Hank Pym


Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciler Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and scripter Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27. The character, a scientist that debuted in a standalone science-fiction anthology story, returned several issues later as the original iteration of the superhero Ant-Man with the power to shrink to the size of an insect. Alongside his crime-fighting partner-wife Janet van Dyne, he goes on to assume other superhero identities, including the size-changing Giant-Man and Goliath; the insect-themed Yellowjacket; and briefly the Wasp. He is a founding member of the superhero team the Avengers.
Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books, Hank Pym has featured in other Marvel-endorsed products such as animated films; video games; and television series. Michael Douglas portrays the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and .

Publication history

Hank Pym debuted in a seven-page solo cover story titled "The Man in the Ant Hill" in the science fiction/fantasy anthology Tales to Astonish #27. The creative team was editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, penciler Jack Kirby, and inker Dick Ayers, with Lee stating in 2008: "I did one comic book called 'The Man in the Ant Hill' about a guy who shrunk down and there were ants or bees chasing him. That sold so well that I thought making him into a superhero might be fun."
As a result, Pym was revived eight issues later as the costumed superhero Ant-Man who starred in the 13-page, three-chapter story "Return of the Ant-Man/An Army of Ants/The Ant-Man's Revenge" in Tales to Astonish #35. The character's adventures became an ongoing feature in the title. Issue #44 featured the debut of his socialite girlfriend and laboratory assistant Janet van Dyne. Janet adopted the costumed identity of the Wasp, and co-starred in Pym's subsequent appearances in Tales to Astonish. Wasp also on occasion acted as a framing-sequence host for backup stories in the title. In September 1963, Lee and Kirby created the superhero title The Avengers, and Ant-Man and Wasp were established in issue #1 as founding members of the team.
Decades later, Lee theorized as to why "Ant-Man never became one of our top sellers or had his own book," saying,
Pym began what would be a constant shifting of superhero identities in Tales to Astonish, becoming the tall Giant-Man in issue #49. Pym and van Dyne continued to costar in the title until issue #69, while simultaneously appearing in The Avengers until issue #15, after which the couple temporarily left the team.
Pym rejoined the Avengers and adopted the new identity Goliath in Avengers #28. Gradually falling to mental strain, he adopted the fourth superhero identity Yellowjacket in issue #59. Pym reappeared as Ant-Man in Avengers #93 and for issues #4–10 starred in the lead story of the first volume of Marvel Feature. During this run he appeared in a redesigned costume with a nail as a weapon. After appearing occasionally as Yellowjacket in the 1980s and battling mental and emotional issues, Pym would temporarily abandon a costumed persona. Pym joined the West Coast Avengers as a scientist and inventor in West Coast Avengers vol. 2, #21. The character returned to the Avengers as the superhero Giant-Man in The Avengers vol. 3, #1. When the team disbanded after a series of tragedies, Pym, using the Yellowjacket persona again, took a leave of absence beginning with vol. 3, #85.
Following the death of van Dyne, a grieving Pym took on yet another superhero identity as the new iteration of Wasp, in tribute to the woman he had married and divorced by this time, in the one-shot publication Secret Invasion: Requiem. Giant-Man appeared as a supporting character in Avengers Academy from issue #1 through its final issue #39. Pym returned as the Wasp in the mini-series Ant-Man & The Wasp, and also appeared as a regular character in the 2010-2013 Secret Avengers series, from issue #22 through its final issue #37.
After Secret Avengers, Pym joined the Avengers A.I. after beating his creation, Ultron. Then, he appeared in many comic books like Daredevil and the graphic novel Rage of Ultron.

