Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania

Following the events of Marvel: Endgame, Scott Lang has been riding high on the success of a bestselling biography and popular lecture circuit. But things aren't so great on the home front. Girlfriend Hope Pym Van Dyne barely has time for him now that she runs her father's company. Daughter Cassie has been getting into trouble with the cops; mostly because her father refuses to let her become a superhero. Adding to problems, secretly, Hank Pym has been helping Cassie create a device that could communicate with the Quantum Realm. This really freaks out Janet Van Dyne and before she can turn off the device, she, Hank, Cassie, Hope and Scott are plunged into that microscopic universe.

It's learned that while Janet was stuck in the Quantum Realm, she meet a fellow castaway who promised to return Van Dyne to her world in exchange for repairing his damaged ship. On the day the vehicle is to be activated, Janet learns that whom she thought was an ally actually had plans to conquer the entire known multiverse. Despite a promise to leave her universe free from his plans for conquest, Janet destroys the machine, making a very powerful enemy. Thus, Kang the Conqueror promises revenge on Janet Van Dyne, with the guarantee that should he ever free himself from his exile in the Quantum Realm, her universe will be the first to be destroyed.

Stuck once more in the Quantum Realm, Scott and family must find a way back home without alerting Kang of their presence. But Janet Van Dyne made a lot of enemies during her time away from Hank and Hope; mostly because her betrayal of Kang led to the villain's conquest of the Quantum Realm and slaves of it's inhabitants. Throw in a forgotten foe from the first Antman film and it's essentially 5 against a universe that literally defies the established laws of quantum physics.

I recorded Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania sometime last November on my DVR. FXX was the channel showing it. I get a week off for Thanksgiving break and had every intention of seeing the film in it's entirety in one sitting. FXX was showing the movie in a sort of marathon viewing. As my DVR timer was set to begin recording 2 minutes early, the after credits scene was what started things off and it spoiled a huge chunk of the movie for me. Add in the terrible CGI, the excessive use of green screen and the knowledge that most of what occurs in this movie gets scrapped because of the cancelling of actor Jonathan Majors (due to an arrest for assault and battery), who plays Kang and I quickly lost interest in the movie.

I think I watched the first hour during Thanksgiving break. Another hour or so during Christmas and then today, I finally got up the nerve to finish the film and free up a couple hours on my DVR. Maybe it's because I am nearly 50 and I have seen more than my fair share of superhero movies. Maybe it's because Hollywood is operating on tired cliches and very little else. Maybe it's both, because I found very little in this 2023 film that surprised me. I was literally running through everything that happened in the last climatic battle scene out loud a good 3-4 seconds before it happened. I wasn't bored as much as I was unimpressed.

I feel like a major Marvel villain such as Kang the Conqueror shouldn't have been wasted on such a minor hero as Antman. Kang deserves better than Scott Lang. He needs the Avengers. Yeah, I know. Earth's Mightiest Heroes are defunct at the moment. Having Kang was going to be what brings the old team together in what, the MCU's 5th wave. Or is it 6th? 7th? I have no idea.

The plan going forward for Marvel is to have Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., as the main villain. But did we have to forgo Kang just because the actor who played him did something criminal? Actors and actresses have been fired and recast since the beginning of Hollywood. If you are going to explore the multiverse of the MCU and officially add the Fantastic Four and the X-Men to it, it really makes sense to keep Kang your villain. He's the time travelling, multiple Earth visiting antagonist that has given everyone fits at one time or another. It's almost like Kevin Fiege was unhappy with the plans made for the Kang Saga and was looking for any glitch to change things around. To me, this feels like the crimes committed by Majors was almost secretly welcomed by Marvel. If Disney was really sickened by those crimes, they would have kept their original plans and recast another actor to play Kang.

This is a movie that was not very well made in terms of creativity or special effects. It's also a film with a lot of baggage. I'm glad that I didn't spend about $80 going to the theaters to see it with my godson. It would have been a waste of time and money- hard earned. Antman and the Wasp Quantumania is almost, ALMOST NOT as bad as the worst MCU film ever made, Thor: The Dark World. But not by much. I hate to say it but it's Jonathan Majors who makes this film somewhat re-watchable.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

The Avengers, Vol. 1: World Trust

Washington D.C. has disappeared. So has dozens of other world capitals, which appear to have disappeared off the face of the earth. The planet is in crisis. The United Nations is operating under a skeleton crew. Once again, Earth's mightiest heroes are called upon to save the day. Only this time, the Avengers aren't defending us from a colossal menace like Kang or Galactus. Instead, they're acting as the de facto leaders of the world under special commission from the UN.

