Warning: contains spoilers forMoon Knight: Fist of Khonshu#7!
Content Warning: contains mentions of domestic violence as well as bipolar disorder.
Marvelknows it has one last chance to redeem its most hated member of theAvengers. Most of the Avengers enjoy sterling reputations, both in the universe and among the fans, but there are a few who are rather controversial. One of them isHank Pym, a founding member who has experienced more than his share of ups and downs, and inMoon Knight: Fist of Khonshu#7, his redemption begins.
Moon Knightscribe Jed MacKay also had a definitive run onDoctor Strange.
Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu#7 is written by Jed MacKay and drawn by Domenico Carbone. Inorder to locate Hank Pym, who holds the key to countering a new street drug, Moon Knight and his associates stage a fake attack on Pym’s daughter, Nadia Van Dyne. The ruse works, and Pym comes to her rescue. After the initial misunderstanding, Pym helps Moon Knight.
Later, the two former Avengers talk about their histories of mental illness, with Moon Knight’s Dissociative Identity Disorder as well as Hank’s bipolar diagnosis.
The Sordid History of the Ant-Man and Wasp, Explained
Hank Pym, the first Ant-Man, is one of Marvel’s oldest heroes, as well as a founding member of the Avengers. A scientist by vocation, Hank discovered a way to shrink or enlarge objects. Using “Pym Particles,” Hank launched a career as a crime-fighter, adopting a variety of aliases in addition to Ant-Man during his day. He also developed a method of communicating with ants, further proof of his scientific genius. Hank Pym is regarded as one of Marvel’s best scientists, and was even crowned Earth’s “Scientist Supreme” for a time.
Marvel’s New Giant-Man Is Actively Fighting the Original’s Abusive Past
Hank Pym has a dark legacy in the Marvel Universe, but a new incarnation is actively working against it, trying to be something better.
Crucial to Hank Pym’s early years was his partner, Janet Van Dyne. Appearing inTales to Astonish#44 roughly a year and a half after Pym made her debut, Janet Van Dyne used Pym’s technology to help avenge her father’s death. After that, she adopted the heroic name of the Wasp, and became Ant-Man’s crime-fighting partner, and eventually his wife. Like Pym, Wasp was a founding member of the Avengers, and even gave the team their name. Unlike her then-husband, Janet only used one name as a hero, even though her outfits often changed.
Hank and Janet enjoyed marital bliss, but only for a short time.
Hank and Janet enjoyed marital bliss, but only for a short time. Hank was portrayed as unstable at times, but by the late 1970s/early 1980s, his mental state was even worse. InAvengers#212-214, the Wasp discovered a plan by Hank to stage an attack, one that would make him look good. When she went to confront him about it, Hank did something that would forever alter his trajectory as a hero and a character: he hit his wife. While Marvel always bragged their heroes had feet of clay, domestic violence was not part of that.
Hank Pym Has Made Some Serious Mistakes In His Lifetime
In Addition to His Treatment of Janet, Hank Created the Murderous Ultron
As it should have,this ended Hank and Janet’s marriage. Both have moved on to other romantic partners but remain friends. Janet dated Tony Stark for a brief period, and even tried to make another go with Hank. A later storyline, in which the believed dead villain Egghead manipulated a mentally-fragile Hank, seemed to further cement his status as someone who was unstable. Hank tried to walk away from heroics, reasoning that it was negatively impacting his mental health, yet he kept being drawn back in. Despite whatever heroic name he worked under, his past always caught up to him.
The guilt Pym felt over creating the monstrous robot would plague him for many years, and it was only in the late 1990s that he worked through it.
In addition to his treatment of Janet during their marriage, Hank is responsible for one other serious crime as well:unleashing Ultron on the human race. The killer android, who has gone through many incarnations, was supposed to be Hank’s greatest achievement, yet it would go on to cause so much misery and suffering. Hank imprinted his mind upon Ultron, which caused the robot to develop its murderous personality. The guilt Pym felt over creating the monstrous robot would plague him for many years, and it was only in the late 1990s that he worked through it.
A Guide to Every Heroic Alias Used by Hank Pym in the Marvel Universe
Tales to Astonish#27 (1962)
Tales to Astonish#35 (1962)
Tales to Astonish#49 (1963)
The Avengers(volume one) #28 (1966)
The Avengers(volume one) #59 (1968)
Wasp
Secret Invasion: Requiem#1 (2009)
No matter how hard Hank tried to atone for his past crimes, it seemed for naught, as his past continually caught up with him. His reputation in tatters, Hank retreated back to the Microverse to continue his studies. When he returns inMoon Knight: Fist of Khonshu#7, Hank is sporting a brand-new look, one that mixes the old with the new and hopefully signals a new and better direction for this Marvel icon. Hank is one of Marvel’s oldest characters, appearing mere months after the Fantastic Four, and he simply deserves better.
Now, Hank Pym’s Actions Have Much-Needed Context
Hank Pym Now Has a Shot at Redeeming Himself, But Will He Take It?
Now thatMarvelhas revealed Hank Pym is bipolar, it seems they are at last addressing his behavior and giving context for it. Bipolar is a very real condition that impacts millions of people around the world. People who are bipolar can potentially experience intense swings in mood and attitude, which describes Hank Pym perfectly. Revealing Hank’s bipolar diagnosis does not excuse his actions in the past, but does provide insight into them nonetheless, and gives the most hatedAvengerone last shot at redemption.
Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu#7 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!
