Why Can't Hope Pym Shrink?

While doing research for my post about the Pym Family Tree in the MC2, I noticed that various sources claimed Hope Pym aka The Red Queen appears to lack the ability to alter her size. At first, I doubted this claim because no references were cited, so I did my own investigation of all of Hope's appearances from A-Next #7 all the way through to her most recent appearances in Spider-Island. Here's a selection:

This is the first time we see Hope with wings but judging by the dialogue, it appears she doesn't possess the ability to shrink down in size like Stinger. In fact, the mention of size changing actually seems to anger her further with her saying 'Stop shrinking on me! That power is rightfully mine--' when Stinger questions why Hope isn't changing size (A-Next #12).

There are a few examples in the Last Planet Standing mini-series where we see Hope at full size in flight or simply using her wrist mounted blasters, but no instances of her shrinking or even growing in size. It's also worth noting Hope is sometimes depicted in flight without her wings.

Another example of (potential) wingless flight from American Dream #3.

And here we have more examples of winged flight with no apparent change in size from Hope. Except for the last page-I just really love the art! (American Dream #5) And last but not least we have Hope's appearances in the Spider-Island mini-series....

...Where I don't think Hope actually does anything super human at all. So, I think it's fair to say Hope lacks the ability to change size in any manner. So what's the deal? Obviously if there was a definitive answer on the page, there wouldn't be a need for all this, but I do have a possible theory.

In A-Next #12 and various other appearances we clearly see Hope's twin brother Henry Pym Jr aka Big Man demonstrating his super human ability to increase in size. Henry even mentions he usually grows to twelve feet in height but can grow significantly larger, similar to his father Hank Pym aka Giant-Man's own abilities. I propose that despite Hope and Henry being twins, only Henry was born with super human abilities from his parents frequent exposure to Pym Particles.

Hope may have developed an inferiority complex growing up in a super powered family. Perhaps Hope's lack of super human powers, coupled with the death of her parents led to her disproportional hatred for the Avengers and her desire to humiliate and kill the next generation of the team.  Hope notably focuses much of her rage on Cassie Lang aka Stinger and  clearly despises the hero's own ability to change size. Presumably this is because Cassie and her father Scott Lang utilize Pym Particles to change their size while Hope either doesn't have access to or does not understand her father's method or formula.

Given the fact that in her civilian identity she oversaw the project that granted Ion Man his abilities and that as Red Queen she maintains a rather sophisticated looking headquarters or laboratory, we can deduce that Hope has both money and intellect. I don't think it's a stretch to assume that what Hope lacked in super powers, she compensated for with high tech gadgets, such as her wrist mounted blasters and artificial wings. Given that we've seen Hope fly both with and without the wings, it's possible they are merely an affectation to honour her mother, and that the ability to fly is achieved through other methods.  

Of course, I could be completely wrong. Let me know what you think! Who knows, maybe one day this will be cleared up and I can move on....

Until I stop dwelling on obscure plot points in 20 year old comics at 3am, I remain

frogoat

   

Bill Foster in the MC2

Fresh from seeing Ant-Man and the Wasp at the cinema, I've decided to do a few quick posts looking at the MC2 counterparts to some of the films supporting characters. Perhaps, even one central protagonist later on, if time permits...For today, a brief look at Bill Foster, portrayed in the film by Laurence Fishburne.

 Dr William 'Bill' Barrett Foster first appeared in Avengers #32 where he worked to help Hank Pym who was stuck at a large size. Bill would eventually replicate and modify Pym Particles to become the heroic... erm… Black Goliath, then the second Giant-Man and eventually just Goliath. That last nom de guerre may not apply to the Doctor Foster of the MC2 as it was only adopted in the mid-2000's, well after his sole MC2 appearance in A-Next #2 which was published in 1998.

In A-Next #2 we learn that Bill works for the Maria Stark Foundation as the leader of a team of scientists working on reforestation techniques in the Washington National Park. When a Kree vessel crashes in two sections in the park, Bill asks the newly formed Avengers team to investigate before the military 'sanitizes' the entire area.

During the investigation, Bill is accompanied by his son John Foster who, along with the Avengers encounter the remains of the crashed Kree ship and it's robotic Sentry 666. John finds the pilot of the vessel has died during the crash with the ship precariously teetering over a precipice. When the ship is disturbed by Sentry 666 colliding with it, a bulkhead door shuts on Bill's leg trapping him as the vessel begins to slide off the cliff top.

 In a desperate attempt to save his father, John merges with the ship's systems, becoming part-Kree in the process. As Earth Sentry, John saves his father, destroys Sentry 666 and blows up the Kree vessel. Telling his father he has found direction in his life, John Foster departs, vowing to protect the Earth from the Kree and other threats.

It's a shame we never encounter Bill Foster in the MC2 again. I think the relationship between Bill and his son John was worth exploring further. Come to think of it, we never do find out what the Kree's plans for the Earth were either. Perhaps that's a discussion for another day?

Until I stop plumping the depths of the MC2, I remain

frogoat