Ant-Man #4: Big Bangs and Tiny Tragedies

Now exclusively available in digital, the fourth issue of Ant-Man can be easy to overlook. That said, the adventures of Marvel’s microscopic hero continue to be worth seeking out.

Zeb Wells begins the issue with an oddly touching farewell to Pam the Ant that lends a bit of emotional gravitas to an otherwise action-oriented read. This opening tragedy emphasizes the importance Ant-Man places on home and family, though this theme still feels underdeveloped at times. As with previous issues, the fourth installment is generally witty and fast-paced, to a degree that it feels as if it’s over almost as soon as it’s begun. 

Dylan Burnett’s art remains incredibly engaging. As in previous issues, his incorporation of onomatopoeia not only adds to the comic’s sense of playfulness but works brilliantly within each composition to guide the eye and enhance the story. Filling frequent splash pages and colossal panels with dynamic poses and grotesquerie, the art alone may be, for some, reason enough to read. 

Additionally, Ant-Man continues to beautifully showcase Mike Spicer’s skill as a colorist. His vibrant colors amplify every page, quickly and adeptly morphing from vivid to lurid in the presence of Burnett’s more disturbing panels. 

The fourth issue’s cover is well-executed and wonderfully melodramatic. Its only shortcoming is how it feels in some way generic to the comic, rather than specific to the issue. Macrothorax’s existence as a threat has been continuous, while the trip to the Savage Land would be one potential subject specific to the issue.