Fictional character biography

1960s

Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym discovers an unusual set of subatomic particles he labels "Pym particles". Entrapping these within two separate serums, he creates a size-altering formula and a reversal formula, testing them on himself. Reduced to the size of an insect, he becomes trapped in an anthill before he eventually escapes and uses the reversal formula to restore himself to his normal size. Deciding the serums are too dangerous to exist, he destroys them. Shortly afterward, he reconsiders his decision and recreates his serums. Pym's experience in the anthill inspires him to study ants, and he constructs a cybernetic helmet that allows him to communicate with and control them. Pym designs a costume made of unstable molecules to prevent bites or scratches from the ants, and reinvents himself as the superhero Ant-Man.
After several adventures, Pym is contacted by Dr. Vernon van Dyne asking for aid in contacting alien life. Pym refuses, but is attracted to Vernon's socialite daughter Janet van Dyne. Vernon is subsequently killed by an alien criminal who teleports himself to Earth, and Janet asks for Pym's help in avenging Vernon's death. Pym reveals his secret identity to Janet, and uses Pym particles to graft wasp wings beneath her shoulders, which appear when Janet shrinks. Janet assumes the alias of the Wasp, and together they find and defeat Vernon's killer. The pair become founding members of the superhero team known as the Avengers.
Pym eventually adopts his first alternate identity as the 12-foot-tall Giant-Man. Pym and the Wasp develop a romantic relationship. Shortly afterward, Pym and van Dyne take a leave of absence from the Avengers.
Pym adopts a new superhero identity, "Goliath", upon his return to the Avengers. A mishap traps the character in giant form for several issues, and affects his self-esteem. After regaining control of his size-shifting ability, Pym creates the robot Ultron that accidentally achieves sentience and becomes one of the Avengers's greatest foes. During a botched experiment, Pym accidentally inhales chemicals that induce changes in his mind, manifesting as a personality crisis. Suffering from the chemicals' effects, he reappears at Avengers Mansion in the cocky new persona of "Yellowjacket" and claims to have disposed of Pym. Only the Wasp realizes that Yellowjacket is Pym. She takes advantage of his offer of marriage. Pym eventually recovers from the chemicals during a battle with the Circus of Crime at the wedding.

1970s

After several adventures with the Avengers, including another encounter with Ultron, the pair take another leave of absence. The heroes reencounter Hank Pym at the beginning of the Kree-Skrull War, and once again as the Ant-Man persona and has a series of solo adventures.
After aiding fellow superhero team known as the Defenders as Yellowjacket, Pym returns to the Avengers. He is eventually captured by an upgraded Ultron that brainwashes his creator, causing the character to regress to his original Ant-Man costume and personality — arriving at Avengers Mansion, thinking it to be the very first meeting of the team. Seeing several unfamiliar members, Pym attacks the team until stopped by the Wasp. After Ultron's brainwashing is reversed, Pym rejoins the Avengers as Yellowjacket. Pym is forced to briefly leave the team when the roster is restructured by government liaison Henry Peter Gyrich.
Also at this time, he noticed Scott Lang's theft of the Ant-Man suit. After Darren Cross's defeat and aware of Lang's use of the stolen goods, Pym let Lang keep the equipment albeit only to uphold the law.

1980s

Returning 14 issues later, Hank Pym participates in several missions until, after demonstrating hostile behavior toward Janet van Dyne, he attacks a foe from behind once the opponent had ceased fighting. Captain America suspends Yellowjacket from Avengers duty pending the verdict of a court-martial.
Pym suffers a mental breakdown and concocts a plan to salvage his credibility. He plans to build a robot and program it to launch an attack on the Avengers; Pym will then counter the false flag attack at a critical moment using his knowledge of the robot's weaknesses, thereby presenting himself as the other Avengers' savior. The Wasp discovers the plan and begs Pym to stop, whereupon he strikes her.
Pym is subsequently expelled from the Avengers, and Janet divorces him.
Left penniless, Pym is manipulated by an old foe, the presumed-dead Egghead, who tricks Pym into stealing the national reserve of the metal adamantium. Pym is confronted by the Avengers and blamed for the theft, as Egghead erases all evidence of his own involvement. Pym, in turn, blames Egghead, a criminal still believed dead by the other Avengers. This is taken by Pym's former teammates as further proof of his madness, and he is incarcerated. During Pym's imprisonment, Janet has a brief relationship with Tony Stark. Egghead later attempts to kill Pym but is himself accidentally killed by Hawkeye. With the perpetrator of the original theft now exposed, Pym is cleared of all charges. After bidding farewell to Janet and his teammates, Pym leaves to devote himself full-time to research.
Pym reappears as a member of the West Coast Avengers, first in an advisory role, then as a full member. He answers to "Doctor Pym" in the field, using none of the names or costumes associated with his previous superhero identities. He begins a short relationship with teammate Tigra. After being taunted by old foe Whirlwind, Pym contemplates suicide, but is stopped by Firebird. Pym and Janet eventually resume a romantic relationship.

