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Summary
In the new Ultimate Universe, Hank Pym is shown the disturbing actions of his counterparts, leading him to confront his doubts.
While the traditional Hank Pym had a history of instability, the new Giant Man has a chance to be a great hero.
Warning: contains spoilers for The Ultimates #1
Giant Man has a contentious history of abuse in the Marvel Universe, but a new incarnation of Hank Pym is actively fighting against his dark past. In The Ultimates #1, Iron Lad (Tony Stark) is trying to recruit Hank to his new incarnation of the Ultimates. As part of the sales pitch, they show Hank what his alternate selves did–and it horrifies him greatly.
The Ultimates #1 is written by Deniz Camp and drawn by Juan Frigeri. In the new Ultimate Universe, Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne work as exterminators. Six months ago, the two received mysterious packages, but have not opened them. Since then, Hank has been plagued with dreams where he talks to ants. Iron Lad then comes to them, and they open the packages. Seeing what both his 616 and Ultimate counterparts did distresses Hank greatly, to the point where he almost checks out.
After a pep talk from Captain America, he joins the Ultimates, giving them their first victory.
Hank Pym Was a Founding Member of the Avengers–But His Legacy is Overshadowed By Violence
Hank’s Ultimate Counterpart Was Far Worse
On Earth-616, Hank Pym was a founding member of the Avengers, and no stranger to controversy. Long married to Janet Van Dyne, AKA the Wasp, Hank Pym has had a number of aliases, such as Ant-Man, Yellowjacket, Goliath and Giant Man. Although Hank has a history of heroism, all of it is overshadowed by his abusive relationship with Janet, which culminated with him hitting her. Although he was allegedly not in his right mind, the damage was done, and Hank Pym has never regained the glory he once had.
Hank Pym’s tradition of instability carried over into the first Ultimate Universe, where it was amplified even further.
Hank Pym’s tradition of instability carried over into the first Ultimate Universe, where it was amplified even further. In the original Ultimate line, Hank was far more unstable, and his relationship with Janet was plagued by problems. Much like his 616 counterpart, Pym resorted to violence against Janet, but in a far more disturbing fashion. Whereas 616 Pym only hit her once, his Ultimate counterpart puts her in the hospital. And just like the Giant Man of 616, the Ultimate version was taken off the table as well, and rightfully reduced to a laughingstock.
The New Hank Pym Has A Chance The Others Did Not
Can He Avoid The Fate of His Counterparts?
In The Ultimates #1, the new Hank Pym is ridden with self-doubt, and this is exacerbated when he finds out about the actions of his multiversal counterparts. While this puts Hank in a funk at first, he manages to overcome these doubts and help the Ultimates defeat Captain Britain. While it remains to be seen if the new Giant Man will go down the same path as his predecessors, he has one serious advantage over them: he knows what they did. Armed with this knowledge, Giant Man can overcome his shortcomings, and be a great hero.
The Ultimates #1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!
The Ultimates #1 (2024)
Writer: Deniz Camp Artist: Juan Frigeri Colorist: Federico Blee Letterer: Travis Lanham Cover Artist: Dike Ruan & Alejandro Sanchez
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