 Howard then becomes Beverly's manager, hires Phil as an employee on her tour, and performs with Beverly on stage.George Lucas attended film school with Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, who later co-wrote "American Graffiti" with Lucas.After the film's production concluded, Lucas told Huyck and Katz about the comic book "Howard the Duck", primarily written by Steve Gerber, describing the series as being "very funny" and praising its elements of film noir and absurdism.