The Good
It's a battle between Darren Cross and Scott Lang! Cross has taken Cassie's heart and she's dying. The first half of this issue is a great fight between the hero and the villain. It's straight-forward stuff and a ton of fun to read because Scott's narration drives the whole fight. We also get to see all of Scott's powers at work here and while I normally hate the over-explanation of power-sets during battles, it works in narration form because there are elements to it we can't see, like mass redistribution.
I'm really enjoying how Nick Spencer is writing Scott Lang. He's not a typical hero. He's looking to make things right with his daughter and just overall redemption for the wrongs he's committed in his life and this book really nails that aspect. It makes Scott a much more compelling character because, let's face it, Ant-Man is a character that's hard to take seriously as a hero and he can't be presented in the same light as Spider-Man or Captain America, so Spencer takes a great angle in presenting this book which will grip in readers for the long run.
Aside from the fight, Scott has to go inside Cassie, kinda like the movie Innerspace, and help Cassie survive all of this. It almost sounds silly, but once again, the narration drives the moment and it's actually incredibly touching as it's really about a father trying to be a father for his child. This first art wraps up exceptionally well.
Artist Ramon Rosanas and colorist Jordan Boyd continue to deliver some great art. What makes it work so well is that tonally, it works so well with the writing and vice versa. Rosanas does a great job with facial expressions, and there's a few emotional moments that Ramon nails here. Boyd's colors are flat, but it gives the book an "animated" feel to it, which helps with the tone a lot.
The Bad
So Cross now has Pym particles in his system. What does that mean for Cassie? I know it's stupid to think they're all inside of her heart... but....
The Verdict
The first arc of ANT-MAN is a hit. We're seeing Scott Lang step up as a hero and a father, and while he isn't completely redeemed in his own eyes, he's working his way back up the ladder to be a hero. ANT-MAN is a fun, comedic book with a big heart, and that's the biggest appeal to it. I highly recommend checking this book and this series out, especially if there's still a hole in your heart where SUPERIOR FOES used to be.
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