Janet Van Dyne in the MC2

 

With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania releasing, I would like to spotlight the MC2’s version of one of it is featured characters. Today, we will be taking a look at the last founding Avenger to be covered on this blog: The Wasp aka Janet Van Dyne in the MC2.

 

Janet Van Dyne first appeared in Tales to Astonish #44 as The Wasp, working alongside Hank Pym’s Ant-Man for the first time. In the MC2, Janet Van Dyne was first referenced obliquely in A-Next #2 with a mention of Cassie Lang utilizing Hank Pym’s process to implant bio-synthetic wings on herself. The implantation of such wings was first seen when Janet was transformed into the Wasp by Pym in her aforementioned debut appearance.

 

When the new team of Avengers seek answers for what occurred to the original Avengers, their questions are answered by Edwin Jarvis, who recalls their final mission to an alternate universe. Here we learn that the Avengers became aware of an alternate reality in which Victor Von Doom wielded a Universal Cube which would allow him to travel to other universes via portals to conquer them. With all of reality at risk, the Avengers held an emergency meeting. Many attended this urgent summons including (but not limited to) Captain America, Firebird, Firestar, Giant-Man, Hawkeye, Hercules, Iron Man, Justice, Living Lightning, Scarlet Witch, Tigra, Vision and the Wasp. Janet is wearing a version of her original Wasp costume here in her first MC2 appearance and last mission.

 We learn through Jarvis that this was around a year and a half prior to the Avengers officially disbanding. Sadly, many of the heroes did not return, with only Hawkeye, Hercules, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Vision and the Wasp re-emerging from the portal. Dr. Pym is among the fallen, leaving Janet Pym distraught (A-Next #7).

 

As I mentioned in the last post, Janet and Hank had twin children at some point prior, Hope and Henry Jr. Hope mentions in A-Next #12 that her mother Janet ‘died of a broken heart’ following Hank’s death. This may be poetic language or her own personal bias, but either way Janet passed away at some point following the Avengers mission leaving her children orphaned (A-Next #12).

 

When Hope Pym learns the new Avengers team has travelled to the alternate universe, we discover she blames the Avengers for the death of her parents, Hank and Janet, and she launches her revenge plot (A-Next #10). As the Red Queen, Hope uses her parents’ old security codes to sneak her team of Revengers into the Avengers Compound. Among the Revengers is her twin brother Henry Pym Jr, who objects to Hope’s change of plan, which involves not just capturing but killing the new Avengers in revenge for her parents’ deaths. Fortunately, Henry intervenes to stop Hope when she attempts to self-destruct the Avengers Compound, telling her their father Hank gave his life protecting the world and their mother Janet never blamed the Avengers (A-Next #12). Hope would continue to blame the Avengers for her parents’ death in future appearances.

 

It’s worth mentioning that Pincer aka Scott Lang of the alternate universe asks Stinger aka Cassie Lang if she is ‘Janet Pym—The Wasp—of your world?’ which might be an indication that Janet re-married Hank in the MC2. We may never know for sure though both children bear the name Pym too (A-Next #10).

 

The next and last time we see Janet depicted is in Last Hero Standing #1 during a symbolic flashback depiction of the Avengers’ earliest members when Uatu the Watcher is recounting the History of the MC2 like a sad little blogger. Here, Janet is seen again in what appears to be her original Wasp costume which first appeared in Tales to Astonish #44. I could be wrong, it’s extremely hard to tell at that size.

 

That is all I have to share today for Janet Van Dyne in the MC2. Or maybe that should be Janet Pym in the MC2? Either way, The Wasp’s legacy does continue via her children. Though Henry Jr’s rehabilitation is complete, it sadly appears Janet’s daughter Hope will continue on as a villainous force. Special thanks to arias-98105 for invaluable assistance.

 

Until I die of a takotsubo cariomyopathy following the death of my spouse, I remain

 

frogoat