What's the buzz on van Dyne - Part 1
Good day, we will now begin the story of one of the most underrated original members of the Avengers, due to make her movie debut (as a different secret identity of course, can't have anything too easy), the diminutive winged wonder known as the Wasp. She was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (also un-credited at the time, H.E.Huntley).
Making her debut in the above-pictured Tales to Astonish #44 (June 1963), she was Janet van Dyne, socialite daughter to Vernon van Dyne, scientist (who still managed to own a mansion and a yacht; how were all scientists rich in comics?) and partner to Ant-Man, Henry Pym. We first see her in the prescene of her father who visits Dr. Pym as he was reflecting on the death of his wife and deciding he needs a crime fighting partner. Dr. Van Dyne is there to ask Dr.Pym for help on a project he was working on and Henry refuses, citing different fields. After leaving and trying his experiment alone a hos home, Dr. Van Dyne is killed by a creature he mistakenly releases from another planet. Janet is the one to discover the body and contacts Henry, seeking revenge for her father's death. After doing his own investigation Henry confides to Janet that he his Ant-Man and asks her to become his side-kick. She agrees and then Henry implants her with wings and antennae that sh can use when the Pym particles shrink her to insect-size. They then defeat the creature and Janet declares her love for Henry, which he dismisses immediately. (What was it with Lee and Kirby's couples? Why do all the men have to be dickish...see Reed and Susan Richards.)
The Wasp appeared with Ant-Man as his partner through to issue 69 of Tales to Astonish. Fighting characters such as Egghead, the Porcupine (pretty weak) and the Human Top; eventually the two become lovers. Soon after, the Norse God Loki decides to get revenge on is brother Thor (sibling rivalry, it can get dangerous) by using the Hulk as his pawn, teenager Rick Jones recruits Iron Man, Ant-Man and our heroine to help defeat the Trickster God, leading to the formation of the Avengers. (I will admit that I was a little annoyed with the movie version having Hawkeye and Black Widow in the Ant-Man/Wasp roles.) This was in Avengers 1 (September 1963). As a big fan of super-heroines, I have a beef that although she appeared on the cover, she wasn't highlighted in the blurbs at the top of the comic, nor was she in the side picture with her male co-stars.
During her time with the Avengers, the Wasp was mostly known for her numerous costume changes (she had more changes than Supergirl in Supergirl's Adventure Comics phase) as her character in her civilian guise was beginning to be known as a fashion designer. We also got to see that she had natural leadership skills, generally serving as team leader when Captain America was not. However, her character spent an inordinate time trying to get Henry to marry her.
Over the years we also see a great change in the effects of her powers. Not including the grafted wings and antennae (the latter of which made less and less appearances as we continue), she developed the natural ability to shrink to wasp size without the particles, her DNA having changed from continued exposure. Her stingers, which are bio-charged particles released from her body, originally needed special wrist devices in order to access, became latent and she was able to do this naturally in later years. She also developed the power to grow in size as well, but she rarely used this aspect of her powers. Her antennae allowed her to communicate with insects telepathically like Ant-Man could, bu as she grew the appendages less, this power was also not shown very much. With her wings, she is capable of reaching approximately 65 km/h (around 40 mph.) She becomes an expert in unarmed combat under Captain America's guidance. She also shows amazing deductive skills as er leadership of the team grows.
Above is Avengers (v1) 68, one of my favourite covers with her on it from this era. The covers show how much the roster of the team changes over the years, but here Hank and Janet are still around.
Anyway, this is Part 1 of my coverage of the fantastic Ms. Van Dyne. We will continue in our next one.
Ottawa Notes and News - From a comic perspective, Ottawa Comiccon announced a slew of comic creators that will be coming to join the aforementioned Neal Adams and Jim Shooter (among others). We have Andy Belanger, perennial favourite Dan Parent (who I had an interesting conversation with last year; wish I had taken notes.), Danica Brine, Gisele Legace (whose work for Archie Comics has put New Brunswick on the map for comic artists), Ken Lashley, Nick Bradshaw (another perennial returnee), and Olivier Carpentier. If you like their stuff, please come. Also of note, Neal Adams is taking commission requests through his website for pick up at the con (http://nealadams.com/).
As we are just over a month away from Free Comic Book Day (at this writing), whch falls on May 5, 2018, I will try to be in contact with every store in the area to pass on what they have planned so you can plan yours accordingly.
