American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...

Ernie Hart Ernest Huntley Hart
at the

, and

Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gre ...

, the character first appeared in ''

Tales to Astonish ''Tales to Astonish'' is the name of two American comic book series and a one-shot comic published by Marvel Comics. The primary title bearing that name was published from January 1959 to March 1968. It began as a science-fiction anthology tha ...

'' #44 (June 1963). Janet van Dyne is usually depicted as having the ability to shrink to a height of several centimeters, fly by means of insectoid wings, and fire bioelectric energy blasts. She is a founding member of the Avengers as well as a longtime leader of the team. The Wasp has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes. The character appears in the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...

film ''

Ant-Man Ant-Man is the name of several superheroes appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, Ant-Man's first appearance was in ''Tales to Astonish'' #27 (January 1962) but first appeared in cost ...

'' (2015) in a cameo role, while

Michelle Pfeiffer Michelle Marie Pfeiffer (; born April 29, 1958) is an American actress and producer. A prolific performer whose screen work spans over four decades, she became one of Hollywood's most bankable stars and popular sex symbols during the 1980s ...

portrays Janet van Dyne in the films ''

Ant-Man and the Wasp ''Ant-Man and the Wasp'' is a 2018 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Scott Lang / Ant-Man and Hope Pym / Wasp. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is th ...

'' (2018) and '' Avengers: Endgame'' (2019), and the upcoming '' Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania'' (2023).

Publication history

Janet van Dyne debuted in ''

Tales to Astonish ''Tales to Astonish'' is the name of two American comic book series and a one-shot comic published by Marvel Comics. The primary title bearing that name was published from January 1959 to March 1968. It began as a science-fiction anthology tha ...

'' #44 (plotted by

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...

, scripted by H. E. Huntley, and drawn by

Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gre ...

, June 1963) as

Henry "Hank" Pym Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym () is a character (arts), fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, the character first appea ...

's partner, becoming the Wasp to avenge the death of her father, scientist Vernon van Dyne. She co-starred in ''Tales to Astonish'' from issue #44 to issue #69 (1963–65). She was also the star of her own backup feature in issues #51–58 (1964). She was a founding member of the Avengers, appearing in the first issue and giving the team its name. It is with the Avengers that Janet became most well known. At first she was the weak link of the team, but later on became one of the smartest and craftiest of its members. Though she takes leaves of absence throughout the series, she is one of the longest active members and has acted as leader of the team for longer than anybody besides

Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...

. During her absences from the core '' Avengers'' book, Janet appeared in various other publications, including appearing as a main character in ''

Marvel Feature ''Marvel Feature'' was a comic book showcase series published by Marvel Comics in the 1970s. It was a tryout book, intended to test the popularity of characters and concepts being considered for their own series. The first volume led to the launc ...

'' issues #6–10 (1972–73). She has also made sporadic guest appearances in various other books, such as ''

Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...

'', ''

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The cha ...

'', and ''

Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 (cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first s ...

''. Janet became the leader of the Avengers in ''The Avengers'' #217 (1982), a position she held until #278 (1987), with the exception of a brief period where she handed leadership off to the

Vision Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to: Perception Optical perception * Visual perception, the sense of sight * Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight * Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain und ...

. She then appeared in issue #32 of ''

West Coast Avengers The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' #1 (Sept. 1984), created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall. It was the fi ...

'' (May 1988), becoming a full-time member in issue #42. She made occasional appearances in ''Avengers'' vol. 3, returning as an active member of the team in issue #27 (2000) before resuming leadership duties. She and Captain America became co-leaders of the team starting in issue #38. After the events of "

Avengers Disassembled "Avengers Disassembled" is a 2004 crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics involving the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Captain America, Spider-Man and Thor. The beginning of Brian Michael Bendis's ''Avengers'' run, it depicts the destruction o ...

", Janet appeared in the limited series ''Beyond!'' before rejoining the Avengers in ''

The Mighty Avengers ''The Mighty Avengers'' is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics. Originally written by Brian Michael Bendis, also the writer of '' New Avengers'', the title first featured an officially sanctioned Avengers team of registered ...

'' #1 (2007). She was presumed dead during the events of ''

Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...

'' in 2008. Wasp returned in the ''Avengers'' "End Times" storyline that ran from issue #31 (December 2012) to issue #34 (January 2013). She then appeared as a member of the Avengers Unity Squad in ''

Uncanny Avengers ''Uncanny Avengers'' is a comic book series first appearing in the October 2012 debut of Marvel NOW!, published by Marvel Comics. The series follows an interconnected fictional superhero team, featuring members from the Marvel Universe (specific ...

'' and as an Agent of Wakanda in the Fresh Start title of the Avengers. Janet also returned as a romantic interest to Tony Stark in 2018, and leaved the female led role of the Iron Man comic book two years later, in 2020.

Design

In his 1970s run on ''The Avengers'', artist

George Pérez George Pérez (; June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022) was an American comic book artist and writer, who worked primarily as a penciller. He came to prominence in the 1970s penciling ''Fantastic Four'' and '' The Avengers'' for Marvel Comics. In the 198 ...

revamped the character's costume a number of times, having a significant impact on the character's development:

It became a joke. In the case of the Wasp, I noticed that she has so many costumes that eventually I said "Why not?" I think I was on the book long enough what was once just a little bit of idiosyncrasy about the character became fully part of the character's persona.

Fictional character biography

1960s

Janet van Dyne was born in

Cresskill, New Jersey Cresskill is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 8,573,Hank Pym Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in '' Tales ...

for aid and convinces him to help her. To avenge her father's death, she undergoes a biochemical procedure that grants her the ability to grow wings upon shrinking under four feet tall and uses a supply of "Pym particles" by which to change her size. Together, she and Ant-Man defeat the alien and avenge her father. Janet decides to remain as Wasp and be Hank's partner as she has fallen in love with him, though Hank initially rejects her feelings due to the similarities between her and his murdered first wife.''Tales to Astonish'' #44 During her time as Hank's partner, she took part in numerous conflicts with villains who included the

Porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family, Erethiz ...

, Egghead, and

Whirlwind A whirlwind is a weather phenomenon in which a vortex of wind (a vertically oriented rotating column of air) forms due to instabilities and turbulence created by heating and flow (current) gradients. Whirlwinds occur all over the world and i ...

(then known as the Human Top). Though initially without any offensive powers, Janet proves to be resourceful, using her ability to communicate with insects to fight, as well as using a pin to poke people as a weapon. Later, she uses a miniature air gun, the original wasp's sting.''Tales to Astonish'' #57 After the initial confrontation with

Loki Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi ...

that brought together the founding Avengers, it is Janet and Hank who propose forming a team of superheroes. Janet suggests the name for the team and becomes a founding member. Never lacking confidence or bravery and by nature an outgoing personality, Janet is always in the thick of battles with villains, who include Norse gods and aliens, despite being the most underpowered member of the team. Janet frequently comments on the attractiveness of her male colleagues, especially

Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...

, to provoke jealousy from Hank and get him to commit to a relationship. Early on in her Avengers career, she is seriously wounded by a stray bullet in battle against

Count Nefaria Count Luchino Nefaria is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history The character first appears in '' The Avengers'' #13 (February 1965), and was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck. Fictiona ...

