A ‘Howard the Duck’ Series Is Coming to Hulu, Thanks to Kevin Smith

Hulu and Marvel have just announced an alliance in the name of reviving what might be one of the most uncanny, misanthropic characters to ever emerge in a comic strip––Howard the Duck.

When the original film adaption premiered in 1986, not even the involvement of cinematic genius George Lucas could save Howard the Duck from critical panning, catastrophic box-office numbers and four Razzie awards. Now, over 30 years later, Hollywood is taking another crack at getting it right, enlisting the help of Clerks director Kevin Smith and Aqua Teen Hunger Force creator Dave Willis’ pen to produce an animated Howard the Duck series.

Looking at the synopsis, it seems like the duo aims to capture the surrealist bent of the original comic book series by Steve Gerber. “America’s favorite fighting fowl hopes to return home with the help of his unstoppable gal pal Beverly before the evil Dr. Bong can turn him the crispiest dish on the menu,” reads a press release.

The absurdist story of Howard the Duck will certainly attract cult fans, but will it attract enough viewers to ensure its longevity? At first glance, Howard the Duck doesn’t seem like an enticing product to a broad demographic group, but if anything, what this resurrection proves is that most industry giants truly believe that no matter how niche a character is, there will always be a loyal fan base market to draw in.

At least these fans think so: