Ant(i) hero

RIGHT AFTER the first-look trailer debut of Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man, Marvel Comics – as it so often does – has a comic book ready for the character’s current and future fans: Ant-Man #1, which came out last week.

“Never let it be said that Marvel doesn’t know how to crosspromote,” joked Nick Spencer, the writer in charge of guiding Scott Lang/Ant-Man.

Spencer – who recently ended a 17-issue run on Marvel’s wellreceived comedy hit Superior Foes of Spider-Man – is looking forward to the experience of writing a comic book with a connection to Marvel Studios’ cinematic universe. “For me, the coolest thing about this is we know that we have a real shot at making a Scott Lang/Ant-Man book that can actually be viable from a sales and audience standpoint,” Spencer said. “What the movie allows for us is a multimillion-dollar marketing budget that’s going to keep Ant-Man in front of people and in people’s heads all year.

“That is a huge advantage for us,” continued Spencer, who is working with artist Ramon Rosanas. “And to get to be a part of that, just as a fan of the Marvel movies and a fan of what Marvel is doing in other mediums, to get to kind of ride those coat tails, I’m thrilled about that. That’s fun for me.” Despite the character’s growing recognition factor thanks to Hollywood, Spencer is aware that for many readers, this could be their first experience with Ant-Man.

“There was a real emphasis on making sure that the book was accessible, making sure that the book was something that if you saw the movie, you could go and pick it up and you wouldn’t be completely lost,” Spencer said.

“Scott has never had an ongoing series,” he added.

“It very much honors the characters’ past.”

Ant-Man’s past is checkered with something not known to most Marvel heroes: unreliability. Spencer paints Scott Lang as a guy who has always been around, just never for long.

It’s a reputation that haunts Lang in Ant-Man’s first issue, especially when he’s applying for a job with Tony Stark.

Combine employment (or lack thereof) issues along with being a divorced, single dad who is dealing with child-custody arguments, and you have a fertile setting for Spencer’s comedic narrative.

Ant-Man #1 shows Lang as an ex-con who is still willing to cut corners, but Spencer says the one way his Ant-Man will come off as a hero is in terms of the lengths he’ll go, and the sacrifices he’ll make, to maintain a relationship with his daughter.

“What Ant-Man has is a daughter, and his desire to prove himself to her, to be someone who can look her in the eyes, to be someone that she can be proud of,” Spencer said.

“I think that one of the best things about kids is, they make people better versions of themselves, and that’s very true for Scott.

“He’s a classic, great Marvel character in that he’s a human being first. And, you know, he can shrink and talk to ants.” – Washington Post