, and nearly dies from a collapsed lung. She leaves the team several issues later. When she returns in ''The Avengers'' #26, her shrinking powers have progressed to the point where she no longer needs Pym particle capsules to change her size. Though Janet hopes on several occasions that her long-term boyfriend Hank will propose, their relationship does not move forward to that point until something more dramatic happens. The new vigilante Yellowjacket breaks into the Avengers mansion, demands to be admitted as a member of the team, claims to have killed Hank Pym, and then kidnaps Janet. Not believing that Yellowjacket was Hank's killer, she attempts to find where Yellowjacket is holding Hank, but instead determines that Yellowjacket is her boyfriend. Before revealing this, and during the period in which Yellowjacket still believes himself to have killed Hank, Janet marries Hank, though the wedding is disrupted by an attack from the

Circus of Crime The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several fictional teams and organizations and this page lists them. 0–9 198 A A-Force A-Next A.I. Army Because of his revelation that he is now a simulated A ...

. During the fight, it is revealed that Yellowjacket is Pym.''The Avengers'' #60

1970s

After another departure from the team, Janet van Dyne returns briefly and becomes a member of the original Lady Liberators, before once more leaving the team. She becomes temporarily trapped at insect size, and battles Whirlwind, Para-Man and Dr. Nemesis. She also battles

Equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...

alongside

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...

and Yellowjacket; during this time her powers are augmented to allow her to harness her body's bio-electrical current and fire blasts of energy which she calls her "wasp's stings". During one of her breaks from active Avengers duty, Janet approaches the team with concerns about her husband having suffered a breakdown and attacked former teammates. In attempting to find a way to help Hank, she is captured by a brainwashed Hank, and used by Ultron as a template to create

Jocasta In Greek mythology, Jocasta (), also rendered Iocaste ( grc, Ἰοκάστη ) and also known as Epicaste (; ), was a daughter of Menoeceus, a descendant of the Spartoi Echion, and queen consort of Thebes. She was the wife of first Laius, ...

. She is rescued when Jocasta alerts the Avengers to her location, and

Black Panther A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been ...

suggests that the A.I.'s ability to reach out to them was brought about because of Janet's personality breaking through.

1980s

Janet van Dyne discovers that her husband, now paranoid, overbearing and verbally abusive, has concocted a plan to make himself look good in front of the Avengers by staging an attack that can only be stopped by the instigator. When she attempts to dissuade him, Hank strikes her; she divorces him soon after and takes a very brief break from the team.''The Avengers'' #212–214 When Janet returns to the Avengers, she proposes that the team is in need of new leadership and nominates herself for the role of Chairperson. She is elected to the position by Thor,

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The cha ...

, and

Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...

. Janet takes to the role naturally, proving to be an efficient and smart leader who is praised by Captain America for her leadership skills. She makes it a point to increase the number of women on the team and recruits

She-Hulk She-Hulk (Jennifer "Jen" Walters) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in ''The Savage She-Hulk'' #1 ( cover-dated February ...

and Captain Marvel ( Monica Rambeau). At the same time as taking on leadership of the team, Janet begins to work in earnest as a professional fashion designer. Part of her friendship with She-Hulk includes designing new clothing for her. She also renews her social life, engaging in a whirlwind romance with Tony Stark before learning that the billionaire is Iron Man. She breaks off the relationship, saying that she cannot date a colleague who is also a friend of her ex-husband. Later, she has a relationship with Paladin, though they are often apart due to their jobs. Janet briefly hands leadership of the team off to the

Vision Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to: Perception Optical perception * Visual perception, the sense of sight * Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight * Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain und ...

, though he soon leaves the team and returns the position to her. The new team line-up proves difficult, and Janet clashes with

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...

taking issue with a woman leading. It is during this time that she meets the Space Phantom for the second time and defeats the villain. During the first Secret War, despite being the official leader of the Avengers gathered by the

Beyonder The Beyonder () is a fictional cosmic entity appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Jim Shooter and artist Mike Zeck, the Beyonder first appeared in '' Secret Wars'' #1 (May 1984) as an unseen, self-pro ...

, Janet nominates Captain America for leadership of the assembled heroes as the non-Avengers present know him better. As the conflict unfolds, Janet is briefly captured by

Magneto A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...

, but she turns the situation to her advantage by pretending to be seduced; she learns Magneto's plans and then defeats him before leaving to alert the Avengers. She is shortly afterwards killed by the Wrecking Crew, but resurrected by the alien healer Zsaji. During the ''Under Siege'' storyline, Janet leads the team during a time where they are attacked from all sides. She defeats Titania and the

Absorbing Man Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Journey into Mystery'' #114, cover dated March 1965, created by writer Stan Lee and writer/artist Ja ...

, then leads a team against

Baron Zemo Baron Zemo () is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Heinrich Zemo and his son Helmut Zemo have both been depicted as a major adversary of Captain America and the Avengers, as well as t ...

's forces to rescue Captain America, the

Black Knight The black knight is a literary stock character who masks his identity and that of his liege by not displaying heraldry. Black knights are usually portrayed as villainous figures who use this anonymity for misdeeds. They are often contrasted with t ...

, and other team members who have been captured. Shortly after the resolution of this story, she steps down from leadership once more, succeeded by Monica Rambeau in that position. After leaving the team, she battles the threat of

Red Ronin Red Ronin is a fictional gigantic humanoid robotic construct (mecha) appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, and went on to be a menace to other Marvel characters such as the Avengers and Wolverine. Publication history Orig ...

by herself. She later joins the

West Coast Avengers The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' #1 (Sept. 1984), created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall. It was the fi ...

. Initially, she still acts as though the team leader, to the chagrin of other West Coast Avengers who desire that role. During this time, she resumes a romantic relationship with Hank. Although she is elected as a regular member of the Avengers West, Janet chooses to become a reserve member.

1990s

Several years later, Janet van Dyne returns to the Avengers, first at reserve status, and later as a full member of the team. During the Destiny War, the Janet of the present becomes the leader of a team of Avengers assembled from different time periods, cited as being chosen due to her "inner strength and flexibility to give the team direction without exerting too much control". After the Destiny War, Janet returns to work with the Avengers once more, taking up leadership of the team and commanding the team through a number of conflicts, including

Kang the Conqueror Kang the Conqueror (Nathaniel Richards) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is most frequently depicted as an opponent of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. A time-traveling entity, sev ...

's invasion of Earth.

2000s

Janet van Dyne once more takes up leadership of the Avengers and continues to make sure there is a strong female presence on the team. Under her leadership, the number of women on the team outnumbers the number of men for the first time in Avengers history. Though her relationship with Hank Pym remains strong for some time, she turns down his proposal of remarrying, saying she wouldn't marry him again. During the Lionheart of Avalon storyline, Janet is shown fighting the Wrecking Crew while at giant size, a power she had rarely, if ever, used prior. She is shown to be powerful enough at this size to take down a jet. She has a brief fling with fellow team member Hawkeye.

