Scott Lang’s Ant-Man and Hope van Dyne’s Wasp have displayed many impressive abilities since making their MCU debut, but they are still missing some powers from Marvel Comics. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly made their first MCU appearances as Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne in 2015’s Ant-Man, which introduced the world to the legendary size-changing superhero Ant-Man. After Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man defeated Darren Cross’ Yellowjacket in the MCU’s Phase 2, Evangeline Lilly’s Hope van Dyne finally suited up as the Wasp in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, and the pair have since become a formidable team in the MCU.

Since debuting in 2015, Ant-Man and the Wasp have shown off some brilliant powers, most notably their ability to change their size at will with the help of Pym Particles. This allows them to shrink to the size of insects, explaining their insect-themed monikers, or grow to immense sizes. Through specially-designed earpieces, Ant-Man and the Wasp can also communicate with ants, which has proven pivotal in many of their MCU adventures. Despite showing off so many technological advancements, however, Marvel Comics’ Ant-Man and the Wasp have demonstrated even more abilities and gadgets that their MCU counterparts could only dream of.

10

Ant-Man’s Wrist Gauntlets Give Him Extra Powers In Marvel Comics

Ant-Man Could Fire Blasts Of Energy From His Wrist Gauntlets

One of the most useful gadgets used by Ant-Man in Marvel Comics are the wrist gauntlets attached to his superhero costume. These allow Ant-Man to fire blasts of electrical energy at will, and even his cybernetic helmet was originally capable of firing disruptive blasts of energy during battle. Scott Lang’s Ant-Man costume in the MCU does have wrist gauntlets, but these aren’t capable of shooting anything at his enemies, rather only regulating the inner workings of the suit itself, though the Wasp’s costume is different.

Ant-Man & The Wasp Joked About Ant-Man’s Missing Blasters

Ant-Man and the Wasp saw Hope van Dyne’s Wasp show off her wrist-attached blasters. This turned into a joke between Scott Lang and Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym, the creator of the Ant-Man suit and its original wearer. Lang questioned whether Pym’s blaster technology was available when designing his suit, and Pym stated that it was, but implied he simply didn’t trust Lang with this power.

9

Ant-Man Has Never Entered Overspace In The MCU

Hank Pym Could Speak To Cosmic Beings In Marvel Comics

During his time as the original Ant-Man, Marvel Comics’ Hank Pym cracked not only being able to shrink smaller, but also grow larger. While shrinking smaller allowed him to enter the Microverse, Marvel Comics’ version of the Quantum Realm, growing bigger enabled Ant-Man to gain access to Overspace. Overspace is a dimension above and apart from all others where the most powerful cosmic beings reside, and Hank Pym was able to converse with these beings on several occasions.

Could Scott Lang’s Ant-Man Reach Overspace In The MCU?

The MCU’s Ant-Man has grown large many times, most notably during Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Avengers: Endgame’s final battle. However, since he previously claimed to have grown to 65-feet, and grew bigger in Endgame, he is far from big enough to enter Overspace. With entities such as Eternity and the Living Tribunal already having been seen in the MCU, it’s possible Overspace won’t be adapted for live-action.

8

The Wasp’s Wings Aren’t Bio-Synthetic In The MCU

Both Ant-Man & The Wasp Had Wings In Marvel Comics

While the MCU’s Wasp’s wings are mechanical, her Marvel Comics counterparts have access to bio-synthetic wings. The Wasp moniker has been held by both Janet van Dyne and Hank Pym in Marvel Comics, and both of these heroes had specialized cells implanted below their shoulder blades that would expand into insect-like wings during their time as the Wasp. This allowed the Wasps to fly at speeds of 38 mph for up to an hour, with the wings disappearing behind a genetically-engineered callus when the hero returns to normal size.

Ant-Man Not Having Wings Makes Him & The Wasp A Better Team In The MCU

Despite not having the benefits of being bio-synthetic, Hope van Dyne’s mechanical wings in the MCU are still incredibly impressive. Van Dyne can fly much faster than her Marvel Comics counterparts, reaching speeds of 125 mph. The fact that Ant-Man doesn’t have wings makes them the perfect team, as he can cover the ground, while the Wasp takes to the skies.

