Ant-Man #1 - Mobile Edition

Marvel Comics
Ant-Man #1
By Hervé St-Louis
January 23, 2015 - 10:52

Marvel Comics
Writer(s): Nick Spencer
Penciller(s): Ramon Rosanas
Colourist(s): Jordan Boyd
Letterer(s): Travis Lantham
Cover Artist(s): Mark Brooks

Scott Lang wants a job at Stark Industries as its new chief of security. However, Tony Stark, weary of his old Avenger colleague wants to test him, just like the other candidates. Ant-Man needs the job desperately to be able to afford a decent life with his daughter and even a full-size apartment. But the competition for the Stark job is tough. Does Scot Lang (Ant-Man) has what it takes to make a comeback?

The release of this first issue matched the release of the first official trailer by Marvel. Actions in Marvel Comics are carefully plotted to match events outside of comics in the Marvel cinematic universe and other corporate and promotional events at Disney. This is what comics have become. There is no real inspiration for the Ant-Man comic book series except the will to make it cool enough to be a cross-promotional pawn in the greater Marvel and Disney plans. There has to be just enough issues of Ant-Man (preferably eight) so Marvel can collect recent material into a trade paperback just in time for the Ant-Man movie’s release in August. This is the world of commercial comics we live in. If you cannot stomach it, like me, it’s best to pull out.

The story wasn’t bad at all. However, Scott Lang has never had much of a personality except being a former petty thief. He was the cleaner Ant-Man after generations of writers screwed up Hank Pym so much that he became a joke even within comics. There is no wonder why the character could never support his own comic book series before. This Scott Lang is much more comedic, which mimics the portrayal by Paul Rudd. I enjoyed the story, but it felt like it was directed from above. No risks were taken. There is nothing inherently comic-bookish or anything that will alienate the crowds that will flock to the movie theatre this summer. Ant-Man is a perfectly packaged good for the new Marvel. This comic book series will probably not last past its 18th issue. But it doesn’t matter anymore. The new Marvel does not want to create comic book legacies and comics that can be enjoyed on their own. The comic book has become a support medium for the real money-maker, the movies.

I like Ramon Rosanas’s work. The illustrations are crisp and simple. His work is clean and dynamic too. At least with the new corporate Marvel Comics, we are getting good artwork by default. Well, perhaps the lack of experimentation with eclectic artists will further cut into the creativity of the studio. Who knows. By the way, can anyone explain to me what happened to Cassie? Has she forgotten her past life as a super heroine?

P.S. $5 is twice the price of a comic book from just a few years ago, an one-third of what the movie would cost at the theatre. Where is the value for the reader?

Rating: 8.5/10