Ant-Man #1 Review

     With a movie hitting this summer, July 17th, it makes sense that Marvel Comics would like a new Ant-Man series on the way for all the new fans it creates.  Ant-Man has had many versions over the years ranging from diminutive hero, to a giant-sized A-hole, and more recently being a D list Avenger. 

     Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, is known for being an all-around terrible guy, although he does have some good qualities, as Lang mentions.  He's been a long time impulsive personality- taking risks and being destructive to the point of being a wife-beater and in the comics he was the creator of Ultron.  Eric O'Grady was another less-than-wonderful Ant-Man, so much so his very hilarious comic series by Robert Kirkman (of The Walking Dead fame) was titled The Irredeemable Ant-Man.  A series I fully enjoyed and highly recommend.  Now we get Scott Lang and in this new series, writer Nick Spencer paints Ant-Man as a troubled man simply trying to make life better for those he's let down.  This is the story of a man attempting to get his life in order.

     Scott Lang begins this series in a crappy apartment, interviewing for a job with Iron Man Tony Stark in the poor role of former criminal offering his expertise in security.  This is an incredible interview- Spencer condensed the info dump of Lang's history into this segment in a way that is absolutely befitting of the character.  He even mentions the death and return to life and its inherent problems with humor that keeps us thinking. 

 

     I think what sets this new Ant-Man issue apart from many other comics is that is focuses more on the human part of being a super human.  Just as Ant-Man shrinks, so the story is taken down to small proportions.  There is no world threatening villain, it is just a man with great power struggling to find work, struggling with his ex-wife, and struggling to be a good father- things real people deal with every day.  The fears and hopes all of us have in our daily lives.  Nick Spencer has made Ant-Man relatable and this first issue is stunning in it's presentation.  Lang is so very human and charming, displaying small acts of kindness and neither wanting nor getting anything in return.  The true mark of a real hero that is constantly looked down on in more ways than one.

     Ramon Rosanas' art is top notch, along with Jordan Boyd's coloring and lettering by Travis Lanham.  It's simple and effective and gives us plenty of clever angles to see Lang in various sizes with a brilliant use of a toy living room set and a phone to make a mini-movie theater. 

     Ant-Man #1 is a classic first issue for anyone to jump on board with this character's reintroduction to the Marvel universe.  It shows that a fantastic single issue debut can make even the smallest hero can have a large future.

     I'll leave you with my favorite part of the issue,

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