Featuring: Giant-Man and Wasp
Release: March 3, 1964
Cover: June 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee
Drawn by: Dick Ayers
18 pages
The story leaves out the letterer credit for some reason. The GCD notes it’s Sam Rosen.
They spend a page detailing how Giant-Man’s ring transport method works. It really might be the dumbest thing in this series.
Giant-Man’s costume has been undergoing a gradual evolution. Ayers has been drawing him with these thick black suspenders, while everybody else has favorited light vertical stripes, as on the cover. They will eventually converge on the black suspenders look. Ayers adjusts them slightly in this issue. They had always been vertical like suspenders on the front, but now Ayers has them in a V-shape, meeting at his belt. I’d like to use costumes as a clue for how these issues fit around the Avengers issues, but Giant-Man must be changing back and forth.
Wasp also gets a new look this issue. This is also unhelpful to chronology considerations as this look never shows up in the Avengers comic. She has a new hairdo and new headpiece to show it off. In Avengers #5, she appears to have her old hairdo and headpiece. By Avengers #6, she is wearing a whole new costume. It will be hard to reconcile.
The big news of this issue, besides Wasp’s new do, is that Hank has finally bought a ring, and intends to propose to Jan. She’s been wanting that basically since they met while he has always been too preoccupied with science and superheroing.
Unfortunately, she chooses a poor time to enact her surefire plan sure to make him propose: make him jealous. She goes on a date with another man and tells Hank that other man might propose. Hank decides Jan is not interested and that he was a fool to consider asking.
Oops.
Part of Hank’s concern is that Jan comes from money and he’s afraid he’s not wealthy enough for her. Later in the issue he rents a yacht (described as “palatial”) on short notice to throw a luxury party and a second yacht as a trap for the issue’s villain. I know I can’t even rent a single luxury yacht on a whim; a quick glance suggests that would cost well over $100K. So Hank is at least a little upper class. But apparently a peasant by Wasp’s standards. He’s not even in the Social Register.
They seem to have cleared up the misunderstanding by the end. Wasp is extremely clear that she loves Hank. I’m not convinced she’s been that subtle the last dozen issues. However, Hank still doesn’t actually propose.
I guess I should note the issue also introduces a new villain, the Magician. He gives performances then robs his audiences. Reminiscent of Ringmaster.
He sends an evil rabbit after Ant-Man and Wasp.
Rating: ★★½, 49/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Marvel Masterworks: Ant-Man/Giant-Man vol. 2.
You can find the story in Ant-Man/Giant-Man Epic Collection vol. 1: The Man in the Ant Hill. Or on Kindle.
Characters:
- Giant-Man/Ant-Man/Henry “Hank” Pym
- Wasp/Jan van Dyne
- Sterling “Stuy” Stuyvesant
- The Magician
Minor characters:
- Charlie (launch captain)
Story notes:
- Hank buys engagement ring with intent to propose to Wasp; he ends up not doing so. Ring inscription includes: “I love you”
- Ant-sized, Hank examines the gem, finds it has a full 58 facets, each one flawless. A perfect pure white gem.
- Wasp has date with Sterling Stuyvesant of the “Social Register Stuyvesants”.
- Jan and Stuy knew each others as youngsters in Southhampton.
- Wasp had costume stuffed in hollow section of bracelet.
- Magician performs tricks at gatherings and then robs audience. Reminiscent of Ringmaster.
- Dr. Pym throws last-minute charity gala aboard a yacht, the Neptune. He calls the Times society editor to announce it. We see one invitation, to Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Van Cantor (if I’m reading it right) at 10065 Park Avenue, New York.
- Magician has a blue blimp for his vanishing trick.
- Everybody shocked when Giant-Man appears. Twice.
#182 story in reading order
Next: Tales to Astonish #56, Story B
Previous: Journey Into Mystery #104, Story C
