Marvel has just announced a brand new Howard the Duck comic book, the character's first solo headliner in seven years. It will be written by Chip Zdarsky, best known for his artwork in Image Comics' Sex Criminals, with art by Joe Quinones.

Why is Marvel devoting a new monthly title to such a wildly divisive character who has never been a guarantor of sales? Glad you asked. This is why.

As everyone in the world knows by now, Howard the Duck puts in a cameo appearance during the scene that takes place after the credits in Guardian of the Galaxy. He's on the screen for all of six seconds. But that's enough to base a comic book on, apparently. Howard was voiced by Seth Green and served as part a gag involving the Collector and his destroyed collection.

The scene sparked buzz from bemused moviegoers, many of whom had no idea why an anthropomorphic duck was sitting in the middle of the Marvel universe. And those that had already heard of him knew him only from the abysmal 1986 George Lucas movie.

Will Marvel finally manage to strike gold this time with a character that's basically a walking punchline? Or, as before, will Howard the Duck be canceled by the end of its first story arc?

Entertainment Weekly has an interview with Zdarsky and Quinones, where they describe their intentions with the book. Howard the Duck #1 hits sometime Spring 2015. Will you read it?