There is only one person who can save us from Thanos...Squirrel Girl!

No...seriously...if you are looking for someone who has a resume that includes a clean win over Thanos, you need to look no further than Squirrel Girl.  She is in a club more exclusive than the ones billionaire Tony Stark likes to party in.  So where is she?  Is she hiding in a proverbial tree somewhere in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) or is she plotting revenge over the annihilation of half of her squirrel friends due to the snap?  Gather up your nuts and join me as we explore the phenomenon known as Squirrel Girl!

Some people see Squirrel Girl as a joke character, or at minimum a gag hero, like the other members of the Great Lakes Avengers (a team which SG has been affiliated with).  Squirrel Girl has been getting a ton of hype practically since her debut in Marvel Super-Heroes #8 Winter Special, in 1992, which is why we are having this discussion in the first place.  Marvel does not treat Squirrel Girl as a joke or some ancillary character of insignificance within the Marvel Universe.  Instead, she has been given a great deal of trust and power to help carry the brand, which has to be noted as incredibly significant considering the character's main abilities include a prehensile squirrel-like tail and the ability to chew through wood.  Yet Marvel keeps putting this character in comics, cartoons, and many other marketing and media forms.  Squirrel Girl is a favorite among Marvel and they want her to be a favorite of yours.

To me, characters like Squirrel Girl typically yield the best results when it comes to speculation and long-term investment of comic books.  She is popular, but more in a cult-like fashion than in the considerable mainstream manner. She is kitschy enough to stand out from other heroes, especially in an ensemble or team setting.  She is fresh and modern enough to be a surprise to the target audience, yet prevalent enough in Marvel to be recognizable for long term stability (and merchandising!).  All of these factors mean a price pop could be just around the corner, and as a speculator, that is what we are ultimately speculating for.

Marvel Super-Heroes #8 Winter Special has done well on the open market.  9.8 graded copies have a Fair Market Value (FMV) of $375 with sales trending across the $400 mark more and more often.  If you are lucky, a seller, who is not paying attention, will offer an extremely rare Newsstand version of this book for either comparable, or below, the Direct version cost...keep your eyes open and definitely try to snag one of these Newsstand gems at a value price-point.  Due to the higher than normal census on this book (185 9.8 graded copies, out of 770 total graded copies), a Newsstand copy is the easiest, and may be the best, way to try and maximize your investment value over time.

Do you believe that Squirrel Girl is the answer to End Game?  Who is your favorite wacky character in comics (where are the Mr. Mxyzptlk fans?).  Drop your comics and join in the speculation!