JLA/Avengers

Janet van Dyne is shown as a member of the Avengers and aids them during the battle with Starro. She also gives Iron Man the idea to create a dimensional alarm and rallies other Avengers to defend the artifacts. After the final battle in the

Savage Land The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It has appeared in many story arcs in ''Uncanny X-Men'' as well as other related books. ...

against the

Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...

, Janet ends up as an Avenger in the new merged world that the villain Krona created and is unaware of the changes. In this world she and Hank are good friends with Elongated Man and his wife Sue Dibny. When the two teams decide to team up against Krona, the Wasp fights alongside the Avengers until the battle is over.

Avengers Disassembled

While discussing her fling with Hawkeye, with the

Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964 ...

, a slightly tipsy Wasp confesses to a pregnancy scare and inadvertently mentions Wanda Maximoff's own children, whose unnatural existence

Agatha Harkness Agatha Harkness is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a powerful witch, typically portrayed as a friend and teacher of Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff, as well as the mother of Nicholas Scratc ...

has erased from the Witch's memory. Wasp's slip of the tongue, combined with Scarlet Witch's increasingly unstable and growing powers, cause Wanda to suffer a mental breakdown which leads to the events of ''

Avengers Disassembled "Avengers Disassembled" is a 2004 crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics involving the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Captain America, Spider-Man and Thor. The beginning of Brian Michael Bendis's ''Avengers'' run, it depicts the destruction o ...

''. Janet is knocked into a coma by a rampaging She-Hulk during an attack on Avengers Mansion by the Scarlet Witch. Hank Pym watches over her in the hospital, and when she recovers, they reconcile. The two retire from the Avengers to pursue a new life together in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

.

Beyond!

Janet van Dyne is pulled into space and placed in a situation where she is expected to fight to the death with other heroes and villains. Instead of following the wishes of the Stranger—who they thought to be the Beyonder—Janet falls into the leadership position for the group, giving tactical orders in battle and calling upon her years of experience with the Avengers to handle the threats thrown at them. After tension between her and her ex-husband, Janet explains to

Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...

why she can't reconcile with Hank Pym, despite an attempt to do so while in London. Upon learning that the Space Phantom has taken on the form of Spider-Man, Janet leads the group and keeps one of the team from being trapped in limbo when the Space Phantom attempts to take the person's form.

Civil War

During the superhuman Civil War, Janet van Dyne is pro-registration and suggests that they push forward the fifty-state initiative to get things under control after the Thor-Clone kills Bill Foster, an event which upsets her greatly. She also becomes the host of a pro-registration reality TV show called ''America's Newest Superhero''.

Mighty Avengers

Janet van Dyne is selected as a member of the

Mighty Avengers ''The Mighty Avengers'' is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics. Originally written by Brian Michael Bendis, also the writer of '' New Avengers'', the title first featured an officially sanctioned Avengers team of registered ...

by

Carol Danvers Carol Susan Jane Danvers is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan, Danvers first appeared as an officer in the United States Air Force and a colleague of th ...

and Tony Stark as part of the

Fifty State Initiative ''Avengers: The Initiative'' is a comic book series from Marvel Comics. Written by Dan Slott and Christos Gage with artwork initially by Stefano Caselli, Steve Uy and Harvey Tolibao, the series deals with the aftermath of Marvel's "Civil War" s ...

. During its attempt to destroy humanity, she correctly determines that Ultron has taken over Iron Man's body. When alien symbiotes attack New York, Janet uses a refined growth formula given to her by Hank Pym—who is actually a

Skrull The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Skrulls first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They originated fro ...

impostor—which allows her to shift to giant-size without side effects. During the beginning of the fight, she is briefly turned into a symbiote monster before a cure is created by Stark.

Secret Invasion

Janet van Dyne is among the Mighty Avengers who are fighting heroes from the Skrull ship. She is later seen with the rest of the Avengers heading to New York to confront the Skrulls. While fighting the Skrulls, the true purpose of the serum that the Skrull Hank Pym has given her is revealed. After Queen Veranke is thought to be dead, the Skrull imposter presses a button that makes Janet increase in size rapidly, as well as causes her to emit lethal amounts of black-purple energy. Janet realizes that the "new" particles Pym has given her are turning her into a bio-bomb, and she tries to flee the battlefield and take as many Skrulls with her as possible when she explodes. To save both the city and heroes, Thor uses the enchanted hammer Mjolnir to create a spatial warp to seemingly disperse Janet into nothingness. Thor is devastated by the act and vows to avenge her. Upon accepting Janet's death, Hank Pym takes up his ex-wife's role as the Wasp.

2010s

Following the '' Avengers vs. X-Men'' storyline, it is revealed that Janet van Dyne has not died after all, but has been shunted into a

Microverse The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features. Places Certain places fe ...

by Thor's spatial warp in the same spot that she appears to have died in ''

Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...

''. Using her Avengers communication card she is able to send a signal with help from a local being called Cru-Sani. Giant-Man, Captain America, Thor and Iron Man go into the Microverse to rescue her and find her alive and fighting against an evil despot, Lord Gouzar, who has conquered the Microverse. After defeating Lord Gouzar and liberating the Microverse from his tyranny, Janet and her fellow Avengers return to their normal universe. Following a brief hiatus, Janet returns to the team as a member of the Avengers Unity Squad. In addition to serving on the roster, she privately funds the team to avoid the problems that would come with government sponsorship. During the events of '' Inhumanity'', Janet returns to the Microverse to rescue a family who has been pulled there through a newly awakened Inhuman's powers. There she confronts Gouzar once more, before returning to normal space. In the Avengers Unity Squad's fight with the Horsemen of Death, the Wasp defeats both the resurrected

Banshee A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from sga, ben síde , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name i ...

and

Sentry Sentry or The Sentry may refer to: Comics *Sentry (Kree) *Sentry (Curtis Elkins) * Sentry (Robert Reynolds) *Senator Ward (comics) or Sentry Vehicles *Sentry (AUV), an autonomous underwater vehicle used to measure deep-ocean data *E-3 Sentry AWAC ...

, using both her ability to grow to giant size as well as her ability to control insect life. After the team is defeated and the Earth destroyed, Wasp is the last surviving human and begins a romance with Havok (Alex Summers) with whom she has a daughter named Katie. Years later on Planet X, she is captured when she and Havok destroy a tachyon dam preventing time travel to their era. They are able to undo the destruction of Earth by forming an alliance with Kang and projecting their minds back into their past selves (physical time-travel still being impossible) but Kang takes their daughter to a place outside of time to 'protect' her from the changes in history, Kang subsequently attempts to use Katie as a hostage to force Havok to stop attacking him when he tries to take the Celestial power for himself, departing with Katie as his prisoner. Although Alex is left disfigured after the battle, he and Janet remain together. They are contacted by

Immortus Immortus (; Nathaniel Richards) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the future self of Pharaoh Rama-Tut, Scarlet Centurion, Kang the Conqueror, and Iron Lad / Kid Immortus, and a descend ...

informing them that Immortus can return their daughter to them if they take action at the right time and place to conceive her, but he also warns them about the imminent threat posed by the

Red Skull The Red Skull is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and its predecessor Timely Comics. The first version, George Maxon, appeared in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 and #4. The main ...