1990s

The character returns to the Avengers, joining the East Coast team as Giant-Man. The pair, together with many of the other Avengers, apparently sacrifice themselves to stop the villain Onslaught, but actually exist in a pocket universe for a year before returning to the mainstream Marvel Universe.
Hank Pym returns and aids the team as Giant-Man, and makes a significant contribution by defeating criminal mastermind Imus Champion and his flawed creation Ultron, simultaneously overcoming his old issues of guilt over Ultron's crimes.

2000s

During the Destiny War between Kang the Conqueror and Immortus, two versions of Hank Pym are drawn in: Giant-Man of the present and Yellowjacket immediately prior to his marriage to Janet van Dyne. Yellowjacket briefly betrays the team to Immortus and the powerful Time-Keepers try to create a timeline where he will not turn back into Pym, but he rejects this decision in time to help his allies. Observing the final battle, Libra - who brought the team together by using the Destiny Force to tap into his subconscious awareness of the cosmic balance - reflects that both Pyms were necessary so that Yellowjacket's betrayal could bring the team into the right position to attack the Time-Keepers, while Pym's presence as Giant-Man both provided a stable support and irritated Yellowjacket to provoke his own actions.
Back in the present, an encounter with Kulan Gath results in Pym being split into his two personas of Pym and Yellowjacket, after a spell cast by Gath temporarily transforms Pym into a swashbuckler-style Yellowjacket, followed by the Yellowjacket persona manifesting a physical presence from the extradimensional bio-mass Pym uses to grow. Yellowjacket's stability deteriorates in a confrontation with Diablo. The two personalities are restored when the Wasp helps the two halves realize they need each other. Pym is eventually able to resolve his problems and adopts his Yellowjacket persona once again.
After the events of the "Avengers Disassembled" storyline, Pym takes a leave of absence, and in the one-shot title Avengers: Finale, the character and Janet leave for England to rekindle their relationship.
As Yellowjacket, Pym is a central character in the Civil War storyline, joining those heroes that support the Superhuman Registration Act. At the conclusion of the Civil War, Pym is named "Man of the Year" by Time magazine for his role in freeing several captive anti-registration heroes. Pym becomes one of the administrators at Camp Hammond, a U.S. military base in Stamford, Connecticut, for the training of registered superheroes in the government program The Initiative. Pym and Janet's relationship fails, and Pym begins a romantic relationship with teammate Tigra.
Following the publication of Civil War, Marvel's Secret Invasion series, through flashbacks to previous stories, presents Pym as having been replaced by an impostor at some point in the books' fictional history prior to the events of Civil War. This impostor is an extraterrestrial of the shapeshifting Skrull race participating in a covert invasion of Earth; Pym's experiences throughout the Civil War series and related series are retold in brief from the perspective of the impostor and its allies. The impostor is exposed and defeated by the hero Crusader. Following a final battle between Earth's heroes and the Skrulls, the real Pym is found with other "replaced" heroes in a Skrull vessel. After Janet is seemingly killed in battle, Pym takes on a new superhero persona, the Wasp. in tribute to her. He rejoins the Avengers and eventually leads the team.
The cosmic entity Eternity reveals to Pym that he is Earth's "Scientist Supreme", the scientific counterpart to Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. The Norse trickster-god Loki later claims to have been posing as Eternity in order to manipulate Pym.

