SDCC 2023: Howard the Duck Sees Waugh Could Have Been

If any Marvel character seems like they first appeared at age 50, it’s Howard the Duck. A bit grumbly with his feathers easily ruffled, he had insights and judgments for the hairless apes that made his life on Earth annoying. On November 25th, Marvel celebrates his 50th anniversary by showing the Duck Detective how his life might have gone if other fateful paths had opened to him.

Though the Watcher can be pretty intimidating, Marvel is willing to ask “Waugh If?” Howard’s alternate realities are shown to him by the less reassuring Peeper. They do, however, acknowledge some of his more famous moments, starting with reuniting the creative team of Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones. Of all the teams to tackle Howard, those two came closest to capturing the tone of the glory days of co-creator Steve Gerber and artist Gene Colan while solidifying a new role for the duck in the Marvel Universe.

However, it’s actually writer Daniel Kibblesmith and artist Annie Wu who will revisit those glory days, imagining what would have happened if Howard had won the presidency in 1976. You may have caught that Mark Arnold, Chris Leonido, and I talked about those halycon days on Arnold’s podcast, Fun Ideas. I’m interested to see where Kibblesmith and Wu go with it.

Possibly veering into the MCU a bit, we’ll also get a tale of Howard leading the Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s hard to know how much of his onscreen personality will make it through; honestly, it’s hard to know what his onscreen personality is like. But Merritt K and Will Robson will show us.

From Marvel:

This November, fans are invited to a birthday blowout for one of comics’ most unique characters in HOWARD THE DUCK #1! Announced this past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con, Howard the Duck’s 50^th anniversary one-shot will be an 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!

Meet Howard. He’s a hard-boiled P.I. with problems by the duckload. But a cosmic, all-seeing friend(?) known as the Peeper(!) is giving him a chance to see what his life COULD be! The joys he COULD have! All the ways his life COULD suck way less than it does now! In other words: “Whaugh If?”

Here’s some of the craziness that readers can look forward to:

• Emmy-nominated writer and comedian Daniel Kibblesmith and acclaimed artist Annie Wu put Howard in the Oval Office! Inspired by a classic tale from Steve Gerber and Gene Colan’s 70s’ run, Howard the Duck has been sworn in as President. Find out if how gutsy he is as Commander in Chief when the Earth is invaded by aliens in this startling political satire!
• Popular video game designer and writer Merritt K makes her Marvel Comics debut alongside artist Will Robson with a cosmic comedy that sees Howard the Duck leaving the chaos of Earth behind to take over as leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy! Playing Star-Lord is all fun and games for Howard until some of his most iconic classic villains band together to take him out once and for all!
• And more!

Check out the main cover and a variant cover by Ron Lim and pick up HOWARD THE DUCK #1 on November 29.