7

The Wasp Had Bio-Synthetic Antennae In Marvel Comics

The Wasp Could Communicate With Insects Via Her Antennae

As well as having bio-synthetic wings in Marvel Comics, Janet van Dyne’s Wasp also began her superhero career with bio-synthetic antennae. Specialized tissue implanted in her forehead allowed these antennae to grow, and these allowed the Wasp to access radio frequencies, send messages to Ant-Man’s helmet, and communicate with and control insect life. The Wasp’s superhero costume in the MCU doesn’t include these antennae, and, in fact, has few differences when compared to Ant-Man’s own costume.

The Wasp’s Antennae Haven’t Been Seen Since The 1980s

Despite Janet van Dyne’s Wasp being a prominent hero in the early days of Marvel Comics, even becoming an original Avenger, she didn’t put her bio-synthetic antennae to use very often. This eventually culminated in Marvel Comics abandoning the accessories, meaning they haven’t been seen since 1988’s West Coast Avengers (Vol. 2) #33. Nevertheless, the Wasp’s more recent Marvel Comics costumes do still have antennae attached, though they are part of the suit itself.

6

Hank Pym Is Marvel Comics’ Scientist Supreme

Hank Pym Is One Of The Smartest People In The Marvel Universe

On his first mission to Overspace, Hank Pym came across the formidable cosmic entity known as Eternity, who dubbed Pym Earth’s Scientist Supreme. Pym argued that Tony Stark or Reed Richards would better fit this role, but Pym’s inventions, technological creations, scientific research into magic, and ability to make impossibilities possible made him the perfect candidate. With this new title, Pym was sent back to Earth to form future Avengers teams, and this is one massive development that hasn’t been possible in the MCU.

Marvel Studios Has Altered A Lot Of Hank Pym’s Marvel Comics Storylines

In Marvel Comics, Pym is one of the smartest people alive, with his genius allowing him to create Ultron, repair Vision on many occasions, create artificially-intelligent vehicles, and design the Avengers’ equipment. In the MCU, however, all of these roles were gifted to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark. Pym only obsessed over the Pym Particles, meaning he isn’t a strong candidate to become the Scientist Supreme.

5

Hank Pym’s Toolbot Has Never Been Seen In The MCU

The Toolbot Contained Over 900 Handy Tools

First seen in 2009’s Mighty Avengers #21, Hank Pym’s Toolbot was a handy gadget created by the genius inventor during his time as the Wasp. The Toolbot contained over nine hundred tools that had been shrunk in size to fit inside a small, handheld device. The Toolbot proved pivotal in several of Pym’s adventures, but hasn’t yet been adapted for the live-action MCU, as Scott Lang’s Ant-Man suit has various capabilities, and the fact that other devices can also be shrunk means the Toolbot may be unnecessary.

Hank Pym Created The Toolbot While He Was The Wasp

After the events of Marvel Comics’ Secret Invasion and Civil War, Hank Pym returned to find Janet van Dyne, his ex-wife at the time, had died. In an effort to memorialize her, Pym took up the mantle of the Wasp and formed the Mighty Avengers and the Avengers Academy. During this time, he developed the Toolbot, though he soon returned to being Giant-Man.

4

Ant-Man Can Telepathically Communicate With Other Insects In Marvel Comics

Ant-Man’s Helmet Allows Him To Control Ants & Other Insects

Arguably, the depiction of Ant-Man’s ability to communicate with ants is much simpler and more realistic than that in Marvel Comics. In the comics, Hank Pym’s cybernetic helmet gifts him a rudimentary telepathic connection to ants, but this was streamlined into a simple earpiece in the MCU. One aspect of this ability that the MCU’s Ant-Man hasn’t used, however, is the ability to speak to and control the minds of other insects aside from ants, which Marvel Comics’ Hank Pym has demonstrated on several occasions.

Marvel Studios Made Ant-Man’s Communication With Ants More Realistic

In the MCU, a simple earpiece is used in place of Ant-Man’s helmet. Allowing telepathic communication with ants, Hank Pym, Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne can speak to their insect allies via the earpieces, without the need for their full, cumbersome superhero costumes. Since Hank Pym had long abandoned his Ant-Man career by 2015, this was particularly helpful in his communication with the ants.