2010s

Hank Pym creates Avengers Academy, a program to help train young people with newly acquired superpowers. Pym returns to his Giant-Man identity in Avengers Academy #7. Pym later joins the superhero team known as the Secret Avengers. When a future version of Pym's sentient robot Ultron conquers the world of the present in the "Age of Ultron" storyline, a time-travel plan involving Wolverine and the Invisible Woman succeeds in having the past Pym make a change in his creation of Ultron, which destroys the robot with a computer virus.
Pym and Monica Chang, A.I. Division Chief of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., assemble a new team called the Avengers A.I., consisting of Pym, Victor Mancha, the Vision, and a Doombot. The team is later joined by Alexis, who is eventually revealed to be one of six sentient A.I.s to be spawned from the Ultron virus along with Dimitrios. Months later, Pym, again using the Yellowjacket identity, is shown as a member of the Illuminati.
Later, an accident merges Pym and Ultron during Ultron's latest attack. After the hybrid human/machine eventually abandons Earth, a funeral service is held in Pym's honor, and Scott Lang receives one of Hank's labs.
Pym/Ultron resurfaces after helping the crew of a spaceship under attack. Ultron is now Pym's armor rather than being merged with him. Back on Earth, he rejoins the Avengers, but his teammates and others discover Ultron has gained control and is impersonating Pym. The Avengers end up defeating him by plunging him into the sun, but both Hank and Ultron survive and continue to do battle with one another internally.
Hank is later presented as having fathered a daughter Nadia through his ex-wife Maria Trovaya, and Nadia became the latest Wasp. It is also revealed by Janet to Nadia that Hank had Bipolar Disorder. It had been discussed in Avengers A.I. that Hank was aware of his bipolar and monitoring it himself to predict and calculate when and how often his mood swings may occur.
During the "Secret Empire" storyline, the Ultron Pym had set up a base in an unidentified forest in Alaska. Upon being alerted by the approach of Sam Wilson's task force by a robot version of Edwin Jarvis, Ultron Pym decides to give his "family" a warm welcome. When Tony Stark A.I.'s team and the Hydra Supreme Steve Rogers alongside Hydra's Avengers confront each other, they are captured by Ultron Pym who forces both teams to sit at a dinner table. The Ultron Pym argues that he is doing this because the Avengers have become less of a family over the years as so many of them jump to obey Captain America or Iron Man despite past experience confirming that this should be a bad idea. The Tony Stark A.I. counters that the only reason the team failed as a family was because of Hank Pym's attack on Wasp. Outraged, Ultron Pym nearly attacks the other heroes, but Scott Lang is able to talk him down by arguing that Hank Pym remains his own inspiration. Ultron Pym allows the Tony Stark A.I.'s team to leave with the Cosmic Cube fragment, arguing that he will leave Hydra Supreme's plans with Hydra alone as it appears to be the best chance for world peace.
After discovering that the Infinity Stones were reformed back into the Universe, Ultron Pym decided to collect them all. He sends the aliens he had infected with his virus to take the Space Stone from Wolverine while he himself went to claim the Soul Stone. The aliens eventually failed at their task, but Ultron Pym was able to steal the Soul Gem from Magus after ruthlessly killing him. However, unbeknownst to Ultron Pym, once he claimed the Soul Stone, the fragment of Hank Pym's soul entered the Soul World where he was greeted by Gamora's soul fragment, who revealed to him that he was going to be trapped there forever. Soon afterwards, the fragment of Hank's soul encounters and battles a Soul World monster known as Devondra who trapped Hank in the silk it generates. This silk creates a deluding dream which made Hank believe that he had escaped the Soul World and reunited himself with the Avengers. Devondra then devours Hank's soul fragment under the watch of Gamora's soul fragment.
As Ultron Pym is using Saiph as his base of operations and plans to unleash the Ultron Virus on a cosmic scale, Silver Surfer goes to look for Galactus. Even though Galactus is no longer a world-eater, Silver Surfer informs him of what is happening and asks for his help to stop Ultron Pym's plot. However, Ultron Pym had already launched rockets filled with the Ultron Virus in order to infect the entire galaxy while saving Earth as his last target. Galactus initially refuses to consume Saiph due to the consequences of destroying it until he agrees with Silver Surfer. This results in Saiph and the rockets transporting the Ultron Virus being destroyed. The Ultron Pym got wounded in the escape and Adam Warlock claims the Soul Gem.
During "The Ultron Agenda" arc, Ultron/Hank Pym returned to Earth with plans to merge robots with humans like how Hank Pym became merged with Ultron so that he can make the ultimate lifeform. In addition, he started to call this form "Ultron Pym." After testing it on some people and some experiments on Wonder Man and Vision, Ultron Pym planned to make a fusion of Jocasta and Wasp. Iron Man and Machine Man interfered with the resulting battle causing Iron Man to be molecularly bonded to the Ultronbuster armor. The combined efforts of Stark Unlimited enabled them to create an atomic separator that separated Tony Stark from the Ultronbuster armor and Wonder Man from Vision. Ultron Pym prepared to take revenge on Iron Man. This led to Iron Man revealing what he discovered about the human and robot fusion. The person who merged with it has died and that the robot can only simulate their personality. In other words, Hank Pym was long dead when he accidentally merged with Ultron. Learning about this and not wanting to risk proving Iron Man's point by having the atomic separator used on him, Ultron surrendered to Iron Man knowing that Hank is dead.