. After the Red Skull's actions cause all heroes and villains present at his defeat to undergo a 'moral inversion', Alex attempts to argue for Janet's life as the X-Men prepare to detonate a gene bomb that will destroy all non-mutants in the blast radius, but accepts the decision nevertheless. After Carnage sacrifices himself to contain the blast, Alex attempts to take credit for it, but Janet sees through the deception. Although the inversion is undone, the two separate for good when Alex is one of three characters (the other two being Iron Man and Sabretooth) to remain in their new state. As part of the ''

All-New, All-Different Marvel All-New, All-Different Marvel (ANADM) is a 2015–2019 branding for Marvel Comics' entire main line of comics. Taking place after the crossover storyline " Secret Wars", it details the new Marvel Universe, with nearly 60–65 titles relaunched w ...

'', Wasp confronts Wolverine (

X-23 Laura Kinney (born X-23; Pseudonym, codename Wolverine (character), Wolverine) is a fictional superhero appearing in media (communication), media published by Marvel Entertainment, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character was cr ...

) and her clones called The Sisters when they try to steal an Ant-Man suit. Wolverine explains what they are doing, so Wasp agrees to shrink down and destroys the nanites in Zelda's body. While Wasp and Wolverine made their way through Zelda's body, Captain Mooney of

Alchemax Alchemax is a fictional megacorporation appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually depicted as part of the 2099 universe. Publication history The Earth-928 version of Alchemax first appeared in '' Spider-Man 2099'' #1 ...

Genetics shows up and shoots Zelda causing Wasp and Wolverine to exit the body. The two of them knock out Captain Mooney. Wasp later caught up with the Uncanny Avengers and confronted Ultron Pym after helping to fend off the monsters in the subway. When Wasp asked Ultron Pym about the recent events, she figured out that Ultron is in control of Hank when Ultron guessed wrong. The rest of the Uncanny Avengers were informed of this causing Cable to pressure Hank enough for Ultron to go on the attack and reveal his true self. Janet was called by Tony Stark to help him analyze the brain waves of Jocasta, since they were based on Janet's herself, after finding the data they went on a date and rekindled their past relationship after fending off malfunctioning robots attacking Stark Unlimited. Wasp later helps defeating The Controller after he took over the virtual reality eScape and empowered various criminals through out the city, and also directly aids Iron Man in subduing the supervillain Sudurang. During the "Ultron Agenda" arc, Wasp and Iron Man are suddenly attacked by a fusion of Vision and Wonder Man created by Ultron, who is trying to kidnap her, while Iron Man fends off the fusion, Wasp is found and captured by a brain-washed Jarvis and is taken to Ultron's base, who reveals to her he is now fused with her ex-husband Hank Pym. Ultron later has Jocasta captured as well and reveals he is planning to combine both Jan and Jocasta in the same body the same way he did with Pym, therefore creating his "Perfect wife", he is found by Iron Man and Machine Man before he activates his procedure, and cause him to have a mental breakdown through continued taunting, Ultron activates his machine but both Jan and Jocasta are saved by Iron Man who is fused with his armor in the process, Dr. Shapiro finds a way to revert Iron Man's condition but Ultron sends a miniature version on himself to infiltrate Iron Man's body who's engaged by Wasp, gaining enough time for Iron Man to expel everything from his body and return to normal. Wasp later helps fend off an enraged Ultron who's trying to kill everyone with his army of machine-fused human army, Iron Man uses his newly developed technology to separate the robotic parts from the organic ones to stop Ultron's army and scare him off. Janet tries to comfort Tony after he finds out he is actually an A.I. before he flies away. Wasp later appears as a member of the Agents of

Wakanda Wakanda () is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Wakanda has been depicted as being in East Africa. It is located in sub-Saharan Africa, and is home to the superhero Black Panther (comics), Black Pa ...

.

Powers and abilities

Making use of the cellular implantation of sub-atomic Pym particles, the Wasp possesses the power to alter her physical size, causing her body's mass to be shunted to or gained from an alternate dimension known as Kosmos. She is able to shrink to a minimum of several centimeters or grow to a maximum of several hundred feet. Smaller or larger sizes are possible but the exertion puts a strain on her body. Initially, these abilities stem from use of a Pym particle gas released from special capsules, and later biochemical augmentation by Henry Pym. Over time, however, her body absorbs enough particles to cause cellular mutation due to repeated exposure to Pym particles, allowing her to alter her size at will. At miniature size, her strength level increases as her body's mass is compacted. At giant size, her strength and endurance increase geometrically with her height, reaching superhuman levels. Despite the advantages of giant size, Janet usually prefers to remain the diminutive Wasp, calling on her growth power only in times of extreme emergency. At miniature size, the Wasp grows a pair of translucent insect wings from her back, a result of genetic modifications provided by Hank Pym. These grant her the power of flight, at speeds up to . The Wasp is able to harness and augment her body's natural bio-electric energy, releasing it from her hands in powerful electrical force bursts, which she calls her "stinger blasts", "stingers", or "wasp's stings". Originally, she requires special wrist devices to produce these, but again, Pym particle absorption allows her to create the ability unaided. The Wasp's genetic modifications also grant her the ability to sprout small prehensile antennae from her temples which allowed her to telepathically communicate with and control insects. However, this is an ability she rarely uses. Van Dyne displays several non-superhuman abilities that garner her special fame and attention, foremost of which is her fashion sense; in nearly all of her early appearances, she sports a new costume, presumably designed and manufactured on her own as she is a gifted fashion designer. She is also a skilled amateur screenwriter. The Wasp is trained in unarmed combat by

Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...

and in combat using her special powers by

Henry Pym Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in ''Tale ...

. In addition, the Wasp is one of the most intuitive, if not deductive, members of the Avengers, and is an experienced leader and strategist. She effectively determines that a chemical accident has created a schizophrenic break in Henry and that the relationship between the

Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964 ...

and the

Vision Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to: Perception Optical perception * Visual perception, the sense of sight * Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight * Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain und ...

is the result of the infused personality of

Wonder Man Wonder Man (Simon Williams) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in '' The Avengers'' #9 (October 1964). The c ...

, and guesses

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The cha ...

's identity of Tony Stark.

Cultural impact and legacy

Critical reception

George Marston of ''

Newsarama Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews, and essays about the American comic book industry. It is owned by Future US. In June 2020, Newsarama was merged with the website GamesRadar+, also owned by FutureUS. History ...

'' referred to the Wasp as one of the "best female superheroes," writing, Though she started as something of a sidekick to her on-again-off-again (currently off-again) paramour Hank Pym, Janet quickly became a hero in her own right, leading the Avengers several times, and often acting as the team's moral center. Wasp's arc has consistently projected upwards, quickly leaving behind any semblance of being a 'damsel in distress,' and progressing to the top levels of Marvel's heroic roster. Add to that her historical significance, and it's easy to see why she's one of the greatest female heroes ever to grace the printed page. Rob Bricken of '' Gizmodo'' asserted, "If Captain America epitomizes the Avengers, Janet Van Dyne is still its heart and soul. She was a founding member, has led the team through some of its most difficult moments, and has the unequivocal respect of gods, robots, and the most powerful beings in the cosmos. Marvel actually put it best when it said if the Avengers were asked to rank themselves, The Wasp would likely be #1." '' IGN'' stated, "Superhero comics were still lacking for strong female characters in the mid '60s. The Wasp was one of the ladies at the forefront of the feminist superhero movement. At first merely a bubbly sidekick to her husband, Giant-Man, Wasp quickly grew and built a career of her own. She remained one of the core Avengers members for much of the franchise's history, and her extensive wardrobe rivals even the likes of Wolverine's."