3

Ant-Man’s Rover Airship May Be Too Weird For The MCU

The Rover Airship Resembled An Insect In Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics famously gifted many of its prominent superheroes their own branded vehicles, and Ant-Man was no different. Designed by Hank Pym in 1987’s West Coast Avengers (Vol. 2) #21, the Rover Airship had the appearance of an insect, making it the perfect vessel for Ant-Man. The Rover was built to help people after Vibro caused earthquakes throughout San Francisco, and the vehicle was able to shoot flames and gases, could climb buildings, and was capable of speech thanks to its artificial intelligence.

Ant-Man & The Wasp May Have Adapted The Rover Airship For The MCU

While the Rover Airship itself hasn’t been seen in the MCU, 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp may have taken inspiration from the vehicle’s design. Hank Pym’s Quantum Vehicle in Ant-Man and the Wasp had a similar, dome-shaped glass window, bearing resemblance to Marvel Comics’ Rover. However, this ship only enabled safe travel to the Quantum Realm, and didn’t come with any of the Rover’s bells and whistles.

2

Eric O’Grady’s Ant-Man Has Robotic Legs In Marvel Comics

Eric O’Grady Became Ant-Man In 2006

Eric O’Grady was a low-level SHIELD agent who donned the Ant-Man suit during an attack on a helicarrier by HYDRA in 2006’s Civil War: Choosing Sides #1. O’Grady was far from responsible with the Ant-Man suit, using his new size-changing ability to disgustingly stalk female members of the Mighty Avengers and commit theft. However, O’Grady’s Ant-Man suit had some interesting upgrades, including robotic legs which could be used as grapples and contained thrusters that could enable flight.

Eric O’Grady Hasn’t Been Introduced To The MCU

Eric O’Grady is a very controversial character in Marvel Comics, so it’s possible Marvel Studios may choose to never adapt him into live-action. However, he does represent an interesting dark mirror to Scott Lang’s Ant-Man, which may be an entertaining dynamic to explore in live-action. In Marvel Comics, O’Grady becomes a member of the Thunderbolts and the Secret Avengers, so his potential MCU debut could develop these teams after Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* releases.

1

The Wasp Wielded The Power Prism In Marvel Comics

The Power Prism Transformed Janet Van Dyne Into A Villain

Introduced back in 1969’s Avengers #69, the Power Prism was a sentient entity named Krimmon that had originally been a Skrull, but was transformed into a prism as punishment. Originally wielded by Doctor Spectrum, a member of the Squadron Sinister, Hank Pym’s Yellowjacket eventually acquires the Power Prism and gifts it to his wife, the Wasp. Inadvertently, this transforms Janet van Dyne into a villainous female Doctor Spectrum, but grants her the ability to manipulate energy.

A Version Of The Power Prism Could Still Appear In The MCU

Marvel Comics’ Squadron Sinister comprises four villains based on DC Comics’ Justice League of America. They are the alternate universe version of the Squadron Supreme, and this team has been the subject of speculation suggesting they could join the MCU. Jessica Jones already debuted Whizzer, while the likes of Hyperion, Power Princess and Skrullian Skymaster could join forces with Ant-Man and the Wasp in the MCU’s future, perhaps bringing the Power Prism with them.

• 

  Ant-Man

  PG-13

  Superhero

  Comedy

  Heist

  Action

  Adventure

  Where to Watch

  *Availability in US

  • stream
  • rent
  • buy

  Not available

  Not available

  Not available

  Director

  Peyton Reed

  Release Date

  
  July 14, 2015
  

  Runtime

  117 minutes

• 

  Ant-Man and the Wasp

  PG-13

  Superhero

  Action

  Adventure

  Sci-Fi

  Where to Watch

  *Availability in US

  • stream
  • rent
  • buy

  Not available

  Not available

  Not available

  Director

  Peyton Reed

  Release Date

  
  July 6, 2018
  

  Runtime

  118 Minutes

• 

  Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania

  PG-13

  Action

  Adventure

  Comedy

  Where to Watch

  *Availability in US

  • stream
  • rent
  • buy

  Not available

  Not available

  Not available

  Director

  Peyton Reed

  Release Date

  
  February 17, 2023
  

  Runtime

  135 minutes