Return of the Ant-Man

Hank Pym has discovered a formula that can cause people to shrink down to the size of an ant. After a harrowing ordeal in an anthill outside his home, Pym managed to restore himself to human size. He then decided to lock away his formula for the time being.[1] He then begins a rigorous study of ants and learns their habits and how they communicate with one another. He then develops a helmet that will allow him to communicate with the ants via radio waves and a protective costume to protect him from ant bites when he shrinks down in size.

Other than his personal pursuits, Pym is one of five scientists selected to develop a means of making immune to radiation.

When next of this work reaches Russia, the leader of that country sends spies to steal the formula. These spies break into the lab and demand that Pym hand over the formula to them. Henry refuses and when the spies suggest getting the information out of one of his assistants, Pym tells them that they only worked on a portion of the formula and the only one who knows its entire process is him. The spies lock Pym in his office to search for the formula on their own, intending to blow up the lab once they are done.

Once alone, Henry decides to go to work to stop the spies. He retrieves his shrinking formula from his private safe and puts on the costume he designed for himself. Before shrinking down in size, Hank fashions a make-shift slingshot using a slingshot and an ash tray. Using his formula, Pym goes into action. With his slingshot, he fires himself over to the nearest window. After crawling under the window he then lowers himself to the ground using a long strand of thread. He quickly finds an ant hill and begins trying to communicate with the insects. The device works in sublimating all of the ants except for one that appears immune to his mental commands. When it attacks, Pym easily overpowers and tosses away the ant. He realizes that even though he has shrank in size he still retains his normal strength. When the ant comes scurrying bat it manages to bite his arm. However, thanks to his costume comprised of Unstable Molecules, its pincers do not penetrate through his clothing. Recovering quickly from the bite, Pym knocks out the ant.

With the battle over, Pym then commands the other ants to follow him outside of the colony. There they run into a giant beetle that is attracted to the bright colors of Hank’s costume. He quickly digs a hole and lures the beetle into his trap. He then leads the ants up the side of the wall of his lab and into the building by crawling under the window. After using his human-sized strength to untie the other scientists. He then orders the ants to crawl up the legs of the spies and begin biting them as well as plug up their guns with honey.

With the spies trying to get the ants off of themselves, the scientist are easily able to overpower them. With the danger passed, Pym races back to his lab and returns to his proper size. He quickly stashes away his gear in order to keep his identity a secret. With the spies tied up for the authorities, Hank Pym wonders when he might have to once again become the Ant-Man.[2]

Recurring Characters

Ant-Man

Continuity Notes

1. For more on Hank Pym’s first foray into the world of ants see “The Man In the Ant-Hill!” from Tales to Astonish #27.

2. Ant-Man’s origins are expanded upon in Avengers Origins: Ant-Man & The Wasp #1.

Topical References

This story is rife with Cold War references: The spies are identified as Russians. Their leader is depicted as Nikita Khrushchev. Their country is identified as the USSR and so on. These references should all be considered topical for the usual reasons. The last profile on Hank Pym at the time of this writing (January 2021) was in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #13 (under Wasp) states that his lab was attacked by spies but does not specify where they came from or who they worked for. Likewise is this the case in the retelling of Ant-Man’s origins in Avengers Origins: Ant-Man & The Wasp #1, which referrs to the men who hold Pym and his associates hostage as nothing more than thugs.

As yet, there is no official explanation to reconcile these topical references. It’s my opinion that these spies could still be Russian since a number of later Ant-Man early foes were Russian and remained as such even when other facts about them have become topical references so I don’t see any real reason why the spies in this story couldn’t be Russians either.