Howard the Duck
Too many people remember Howard the Duck as the eponymous hero of maybe the worst major motion picture of the 1980s. Before that, Howard graced the pages of Marvel Comics Adventure into Fear and proved so popular that he quickly starred in his own book, Howard The Duck. Both comics were written by Steve Gerber, who infused his creation with an anarchic, dispeptic personality that somehow caught the spirit of the times. If the memories of those who dimly remember the seventies are beginning to jog, yes, Howard was the Duck who arrived in Cleveland through a warp in space time, and became Trapped in A World He Never Made! Yes, Howard was the character who prompted a lawsuit from Disney over his resemblance, from the waist down, to Donald. Above the belt, he could easily be distinguished by a fedora, jacket and tie, and an ever-present cigar. Yes, Howard was the duck who ran for President against Jimmy Carter in 1976: "Get Down, America!" - and, yes, Howard was the subject of another lawsuit, when his creator, Steve Gerber sued Marvel comics for control of his character.
Steve Gerber's obit appears in today's editions of the New York Times. We'll talk about Steve and Howard with my friend and longtime Marvel writer Chris Claremont.
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.