Ant-Man #1
Written by: Nick Spencer
Art by: Ramon Rosanas
It was only a matter of time until Marvel tapped an all-star creative team to bring the adventures of Ant-Man to comics. Every comic book movie needs a comic to support it and so Marvel has finally provided their Ant-Man relaunch. With the writer behind the phenomenal Superior Foes of Spider-Man, there was no question whether this series would end up being a hit. In many ways, Ant-Man could be viewed as the writer’s spiritual successor to Superior Foes. Similar in character, humor and most of all quality. Yup, Ant-Man #1 is a masterclass in simplistic and endearing storytelling. Looks like we’ve already got a contender for debut of the year on our hands.
For a premiere issue, Ant-Man #1 nails all the right beats. Nick Spencer takes advantage of Ant-Man’s obscurity to retell his origin through a hilarious interview scene rendering the comic accessible to all. Spencer is unfettered from continuity here and is able to tell a story that doesn’t rely on past events so this exposition feels introductory and purposeful. The nature of this series will most likely be one-in-done stories and therefor Spender’s script isn’t hindered by set-up. Resulting in a comic with a fun and fast flow to it. However, the story-beats (despite being very strong) are greatly overshadowed by the character work.
I’ve never been extremely familiar with the Scott Lang character. It’s one thing to know his upbringing and central values but his inner-depths aren’t something you can truly find on a Wikipedia page. Fortunately, Nick Spencer is able to dive deep into Scott’s insecurities, fears, quirks etc. Spencer portrays Scott as a lame, engaging and loving man. With an incredible use of inner-monologue, we’re able to perceive the world through Ant-Man’s eyes and relate to his unremarkable achievements and story. This issue is a testament to Spencer’s incredible sense of character, making you fall in love with Scott in merely a page. His undeniable affection for his daughter and desire to escape the boundaries of being a C-lister prove to be compelling characteristics. His demeanor and speech, somewhat reminding me of why I love Yorick Brown so much.
And while Nick Spencer hands in a fantastic script, Ramon Rosanas is integral to the quality of this comic. His art is cartoony and fun resembling the likes of Daredevil’s Chris Samnee. The artist is in perfect sync with Spencer’s vision, being the perfect fit for this series. He also gets the draw the whole issue which is becoming increasingly scarce for Marvel’s oversized comics.
I don’t think Ant-Man #1 is a perfect issue, but I feel like given it a 9 would be downgrading the comic’s greatness. Nick Spencer has put Ant-Man on the radar and started his climb towards becoming an A-Lister. Handing in one of the best scripts of his career, Spencer restores the humor and tone that made us all fall in love with Superior Foes. Ant-Man is hilarious and bittersweet while giving us the human story of a broken family life. This is exactly what an Ant-Man comic staring Scott Lang should be and more. This issue merits my full endorsement and praise, underdog superhero stories don’t get any better than this.
Art by: Ramon Rosanas
It was only a matter of time until Marvel tapped an all-star creative team to bring the adventures of Ant-Man to comics. Every comic book movie needs a comic to support it and so Marvel has finally provided their Ant-Man relaunch. With the writer behind the phenomenal Superior Foes of Spider-Man, there was no question whether this series would end up being a hit. In many ways, Ant-Man could be viewed as the writer’s spiritual successor to Superior Foes. Similar in character, humor and most of all quality. Yup, Ant-Man #1 is a masterclass in simplistic and endearing storytelling. Looks like we’ve already got a contender for debut of the year on our hands.
For a premiere issue, Ant-Man #1 nails all the right beats. Nick Spencer takes advantage of Ant-Man’s obscurity to retell his origin through a hilarious interview scene rendering the comic accessible to all. Spencer is unfettered from continuity here and is able to tell a story that doesn’t rely on past events so this exposition feels introductory and purposeful. The nature of this series will most likely be one-in-done stories and therefor Spender’s script isn’t hindered by set-up. Resulting in a comic with a fun and fast flow to it. However, the story-beats (despite being very strong) are greatly overshadowed by the character work.
I’ve never been extremely familiar with the Scott Lang character. It’s one thing to know his upbringing and central values but his inner-depths aren’t something you can truly find on a Wikipedia page. Fortunately, Nick Spencer is able to dive deep into Scott’s insecurities, fears, quirks etc. Spencer portrays Scott as a lame, engaging and loving man. With an incredible use of inner-monologue, we’re able to perceive the world through Ant-Man’s eyes and relate to his unremarkable achievements and story. This issue is a testament to Spencer’s incredible sense of character, making you fall in love with Scott in merely a page. His undeniable affection for his daughter and desire to escape the boundaries of being a C-lister prove to be compelling characteristics. His demeanor and speech, somewhat reminding me of why I love Yorick Brown so much.
And while Nick Spencer hands in a fantastic script, Ramon Rosanas is integral to the quality of this comic. His art is cartoony and fun resembling the likes of Daredevil’s Chris Samnee. The artist is in perfect sync with Spencer’s vision, being the perfect fit for this series. He also gets the draw the whole issue which is becoming increasingly scarce for Marvel’s oversized comics.
I don’t think Ant-Man #1 is a perfect issue, but I feel like given it a 9 would be downgrading the comic’s greatness. Nick Spencer has put Ant-Man on the radar and started his climb towards becoming an A-Lister. Handing in one of the best scripts of his career, Spencer restores the humor and tone that made us all fall in love with Superior Foes. Ant-Man is hilarious and bittersweet while giving us the human story of a broken family life. This is exactly what an Ant-Man comic staring Scott Lang should be and more. This issue merits my full endorsement and praise, underdog superhero stories don’t get any better than this.
A Look Inside