The first half of this book sees very little action. What we get from Geoff Johns is a political Armageddon story on par with Tom Clancy. Seeing Captain America acting as motivational leader of the world with She-Hulk as his political law adviser and Iron Man acting as the head of the World Bank was a welcome change from super hero stories full of fisticuffs and violence. There's a ton of political intrigue as many of the Avengers have trouble trusting the intentions of both T'Challa and the Sub-Mariner, both world leaders, who have joined the team recently. Nobody trusts Henry Peter Gyrich, the Avengers former liaison who oversaw a dramatic retooling of the superhero team in the 1980s. But, Gyrich is about the only government man from D.C. left on the planet and he knows how to play the political game.

I was disappointed when the story shifted over to the menace behind the chaos. On one hand, I like the villain and his reasons for his treachery kinda ties in nicely with the baddie's M.O.. But there was a component of a new player who is more on par with Doctor Strange matching wits with, as opposed to the Avengers. Okay- I admit it! Scarlet Witch and her chaotic hex powers does make her a perfect protagonist to take on one half of the extinction level foes unleashed by the story's main villain. I just hated to see this amazing story devolve back into typical comic book theatrics.

World Trust was another example of why I like the Avengers. They've never really disappointed me. I think one reason they work so well is because of how much they distrust each other.

Great additions of Jack of Hearts and the Scott Lang Ant-Man to this story. They added a distrustful tension to the story which each other really hating the other guy's guts. Plus, both have such tragic story lines going on at this point, that their inclusion in this adventures added a ton of heart. 

Definitely a keeper in my Avengers collection of reads. I just wish there was more crisis-level drama than over-the-top superheroing in this grouping of issue.

Oh, and the back-up story was awesome. If you ever wondered what the Avengers would look and act like if they existed in the Simpsons universe, here's your chance. Simpsons Comics' Bill Morrison crafts a wacky tale in which Loki seeks to regain the title of God of Mischief by playing a bunch of sophomoric pranks on the Avengers. It's another fun tale that was so unusual and extremely refreshing to read that I want to see more of!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Ant-Man: Ant-iversary

Dr. Henry Pym, Scott Lang and Eric O'Grady are plucked from the time stream to battle a futuristic version of an enemy so unthinkable, that I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it myself. 

In this 60th anniversary epic, readers are treated to 3 untold tales of the trio of men to bear the moniker of Ant-Man. Pym is removed during the dawn of the Marvel Age of Comics just as he is fighting a quartet of some of his not-so-well-known foes from the 1960s. O-Grady is sent into the future right after he steals the Ant-Man suit from Pym, who is working for SHIELD at the time. Lang's story occurs during the present of 2022, right after the Avengers stop Ultron for the umpteenth time. 

Tom Reilly is the main artist for this tribute to Ant-Man. Yet, if you were to tell me that he had help from an assortment of other artists, I'd believe you. Reilly changes his style to reflect the time periods in which each Ant-Man exists. It's a level of dedication (and nostalgia) that I greatly appreciate. Story writer Al Ewing also tries to differentiate his narrative voice which each time period. I just didn't feel that he was as effective as Tom Reilly was in making things feel as timely. Although, how he presents the Marvel Universe in the future of 2549 A.D. feels like how comics and literature in general is going, what with the near ubiquitous use of emojis, tech-speak and the removal of letters from everyday words.

There's also a pair of classic Ant-Man stories from the early 1960s. Hank Pym takes on the Protector and the Time Master in those reprint tales. Both villains are part of the team of 4 that take on the original Ant-Man at the beginning of this anniversary miniseries. While nowhere near on par with the likes of other classic Ant-Man foes like Egghead or Kang the Conqueror, I loved getting to see these vintage tales in vibrant color. I've always admired the Ant-Man and later Giant Man tales as his stories were more scientific in nature like those of the Barry Allen Flash and needed the use of his brain a lot more than his brawn. 

There's also a Wasp miniseries floating around. That 4-issue mini came out earlier this year. Based on how similar that cover to those books looked to the Ant-Man stories, I researched and found that Al Ewing and Tom Reilly were the creative forces behind that project as well. One way or another, I must get my hands on it. If it's half as good as this book was, then I am in for a treat!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #137

Has Iron Fist become MCP's unofficial third featured character? After two lengthy multi-parters in a row (for a total of about 27 straight issues), Danny Rand returns for a third story. Or is it a fourth straight? At least this one is a single issue tale. But still, what's with the fascination with Iron Fist in the pages of this book all of a sudden?

Poor Wolverine. He just can't have a simple vacation. After fleeing an island full of blood cultists in his last story, Logan tries to salvage his tropical holiday with a trip to an island infested with aliens! Oh. and don't forget the blue gorilla!

Ghost Rider's multi-issue adventure, he's run afoul of a trio of samurai-looking heroes called the Masters of Silence. Of course, these martial artists mistakenly believe that Ghost Rider is a demon. And technically, they're not wrong. These Masters of Silence, which are pretty talkative, just don't realize that Danny Ketch is working on the side of the angels.

Lastly, our fourth feature is another 8-page single issue story. It's got Scott Lang trying really hard to balance being a super-hero, the head of a security firm and a dad. This story read like it might have been the inspiration for 2015's Ant-Man film. Well, at least the domestic parts of the film with daughter Cassie.

The Iron Fist story was forgettable. But at least it was brief. Wolverine's segment might have some promise. I mean, it's got a navy blue primate in it for goodness sake. I like the Masters of Silence. They remind me of Marvel's very brief Shogun Warriors; albeit these guys are way shorter. And I just loved the Scott Lang story. I would have been totally fine with this one being spread out over 2 or 3 more issues.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #131

A sensual villainess that appeared in the very first issue of this series makes a return to Madripoor. It's her desire to cause a wedge between lovers Wolverine and Tyger Tiger. A lethal wedge!

Ghost Rider Danny Ketch teams with Luke Cage, who at this time is only going by his last name. A serial killer has murdered a old flame of the former hero for hire. In a weird twist, the killer is under the influence of not the living embodiment of hate but the personification of love!

Speaking of former heroes for hire, the Iron Fist story seems to have been powered (unfortunately) by the Energizer Bunny. This thing just keeps going and going and going. Please! Make it end!

Along with the Wolverine story which is a one-and-done tale, we've also got an 8-pager starring the Scott Lang Ant-Man. A thief has stolen some experimental materials from Stark International. As a security expert, Ant-Man is on the case. But for Scott Lang, as a father, this mission is personal as the thief has also taken a child hostage. 

The Ant-Man story involves some of Lang's ants dying. I didn't like that. I've just resented the Iron Fist serial. I'm so through with it. The Wolverine story was interesting as I like Tyger Tiger and the femme fatale in the story peaks my interest. As for the Ghost Rider story, it seems rather ludicrous. But with the twist in modus operandi for the villain, I'm willing to give it a couple more chapters before really passing judgment.

A middle of the road issue of MCP.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #81

Weapon X's slaughter of his captors continues. But this time, I know that it's all an experiment done by a virtual reality simulator attached to his noggin! You can fool me twice, Marvel and Barry Windsor Smith! But not thrice!

The Wargod story starring Captain America was great. Too bad the twist was spoiled in the last issue. Also, too bad that they didn't mark that last issue with a 'To Be Continued.' I really thought this was a one-and-done story. (Okay- maybe I did get fooled thrice!)

The one-shot stories are amazing. The Scott Lang Ant-Man story proves just how good a character Scott Lang is! It got Lang pulled in 3 directions- struggling ex-con, single dad and super hero. Classic Marvel-type story. I loved it.

Then Daredevil takes on slum lords. When an elderly woman refuses to leave her tenement, the landlord hires some thugs to evict. The finale is thrilling and falls into that supernatural mystique of how Matt Murdock's costume plays on the fears of villains and even the elect!

I love it when superheroes take on your standard thug. It helps make them seem more real to me than battling your Red Skull, Doctor Doom or mere Batroc the Leaper. Probably my favorite segment of the book. But even with the Weapon X ruse, I really enjoyed this issue!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #11

Colossus takes over the temporary starring role of this title which pits the X-Man with an American family who accidentally saw the wrong thing at the wrong time. It will take more than the mutant's metal skin and incalculable strength to prevent a Midwestern version of The Punisher from occurring.

In the one-and-done segments of this title, we get a fun story starring the Scott Lang Ant-Man and a gritty story starring one of the Wolfpack, Slag. The Scott Lang story was beautifully illustrated by Iron Man's Bob Layton. It has Lang shrinking down to retrieve a family heirloom that daughter Cassie dropped down the bathroom drain. You never knew the sewers were so dangerous! And I wished this fun tale wouldn't have ended.

As for Slag- I'm not really familiar with him. I've got a few Wolfpack issues. But since I don't have the complete mini, I've not read it yet. Can't really say that what I read has made me go out and find those missing chapters compared to other recent readings of things. 

Then we've got that Man-Thing story that doesn't have the Man-Thing in it. Well, it's chapter 11 (out of 12) and Man-Thing finally shows up for more than one or two panels. Things get really odd and while a little bit of the Drugs-Devil Worship-Iran Contra connection isn't clear; it still makes for a great read. 

Overall 3 out of 4 stories were really well done. #4 was forgettable. Literally. Still, this was an enjoyable read!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Astonishing Ant-Man, Volume 1: Everybody Loves Team-Ups

After we live Scott Lang's last day on earth, which involves an amazing assortment of cameos from the golden age of Marvel/Timely, we start the newest Ant-Man series: The Astonishing Ant-Man. It begins with Lang back in prison. But the how and why isn't yet explained. Instead, we get a very long and slow process that promises to get us there. We learn of Scott's many failed romances. He's down in the dumps security company. And of his troubles being a good dad. But nothing on how Scott ended up wearing orange jumpers.

As I said, this story is moving at a snail's pace. 

In the pages of Mike Allred's FF, Scott Lang is quite heroic. He's a good leader though flawed. But at one point, he beats the crap out of Doctor Doom. The real McCoy! Not one of Victor's Doom Bots! In the Ant-Man series just prior to this; Scott has fallen on rough times, but there's still a luster in his reputation. Yet with this series, he's almost a total screw-up! It's almost like Marvel decided to make the Paul Rudd MCU the standard. 

I get that Marvel wants their characters in the comics to reflect the characters in the movies. But this self-deprecating change is so all of a sudden. It doesn't gel right. 

This isn't a bad volume of tales. The annual involving Hank Pym and that Last Days story at the beginning were both great. But then things get depressing after that. And it doesn't make for an enjoyable read. 

I understand that things can't always be peaches and cream for superheroes. But I also can't stand it when it seems like a perpetual rain cloud is always over the head of characters I really like. Marvel has really f-ed this up with Deadpool and now it seems that Scott Lang is getting the same treatment.

I'm hoping that things either speed up so we find out why Scott Lang is once again incarcerated or that things spring back into a more positive front for this Ant-Man. I'd even be okay with the prison thing being a fake-out. You know, have Lang be going undercover as a villain in order to take some crime lord down. Regardless, there has to be better turn out of things in volume 2 or I'm not sticking around for a third entry.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Ant-Man, Volume 1: Second-Chance Man (Marvel NOW!)

 

 After a pretty hard life in the Big Apple, Scott Lang follows his daughter to sunny Miami. Lang hasn't always been there for Cassie, what with being in jail and all, so he decides to stay close after his ex-wife relocates to the Sunshine state. The second Ant-Man hopes to capitalize on his name recognition and he starts up a new security business. Along with a fellow reformed super-villain named the Grizzly (who mistakingly tries to kill Scott after believing he is the Ant-Man who sent him to the slammer!), things seem to be going great at this new business (except for the customers who mistake him for an exterminator...) 

   But Scott should know not to look on the bright side for too long as a trio of his old foes has arrived on the scene, gunning for revenge. Just don't call them his arch-enemies, okay? These baddies do have a reputation to uphold!

    I liked this series. It did a fairly decent job playing off of the events that occurred in last year's Ant-Man movie. Author Nick Spencer has Lang be the narrator for this volume and I think that was a great idea. Spencer seems to really be able to get into our anti-hero's head and with that being said, I really can hear actor Paul Rudd's voice throughout this book. This Ant-Man has all the mannerisms, quirks, and foibles of the actor who is set to portray the diminutive character for a number of upcoming Marvel films. It was brilliant.

   There are just two little things that I think are missing from this series. The first thing is that I think Miami was a little bit of a mistake. In the Ant-Man film, the lead character lives and operates in San Francisco. Now, I know that in the comics all of the characters operate out of New York and that's where this story opens up. But I also know that Marvel wants the books to more closely resemble the films. So, instead of Scott pick up stakes and move to Miami, Spencer should have him set up in the Golden Gate area.

   The other issue I had was an editorial problem. This series only ran for 5 issues and an annual. The short run is all likely due to the massive shakeup of Secret Wars. But Second-Chance Man only contains issues 1-5! Where is the annual at? Is it going to be reprinted somewhere else? And more importantly, why isn't it contained in this volume?

   This was a great book, though a little incomplete. Hopefully, after Secret Wars, we'll continue the adventures of Scott and Cassie Lang. I gotta say, if Marvel doesn't return to the adventures of this Ant-Man, they'll be coming up 'short' on a perfect opportunity involving a fascinating character.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars.

Marvel's Ant-Man

 Well, it took me forever, but I finally saw the film Ant-Man. It's kinda ironic since it took literally forever for this movie to see the light of day. I remember reading almost a dozen years ago in Wizard Magazine about how a script that would involve multiple generations of people bearing the mantle of Ant-Man was floating around Hollywood but never could find anyone to commit to it. For the life of me, I couldn't understand how this concept would work and it made sense that this was the superhero movie that nobody wanted. 

   That is until this Sunday when all of the pieces fell into place and I finally could see the full picture that this amazing script was to paint on the silver screen. 

    Elderly Dr. Hank Pym's (Michael Douglas) days as the Ant-Man for the American military covert ops are over. Not wanting the formula to his Pym Particles, a mysterious substance that can shrink and enlarge organic material, to fall into the wrong hands, Pym willingly allowed himself to become a pariah of SHIELD. As a result, Pym loses his company and is estranged from his daughter. When a former colleague of Pym is close to unlocking the secret behind the Pym Particles, the original Ant-Man enlists the help of Scott Lang to prevent project Yellowjacket from becoming a reality.

    Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is a cat-burglar recently released from prison. Down on his luck, Lang wants to make amends in order to restore his relationship with his daughter, Cassie. Desperate, the ex-con agrees to one last job and, as a result, steals Pym's Ant-Man suit. But this heist was really a test to prove if Lang has what it takes to finally redeem himself, save the world from terrorists looking to weaponize Pym's work,  and become the new Ant-Man.

   Filled with lots of great cameos, Ant-Man was a literal who's who (Oops, I'm sorry, wrong company)- a literal The Official Handbook of the Marvel <Cinematic> Universe. Ant-Man was planned as the final project in Marvel's Phase Two which looked to expand the number of heroes and villains in the movie universe. And though a sequel has yet to be approved, that doesn't mean the end of the diminutive hero. Rudd's character looks to play a major role in the forthcoming Captain America: Civil War (2016.)

    A major character starring in Civil War has a great- gee, I wouldn't call it a cameo- let's say supporting role in Ant-Man. It's probably been spoiled to death as to who pops up, but you will not find out who it is from me, folks. But, speaking again about Civil War, be sure to stay during and after the credits to learn more about Scott Lang's future in the movies. (Yes- there are not one but two bonus scenes!)
  
    Compared to the latest Marvel film to hit the big screen, this film was fantastic. The acting was superior with its all-star cast. The special effects were generations better than the Fox flop to remain nameless and I was surprised by how much I was interested in a movie about a guy that can shrink to 4-inches tall and commands legions of ants. 

    The only thing that I felt was wrong about the movie was that the plot and ending were telegraphed numerous times. This might not be the fault of the director or screenwriter. The fact that I pretty much knew how this film would end by about the 35-minute mark on, could very well be because I've read so much of the Marvel catalogue that not very much surprises me anymore as much of Lang's origin was taken from his origin story in the pages of Marvel Premiere, 1979.

    But this was a good movie and a fun ride. A little heavy on swears, this is still the type of super-hero movie that kids as much as adults will want to see. Especially during the very funny climatic battle between Ant-Man and Yellowjacket on a child's toy train set. 

    Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.