Powers and abilities

Hank Pym is a scientific genius with a Ph.D in biochemistry and nanotechnology, and expertise in the fields of quantum physics, robotics/cybernetics, artificial intelligence, and entomology. Pym discovered the subatomic "Pym particles" that enable mass to be shunted or gained from an alternate dimension, thereby changing the size of himself or other beings or objects. Pym is the creator of the robot Ultron, who he created as an experiment after examining Dragon Man, showing his knack for AI and Cybernetics.
After constant experimentation with size-changing via ingested capsules and particle-filled gas, Pym is eventually able to change size at will, and mentally generate Pym particles to change the sizes of other living beings or inanimate objects. Pym retains his normal strength when "ant" size, and possesses greatly increased strength and stamina when in "giant" form, courtesy of the increased mass. Pym's costume is synthetic stretch fabric composed of unstable molecules and automatically adapts to his shifting sizes.
Pym also uses a cybernetic helmet he created for achieving rudimentary communication with ants and other higher order insects. As Yellowjacket, then later as Wasp, Pym wears artificial wings and has bio-blasters called "stingers" built into his gloves. He took up the Wasp mantle in memory of Janet, who was believed to be dead at the time.
Pym also carries a variety of weaponry, provisions, and scientific instruments, which are shrunken to the size of microchips and stored in the pockets of his uniform.. An experienced superhero, Pym is a skilled hand-to-hand fighter. In his first appearance, he claimed to be a master of Judo, is skilled in Wrestling and Karate and has since been seen in combat with opponents of both his own size and radically larger than himself.
During his stay with the West Coast Avengers, Pym constructed a one-man-vehicle with artificial intelligence named Rover. Rover is able to communicate with Pym, and is capable of flight and discharging energy and acid.
Back with the Avengers main-team, he built a second Rover, resembling an Avengers Quinjet.
After fusing with Ultron, he now contains all of his creation's abilities when he is in control.

Successors

There are a number of characters in the Marvel universe that have also used the "Pym particles" to effect size changing. These include Janet van Dyne, Clint Barton, Bill Foster, Scott Lang, Erik Josten, Rita DeMara, Cassandra "Cassie" Lang, Eric O'Grady, Tom Foster, Shang-Chi, Raz Malhotra and Nadia Pym. Although they do not use their powers for size changing, both Wonder Man and The Vision derive their powers from Pym Particles.

Other versions

Marvel 1602

In the world of Marvel 1602, natural philosopher Henri le Pym is forced by Baron von Octavius to devise a serum that would cure him of a fatal disease. Pym is married to Janette.

''The Last Avengers Story''

In an alternate future in the miniseries The Last Avengers Story #1-2, Ultron wishes for a decisive victory over the Avengers. After eliminating the team, he has Hank Pym gather a new group. After recruiting other heroes and mercenaries, Pym leads them to victory though fatalities are heavy on both sides.