As always, enjoy reading and feel free to post comments below.
The Ottawa Comic Book Guy
Making her debut in the above-pictured Tales to Astonish #44 (June 1963), she was Janet van Dyne, socialite daughter to Vernon van Dyne, scientist (who still managed to own a mansion and a yacht; how were all scientists rich in comics?) and partner to Ant-Man, Henry Pym. We first see her in the prescene of her father who visits Dr. Pym as he was reflecting on the death of his wife and deciding he needs a crime fighting partner. Dr. Van Dyne is there to ask Dr.Pym for help on a project he was working on and Henry refuses, citing different fields. After leaving and trying his experiment alone a hos home, Dr. Van Dyne is killed by a creature he mistakenly releases from another planet. Janet is the one to discover the body and contacts Henry, seeking revenge for her father's death. After doing his own investigation Henry confides to Janet that he his Ant-Man and asks her to become his side-kick. She agrees and then Henry implants her with wings and antennae that sh can use when the Pym particles shrink her to insect-size. They then defeat the creature and Janet declares her love for Henry, which he dismisses immediately. (What was it with Lee and Kirby's couples? Why do all the men have to be dickish...see Reed and Susan Richards.)
The Wasp appeared with Ant-Man as his partner through to issue 69 of Tales to Astonish. Fighting characters such as Egghead, the Porcupine (pretty weak) and the Human Top; eventually the two become lovers. Soon after, the Norse God Loki decides to get revenge on is brother Thor (sibling rivalry, it can get dangerous) by using the Hulk as his pawn, teenager Rick Jones recruits Iron Man, Ant-Man and our heroine to help defeat the Trickster God, leading to the formation of the Avengers. (I will admit that I was a little annoyed with the movie version having Hawkeye and Black Widow in the Ant-Man/Wasp roles.) This was in Avengers 1 (September 1963). As a big fan of super-heroines, I have a beef that although she appeared on the cover, she wasn't highlighted in the blurbs at the top of the comic, nor was she in the side picture with her male co-stars.
During her time with the Avengers, the Wasp was mostly known for her numerous costume changes (she had more changes than Supergirl in Supergirl's Adventure Comics phase) as her character in her civilian guise was beginning to be known as a fashion designer. We also got to see that she had natural leadership skills, generally serving as team leader when Captain America was not. However, her character spent an inordinate time trying to get Henry to marry her.
Over the years we also see a great change in the effects of her powers. Not including the grafted wings and antennae (the latter of which made less and less appearances as we continue), she developed the natural ability to shrink to wasp size without the particles, her DNA having changed from continued exposure. Her stingers, which are bio-charged particles released from her body, originally needed special wrist devices in order to access, became latent and she was able to do this naturally in later years. She also developed the power to grow in size as well, but she rarely used this aspect of her powers. Her antennae allowed her to communicate with insects telepathically like Ant-Man could, bu as she grew the appendages less, this power was also not shown very much. With her wings, she is capable of reaching approximately 65 km/h (around 40 mph.) She becomes an expert in unarmed combat under Captain America's guidance. She also shows amazing deductive skills as er leadership of the team grows.
Above is Avengers (v1) 68, one of my favourite covers with her on it from this era. The covers show how much the roster of the team changes over the years, but here Hank and Janet are still around.
Anyway, this is Part 1 of my coverage of the fantastic Ms. Van Dyne. We will continue in our next one.
Ottawa Notes and News - From a comic perspective, Ottawa Comiccon announced a slew of comic creators that will be coming to join the aforementioned Neal Adams and Jim Shooter (among others). We have Andy Belanger, perennial favourite Dan Parent (who I had an interesting conversation with last year; wish I had taken notes.), Danica Brine, Gisele Legace (whose work for Archie Comics has put New Brunswick on the map for comic artists), Ken Lashley, Nick Bradshaw (another perennial returnee), and Olivier Carpentier. If you like their stuff, please come. Also of note, Neal Adams is taking commission requests through his website for pick up at the con (http://nealadams.com/).
As we are just over a month away from Free Comic Book Day (at this writing), whch falls on May 5, 2018, I will try to be in contact with every store in the area to pass on what they have planned so you can plan yours accordingly.
As always, enjoy reading and feel free to post comments below.
The Ottawa Comic Book Guy
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