Accolades

* In 2011, '' IGN'' ranked the Wasp 99th among their "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes" list. * In 2011, ''

Comics Buyer's Guide ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' (''CBG''; ), established in 1971, was the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry. It awarded its annual Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards from 1983 to circa 2010. The publ ...

'' ranked the Wasp 94th in their "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list. * In 2012, '' IGN'' ranked the Wasp 26th in their "Top 50 Avengers" list. * In 2015, ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...

'' ranked the Wasp 9th in their "Let's rank every Avenger ever" list. * In 2015, '' Gizmodo'' ranked the Wasp 3rd in their "Every Member Of The Avengers" list. * In 2017, '' CBR.com'' ranked the Wasp 2nd in their "15 Avengers Leaders, Ranked From Worst To Best" list. * In 2018, ''

GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...

'' ranked the Wasp 20th in their "50 Most Important Superheroes" list. * In 2019, ''

Sideshow In North America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair, or other such attraction. Types There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions: *The Ten-in-One offers a program of ten ...

'' ranked the Wasp 2nd in their "Top 10 Bug-Themes Comic Book Characters" list. * In 2019, ''

Comicbook.com The following is a list of major assets that are owned by Paramount Global. Paramount Pictures Corporation (Film) * Paramount Pictures ** Paramount Home Entertainment ** Paramount Television Studios ** Paramount Pictures International ** Para ...

'' ranked the Wasp 26th in their "50 Most Important Superheroes Ever" list. * In 2019, ''

GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...

'' ranked the Wasp 10th in their "Our 15 Favorite Female Superheroes" list. * In 2020, '' CBR.com'' ranked the Wasp 19th in their "20 Most Powerful Female Members Of The Avengers" list. * In 2020, ''

Scary Mommy Scary Mommy is a website that produces content targeting mothers, which generally focuses on parenting, motherhood, current events and pop culture. The site is owned by Bustle Digital Group and is based in New York City. History Scary Mommy ...

'' ranked the Wasp 8th in their "Looking For A Role Model? These 195+ Marvel Female Characters Are Truly Heroic" list. * In 2021, '' CBR.com'' ranked the Wasp 9th in their "Marvel: 10 Strongest Pym Particle Users" list. * In 2022, ''

Newsarama Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews, and essays about the American comic book industry. It is owned by Future US. In June 2020, Newsarama was merged with the website GamesRadar+, also owned by FutureUS. History ...

'' ranked the Wasp 4th in their "Best Avengers members of all time" list and 21st in their "Best female superheroes" list. * In 2022, '' Screen Rant'' included the Wasp in their "Marvel: The 15 Most Powerful Female Avengers" list.

Other characters named Wasp

Hank Pym

After the apparent death of Janet van Dyne, her ex-husband

Hank Pym Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in '' Tales ...

became the second Wasp and joined the Mighty Avengers as their leader. After founding the Avengers Academy, Pym returned to wear his Giant-Man suit, and helped the Avengers to rescue Janet from the Microverse.

Nadia van Dyne

It was revealed that Hank Pym had a daughter named Nadia through Maria Trovaya who was abducted and supposedly killed by foreign agents. This caused Nadia to be raised in the Red Room until the day she obtained a Pym Particle sample that enabled her to escape.''All-New, All-Different Avengers'' #9 Upon heading to where her father lived, Nadia learned about what happened to Hank and used some parts of her father's costume and some materials laying around where she created a new version of the Wasp suit. Upon becoming the third Wasp, Nadia plans to obtain the admiration of her father's allies. After earning the trusts of the Avengers after stabilizing Vision, Edwin Jarvis took Nadia on a road trip to meet her extended family. Nadia meets Janet and spends the day with her. They save the president and then have a moment together. It soon becomes apparent that Nadia was out of touch with reality, believing that everything could be fixed by her science skills because "she was good". However, despite learning the harsh truth of reality, Janet comforted her and felt she had the potential to become a true hero. Nadia soon joins the Avengers and gains U.S. citizenship. Upon realizing that the most intelligent women on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s index don't list any women above the 27th place, she jump starts the program G.I.R.L. (Genius In Action Research Labs) to look for women with genius intellects. When deciding her legal name, Nadia realizes that she can't take the name 'Pym' as she never knew much about her biological mother and father. She decides to take the surname 'Van Dyne' as Janet was the only person there for her and believed in her success.

Other versions

MC2

In the alternate future of the " MC2" universe, Henry Pym and Janet Pym are parents of two children (

Hope Pym Hope Pym is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, the character first appeared in '' A-Next'' #7 (April 1999). She is the daughter of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne ...

and Henry Pym, Jr.). Giant-Man later perishes on the last mission of the original Avengers, and the Wasp dies of a broken heart. Their parents' deaths motivate Hope to be the Red Queen to form the

Revengers The Revengers is the name of different fictional teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history The Revengers is a fictional team of supervillains who were formed to fight A-Next in the MC2 series '' A- ...

while Henry, Jr. turns into the Big Man and joins a government reform team.

Marvel Adventures

The '' Marvel Adventures: The Avengers'' series (set in its own continuity) features Janet van Dyne as Giant-Girl, showcasing her ability to grow rather than shrink, which she uses in combat. She is younger than her main universe counterpart and she cracks jokes along with her teammate

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...

. Issue 13 of the series reveals her origin as a wealthy socialite given access to size-changing Pym particles by scientist Henry Pym (here an employee of Janet's father rather than a superhero). Her maximum size is unknown, but she grows tall enough to catch a school. Instead of having her powers naturally, Janet requires a suit powered by Pym particles to change her size. Like her Earth-616 counterpart, Janet seems to change her costume regularly. The first costume is purple and black with a mask adorned with antennae that looks remarkably similar to the Giant-Man costume worn by Hank Pym in the mainstream universe. This costume allows her to grow while having the added effect of letting her control insects (though she never uses this power). This costume is later destroyed, and Janet wears a second costume that does not include a mask, as her secret identity had been revealed. Finally, Janet gains a third suit that allows her to both grow and shrink, with the suit changing in appearance depending on her size. While using this suit to shrink, she calls herself Wasp and has powers similar to her mainstream counterpart, such as flight, proportionally superhuman strength, and the ability to project bio-electrical stings. A recent preview of ''Marvel Adventures: the Avengers'' #19 has shown her wearing a costume which is primarily blue but has gold-yellow accents. Whether this costume increases her maximum size is yet to be seen. She also mentions that she has at least two brothers, although they have never been seen or given any names (see ''Marvel Adventures: The Avengers'' #3).

