Unpopular opinion: Howard the Duck is actually a masterpiece because it launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’m going to say something that might upset Marvel fans, but Howard the Duck is genuinley one of the most important superhero movies ever made. Everyone credits Iron Man with launching the MCU. But in 1986, TWENTY TWO YEARS earlier, Howard the Duck was already a major theatrical Marvel adaptation. The American Film Institute confirms this. https://catalog.afi.com/Film/67719-HOWARD-THE-DUCK And who executive produced it?? GEORGE LUCAS. The Star Wars guy. https://www.lucasfilm.com/productions/howard-the-duck/ Think about it. A sarcastic superhero from another dimension, fighting cosmic threats, making jokes and having romantic problems. Thats literally the MCU formula, Howard did it FIRST. People say the movie flopped because it cost $37 million and grossed $38 million worldwide. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0091225.htm/ But thats completely missing the point. Howard was experimenting with superhero cinema before superhero cinema even understood itself. Its called being ahead of your time. Tony Stark is a sarcastic outsider wearing armour. Howard is ALSO a sarcastic outsider and Marvel literally lists IRON DUCK among his identities. https://www.marvel.com/characters/howard-the-duck IRON DUCK. I’m not saying Iron Man copied Howard, I’m saying pretending theres no cinematic lineage is intelectually dishonest. Then Guardians of the Galaxy features a TALKING RACCOON. Howard established the foundations for talking animals in Marvel movies decades earlier. And James Gunn brought Howard BACK in Guardians. https://comicbook.com/comicbook/news/guardians-of-the-galaxy-director-james-gunn-i-loved-howard-the-d/ Then Howard appears in Avengers Endgame’s final battle. For EIGHTEEN FRAMES. https://www.slashfilm.com/566354/thanoss-army-dark-elves/ Thanos is literally destroying the universe and Marvel brings back THE DUCK. Why eighteen frames?? Why not seventeen??? Somebody CALCULATED this, somebody at Marvel determined the exact amount of duck required to defeat Thanos and nobody is investigating??? Howard launched Marvel cinema. Marvel cinema became the MCU. The MCU brought back Howard. Howard helped defeat Thanos. Thats an entire historical cycle and people are calling it coincidence because their uncomfertable with ducks I’m not saying Howard singlehandedly invented the MCU. I’m saying without Howard there might not BE an MCU, making him arguably MORE important then Iron Man because Iron Man only launched something Howard had ALREADY launched HOW CAN YOU LAUNCH SOMETHING THATS ALREADY BEEN LAUNCHED??? This is basic chronoligical science. Howard was there BEFORE Iron Man and AGAIN when Thanos died. Tony Stark wasnt even cinematicly born in 1986, Howard was already doing the work I’m not saying Howard is the first Avenger. I’m saying the Avengers are essentially a Howard the Duck spin-off and people refusing to aknowledge this are engaging in systematic anti-duck historical revisionism Until someone can prove the MCU would’ve existed IDENTICALLY without Howard, Marvel owes him a formal appology, possibly financial compensation although I’m not qualified to calculate duck royalties The duck came first. The duck came back. The duck helped save the universe. RESPECT THE DUCK.