Ant-Man
Ant-Man is the name of several characters in the Marvel Universe.
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Ant-Man (Hank Pym)
- Main Article: Hank Pym
Hank Pym as a scientist who came to discover a potion capable of altering the size of a person or object. He attempted to showcase his findings but was mocked by the scientific community. This led to Pym focusing on his work where he considered the practical applications of the technology. After testing on objects, he decided to proceed with human testing and used himself as a test subject. However, this led to him being separated from the growth formula where he came upon a nest of ants. At first, he attempted to flee the creatures who he believed were chasing him leading to him going into their tunnels and stumbling on their store of honey. This nearly saw him drowning in honey but he was saved by an ant though he rest of the insects began to chase him. Pym came to sight the growth potion on the window ledge but was unable to reach it until he enlisted the help of the same ant that saved him where exposure to the formula restored him to his normal size. The incident led to Pym destroying his experiment after seeing the dangers posed by it and he claimed to his scientific colleagues that he experiment was a failure with Hank looking to dedicate to more practical projects instead. (Tales to Astonish v1 #27)
Ant-Man (Scott Lang)
- Main Article: Scott Lang
Scott Lang was a male human who turned to a life of crime in order to find a means of saving his daughter Cassandra Lang as she was suffering from a heart condition. This saw him break into the New Jersey home of Hank Pym where he began to make use of the Ant-Man suit. (Marvel Premiere v1 #47)
Ant-Man (Eric O'Grady)
- Main Article: Eric O'Grady
Eric O'Grady was a male human who by adulthood had enlisted to become an agent at S.H.I.E.L.D. where he was a low ranking operative and was stationed on the Helicarrier. (Irredeemable Ant-Man v1 #1)
Ant-Man (Zayn Asghar)
- Main Article: Zayn Asghar
Dr. Zayn Asghar was a male human born in the 26th century following the defeat All-Father Ultron. In that time, 90% of humanity had left the planet Earth with the remaining staying behind to help heal the world. Asghar was the child of eco-scientists living in a reclamation settlement in Earth Sector 4. Growing up, he had a aptitude for nano-robotics and an interest in pre-Ultronic history. Around this time, he came to learn of the original Ant-Man Hank Pym and became determined in redeeming his legacy following his creation of Ultron. Inspired by the hero myths, he decided to fight against paleo-capitalists and disaster opportunists by becoming the new Ant-Man of his period in history. (Ant-Man v3 #4)
Overview
The helmet had a plexiglass shield that would cover the mouth automatically if the user faced danger from inhaling foreign substances or if faced the danger of drowning. (Iron Man v1 #133)
Through the cybernetic helmet, the wearer utilised electronic-wave commands to control insects such as ants. (Tales to Astonish v1 #44) With the helmet, the user could communicate with a wide variety of insects that included ants. It translated the natural signals into a language that the user could understand. By reversing the signal, one could give insects commands and even ask them specific questions. (Ant-Man v2 #1)
It was later expanded by creating a comm-network that was based on insect hive communications. (Avengers v3 #13) As the helmet worked cybernetically, they were able to communicate with other people if they were on a similar frequency. (Iron Man v1 #133) The helmet had a link to the Avengers Files that included a list supervillains and detailed their capabilities. (Ant-Man v2 #1)
The helmet of Pym's first suit contained a laboratory that could be accessed by a person shrinking into the chamber. This helmet-lab served as one of a series of facilities that Hank Pym had created with the one in the helmet serving as a secondary back-up that held numerous items in storage. (Ant-Man Annual v2 #1)
The perfected serum allowed the user to change the size of any object. (Tales to Astonish v1 #27) Through experimentation, an enlarging fluid was created that could causing the person to grow to giant size. Initially, one could not grow taller than 12 feet as anymore would mean that they would be too big to support their own weight. Storage of the growth and shrinking vapors was made in capsule form that allowed easy access to them. (Tales to Astonish v1 #49) In time, the nervous system became conditioned in the use of the Pym Particles allowing the user to change size on mental command. An issue that began to emerge that size changing was dangerous as it placed the body under incredible strain with prolonged improper use capable of leading to death. Thus, for a time, a person had to restrict his size to certain points with the strain causing them to fall unconscious. (Avengers v1 #28) A person's physiology was affected to the point where they could grow or shrink things within their body's energy field. This allowed them to store tools and items in a small size and use their powers to enlarge them thus giving them access to an entire arsenal of specialised weapons on their person. (West Coast Avengers v2 #21)
