Howard The Duck #1 (2023)

Trapped in a world he never made, Howard the Duck is turning 50. Bad news pal, 54 is harder. A group of fowl minded fellows put more than the usual effort into this special 'What If' anniversary issue. The jokes are on point, the pathos are not patheticos, the art for each story matches the tone quite well. And that tone? Downers, across the board, in a good way each time. Howard joining the X-Men should be a kick for any mutant mayhemers out there. Howard as Star-Lord? Not quite legendary, but pretty good. Finally, the Howard becomes the duck that stomps the mouse when he's president. Anyone looking for the difference between the comic and film divisions of Marvel will want to read the Daniel Kibblesmith story.

This book is so seemingly deliberately good, you could make the argument that Marvel knows the difference between quality and not, but if that was the case then...WAUGH!