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2022 marks 60 years since the Ant-Man's 1962 debut, and Marvel Comics is celebrating by bringing together the three main heroes who have held the identity for a new four-issue monthly Ant-Man limited series from writer Al Ewing and artist Tom Reilly - along with a new character who may wind up being an all-new Ant-Man entirely.
Marvel kicked off its ramp up for what it's playfully calling Ant-Man's "ant-iversary" with a vague teaser showing highly stylized portraits of the three main Ant-Men by artist Reilly, with captions noting their unique profiles - Hank Pym "The Original," Scott Lang "The Thief," Eric O'Grady "The Irredeemable," and one more yet unknown Ant-Man labeled "The Future".
Hank Pym is of course the original Ant-Man who debuted the identity way back in 1962 after discovering his eponymous Pym Particles which allow him to shrink and grow in size. Scott Lang became the second Ant-Man after stealing Pym's suit as part of a robbery he was coerced into committing after his daughter Cassie Lang (herself later a superhero) was kidnapped. And finally, Eric O'Grady is a former SHIELD agent who came into possession of an Ant-Man suit while guarding Hank Pym's lab - though his reputation as the 'Irredeemable' Ant-Man is well-earned as he's kind of a sleazebag.
As for who the Ant-Man of the "Future" might be, Marvel isn't spilling any beans.
"For Ant-Man's ant-iversary, we wanted to go BIG with the world's smallest hero - burrowing an ant tunnel right through his sixty-year history and far beyond, from the wild and wooly 1960s all the way to a future you'll have to see to believe!" Ewing states in the announcement. "You'll find out how Henry Pym, Scott Lang, and Eric O'Grady impacted each other's lives in ways they never knew themselves - but who's the mysterious final member of this Ant-tastic Four? Tremble with ant-icipation, true believer - the answers are coming soon to a hill near you!"
The story itself will start where it began 60 years ago, with Ant-Man #1 flashing back to Hank Pym's early days as Ant-Man, as he attempts to enjoy a date with Janet Van Dyne, the Wasp, in their time as a crime-fighting duo and romantic couple.
"I'm very excited to work with Al again, this time to celebrate, and add to, the legacy of Ant-Man!" adds Reilly. "Several different people have taken the name, and Al's written a fun story that gives them all a chance to shine. I also look forward to working with Jordie Bellaire again, her colors elevate any book that she’s on. There’s lots of inspiration to be taken from Ant-Man's rich artistic history, and there’ll be plenty of room for both of us to experiment in this series. I can't wait for everyone to check it out!"
Ant-Man #1 goes on sale June 8. Check out the cover of all four issues in our gallery.
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