There are quite a few notable names in the world of Marvel that might not necessarily be popular in the mainstream but have gained cult status in recent years. Howard the Duck is one such name in the Marvel universe now.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no stranger to dropping numerous easter eggs and blink-and-you-miss-it cameos from time to time, especially during the earlier Phases of the film franchise. Even Howard the Duck was included in such cameos.
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The Origins Of Howard The Duck In The Marvel Universe
Howard the Duck’s journey began modestly as a one-off character in a Man-Thing story but eventually evolved into a cult hero, especially among counterculture circles. Created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik, with major contributions from Gene Colan, Howard embodied a unique view, creating his own space within the Marvel Universe thanks to a distinct style that critiqued everything from pop culture to politics and religion – nothing was safe from Howard the Duck.
Howard the Duck even became the first Marvel character to star in a live-action feature film, with the 1986 film Howard the Duck. The character even made cameos in Guardians of The Galaxy and Avengers: Endgame.
Despite initial success, Howard faced challenges when Gerber left the creative helm after 29 issues, allegedly due to missed deadlines. Future teams including Marv Wolfman and Carmine Infantino struggled to capture the essence of Gerber’s vision – leading to a steep drop in quality and eventually getting the series canceled for good.
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Marvel Deemed Howard The Duck As Mere Cameo Material And Nothing More
Marvel has commemorated the 50th anniversary of Howard the Duck with a special one-shot that ended up revealing a very harsh truth about the character instead of celebrating it. Penned and illustrated by the likes of Chip Zdarsky, Annie Wu, and Jason Loo, the one-shot focused on the Marvel character’s longstanding history, with a shocking gut punch.
In the one-shot, Howard the Duck manages a successful run for the presidency of the United States. However, that abruptly ended following an alien invasion. These intergalactic invaders, breaking the fourth wall, reveal their intention to “acquire the rights” to Earth’s heroes for broadcast across the cosmos. They ended up excluding Howard the Duck from the lineup, which puzzled him.
When he asked about the exclusion, he got blunt responses in return. One alien stated that “people find you off-putting,” while another dismissively labels Howard as “really more cameo material.” This was a clear message from Marvel, making it evident they view Howard as nothing more than for future cameos – killing any hope of him getting a solo project in the future. Fans have to simply accept this fact now and move on.
