As far as I can tell, five comics characters have called themselves "The Wasp" over the years. The first was Burton Slade, a crusading newsman who became a generic mystery man of the sort that used to be all over these hills back in the day. He first appeared in 1939 and was published by Lev Gleason. He looked like this:
The second was the suspiciously-similar Dan Burton, a crusading newsman who also became a generic mystery man. (Skipper, how come you never became a generic mystery man?) He first appeared in 1941 and was published by Harvey Comics. He looked like this:
The third was Janet Van Dyne, who should need no introduction on this board. She first appeared in 1963 and was (and for aught I know still is) published by Marvel Comics. She is my favorite Wasp. She has had many looks over the years. This is one of them:
The fourth was Henry Pym, who first appeared in 1962, but became the Wasp in 2009 in tribute to Jan, who was being dead for a while, perhaps for tax purposes, Hotblack Desiato style. This strikes me as very creepy. Imagine if your wife died, and you started calling yourself by her name, and doing her job. They'd probably send the men in white coats after you! Anyway, he looked like this:
The fifth is called simply Nadia, so far. She claims to be the daughter of Hank Pym by his first wife, Maria Trovaya. Iron Man and Ms. Marvel (SPOILERS for All-New, All-Different Avengers #9 follow) theorize that she was pregnant when she was kidnapped and that Hank never knew about it. I leave it to one of the Board's Old Ones to explain what sort of hash this does or does not make of Silver Age continuity. She seems to have been raised to be a sort of Winter Soldier. when she showed an aptitude for science, she was told of her parentage and encouraged to study. She got a hold of a "black market Pym Particle", mastered its uses and escaped, coming to America, only to find the Hank is unavailable (Is he being dead now?), and thus seeking out the Avengers. She looks like this:
I am suspicious. Stark scans her and her bio-signs seem to indicate truthfulness. Jarvis is initially violently skeptical, but seems to be won over at the end. I don't think she's a knowing spy - but I suspect an unwitting sleeper agent. Time will tell....
Replies
"I leave it to one of the Board's Old Ones to explain what sort of hash this does or does not make of Silver Age continuity."
I'm not certain. Maria Trovaya appeared in only one (non-flashback) story to my knowledge. I'll have to re-read it to be certain, but I don't see how she could have been pregnant and had a baby before she died without Henry Pym knowing about it. But as I said elsewhere, if Mark Waid says it it must be so.
"(Is he being dead now?)"
I would like to know the answer to that question, too.
"I am suspicious."
I'm not. I think she is what she purports to be.
I am a bit surprised to discover that Janet is "still dead." This is the last I saw of her (2008).
You're more trusting than I am, perhaps. Her story just seems a bit too facile to me. So, either it's a set-up, or it's lazy writing.
I am perhaps more trusting of Mark Waid, specifically.
She might be a sleeper agent.
The cynic in me (yes, there is one) says it's just keeping the trademark alive.
I believe she was also brought back in the West Coast Avengers series when Hank Pym was doing his red jump-suit thing, although I vaguely think she might have been an imposter .
(Didn't she look a bit MODOK-like?)
Hank is 'dead' in that he merged with Ultron in the OGN Rage of Ultron (which is a better story than it sounds...honest!)
I don't think Jan should be dead. She was found after the Requiem book - never having been dead at all and was in that OGN so in the post-Secret Wars universe she was still around.
I would have MUCH PREFERRED any new Wasp to have been a version of Jan and Havok's daughter from a different timeline (it's all about Kang) that they 'lost' in the Uncanny Avengersd series by Remender.
Jeff of Earth-J said:
“I believe she was also brought back in the West Coast Avengers series when Hank Pym was doing his red jump-suit thing, although I vaguely think she might have been an imposter .”
That sounds vaguely familiar.
“Hank is 'dead' in that he merged with Ultron in the OGN Rage of Ultron (which is a better story than it sounds...honest!)”
It would have to be, wouldn’t it? ;) I remember you talking about it. Sounds a bit like the Brigadier’s final fate in Doctor Who. Didn’t care much for that, either.
“I don't think Jan should be dead. She was found after the Requiem book - never having been dead at all and was in that OGN so in the post-Secret Wars universe she was still around.”
My head hurts.
Those two Golden Age Wasps were probably based on the Green Hornet like DC's Crimson Avenger and Sandman were.
I think that the Jan -Wasp should still be around but since the movie Wasp is Hank Pym's daughter, the comics now have to reflect that!
I didn't even realize that. Now I'm more convinced than ever that she's on the up-and-up.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 6 Next