Marvel Zombies

Hank Pym is featured in several of the Marvel Zombies miniseries, appearing as one of the cannibalistic zombies in Marvel Zombies #1-5, Marvel Zombies 2 #1-5 and Marvel Zombies Return #4. Although he experiences a brief return to morality in Marvel Zombies 2, throughout most of the series he is presented as being comfortable with his transformation, noting to a captured Black Panther that he thinks he might still eat people even if he was cured of the infection, and setting out to consume a new universe even after learning that the hunger can be beaten. He is opposed in his expansion efforts by the zombie Spider-Man, who finally manages to defeat his own forces with nanites configured to 'eat' zombie flesh.

MC2

The MC2 imprint title A-Next, set in a futuristic alternate universe, features Henry Pym and Janet Pym's twin children, who have turned into the supervillains Red Queen and Big Man respectively.

Earth-5012

In this reality, Hank Pym is an intelligent, Hulk-like brute.

Old Man Logan

In the post-apocalyptic "Old Man Logan" storyline, Hank Pym is one of the numerous superheroes killed by the Red Skull's army of villains. Decades after his demise, a Connecticut settlement dubbed "Pym Falls" is built around his massive skeleton. In addition, his Ant-Man helmet is shown in the possession of a young boy named Dwight, who uses it to command an army of ants in order to enforce the payment of tolls across a bridge.
It was shown that during the fight in Connecticut, Giant-Man became enraged when the Wasp was killed by Hobgoblin. This led him to crush Vulture with his hands and step on Crossbones. As he charged the villains, Avalanche used his abilities to shake the ground. Moloids emerged and attack Giant-Man, causing him to fall to the ground.

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel imprint version of Henry "Hank" Pym is portrayed as a brilliant but mentally fragile scientist. He takes Prozac to battle his mental instability and depressive episodes. He gains his Giant-Man abilities after transfusing the blood of his mutant wife Janet Pym. The character is expelled from the Ultimates after his abusive behavior ends his marriage and his Giant-Man serum is used by S.H.I.E.L.D. to make an entire Giant-Men team. Now a pariah, he briefly joins with both pseudo heroes and then anti-American villains in his Ant-Man persona. The character eventually rejoins the Ultimates in his Yellowjacket identity. During the events of "Ultimatum" storyline, he sacrifices himself against the Multiple Man's suicide bomber duplicates to save the remaining Ultimates' lives.
After his death, the character's various formulas/devices are still in usage: the Giant-Man formula further replicated by S.H.I.E.L.D. to have multiple Giant-Women agents while his technology is eventually acquired by HYDRA.
Giant-Man was later revived alongside his fellow Ultimates when the Superflow that separated the different universes was destroyed by Maker and High Evolutionary.

Marvel Adventures

Henry Pym appears in issue 13 of as a scientist working for Janet's father with no superhero identity, and was the one who gave his wife superpowers. He is visited by Spider-Man and Storm when Janet van Dyne falls under insect mind-control. He tells them how to free her, gives her a new costume, and uses an insect telepathy helmet to create an illusion of several giant-sized people, scaring the insects away. He returns in issue 20, becoming Ant-Man. He not only joins the team but begins a relationship with Janet.

Marvel Apes

In the Marvel Apes universe, Henry Pym is a gorilla named Gro-Rilla, a member of the Ape-Vengers.

In other media

Television

Hank Pym is referenced in the novelization of Spider-Man 2 as a nameless female scientist who asks Dr. Otto Octavius how he plans to control his metallic tentacles. Upon being informed of the inhibitor chip, they state having a cybernetic helmet which they believe would make the process easier. After the failure of Octavius's experiment, Pym goes over to Otto to confirm he's alive, while implying that his wife Rosalie is dead. Additionally, Octavius described Pym as being a giant in a field where everyone else are ants.

Reception

Hank Pym was ranked as the 93rd greatest comic book character by Wizard magazine.
IGN listed Hank Pym as the 67th greatest comic book hero, and 16th in their list of "The Top 50 Avengers".
Comic Book Resources placed him as one of the superheroes Marvel wants you to forget and ranked him as the 6th best super hero doctor both in Marvel and DC history.

Collected editions