Featuring: Ant-Man and Wasp
Release: May 2, 1963
Cover: August 1963
12 cents
Plot: Stan Lee
Script: H.E. Huntley
Art: Don Heck
13 pages
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: Ant-Man/Giant-Man vol. 1.
We have met Cyclopes twice before. (Yes, I had to google how to make “Cyclops” plural.) It is not clear what connection if any this character has to those two. Dr. Pym notes that according to myth, there was a whole race of Cyclopes, who came from Thrace. Of course, this turns out to not be a real Cyclops, but a robot sent by alien invaders (basically identical to the Gargantus story). Perhaps the others we have met were real Cyclopes. Or perhaps all were sent by the same alien invaders.
This comic is most notable for introducing flying ants to Ant-Man. Riding a flying ant is a better way for him to keep up with Wasp than his catapult. It’s not clear it’s technically the introduction, as Ant-Man appears with flying ants in Fantastic Four #16, which was released a month earlier than this issue, but which I’ve decided to read after this one. Mainly because here he really seems to be meeting flying ants, whereas there he acts like riding flying ants is just something he does.
Wasp now has a stinger. She seemed to come up with one last issue and it’s now a regular part of her arsenal. Also, she is able to command wasps just as Ant-Man commands ants.
Anyways, earth gets invaded by aliens. Again. And the aliens give up their invasion plans way too easily. Again. At least when the aliens give up because they witness the might of Thor or Iron Man, I kind of get it. This time, it’s Ant-Man. Of course, the Skrulls retreated because Mr. Fantastic scared them away with comic books…
It’s possible Dr. Pym invented the concept of “mansplaining”.
Yes, I used the word “cyclopes” four times in this post.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆, 37/100
Characters:
- Cyclops
- Ant-Man
- Wasp
- Kraglin
Minor characters:
- Captain Andropolus
- George
Story notes:
- Due to a lack of crime, Ant-Man and Wasp decide to vacation in Greece. By such decisions is a world saved.
- Locals afraid to sail area due to Cyclops sightings. Ships had gone missing; Cyclops had the sailors as prisoners.
- Aliens from A-Chiltar III; Cyclops a robot they created.
#83 story in reading order
Next: Fantastic Four #16
Previous: Strange Tales #111, Story C