Marvel Zombies

The Marvel Zombies series features an alternate Wasp as one of the main characters. She is now a zombie, another victim of the virus that has infected nearly all her world's superhumans. After Earth's human population is almost entirely devoured, Wasp is one of the zombies who finally kills (and consumes)

Magneto A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...

. The Wasp then discovers that Hank Pym has kept a secret food supply—a sedated and maimed Black Panther, held prisoner in Hank's lab. She confronts Hank, but he decapitates her by increasing in size and biting her head off in the struggle that follows. When the Black Panther later escapes the lab, he also takes the Wasp's still sentient head, which continues begging for food. He eventually reaches safety after encountering Magneto's surviving Acolytes. The Acolytes announce that they will study the Wasp, seeking a cure for the virus.''Marvel Zombies 2'' #3 (March 2008) An epilogue, five years later, shows the Wasp exploring the deserted Earth alongside the Acolytes. Her severed head is now sealed within a liquid-filled helmet, controlling a robotic body. Forty years later in "

Marvel Zombies 2 ''Marvel Zombies 2'' is a five-issue limited series published from October 2007 - February 2008 by comics publisher Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and Arthur Suydam. It is part of the '' Marve ...

", her head is fixed on a more advanced machine with her head exposed to the air. She also develops romantic feelings toward one of the Acolyte survivors, a scientist named Reynolds. As she indicates, forty years with the Acolytes is far longer than the time she has spent with Hank. At one point, the two share a kiss. A long period without feeding seems to have cured her completely of the hunger. Now Black Panther's adviser and friend, she is forced to infect him when an Acolyte assassin attempts to kill him. This incident is orchestrated by Malcolm Cortez, the son of

Fabian Cortez Fabian Cortez is a mutant supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly as an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and writer/illustrator Jim Lee, he first appeared in ''X-Men'' #1 (October 1 ...

, wanting to take leadership from Black Panther. When the hunger resurfaces, she nearly eats Panther's wife before being stopped by him. Instead, they eat the assassin and they state they will go into isolation to control their hunger. This is a success. Multiple powered zombies soon threaten the colony. Wasp fights alongside Panther, Hawkeye (who had also been decapitated and inhabits Janet's own former cybernetic body), Forge, and a reformed

Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' #1 (June 1972) and was created by Archie Go ...

and Spider-Man to save the people of New Wakanda from Firelord, Giant-Man, Wolverine, Gladiator, Hulk, Jean Grey and Iron Man seeking to finish off humanity and retain the inter-dimensional portal so they can enter a new universe. Eventually the zombies discover, as Janet has, that the hunger fades with time, and they stop their rampage only to have their numbers halved by the Hulk. Janet, along with the other remaining zombies (the new Colonel America, Spider-Man, Cage, Giant-Man, Wolverine and Black Panther), end up teleported to another universe by Malcolm Cortez. The Wasp ends in the dimension of 'Earth Z'. She leads an alien invasion of the zombie-infected Earth in an effort to quash the flesh-eating threat. She fails at this and is destroyed.

Deathlok Wasp

During the period when she is presumed dead, a

cyborg A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.

version of the Wasp appears in the Core, an underground city populated by robots. During a battle between the Descendants (the residents of the Core) and the

Secret Avengers ''Secret Avengers'' is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics featuring a fictional black ops superhero team of the same name. The series started with Ed Brubaker on writing duties, depicting a black-ops sect of Marvel's premie ...

, Hawkeye encounters the cyborg Wasp. He muses that the cyborg must have been the reanimated corpse of Janet, and finds himself unable to harm her. This Wasp is later revealed to be from an alternate future where most of Earth's superheroes had been killed and rebuilt using

Deathlok Deathlok (also referred to as Deathlok the Demolisher) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in '' Astonishing Tales'' #25 (Aug. 1974), created by Rich Buckler. At least three sub ...

technology. After the death of her timeline's version of Hank Pym, the Deathlok Wasp attempts to kidnap and assimilate his Earth-616 counterpart.

Marvel Mangaverse

Janet Van Dyne is a Stark International employee who wears a suit which grants her plasma wings. Janet has a rivalry with Iron Girl. Wasp helps defend the energy well from Hydra and

Namor Namor (), also known as the Sub-Mariner, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in early 1939, the character was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc ...

. During Rings of Fate she is presumably killed by the Hand.

Ultimate Marvel

The

Ultimate Marvel Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring re-imagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Those characters ...

incarnation of Wasp is Janet Pym, a 26-year-old

mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...

and a member of the

Ultimates The Ultimates is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics and created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, which first started publication from ''The Ultimates'' #1 (March 2002), as part of the company's Ultimate Marvel ...

. She holds two PhDs (one known to be in molecular biology) and is portrayed as being of Asian descent. She is moderately fluent in German. Her mutant status remains hidden from the public but is known by Henry "Hank" Pym and S.H.I.E.L.D. She can generate a glittering wasp-like sting which she discharges through her hands. Her bio-electric blast, when applied from within the ear to the brain, reverts the Hulk to Bruce Banner during the New York massacre. Side-effects of her insectoid genetics include the occasional consumption of bugs, forming her own larval nests, and laying egg-like constructs. During her college years, she shares a room with

Betty Ross Elizabeth "Betty" Ross (later Talbot and then Banner) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and made her first appearance in ''The Incredible ...

and starts seeing Henry. Henry is abusive to her early in their relationship and during college is known to have hit her at least twice, putting her head through a door on one occasion and splitting the roof of her mouth on another. Betty can also recall instances where Janet is missing chunks of hair. Janet also suffers from severe

bulimia Bulimia nervosa, also known as simply bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging or fasting, and excessive concern with body shape and weight. The aim of this activity is to expel the body of calories eaten ...

prior to joining the Ultimates. Hank's attempts at change through medication and enlistment in the Ultimates does not improve his behavior. As a result of Hank's humiliating loss against Hulk and simmering jealousy of Janet's friendship with Captain America (Steve Rogers), Hank and Janet fight viciously until Janet resorts to stinging and Hank commands an army of ants against her. Janet is found in a state of anaphylactic shock, caused by receiving multiple ant stings she has received while at wasp-size. Captain America, upon learning of Hank's violence, tracks down and beats Hank unconscious for Janet. Captain America's visits Janet after the fight left her exasperated and angry, stemming from embarrassment of her personal life now being public. After stopping the Chitauri invasion, Captain America and Wasp reconcile as friends and slowly start dating, despite Hank's attempts at making amends. On one of their secret meetings, Janet later confesses to Hank, now classified as a security risk by S.H.I.E.L.D., that the generation gap between Captain America and herself, along with the elderly status of Steve's friends, put a large strain on their relationship. She walks out on Rogers and meets up with Hank in a bar. During the "

Ultimate Six ''Ultimate Six'' is a seven-issue comic book limited series and crossover between Spider-Man and the Ultimates (2003), featuring the Ultimate Marvel version of the Sinister Six. The series was written by Brian Michael Bendis, penciled by Trevor Ha ...

