I’m pretty sure that no one ever thought that a comic book starring Squirrel Girl would catch the attention of True Believers and find itself on the New York Times Best Sellers List. But here we are in a world where that is a reality and ‘The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl’ is arguably the breakout title of 2015. Though Doreen Green has always been a bit of a cult favorite character, the creative team of Ryan North and Erica Henderson has elevated the hero to a whole new level thanks to the quirky comedy and the empowering portrayal of the eater of nuts/kicker of butts. But North’s writing isn’t the only key to Squirrel Girl’s success. Henderson’s cartoon-like artwork and atypical superhero character design has just as much to do with the book’s success as the script. That’s why we caught up with the up and coming artist at New York Comic Con to discuss her work on the surprise Marvel Comics hit and beyond.

During a short and uncharacteristic lull in Artist Alley at this year’s NYCC, we had the opportunity to talk to Erica Henderson about her work on ‘The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl’. We get into her feelings about Squirrel Girl cosplayers, some new costume updates for All-New All-Different Marvel, and the possibility of seeing her former allies from the Great Lakes Avengers and other guest stars in the book in the future. But before we really get into that stuff and her beginnings in the business, we started off the interview by talking about ‘Jughead’, Henderson’s latest project for Archie Comics with ‘Howard the Duck’ writer Chip Zdarsky that reimagines the classic comic character for a new generation. Check out everything she had to say in the video below:

As a big fan of ‘Unbeatable Squirrel Girl’, it goes without saying that I’m also a big fan of Erica Henderson’s work. While I was super happy to get the opportunity to talk with her about one of the most popular comics today, I was just as ecstatic to take home a few pieces of her work in the form of an awesome 80s movie themed sketchbook and some really great stickers. If you see that she’s coming to a con near you next year, be sure to check them out for yourselves as you’re getting your Squirrel Girl books signed.

What do you think about Erica Henderson’s work on ‘Jughead’ and ‘The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl’? Are you excited for the Bushy-Tailed Brawler’s new status quo in ‘New Avengers’ as part of All-New All-Different Marvel? Let us know in the comment section.