REVIEW: ‘Ant-Man’, Issue #4

Ant-Man #4 is written by Al Ewing, illustrated by Tom Reilly, colored by Jordie Bellaire, and lettered by VC’s Cory Petit. It’s published by Marvel Comics. “Ant-Man Forever!” finally dives into the origins of the future Ant-Man, Dr. Zayn Ashgar, and his time travel mission. In the year 2503, Ashgar has taken up the mantle of Ant-Man and is attempting to restore the climate of a ruined Earth. To do so, he’s cloned thousands of organic ants and studied the Ant-Men of the past. But Ashgar’s time travel has let loose the All-Father Ultron, and the godly machine seeks the end of all mankind! It’s up to Hank Pym, Scott Lang, and Eric O’Grady to help Ashgar save all of time and space.

Ashgar’s presence has been felt throughout the entire miniseries, so it’s finally great to learn more about him. And true to Ewing’s penchant for using Marvel’s history to craft bold new stories, he composes an entire backstory for Ashgar in just three pages. No, seriously: there’s a whole timeline covering the rise of All-Father Ultron and references to comics I wished existed, such as Ultron Forever and The All-Father Imperative. Very few writers can craft a character with such a rich and lived-in history, but that’s a testament to Ewing’s skill. He also ties events from the past three issues into a compelling narrative and has fun crafting a team dynamic based on the Ant-Men’s various personalities. While Ashgar, Pym, and Lang are willing to work together to defeat All-Father Ultron, O’Grady is willing to sell them out to save his own skin.

Reilly’s artwork also sets the stage for a more futuristic Marvel hero, this time taking on a sleek look that sometimes feels more like an anime than a comic. This influence can be felt in Ashgar’s Ant-Man suit, which feels similar in design to a Tokusatsu hero’s, and in All-Father Ultron’s mix of cold steel and Asgardian armor. Bellaire also plays a significant role in shaping the look and feel of the series, as her colors bring a bright, futuristic sheen to the scenery. The reds and blacks within each Ant-Man’s costume will draw the readers’ eye, while the All-Father Ultron is perpetually surrounded in a glow befitting a deity. And Petit’s lettering is given a steely gray and red color scheme to match the futuristic setting— with Ewing scripting it in a way that puts the reader at the center of the action. Again, very few comics feature a creative team that’s perfectly in sync with each other.

Ant-Man #4 puts the cap on a well-crafted series that explores the past, present, and distant future of Marvel’s astonishing Avenger. Whether you’ve seen the Ant-Man films or are a newcomer to his astonishing adventures, this comic is definitely worth a read. And it looks like Ewing isn’t done exploring the history of the Marvel Universe, as next year will see him launch a Wasp miniseries with artist Kasia Nie.

Ant-Man #4 is available now wherever comics are sold.