Hank Pym made a new incarnation of the suit referred to as the G.I. Ant-Man for use by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. (Irredeemable Ant-Man v1 #1) This suit was actually made by a Skrull and made use of their advanced alien technology. (Ant-Man v3 #2) The suit gains most of its abilities from the helmet, which grant the user the ability to talk to ants while it also houses a HUD and holds the Pym Particles for growth and shrinking. The suit also has bionic legs with built in jets that can be used for fast travel. The suit can be stored in the helmet when not in use. (Irredeemable Ant-Man v1 #1)
Dr. Asghar came to make his own version of the Ant-Man costume that was a nano-weave suit and could protect him from weapon fire. The 26th century Ant-Man made use of artificial nano-ant swarms that were originally created to restore the climate. However, they could not adequately replace organic life and instead he re-purposed them as a tool for his superhero identity. They could also repair any technology on an atomic level and ferry it back to their creators hands. (Ant-Man v3 #4)
Notes
- The concept of Ant-Man was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby where it made its first appearance in Tales to Astonish v1 #27 (January, 1962).
Alternate Versions
- In Dead Man Logan v1 #9 (2019), an alternate version of the Ant-Man appeared in the Wastelands set on Earth-21923 in the Multiverse. This version was an identity assumed by Dwight Barrett after he discovered Ant-Man's helmet where he later made a suit when he joined Dani Cage and her Avengers.
- In Avengers: Forever v2 #1 (2021), an alternate version of the Ant-Man appeared on Earth-818 in the Multiverse. This version was an identity held by that world's Tony Stark who came to be disgusted with his father's coping mechanism of keeping his head down in an alcohol-fueled haze and his mother's distant 'fairy tale' futurism. Stark took to obsessing over stories of the past, dedicating himself to studying ancient forgotten sciences and becoming the world's first archaeologist. In his youth, Stark sought to relieve his loneliness by constructing his own friend, creating a robotic lifeform, Vision, to accompany him. He later explored a Celestial Head that he converted into a firearm attachment, and discovered miraculous size-changing particle which he dubbed Stark Particles, allowing him to explore greater depths and to fend off the Black Skull's forces as the resistance fighter dubbed Ant-Man.
In other media
Television
- In Avengers: United They Stand, Hank Pym as Ant-Man appeared in the animated television series where he served as the team leader of the Avengers.
- In The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Ant-Man Suit appeared in the setting of the animated television series. It was created by Dr. Hank Pym after his
discovery of Pym Particles. He used the Ant-Man Suit to harness the special particles to grow like a giant or shrink like an ant. When the Ant-Man Suit was stolen by Scott Lang he used Pym Particles to steal money with Pym Discs but they were unsuccessful. After settling the issue and getting his daughter back Hank allowed him to continue being Ant-Man.
- In Avengers Assemble, Scott Lang as Ant-Man appeared in the setting of the animated television series.
- In Ant-Man, Scott Lang as Ant-Man appeared in the setting of the 2017 animated television series.
Films
- In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Ant-Man appeared in the shared continuity setting:
- In Ant-Man, the Ant-Man appeared in the setting of the 2015 live-action film.
Video games
- In Marvel Contest of Champions, the Ant-Man Suit appeared in the setting of the mobile video game. The Zayn Asghar incarnation of Ant-Man later appeared as a playable champion.
Appearances
- Tales to Astonish v1: (1962)
- Avengers v1:
- Marvel Premiere v1:
- Ant-Man v1:
- Irredeemable Ant-Man v1:
- Ant-Man and Wasp v1:
- Mighty Avengers v1:
- Secret Avengers v1:
- FF v2:
- Ant-Man & Wasp v1:
- Ant-Man:
- Astonishing Ant-Man v1:
- Ant-Man v3:
External Links
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