Ant-Man is a superhero in the streets and a supervillain between the sheets. He “teams up” with the supervillainess Beetle in Ant-Man: Last Days #1 by writer Nick Spencer and artist Ramon Rosanas.
Scott Lang AKA Ant-Man is hired by his security firm’s chief investor, Mary Morgenstern, who reveals she’s actually the 50s superhero Miss Patriot. The thief steals back an Asgardian amulet that restores the youth of her fellow retired superheroes for one last adventure. Morgenstern explains that her clairvoyance has grown stronger with age and she has foreseen the end the Marvel Universe, which is already happened in the concurrent storyline Secret Wars. She suggests that he spend the remaining time with his family. Scott wakes up his ex-wife Peggy looking for his daughter Cassie but discovers she’s away on an overnight trip. She tells him that he would have known that if he was more involved in her life, something he has avoided for her safety.
Ant-Man heads for a bar to drown his sorrows but stumbles on a party club. His spirits pick up when he sees Janice Lincoln AKA Beetle. He decides to die a hero by bringing her in for the attempted assassination of Tony Stark AKA Iron Man. Janice tells him that there are better things they could do with their final moments. Ant-Man remembers Captain America’s advice: “If you want to be an Avenger, you do not sleep with the super villains.” Scott goes from hero to zero when he wakes up beside Janice, the next morning. His one-night stand is pleasantly surprised that he’s still there and suggests she may even call him but fortunately the worlds ends…or does it?
The pint-sized hero will return in October with The Astonishing Ant-Man #1, which features Ant-Man standing alongside Beetle and other supervillains on the cover. The smart aleck has his fingers crossed indicating that it’s a double-cross. The Ant-Man and Beetle team-up doesn’t go over well with his ex-girlfriend Darla Deering AKA Ms. Thing, who clobbers him in the following issue. But Beetle is here to stay Spencer told Comic Book Resources.
“It’s great to be writing her again,” said Spencer. “Expect her to be a big part of this book. When I got this assignment I was looking for things that could potentially carry over from “Superior Foes” and Janice stood out immediately as the obvious choice. Of all the characters at Marvel that I’ve had a chance to kind of put my stamp on Janice is probably the one that I’m the most proud of. So keeping her in front of people’s eyes and to continuing to establish her as a prominent character in the Marvel Universe are things I’m really committed to. She’s both a feminist and a lousy person. So she’s a wonderful character.”
The star-crossed lovers will pick up eight months after the upcoming Marvel Universe reboot.
“I think people are going to like how we handle the time that’s passed,” Spencer teased. “Structurally, I think it will be a pretty unique way to tell a story.”
For instance, Marvel revealed a very pregnant Jessica Drew AKA Spider-Woman will appear in Spider-Women #1. Could Beetle have Ant-Man’s baby? Let’s hope so. The Ant Nest Beetle is adorable.