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Marvel Premiere #47

Apr 1979
David Michelinie, Bob Layton

Marvel Premiere #47 cover

Story Name:

To Steal an Ant-Man!


Synopsis

Marvel Premiere #47 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 5 stars

Ant-Man bursts into an operating room, fighting guards and claiming that if this operation continues, his daughter will die. The fight goes poorly for the hero so he uses his newly-acquired shrinking powers to escape the guards along with an army of ants, just ahead of a guard spraying a hose to wash them all away….

But this Ant-Man is not Hank Pym—he is Scott Lang who fills us in on how he got there. Scott was released from prison and met up with his daughter Cassie and ex-wife Ruth; Scott dotes on his little girl who idolizes him. He was given a job at Stark International, designing security systems. But then Cassie fell ill, diagnosed with a rare heart condition. Medical bills overwhelmed Scott and he considered returning to crime to save his daughter. Then he was told of heart surgeon Dr. Erica Sondheim who might be the only one who can help Cassie but when he tried to visit her he was told she has given up her practice. Outside, he saw her being hustled off by criminal types but when he tried to intervene he was shoved by a gigantic hand and the car sped away. He traced the license plate to Cross Technological Enterprises, a huge and secure industrial campus. And so, hoping to score enough money to hire a team to break into CTE, he burglarized the home of Hank Pym and discovered an Ant-Man costume. Taking it home, he figured out how it worked, both for shrinking and commanding ants. And so he was able to infiltrate the CTE complex in miniature form, accompanied by a horde of ants. Making his way to the operating theater, he crashed in and this is where the story began….

The new Ant-Man and his ants return to the operating room via the drain in the sink. He overpowers the two guards and tries to make off with Erica Sondheim but he is interrupted by the patient—a giant named Darren Cross, the owner of the complex who must now destroy the hero….



 

Review / Commentaries


Marvel Premiere #47 Review by (January 10, 2024)

Review: An auspicious debut! Having apparently exhausted all possibilities of making Hank Pym a compelling hero, Marvel chose to introduce a second one, ex-con Scott Lang who is desperate to save his daughter’s life. The character is interesting, story is bright and compelling, the art, Bob Layton drawings over John Byrne layouts, is lovely. Everything goes nicely along and ends with a cool cliffhanger (little man about to be slain by a giant).

Comments: Part one of two parts. Origin of Ant-Man (Scott Lang); Lang was introduced in AVENGERS #181, a month previously. First appearance of Darren Cross. First appearance of Erica Sondheim who would go on to be a recurring character in IRON MAN for a few years.  Scott makes a quirky reference to Steve Martin’s comedy album, “Let’s Get Small.” He also refers to James Whitmore, star of THEM!, the classic giant ant movie. And there’s a reference to tennis star Bobby Riggs, a noted misogynist and how he would be nervous at a feminist gathering.



> Marvel Premiere comic book info and issue index

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Bob Layton
Bob Layton
Bob Sharen
Bob Layton (Cover Penciler)
Bob Layton (Cover Inker)
Unknown (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Layouts: John Byrne. Letterer: Tom Orzechowski.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Ant-Man
Ant-Man

(Scott Lang)

Plus: Darren Cross, Erica Sondheim.

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