Squirrel Girl, didn't do much for me, but things improved considerably with the introduction of Ratatoskr, the Norse trickster squirrel-god. From there it was Asgardian fun straight to the end. The new supporting characters, Chipmunk Hunk and Koi Boy had some amusing moments, but as in the first volume, Doreen's roommate Nancy totally steals the show. Nancy getting to go to Asgard was easily worth the price of this whole book.

There were plenty of funny moments with Hippo, Loki, Cat-Thor, and perhaps a bit more database theory then you really wanted to know. The reprint backup features featuring Squirrel Girl and the Great Lakes Avengers had a few laughs as well.

This was an amusing follow-up to the first volume and I look forward to reading more.

Rating: 7.5/10

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Volume 1: Squirrel Power

I bought this at a book fair at my school in Shanghai.

Title: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl
Issue: Volume 1: Squirrel Power
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Date: 2015
Writer: Ryan North, Steve Ditko, Will Murray
Artist: Erica Henderson, Steve Ditko
Colorist: Rico Renzi, Christie Scheele
Letterer: VC's Clayton Crowles, Brad K. Joyce
Cover: Erica Henderson
Editor: Jon Moisan, Jake Thomas, Wil Moss

Trade paperback collecting the first four issues of Squirrel Girl's first solo series, plus her debut appearance from Marvel-Super Heroes #8 in 1990.

Doreen Green, who has all the powers of a squirrel along with all the powers of a girl, is moving into her college campus in New York City. She's dealing with the usual issues: Annoying administrators who mess up schedules, a new roommate, Kraven the Hunter, Whiplash, and, um, Gaslactus.

This was amusing from start to finish, with Doreen's roommate, Nancy, almost completely stealing the show. There was also an awesome discussion about non-gendered pronouns between Doreen and Galactus,

The art is a perfect fit for the story and pacing, and Doreen's common-sense approach to dealing with villains is a winning formula.

The backup story is Doreen's debut appearance from 1990 where she takes on Doctor Doom. It does not go well for the Monarch of Latveria.

Rating: 8.5/10