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

Hank Pym in the MC2

 

This one is probably well over due, so with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania on the horizon I had better finally cover some of its prominent characters as they appear in the MC2. Today let us look at the original Ant-Man, Giant-Man, Goliath and Yellowjacket aka Dr Henry 'Hank' Pym in the MC2.

 

Hank Pym first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 and first assumed the super hero nom de guerre Ant-Man in Tales to Astonish #35, with many more costumed identities to follow. In the MC2, Hank Pym was first referenced and glimpsed in flashback in the pages of A-Next #2, first with a mention of Cassie Lang utilizes Hank’s process to implant bio-synthetic wings on herself and next when discussing Bill Foster’s connection with him. Later in the same issue, we see a flashback featuring Hank alongside Captain America and the original Thunderstrike. Here, Pym is depicted in a version of his 90’s Giant-Man costume, which he wore during the events of The Crossing and Onslaught. This issue is also where we learn Hank is dead, a hint to later revelations in the series.

 

We next see a flashback of Hank Pym in A-Next #6 in the memories of the mentally ill Hercules, who tragically recalls his former Avengers teammates’ final mission which lead to more than half of them dying. Hercules blames himself for this loss, which drove him to madness. Once again, Hank is depicted in his 90’s Giant-Man costume which he first wore in Avengers (vol. 1) #366.

 

In the following issue, 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 a 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, Hawkeye, Hercules, Iron Man, Justice, Living Lightning, Scarlet Witch, Tigra, Vision and the Wasp. Perhaps ironically, it is Giant-Man aka Hank Pym himself (this time dressed in a version of his Goliath costume first seen in Avengers (vol. 1) #28) who is the first to speak up and agree to the mission without delay (A-Next #7).  

 

 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).

 

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.

 

 

Next time we see Pym 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, Hank is seen in his second Giant-Man costume which first appeared in Tales to Astonish #50.

 

While he does not actually appear, it is worth mentioning that a ‘zombie ‘or ‘magical clone’ of Hank Pym’s Yellowjacket identity does appear in Avengers Next #1. These duplicates were created when the villainous Asgardian daughter of Loki, Sylene combined magic with stolen blood and tissue samples of various former and present Avengers. The first time the Yellowjacket costume identity appeared was in Avengers (vol. 1) #59.

That is all I have on Doctor Henry Pym in the MC2. While he is long dead, Pym’s legacy remains strong, ranging from the good to the bad. Be it Cassie Lang aka Stinger, Bill Foster’s faith in the new Avengers, Hank’s children Henry Junior and Hope Pym, the lingering threat of Ultron or the use of Pym Particles, the MC2 is full of Hank’s influence.

 

Until I die on a parallel world and my body is left behind, I remain

 

frogoat  

Spider-Man's Spider-Armor

 

Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse just released its first trailer and with it we got a glimpse of the very tangentially related original Spider-Armor which also happens to have a little connection to the MC2.

 

Let us take in some context, shall we? In Web of Spider-Man #100, Peter Parker finds himself outnumbered fighting the rank and file of the New Enforcers. Later at the Empire State University Science Department, Peter decides to kill two birds with one stone: making a new batch of web-fluid and in the process give himself an edge against the New Enforcers. This edge comes in the form of the ‘bigger, better, badder—and bulkier—Spider of Steel,’ in reality an experimental new ‘hard-web agent’ that forms a ‘pseudo-metallic composition’ which Peter wears as suit of armor over his regular costume.

 

Sadly, the Spider-Armor does not last long (only about 8 pages, in fact) against the ranks of the New Enforcers in addition to the Blood Rose, an imposter ‘Richard Fisk’ and Gauntlet After being weakened, ripped apart, eaten away, electrocuted, blasted by a grenade, melted into slag then flash-frozen, the Spider-Armor was shattered to pieces as Spider-Man came out swinging. Gone but not forgotten.

 

As an aside, the new web-polymer’s resilience also gives Peter’s web-fluid ‘far more bounce’ making his web-balls ricochet. I am not sure but this may be the first instance of Spider-Man using this particular web-spinning technique. Someone please let me know!  

 

While the Spider-Armor has yet to make a return in the mainstream comics, it would go on to become one of the most well-known variant costumes for Spider-Man in other media. The first instance of this was the 1994/1995 Spider-Man video game (sometimes colloquially known as the Spider-Man: The Animated Series game).

 

Speaking of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, the Spider-Armor makes its animation debut in the series final arc with Spider Wars “Chapter I: I Really, Really Hate Clones” which was first broadcast in 1998. That John Semper Jr really was ahead of the times, wasn’t he?

 

Finally, let us see how all this has any bearing on the MC2? Well, we know for sure these events transpired in the past of the MC2’s Peter Parker thanks to an unlikely source; Spider-Man Family Vol. 1 #1. Therein we have a story (seemingly) set during the mostly unexplored point in time after Baby May is rescued and returned to Peter and Mary Jane Parker by Kaine but before Peter loses his leg in his final battle with Norman Osborn aka the Green Goblin. Lured into a trap by the villain Jack O’ Lantern aka Maguire Beck, Spider-Man meets and teams-up with Araña and her *sidekick* Miguel as they battle a museum room full of Spider-Man robot’s designed to resemble various costumes and points in Peter’s career. Among these we see a robot that appears to be clad in the original Spider-Armor which should reaffirm for anyone who may doubt the Main Marvel Universe and the MC2 share a common history (up to a point).

Much like with the case of Six-Arm Spider-Man, there is the lingering question of how Jack O’ Lantern came to know of the Spider-Armor given its single brief appearance. Perhaps the network of super villains shared accounts of the battle?

 

The Spider-Armor has become quite an iconic mainstay in other mediums even if it never quite took hold in the comics. Still, there seems to be continued interest for this metallic monstrosity all the same. Big thanks to arias-98105 for research help on this post.

 

Until I am forced to whip up a new Spider-Man design for a centenary issue, I remain

 

frogoat