Thunderstrike, Ant-Man & the Wasp

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Like Robert Kirkman’s Ant-Man before it, Tim Seeley’s Ant-Man & Wasp is a series I like, but then hate myself for liking it. The storytelling is good, but the humor is decidedly adolescent. Henry Pym is the foil and Eric O’Grady is the fool. The language and syntax tells me I am not this three-issue mini-series’ target demographic.

The five-issue Thunderstrike is off to a good start. Unlike Eric O’Grady, Kevin Masterson (son of Eric Masterson, the original Thunderstrike), is actually heroic. At least his characterization demonstrates the beginnings of a typical heroic arc. Unable to find or trigger any mystical energy from Eric Masterson’s hammer, Steve Rogers returns it to Kevin. When the teenaged Kevin strikes it, however, he is inexplicably transformed into the likeness of his father’s super-powered persona.

The main story is very old school, written by Tom DeFalco, penciled by Ron Frenz and inked by Sal Buscema. A back-up feature written by DeFalco and drawn by Todd Nauck drops hints as to what may be going here. The series itself doesn’t break any new ground, but if you like comics in which the feature characters are actually heroic, you may enjoy it. Thunderstrike is a series I like but then fell ashamed of myself for liking it.

[The Baron]

Is Hank Pym still calling himself the Wasp? That creeps me out - it's just seems kind of "Norman Bates" - ish to me, somehow.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Yes, this series is about the new Ant-Man (Eric O’Grady) and the new Wasp (Hank Pym), and yes, that aspect is kind of creepy, but at least Hank Pym is portrayed as competent and heroic (at least in comparison to O’Grady). I was under the impression that the new Ant-Man’s character arc had developed, but nothing that can’t be regressed for a mini-series, I suppose. DC has demomstrated the same inconsistent characterization with Guy Gardner over the years.

[Doctor Hmmm?]

The five-issue Thunderstrike is off to a good start. Unlike Eric O’Grady, Kevin Masterson (son of Eric Masterson, the original Thunderstrike), is actually heroic. At least his characterization demonstrates the beginnings of a typical heroic arc. Unable to find or trigger any mystical energy from Eric Masterson’s hammer, Steve Rogers returns it to Kevin. When the teenaged Kevin strikes it, however, he is inexplicably transformed into the likeness of his father’s super-powered persona.

The main story is very old school, written by tom DeFalco, penciled by Ron Frenz and inked by Sal Buscema. A back-up feature written by DeFalco and drawn by Todd Nauck drops hints as to what may be going here. The series itself doesn’t break any new ground, but if you like comics in which the feature characters are actually heroic, you may enjoy it. Thunderstrike is a series I like but then fell ashamed of myself for liking it.

So, basically, DeFalco is incorporating some of his MC2 material into mainstream Marvel? (Not that I have a problem with that. I liked MC2.)

[Philip Portelli]

I thought it strange to run a mini with Hank as the *ick* Wasp concurrently as he returns as Giant-Man in Avengers Academy but we'll see if the former affects the latter. I never warmed to this new Ant-Man, especially when he struck Stature in Avengers:The Initiative, despite his Thunderbolts appearances and can no way accept him as an Avenger, in any way!

I really enjoy Defalco and Frenz' MC2 work and miss May (Spider-Girl) Parker. I liked A-Next but can't get myself to buy Thunderstrike. Too many bad 90s memories when Marvel had two versions of their characters running around like Iron Man/War Machine and Captain America/USAgent. Maybe if I see them cheap...

[Jeff of Earth-J]

THUNDERSTRIKE #2: I’ve been carrying this issue around with me in my briefcase for nearly a week now which means I had something specific to say about it when I read it, but I’ll be damned if I can remember what it was I wanted to say now. There’s nothing here you haven’t seen before, but I complain often enough about “decompressed storytelling” that I feel obligated to support more traditional titles such as this lest I be labeled a hypocrite.

[ClarkKent_DC]

Philip Portelli said:

I really enjoy Defalco and Frenz' MC2 work and miss May (Spider-Girl) Parker. I liked A-Next but can't get myself to buy Thunderstrike. Too many bad 90s memories when Marvel had two versions of their characters running around like Iron Man/War Machine and Captain America/USAgent. Maybe if I see them cheap...

 

Yeah, what was up with that? I even saw a miniseries once featuring Thunderstrike, War Machine and U.S. Agent vs. Thor, Iron Man and Captain America, which is like the 1927 Yankees versus the cast of Pride of the Yankees. They may look the same, but just aren't.

 

[Philip Portelli]

It was worse with Spider-Man/Venom, Fantastic Four/Fantastic Force, Avengers/Force Works and X-Men-Blue Team/X-Men-Gold Team (with Wolverine on both, natch). The only one without a "spare" was the Hulk and man, is he making up for it now!

I'm enjoying Ant-Man and the Wasp, surprisingly so. I am desperately searching for some portrayal of Hank Pym that isn't guilt-ridden, manic-depressive or over-compensating!

[Figserello]

Philip Portelli said:

I'm enjoying Ant-Man and the Wasp, surprisingly so. I am desperately searching for some portrayal of Hank Pym that isn't guilt-ridden, manic-depressive or over-compensating!

 

 

Well, maybe he just IS 'guilt-ridden, manic-depressive or over-compensating'?

When you suffer from these things, you can't change just because people would like you to!

I should know :-)

While we're wishing away people's basic personalities, Doctors Doom and Octopus should cop themselves on and lighten up as well.

[Philip Portelli]

True, true but does every story that features him have to focus on those traits? Would they do the same to Iron Man? Have him fall off the wagon every epic? Have Bruce Banner haunted by his father? Have Peter pining over Gwen? Yes, it's part of who he is not all of what he is or can be.

[Figserello]

Those characters do circle back on those preoccupations again and again, more than I like seeing anyway, but there is a difference perhaps in that those are events the characters may or may not live through, whereas Pym is about him being who he is ie a byword for inadequacy and failure!