" miniseries, Wasp was present when they apprehend

Kraven the Hunter Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Кравинов) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' issue #15 (August 1964) as an adversary ...

who was suspected for doing genetic enhancements to himself. When

Green Goblin The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known incarnation Norman Osborn, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is generally regarded as one of the a ...

's attack on the Triskelion that led to the abduction of Spider-Man, Wasp was devastated when the attack placed Hank Pym in a coma. During the Ultimate Six's attack on the White House, Wasp was able to defeat

Doctor Octopus Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''Th ...

. She later received positive news about Hank from a doctor. During their invasion of America, the Liberators fail to take Wasp into account, discounting her as being no threat due to her abilities being those to make herself "smaller and weaker". Janet is able to make her way to the cells in the

Triskelion A triskelion or triskeles is an ancient motif consisting of a triple spiral exhibiting rotational symmetry. The spiral design can be based on interlocking Archimedean spirals, or represent three bent human legs. It is found in artefacts o ...

where Captain America is being held under suspicion of the murder of Hawkeye's entire family. Though she is discovered and apparently subdued, she has already liberated her boyfriend. Though Captain America easily beats the Schizoid Man, he stops fighting when several super soldiers threaten to tear Wasp apart; she then surprises them all by using her stinging powers at her normal size for the first time, killing or incapacitating all the super soldiers at once. At some point, Hank gives Janet a dose of the Giant-Man serum, which allows her to grow to gigantic proportions. At a larger size, Janet helps turn the tide in favor of American forces and crushes the Insect Queen with one stomp of her foot. It is unknown whether she can grow at will or whether this is a one-off experience. During ''

The Ultimates 3 ''The Ultimates 3'' was a five-issue, monthly comic book miniseries published in 2008 by Marvel Comics in the Ultimate Marvel imprint. Written by Jeph Loeb, and illustrated by Joe Madureira, it is a sequel to ''The Ultimates'' and ''The Ultimates ...

'' miniseries, Janet becomes co-leader of the team, along with Captain America, and now sports a crimson-and-gold outfit and a mask. She begins to reconcile with her estranged husband, and later works with the Ultimates and

Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...

to stop the plans of Ultron. She and Hawkeye frequently clash thanks to her teammate's almost

suicidal Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and subs ...

nature. Having gone missing during the flood in Ultimatum Wave, Hank Pym and Hawkeye search for her, only for Hawkeye to discover her body being eaten by the Blob. Hank tells Hawkeye and Iron Man (Tony Stark) to take Wasp's body to activate "the Jocasta project". There are several references to Wasp following her death. She is seen dining in

Valhalla In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for non, Valhǫll ("hall of the slain").Orchard (1997:171–172) It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat e ...

with other deceased superheroes during

Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, an ...

's eulogy for Spider-Man Her Wasp mantle is succeeded by the aggressive Red-Wasp, and by a series of "WASPS" robots which were eventually acquired by Mr. Morez (Modi). Wasp was later revived alongside her fellow Ultimates when the Superflow that separated the different universes was destroyed by Maker and

High Evolutionary High Evolutionary (Herbert Edgar Wyndham) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Chukwudi Iwuji will portray the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3''. ...

.

Old Woman Laura

In a possible future, Janet has become stuck at insect size. She is part of an assault on Latveria, hidden within an armor-piercing bullet used by Maria Hill. When the bullet penetrates a Doombot's armor, Janet emerges from it, and takes over the machine from the inside.

Edge of Spider-Verse

On Earth-71490, a middle-aged Janet eventually retires from being an active superhero and becomes a world famous fashion designer. She is also the employer of Cooper Coen, that world's Spider-Man equivalent (known as Web-Weaver). Shortly before a high profile fashion show, Janet is tied up and gagged by the Chameleon, who assumes her identity as part of a ploy to assassinate the

influencer An Internet celebrity (also known as a social media influencer, social media personality, internet personality, or simply influencer) is a celebrity who has acquired or developed their fame and notability through the Internet. The rise of social m ...

Silvija Sablinova.

In other media

Television

* The Wasp appears in ''

The Marvel Super Heroes ''The Marvel Super Heroes'' is an American animated television series starring five comic book superheroes from Marvel Comics. The first TV series based on Marvel characters, it debuted in broadcast syndication, syndication on United States, U.S. ...

'', voiced by Peg Dixon. * The Wasp makes a cameo appearance in the '' X-Men: The Animated Series'' episode "One Man's Worth (Part 1)". This version is a member of the Avengers who hails from a timeline where the

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to lo ...

was never formed. * The Wasp makes a cameo appearance in the '' Fantastic Four'' episode "To Battle the Living Planet". * The Wasp appears in '' The Avengers: United They Stand'', voiced by

Linda Ballantyne Linda Anne Ballantyne (born October 24, 1964) is a Canadian voice actress, who is best known for voicing the title role of Serena Tsukino/Sailor Moon in the second half of the original English version of ''Sailor Moon''. Early life Ballantyne ...

. * The Wasp appears in ''

The Super Hero Squad Show ''The Super Hero Squad Show'' is an American superhero animated series produced by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the Avengers, the X-Men, and various other characters ...

'', voiced by

Jennifer Morrison Jennifer Marie Morrison is an American actress, director, producer, and former child model. She is mainly known for her roles as Dr. Allison Cameron in the medical-drama series ''House'' (2004–2012) and Emma Swan in the ABC adventure-fantasy ...

. * The Wasp appears in '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'', voiced by

Colleen O'Shaughnessey Colleen Ann O'Shaughnessey (born September 15, 1971) is an American voice actress. She is best known as the voice of Sora Takenouchi in the ''Digimon'' anime, Jazz Fenton in ''Danny Phantom'', Wasp in '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'' ...

. * The Wasp appears in '' Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers'', voiced by

Kaori Mizuhashi is a Japanese voice actress who is employed by Arts Vision. Her major voice roles include Mami Tomoe in '' Puella Magi Madoka Magica'', Kuki Shinobu in ''Genshin Impact'', Lava and May in ''Arknights'', Vivio Takamachi in '' Magical Girl Lyri ...

in Japanese dub and Colleen O'Shaughnessey in English dub. * The Wasp appears in ''

Marvel Future Avengers is a Japanese superhero anime television series produced by Madhouse and Walt Disney Japan, based on the Marvel Comics universe. The first season began airing on the Dlife satellite channel in July 2017 and ran for 26 episodes, followed ...

'', voiced by Kaori Mizuhashi in Japanese and Kari Wahlgren in English. * The Wasp appears in ''

Spidey and His Amazing Friends ''Spidey and His Amazing Friends'' (also known as ''Marvel's Spidey and His Amazing Friends'') is a computer-animated superhero children's television series produced by Atomic Cartoons (who also produced ''Marvel Super Hero Adventures'') that pr ...

'', voiced by Maya Tuttle of

The Colourist The Colourist is an American rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 2009 by Adam Castilla, Maya Tuttle, Justin Wagner, and Kollin Johannsen. The band has been inactive since Tuttle's departure in December 2016, but reunited in 2021 ...

.

Film

* Wasp appears in ''

Ultimate Avengers ''Marvel Animated Features'' (''MAF'') is a series of the first eight direct-to-video animated superhero films made by MLG Productions, a joint venture between Marvel Studios (later Marvel Animation) and Lions Gate Entertainment. History In ...

