Best Ant-Man Comics (August 2025)

Regardless of his small stature, Ant-Man is a hero worthy of attention. His influence extends beyond expectation, earning him roles in Avengers films, leading three individual movies, and even launching his own television series. There’s nothing mundane about this character; he’s often underestimated but consistently delivers amazing powers within the Marvel universe. He’s certainly one of our top picks, and for all the right reasons. With that said, here are some exceptional Ant-Man comic books to explore.

Best Ant-Man comics as of 2025

In a nutshell, Ant-Man was introduced in Tales to Astonish #27, published in 1961. This comic was co-created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, with a sci-fi/horror theme. The story revolves around Dr. Henry Pym’s daring experiments that led to the creation of serums enabling size-changing abilities. Initially testing the serum on a chair, he subsequently attempted self-experimentation, shrinking to the size of an ant. Eventually, Ant-Man joined the Avengers as one of its original members in 1963; however, his contributions are sometimes overshadowed by the grandeur of Thor and Iron Man.

In terms of our Ant-Man lore, it’s important to note that Hank Pym isn’t the sole individual who donned the suit. You may recognize Scott Lang, a former criminal turned hero, as the main Ant-Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He first appeared in comics back in 1979 and swiftly gained popularity among readers. Later on, in 2006, Eric O’Grady joined the scene, presenting himself as an Ant-Man with a somewhat dubious moral compass, offering a distinct take on the character. If your knowledge of Ant-Man is limited to the MCU, this rundown should give you a comprehensive overview of the character throughout the decades and help bring you up to speed on his comics history.

The Return of the Ant-Man (Tales to Astonish #35)

Following Hank Pym’s peculiar first appearance in Tales to Astonish #27, which remarkably became the top-selling Marvel comic of the month upon release in 1961, readers were far from done with him. Recognizing the character’s potential for more than a single science fiction adventure, creators Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Larry Lieber reintroduced him just a few months later in Tales to Astonish #35, transforming him not only as a scientist who accidentally shrank himself, but establishing him officially as Ant-Man.

The event marked the initial introduction of Ant-Man as a superhero. It provided Hank Pym with his distinctive suit, a helmet equipped with technology for communicating with ants, and set him on his first official assignment – collaborating with his miniature insect partners to combat wrongdoers. This narrative made it clear that this wasn’t just another typical Marvel tale featuring a random monster of the month, but rather the inception of a new hero about to emerge.

The Birth of The Vision (Avengers Vol. 1 #57-58)

If you weren’t convinced about Ant-Man’s significance as a character before, it’s worth noting that he played a crucial role in the creation of other key characters and villains. In fact, it was Ant-Man who helped introduce the Vision, one of the longest lasting characters in the Avengers comics, in Avengers #57, which was published back in 1968 by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.

In essence, we discover that Ultron, a formidable foe, was produced by Hank Pym during his work on artificial intelligence. Later, Ultron turns against its creator and quickly grows more powerful, constructing the Vision as both a child and a weapon intended to annihilate the Avengers. Although Hank doesn’t take center stage in those particular issues, his function as the “father” of Ultron implies that he played an indirect role in bringing Vision into being. However, using the term “grandfather” for Hank in this context might be a stretch since the traditional definition of grandfather refers to a direct parental relationship with one’s offspring’s parents.

The New Ant-Man (Marvel Premiere #47-48)

In the late 1970s, Marvel Comics introduced a fresh take on the Ant-Man character. This new hero was Scott Lang, a skilled electronics technician and former convict striving to turn over a new leaf for his daughter’s sake, Cassie. His entrance into the Marvel universe occurred in issues 47 and 48 of Marvel Premiere (1979), penned by David Michelinie with artwork by John Byrne and Bob Layton. In this narrative, Scott resorts to stealing Hank Pym’s Ant-Man suit due to the urgent need to save his gravely ill daughter. To do so, he pulls off a burglary to retrieve Dr. Erica Sondheim, the only doctor capable of performing the life-saving surgery on Cassie.

The challenges transformed the essence of being Ant-Man, with Scott Lang, unlike Hank, lacking in scientific genius, but demonstrating a heart and tenacity that allowed him to claim the role. Once he earned Hank’s approval, Scott was officially authorized to carry on as Ant-Man, symbolically receiving the mantle from Hank. Additionally, this narrative served as a major influence for the Ant-Man movie.

Irredeemable Ant-Man

In the comic series “The Unforgivable Ant-Man” (2006-2007), penned by Robert Kirkman and illustrated by Phil Hester, presents one of the finest Ant-Man story arcs ever. This time around, we’re introduced to a brand new Ant-Man in the form of Eric O’Grady, a relatively insignificant S.H.I.E.L.D. operative who accidentally obtains the latest Ant-Man suit. In contrast to his predecessors, Eric is immature and primarily focused on his own interests. He employs the suit for peeping tom activities (eww), escaping from trouble, and essentially doing whatever he pleases to feed his ego. He’s an extremely dislikeable hero, yet somehow you can’t help but admire him a bit. He’s as far removed from the traditional superhero as possible.

What makes this comic exceptional is that O’Grady, though he’s funny, imperfect, and downright awful at times, struggling to maintain the Ant-Man legacy, provides both laughter and a surprising sense of humanity. Kirkman skillfully explores the concept of an unheroic “hero”, setting this series apart from most Marvel comics of the same era due to its unique take on redemption.

The Name is…Yellowjacket!

Originally published in 1968, Avengers #59 features the turbulent, unsteady version of Hank Pym when he dons his Yellowjacket persona, penned by Roy Thomas and illustrated by John Buscema. This aspect of the character is particularly captivating yet leads to significant trouble for him in the future. The “Fall of Hank Pym” storyline (from Avengers Vol. 1 #212-213, 224, 228-229) was considered for inclusion, but we decided it might be more suitable for new readers to begin with Yellowjacket’s origin first. However, it’s worth mentioning – beware of spoilers – that this alter ego often creates complications.

Following an incident at a lab causing a severe psychological collapse, Hank adopts a false persona to disguise his death. However, this new identity isn’t just a cosmetic makeover; it includes a menacing demeanor. With a vibrant yellow suit and advanced headgear, this malevolent counterpart wreaks havoc on the Avengers, giving them quite a tough time. This character even abducts Janet (the Wasp) and leaves everyone grappling with how to handle him. The narrative of the story can be somewhat disjointed at times, with some content that might raise eyebrows due to its vintage 1960s style. Despite these elements, we’ve decided to include it in our list.

How we chose the best Ant-Man comics

Narrowing it down to the top Ant-Man comics involved selecting those that encapsulate the depth of Ant-Man’s history. We focused on Hank Pym’s initial adventures, Scott Lang’s heroic transformation, and even Eric O’Grady’s unconventional portrayal. Our aim was to feature the most impactful stories spanning several decades, showcasing various periods, illustrations, and narratives that have shaped this character.

2025-08-27 20:19