Monkey Joe (Earth-616)

Monkey Joe was the first squirrel with whom Doreen Green communicated when she was ten years old. They became friends after Doreen saved Monkey Joe from being chased by a dog, and the little squirrel subsequently encouraged Doreen to use her powers to help people. When she grew up, Doreen became Squirrel Girl.^[1]

Monkey Joe helped her to defeat Doctor Doom during her first outing as a superhero when she was fourteen years old.^[2] The duo later joined the Great Lakes Avengers, with Squirrel Girl making certain that Monkey Joe was an official member.

Monkey Joe met his demise at the hands of Leather Boy, an ex-GLA member kicked out for not actually having any powers, who attacked the team disguised as Doctor Doom.^[3]

After his death, Squirrel Girl found a new squirrel companion named Tippy Toe and gave her a pink bow.^[4] Tippy Toe mimics Monkey Joe's role as Squirrel Girl's sidekick. To honor him, Doreen would sometimes wear a pendant with the initials MJ on it around her neck.

Monkey Joe was seen playing cards with the rest of the fallen GLA members when Doorman briefly visited the after-life. He seemed very bitter about his demise and less forgiving than the other deceased members.

Monkey Joe seemed to possess an understanding of computers.

Direct pressure to his entire body.

• In 2005, Squirrel Girl and Monkey Joe were revived from obscurity for their first ever miniseries written by Dan Slott.

• Monkey Joe's death was part of a marketing promise that a member of the GLA would die in each issue of the miniseries, as a parody to comic book deaths.

• Monkey Joe also served as a comedic commentator for the GLA miniseries. A cartoony version of him appeared alongside the story holding signs with humorous, often smart-ass, remarks on the events of the story. After his death in issue #3, the narration circle showed a deceased Monkey Joe hanging lifeless. His presence in the narrator circle continued in issue #4, however he now possessed a halo.

• The trade paperback of the GLA miniseries is dedicated to the memory of Monkey Joe, and reads "Monkey Joe 1992-2005. He loved nuts. He will be missed."

• In Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1, Doreen wears a necklace with the letters MJ. In the letters page of Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #3, this was confirmed to be an homage to Monkey Joe.