Janet Van Dyne: The Winsome Wasp Appreciation 2021

[CosmiComic]

They DID actually. Tony was put in a coma by Carol during Civil War II. Riri and Doctor Doom then took over Tony's two solo books.

I remember that, but he came back

[Digifiend]

Not for over a year.

[CosmiComic]

Not for over a year.

A lot of comics characters go through that, don't they? He was never going to be permanently dropped

[Celtic1967]

Yeah, as much as I can't stand the guy, Whedon actually wanted Jan to not just be in the film as the 7th Avenger, but also be the POV character, essentially making her the main character. His first drafts and the storyboards based on them even featured Jan, including it being her protected by Cap and his shield in the iconic debris falling shot instead of Natasha. Unfortunately, this was back in the time of Ike Perlmutter running Marvel Studios, whose leaked emails showed he was firmly against including more female superheroes in prominent roles thanks to his faulty logic in using the Supergirl/Catwoman/Elektra films flopping at the box office as examples.

Wright pushing for Scott instead of Hank though was the worse decision as it cemented Jan not being the primary Wasp in the MCU, which in turn got reflected in the comics with the push for Nadia/Hope instead.

This would have been so cool. Jan could have been the main Pym particle hero, Hank could have been her non-powered "guy in the chair" à la Marvel Adventures.

[Sutekh]

Yeah, as much as I can't stand the guy, Whedon actually wanted Jan to not just be in the film as the 7th Avenger, but also be the POV character, essentially making her the main character. His first drafts and the storyboards based on them even featured Jan, including it being her protected by Cap and his shield in the iconic debris falling shot instead of Natasha. Unfortunately, this was back in the time of Ike Perlmutter running Marvel Studios, whose leaked emails showed he was firmly against including more female superheroes in prominent roles thanks to his faulty logic in using the Supergirl/Catwoman/Elektra films flopping at the box office as examples.

Wright pushing for Scott instead of Hank though was the worse decision as it cemented Jan not being the primary Wasp in the MCU, which in turn got reflected in the comics with the push for Nadia/Hope instead.

Wow, I knew that Whedon said he wanted to use Janet but was told she was off-limits because of the Ant-Man movie Wright was planning (and eventually left, which means she was cut from the Avengers for something that never happened anyway), and then that Peyton Reed said that when he read the original treatment that Wright had left behind, Janet wasn't really in the Ant-Man movie he had planned anyway, making it even more pointless that she got barred from the Avengers because some other dude had put a reserve on her, and then didn't plan on actually using her anyway...

(And also about someone at Marvel pointing to the Catwoman/Elektra flops as 'proof' that 'fans didn't want movies about strong women' instead of the lesson they should have taken from that being 'fans don't want movies that suck.' But I heard it was Avi Arad, not Ike Perlmutter. Internet gossip. So inconsistent.)

But this bit about Jan as POV character was total news to me, and interesting! What could have been...

[Cruelrain]

Darkhold Alpha is finally coming this september

hopefully we see some good Wanda and Janet moments

[CosmiComic]

Maybe they'll get more attention now.

[Ursalink]

They turned Janet into Giganta's counterpart in "Heroes Reborn". I find that insulting, because Janet has a way better personality than Giganta if they are compared.

[CosmiComic]

They turned Janet into Giganta's counterpart in "Heroes Reborn". I find that insulting, because Janet has a way better personality than Giganta if they are compared.

I guess the Heroes Reborn thing is more of an alt-universe, and they sometimes have different takes on the characters. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean such versions are good

[K7P5V]

Thanks, K7P5V!

Those panels were such blasts from the past. The artwork and coloring was so good, especially in the team-up!

You have a great memory remembering both strength testing issues and dates (I lumped them together in my mind)!!

You're welcome, Phoenixx9! Also, thanks for the compliment!

[Sutekh]

A lot of comics characters go through that, don't they? He was never going to be permanently dropped

Yeah, Superior Spider-Man (Octavius), Infamous Iron Man (Doom). I wonder if there could be a 'Wicked Wasp' with some villain taking on her role for a minute.

Rita De Mara would be my first choice for a(n ex-) villain to take on her role for a short time, perhaps when Janet was thought to be dead, and perhaps being further pushed along her own redemptive arc by the experience while also perhaps having her own former-criminal tendencies lead her to some un-Janet-like behavior that lends itself to the 'Wicked' descriptor. (Of course Rita herself was dead at the time, so it totally wouldn't have worked without one of those comic book resurrections they hand out like candy.)

[Ursalink]

I guess the Heroes Reborn thing is more of an alt-universe, and they sometimes have different takes on the characters. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean such versions are good

Yeah, I understand that, but it would have had much sense to have the villain named "Man-Killer" to have the role of Giganta instead of Janet Van Dyne.

[CosmiComic]

Yeah, Superior Spider-Man (Octavius), Infamous Iron Man (Doom). I wonder if there could be a 'Wicked Wasp' with some villain taking on her role for a minute.

Rita De Mara would be my first choice for a(n ex-) villain to take on her role for a short time, perhaps when Janet was thought to be dead, and perhaps being further pushed along her own redemptive arc by the experience while also perhaps having her own former-criminal tendencies lead her to some un-Janet-like behavior that lends itself to the 'Wicked' descriptor. (Of course Rita herself was dead at the time, so it totally wouldn't have worked without one of those comic book resurrections they hand out like candy.)

Yeah, it could work, but that would make more sense if Janet got as much attention as Tony or Peter.

Yeah, I understand that, but it would have had much sense to have the villain named "Man-Killer" to have the role of Giganta instead of Janet Van Dyne.

Maybe no one remembers Man-Killer.

[Phoenixx9]

You're welcome, Phoenixx9! Also, thanks for the compliment!

Another Classic Team Pic!

[Phoenixx9]

Maybe no one remembers Man-Killer.

Not true. I remember Man-Killer.

She is Katrina Van Horn. She "died", was brought back, disappeared, then went by Amazon for a while before returning to her Man-Killer name. Yeah, I remember her.