Character Study: Scott Lang (Ant-Man)

Real Name: Scott Lang

Powers: Thanks to Pym Particles, Scott (Ant-Man) can shrink to the size of an ant. He can also communicate telepathically with insects. When he shrinks, he retains his human strength.

Abilities: Scott has expertise in electronics.

Background

Scott Lang is the current Ant-Man, though he achieved the title by unorthodox means. He stole the Ant-Man suit from Dr. Henry (Hank) Pym, in order to save his daughter’s life. Not the first time Scott stole in order to support his family. He turned to crime when he was no longer able to support his wife and daughter, and became a skilled thief as a way to make ends meet. Of course this path didn’t end well, and Scott spent a time in prison.

After his release, he worked in the design department at Stark International; trying to turn over a new leaf. When he discovered his daughter had a fatal heart condition, he decided to call on the help of Dr. Erica Sondheim. It turned out she had been kidnapped by Darren Cross of Cross Technological Enterprises, who had a heart condition of his own. Scott stole Hank’s suit to rescue Dr. Sondheim and save his little girl. The mission was a success, and Hank allowed him to keep the suit – as long as he continued to use it for good.

Personality

Scott is unconventional, and, according to some (mainly himself), not a particularly good superhero. Yes, he’s been to prison, and made his fair share of mistakes; not to mention the fact he can’t seem to make things stick. But he loves his daughter, values the role of father above all others, and it’s that quality which makes him stand out. He also names his ants; a man who takes the time to do that, when there are just so many of them – well, that’s commitment for you!

One of his most appealing qualities, at least in my opinion, is his humour. Scott is self-deprecating, and is quick to see the irony in a situation. He always seems to dig himself into a hole, which might be aided by the fact Scott often lets his mouth run away with him. He has a gift for stating the obvious and has a unique view on the world.

Scott is relatable. Put simply, he’s a nice guy. He has an almost boyish charm, keen intelligence, uncanny wit and his enthusiasm is contagious.

Associations 

• Scott worked with the Avengers on a number of occasions; more than once to battle the Taskmaster. He also aided the team in bringing down the Masters of Evil.
• He was hired by the Fantastic Four, due to his expertise in electronics.

• Scott later joined Heroes for Hire.
• In a bid to help Bruce Banner, who was desperate for a cure, Scott teamed up with Tony Stark and Eric Sondheim to implant a device in Bruce’s chest. Naturally, things went wrong, and Scott had to go ‘in’ to remove the device. He also shrank into Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit to save Tony’s life when it turned out he was in danger too.
• Scott has helped Yellowjacket to rescue the Wasp, teamed up with Spider-man against Taskmaster, and once with Hawkeye on a mission with the Avengers.

• He eventually took a full-time role with the Avengers (for a time), and regularly butted heads with fellow Avenger, Jack of Hearts, until Jack saved Scott’s daughters life by sacrificing himself. Jack of Hearts was resurrected, but he was unstable. In a strange twist of fate Scott was killed when Jack’s body exploded.
• The Young Avengers travelled back in time and brought Scott home with them, affording him a second chance.

Speaking of second chances, I will be reviewing Ant-Man: Second-Chance Man later in the month. This comic coincided with the release of Ant-Man at cinemas, so it’s worth mentioning that Scott Lang is currently being played by Paul Rudd.

What do you think to the character? Have you seen the movie? I’d love to hear your thoughts.