'' and ''

Ultimate Avengers 2 ''Marvel Animated Features'' (''MAF'') is a series of the first eight direct-to-video animated superhero films made by MLG Productions, a joint venture between Marvel Studios (later Marvel Animation) and Lions Gate Entertainment. History In ...

'', voiced by

Grey DeLisle Grey DeLisle (; born Erin Grey Van Oosbree; August 24, 1973), sometimes credited as Grey Griffin, is an American voice actress, comedian and singer-songwriter. DeLisle is known for various roles in animated productions and video games. On Sept ...

. * Janet van Dyne makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in '' Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow''. This version was killed by Ultron prior to the film.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Janet van Dyne appears in media set in the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...

: * '' The Avengers'' director Joss Whedon originally wanted to cast

Zooey Deschanel Zooey Claire Deschanel (; born January 17, 1980) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She made her film debut in '' Mumford'' (1999) and had a supporting role in Cameron Crowe's film '' Almost Famous'' (2000). Deschanel is known for h ...

as the Wasp. However, the character was ultimately cut from the film. * Janet first appears in a flashback in the live-action film ''

Ant-Man Ant-Man is the name of several superheroes appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, Ant-Man's first appearance was in ''Tales to Astonish'' #27 (January 1962) but first appeared in cost ...

'', voiced by Hayley Lovitt. This version operated as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who, in an attempt to stop a missile, shrunk down to the

Quantum Realm Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles. It is the foundation of all quantum physics including quantum chemistry, qua ...

and was presumed dead for decades. * In the live-action film ''

Ant-Man and the Wasp ''Ant-Man and the Wasp'' is a 2018 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Scott Lang / Ant-Man and Hope Pym / Wasp. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is th ...

'', Janet is portrayed by

Michelle Pfeiffer Michelle Marie Pfeiffer (; born April 29, 1958) is an American actress and producer. A prolific performer whose screen work spans over four decades, she became one of Hollywood's most bankable stars and popular sex symbols during the 1980s ...

. After making a connection with Scott Lang following his trip to the Quantum Realm, Janet assists him,

Hank Pym Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in '' Tales ...

, and

Hope van Dyne Hope van Dyne (née Pym) is a fictional character portrayed by Evangeline Lilly in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film franchise, loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Hope Pym. Portrayed as the daughter of Hank Pym and Janet van ...

in finding and rescuing her. Upon their reunion, Janet reveals that her extended time there caused her to absorb large amounts of quantum energy. Once out of the realm, Janet temporarily stabilizes Ghost before working with Lang and her family to gather more quantum energy to create a permanent cure. While doing so, Janet, Hank, and Hope fall victim to

the Blip The Blip (also known as the Decimation and the Snap) is a major fictional event depicted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) franchise in which half of all living things in the universe, chosen at random, were exterminated by Thanos (Marvel ...

. * In the live-action film '' Avengers: Endgame'', Janet is restored to life off-screen and attends

Tony Stark Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charac ...

's funeral. * An alternate timeline version of Janet appears in the

Disney+ Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by the Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television se ...

animated series '' What If...?'' episode " What If... Zombies?!" This version was infected with a quantum virus that transformed her into a

zombie A zombie ( Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in w ...

. When Hank traveled to the Quantum Realm to rescue her, she infected him and they went on to cause a

zombie apocalypse Zombie apocalypse is a genre of fiction in which society collapses due to overwhelming swarms of zombies. Typically only a few individuals or small bands of survivors are left living. In some versions, the reason the dead rise and attack huma ...

following their return. * Janet will return in '' Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania''.

Video games

* The Wasp appears as a non-player character in '' Captain America and the Avengers''. * The Wasp appears as a playable character in '' Marvel Super Hero Squad Online''. * The Wasp appears as a playable character in '' Marvel: Avengers Alliance''. * The Wasp appears as a playable character in ''

Lego Marvel Super Heroes ''Lego Marvel Super Heroes'' is a 2013 Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft W ...

'', voiced by

Tara Strong Tara Lyn Strong (née Charendoff; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian-American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as '' The New Batman Adventure ...

. * The Wasp appears as a non-playable character in '' Disney Infinity 2.0'', voiced again by

Colleen O'Shaughnessey Colleen Ann O'Shaughnessey (born September 15, 1971) is an American voice actress. She is best known as the voice of Sora Takenouchi in the ''Digimon'' anime, Jazz Fenton in ''Danny Phantom'', Wasp in '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'' ...

. * The Wasp appears as a team-up character in '' Marvel Heroes''. * Janet van Dyne appears as a playable character in ''

Lego Marvel's Avengers ''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Wind ...

''. * The Wasp appears as a playable character in '' Marvel: Future Fight''. * A teenage version of Wasp appears as a playable character in ''

Marvel Avengers Academy ''Marvel Avengers Academy'' was a freemium mobile game for iOS and Android, based on the characters featured in Marvel Comics. It was released on February 4, 2016. The game was shut down three years later. Despite the name, the game was not rel ...

'', voiced by

Alexandra Daddario Alexandra Anna Daddario (born March 16, 1986) is an American actress who had her breakthrough portraying Annabeth Chase in the ''Percy Jackson'' film series (2010–2013). In 2021, she starred in the first season of the HBO series ''The White ...

. * The Wasp appears in ''

Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 ''Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One on 14 November ...

'', voiced by Skye Bennett. * The Wasp appears as a playable character in '' Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order'', voiced by

Kari Wahlgren Kari Wahlgren (born July 13, 1977) is an American actress who has provided English-language voices for animated movies, TV series, and video games. She got her start in anime voice-overs as Haruko Haruhara in '' FLCL'', and would later land ma ...

.

Miscellaneous

* A scientist attending Otto Octavius's demonstration in ''

Spider-Man 2 ''Spider-Man 2'' is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi and written by Alvin Sargent from a story by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar and Michael Chabon. Based on the fictional Marvel Comics character of the same name, it is the ...

'', portrayed by

Joanne Baron Joanne Baron (born February 3, 1953) is an American actress and Meisner technique acting coach. She was raised in Providence, Rhode Island and attended Classical and Pawtucket High Schools. She received early acceptance to the University of Conn ...

, is identified as Janet van Dyne in the film's novelization.''Spider-Man 2'' Novelization Pages 113–114 and 124. * The Wasp appears in the '' Eternals'' motion comic, voiced by

Kelly Sheridan Kelly Sheridan is a Canadian voice actress best known for being the voice for Barbie in the ''Barbie'' film series from 2001 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2015. She had also voiced in numerous animations and English-language dubs of Japanese animati ...

.

References

External links

*
Earth's Mightiest Heroines
a fansite for the Women of the Avengers {{DEFAULTSORT:Wasp (Comics) Avengers (comics) characters Characters created by Jack Kirby Characters created by Stan Lee Comics characters introduced in 1963 Female characters in film Fictional characters from New Jersey Fictional characters who can change size Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities Fictional models Fictional people in fashion Fictional writers Marvel Comics female superheroes Marvel Comics film characters Marvel Comics mutates Marvel Comics telepaths