Top 10 Greatest Ant-Man Comics Ever Written
Good things come in small packages but with Ant-Man, they come in big ones too. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we're counting down the top 10 Ant-Man comics you should read.
For this list, we're looking at important, influential or just really good comics featuring anyone who has taken on the guise of Ant-Man. And since Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, also adopted the aliases Giant-Man and Yellowjacket, we're including stories featuring those personas, too.
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Good things come in small packages but with Ant-Man, they come in big ones too. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we're counting down the top 10 Ant-Man comics you should read.
For this list, we’re looking at important, influential or just really good comics featuring anyone who has taken on the guise of Ant-Man. And since Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, also adopted the aliases Giant-Man and Yellowjacket, we’re including stories featuring those personas, too.
#10: “The Irredeemable Ant-Man” (2006-07)
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Although Hank Pym and Scott Lang’s turns as Ant-Man get the lion’s share of attention, there’s a lot to be said for this series featuring Ant-Man #3 – Eric O’Grady. A minor cog in the machinery of the SHIELD spy machine, O’Grady stole an Ant-Man suit for his own purposes –which weren’t necessarily heroic. Not exactly a villain; he just wanted to use these powers for his own glory and gain – and to impress a few women along the way. In the deft hands of Robert Kirkman, creator of “The Walking Dead” comics, O’Grady became a very Daffy Duck style hero where good intentions conflict with greed.
#9: “Lost in Space-Time” (1987)
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Hank Pym had a hard time settling into superheroics, going from Ant-Man to Giant-Man to Goliath to Yellowjacket. When you add in the fact that Pym had a few breakdowns over the year and displayed clear signs of instability, it’s clear that this was an unhappy man who really needed help. In this West Coast Avengers story, Pym revealed just how tortured he felt and prepared to end his life. Fortunately, a teammate intervened and worked with him to boost his confidence – with the result being that Pym saw that he didn’t need a secret identity to be a hero. Steve Englehart’s script gets a bit melodramatic, but it’s definitely effective.
#8: “To Steal an Ant-Man!” (1979)
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Scott Lang first donned the shrinking suit in this two-part tale, and made his mark quickly. Lang was a reformed burglar who worked for Tony Stark’s company as an electrical engineer. Things were going along fine until his daughter needed medical assistance – and the only doctor who could help had been kidnapped by an evil villain. Lang stole Hank Pym’s Ant-Man suit so that he could track down and rescue the doctor and save his daughter. Sure, it’s pretty formulaic, but David Micheline’s script hits all the right buttons and makes Lang a compelling character. And John Byrne’s artwork is as powerful as always.
#7: “Assault on a Mind Cage” (1980)
Lang and Pym teamed up as Ant-Man and Yellowjacket respectively in this Avengers story. The Wasp had been kidnapped and was being held captive inside a place known as the Solomon Institute. Since the Avengers could not legally enter the space without a warrant, Pym and Lang snuck in and tried to rescue Wasp. Along the way, they discovered that the Institute is a training ground for villains and encountered the Taskmaster, who would become one of Lang’s most memorable foes. The story is typical Marvel fare of the period, but David Micheline does create a good relationship between the two heroes. There’s also some gorgeous George Perez art to make the comic something special.
#6: “FF Vol. 2” (2013-14)
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When you or I go on a vacation, we go to the beach or to another country, maybe. Reed Richards and his family go to another dimension. So while he was gone, Reed asked Scott Lang to keep an eye on things with the Fantastic Four. Makes sense. These stories make the most of Lang not being the most adept leader, providing plenty of opportunity for humor and capturing a distinctly Silver Age tone. Credit writer Matt Fraction for taking a lighthearted yet heart-warming approach that is entirely engaging and simply a lot of fun. This sense of levity is buoyed up by Mike Allred’s always-distinctive art, delivered here in a way that suggests Allred was smiling while he was drawing.
#5: “The Court-Martial of Yellowjacket” (1981)
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Oh, Hank, Hank, Hank. Sometimes you’re just a trainwreck. This story is a case in point. Worried that Janet was tired of him, he rejoined the Avengers as Yellowjacket so he could regain her respect. Unfortunately, he behaved recklessly in the midst of battle and the Avengers held a meeting to decide what to do with him. Pym made things worse by creating a robot to attack the Avengers, with the idea that he would save the day. Didn’t work out. But most crucially, Pym snapped and struck Janet in anger. This story was a major turning point for Pym, revealing the depths of his issues and outraging many for his treatment of his soon-to-be ex-wife.
#4: “A Journey to the Center of the Android!” (1971)
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Ant-Man’s titular journey doesn’t take up this entire Avengers issue, but it is by far the highlight. Clearly inspired by the film “Fantastic Voyage,” Pym had to shrink down to his tiniest size to enter the body of the inert Vision and save him. Along the way, he encountered various obstacles which are essentially the android’s version of an immune system - and they considered Pym a dangerous intruder. Although Roy Thomas’ script goes a little far, especially when talking about ants screaming, all in all this is one hell of a fun joyride. The period pop culture references are a blast, but what really makes the issue is Neal Adams’ muscular, stunning art.
#3: “Ant-Man: Second Chance Man” (2015)
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Created as a lead-in for the “Ant-Man” film, “Second-Chance Man” is an excellent introduction to Scott Lang and a great jumping-on point for new readers. The first couple of issues retold Lang’s history with some new details added along the way. Then things took off when Lang moved to Miami to be near his ex-wife and their daughter. He opened up a private security business, hiring a third-class ex-supervillain to help him. Complications ensued, naturally, with writer Nick Spencer adding generous dollops of humor into the action while still fleshing out the characters and their relationships. Without really changing much of anything, Ramon Rosanas’ clean, crisp style makes the visuals fresh.
#2: “Ultron Unlimited” (1999)
Contrary to what the Marvel Cinematic Universe says, Hank Pym is the real creator of Ultron – much to his shame. Although the villain had been around for some time, it wasn’t until this story that readers learned that the destructive robot’s mind was modeled on Pym’s own brain. So defeating Ultron really was a personal matter for Hank. In this tale, Ultron created an army of robots, destroying an entire country and beginning a plan to replace all of humanity with his metallic brethren. With Kurt Busiek at the helm and George Perez contributing amazing art, action and adventure are the order of the day. But there’s also moments to explore Pym’s relationship with Ultron – and a chance for the hero to redeem himself.
Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
“The Wedding of Hank and Janet” (1968-69)
“The Unspoken” (2009-10)
“The Two hank Pyms” (1998-2000)
“A Matter of Love and Death” (1977)
#1: “The Trial of Yellowjacket” (1983)
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Many of the best superhero stories concern the hero being knocked off his pedestal and having to struggle back up. Roger Stern did a memorable job of bringing Yellowjacket to a new low. First, a villain forced him to steal for him, threatening to kill his niece if he refused. Then after Pym is caught and arrested, the villain breaks him out of jail, making him look even guiltier. Pym finally was able to turn the tables and get the upper hand on him. His name cleared at last, Pym decided it was time to take a break from heroics – and who could blame him? Expert plotting, tasty dialogue and keen characterization make this a standout.
