Issue(s): Howard the Duck #28
Cover Date: Nov 78
Title: "Cooking with gas"
Credits:
Mary Skrenes - Script
Marv Wolfman - Plot
Carmine Infantino - Penciler
Frank Giacoia - Inker
Mark Gruenwald - Assistant Editor
Steve Gerber - Editor
Jim Shooter - Consulting Editor

Review/plot:
The first Essentials trade i ever bought was Howard the Duck. I had a couple scattered issues of the series already but i never grokked them, and i thought the trade would be a good way for me to experience the whole series. As it turns out, i still never grokked Howard. But when i finished that trade (years ago, well before i started this project) it never occurred to me that there was more to the series. I figured Gerber left, and the series was cancelled. I knew about the black & white Howard magazine (because when i was in elementary school a kid brought in an issue to show everyone the boobies) but as for the regular colored series, i figured it was finished. And there never was an Essential Howard vol. 2 (which, fair enough). So it wasn't until much later that i even realized the series went another four issues (and then two more when the series was briefly revived in 1986 in anticipation of the ill-fated movie).

What surprises me most is that there are actually two more issues that, tangentially at least, involve Steve Gerber. On this issue he's listed as an Editor and Gerber's frequent collaborator Mary Skrenes is the scripter (Marv Wolfman is "Guest Plotter"), and next issue he's credited as "Writer/Editor" while Mark Evanier is credited with "Plot". There's no word in this issue that anything is amiss. Gerber's departure is announced in issue #29 and in #30 it's said that "Steve's departure necessitated the fill-in stories of the previous two issues, though Steve helped mold them into HTD's continuity". So this issue and next are officially fill-ins.

This one, though, actually doesn't fit well into continuity. Howard is with Beverly Switzler in this issue, but Bev was last seen being forced into marriage with Dr. Bong, and that scenario will continue in issue #30. More on that in the Considerations section below.

The story itself is an attempt at Geber-ish wackiness and political pseudo-relevance. I won't judge whether the attempt is successful or a failure, since i never much liked the Gerber version. But (unlike the upcoming Mantlo issues) it is definitely an attempt to replicate Gerber. And of course Gerber is somewhat involved.

After touting a meeting with Howard as something that "might trigger a new sense of wonder at the mysteries and aberrations of the universe", or might cause one to "come away with an agonized appreciation of the plight of minorities", we see three people going to a psychiatrist after an encounter with Howard.

The dialogue is full of "snappy" laff-a-minute wordplay better suited to the likes of Crazy magazine.

The first patient is an old lady secret agent, who goes undercover in a restaurant where the waitresses dress in skimpy outfits.

And she mishears her contact's name, Mr. Dutch, as Mr. Duck, so she gives Howard her message.

The psychiatrist of course thinks she's crazy so he has her locked up.

The second patient is a bus driver. Following secret agent's tip, Howard hijacks a bus to get to the nearest military base.

And the third patient is an army general.

The psychiatrist has all his patients locked up. And then he sees the duck himself.

The basic plot here could have been a Bugs Bunny episode, which is kind of ironic since one concern Marvel had was that Howard would be seen by retailers or kids as "just another funny animal book". And sure, the nods to anti-Communist hysteria and military cover-ups weren't meant for kids. But the story isn't exactly a great innovation for adults, either.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Because of Beverly Switzler's appearance here, i've pushed this out of sequence and back in publication time, between Howard the Duck #14 and Howard the Duck annual #1, which is the closest placement where Bev is not traveling or with Dr. Bong. In Howard the Duck Magazine #1, Bev says that she's just had her first American meal in a long while, placing it soon after the end of #31, so i can't push this book in the other direction. I'll note that the MCP does not list Bev as appearing in this issue. She's not named, but it's clearly meant to be her, so unless there's something i'm not aware of that says otherwise, i'm listing her and placing the issue accordingly.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A