Ant-Man #1: Buzzing with Energy

It’s been a while since there was an Ant-Man solo title, and it’s a shame that this will only be a miniseries. That said, Ant-Man #1 — like Scott Lang himself — fits a lot into a small space. With Scott unemployed in Florida and trying his best to bond with his daughter Cassie (herself a part-time hero), he nonetheless has a lot to get done: evildoers to fight, missing bees to find, bills to pay… you get the gist. 

Right off the bat, Wells’ dialogue is incredibly witty and funny and the action is equally fast-paced. In particular, dialogue between Scott and Cassie does a great job solidifying their fraught relationship while getting in more than a laugh or two. That said, I’m curious to see how Wells may handle more serious moments down the line, if any appear at all. While nods to previous comics maintain a sense of continuity, this series is friendly to new readership and doesn’t rely too heavily on knowing previous lore.

Wells’ writing is perfectly matched by the Dylan Burnett‘s cartoony line work and Mike Spicer’s punchy colors. Burnett also proves more than capable of rendering threatening and complicated characters like Swarm when necessary. The main cover art by Eduard Petrovich shares the comic’s sense of movement and playfulness, though perhaps could have done with focusing on the main conflict/villain.  

One of Ant-Man’s strengths is its comedy, both in terms of timing and visual gags. Two instances stick out: the first involves Scott gesturing with his hands full of AIM scientists and the latter when he gets his photo taken for the newspaper.

Ant-Man’s onomatopoeia makes another crucial contribution, becoming particularly effective during Swarm’s reveal. The buzzes surrounding Scott seem to hem him in and simultaneously  direct the reader’s eyeline towards both him and to Swarm looming above. 

Moving from strength to strength, and with larger villains than Swarm awaiting, Ant-Man is shaping up to be a great miniseries and I hope it doesn’t go unnoticed or get squashed underfoot.