Wasp

Context

This is the version of the Wasp (Janet van Dyne) who existed in the Ultimate Marvel continuity (or Earth-1610, if you insist). This continuity has since been destroyed, and she wasn’t among the handful of known survivors.

Like most of our Ultimate Marvel material, this was done quite early during the imprint’s life and thus only reflects the early 2000s.

Background

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Powers and Abilities

Janet’s mutant abilities allow her to reduce the size of her body, down to around an inch. If she were to shrink any smaller, her biology would theoretically be unable to cope. She’ll grow wings as she does so, which allows her to fly.

She can also emit a bioelectric blast of energy. She generally only uses it when shrunk, since it can be fairly powerful when she’s at full size.

The insect-like nature of her abilities has also given her certain disgusting, biological habits. Such as eating caterpillars and beetles, laying eggs in her bed every six weeks or hiding in a larval nest. It is unknown if she still has these urges or if they were only dominant when she was coming to terms with her powers.

She also possesses a couple of PhDs, being recognized as a leading molecular biologist. She also has medical training, and has had combat training, both unarmed and with firearms. Furthermore, she can speak passable German.

History

The Asian-American Janet van Dyne grew up on a military base near Düsseldorf, Germany. She later moved to America to study science at NYU . There she roomed with fellow army brat Betty Ross, and began dating fellow student Hank Pym. Despite his occasional physically abusive moments, she stayed with him and eventually married him.

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The pair were recruited to work with S.H.I.E.L.D.s Super-Soldier Research Facility. There, they secretly made use of Janet’s mutant genes to make numerous scientific breakthroughs. But Hank took most of the credit.

When S.H.I.E.L.D.’s funding received a boost following Magneto’s actions against the President, the pair became part of the Ultimates. Janet adopted the identity of the Wasp. She spent time with the newly revived Captain America, helping him acclimatise to the modern world.

She also became the most public member of the group, being most comfortable on the chat show circuit.

Ultimates

They took part in the operation to subdue the rampaging Hulk. But while the Wasp was useful in the fight, Hank, in his Giant-Man identity, was taken out fairly early. Following the battle, Hank’s frustrations led the pair to fight in their home. He used his technology to send a swarm of ants against the shrunk Janet, leaving her in bad condition.

She was hospitalised at the Triskelion for a while. During this time Captain America hunted down and beat Hank, leaving him in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. Witnessing suspicious activity at the Triskelion, she narrowly avoided being captured by the invading Chitauri. The Wasp remained free long enough to send a warning to the other Ultimates, who’d been led into a trap.

When she was captured, the leader of the Chitauri gave her a tour of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Arizona airbase, where his forces had set up. He announced that he intended to assume her identity after eating her. The Chitauri plan was foiled when the Ultimates appeared, alive and well. The Wasp aided them in defeating the Chitauri, and saving the planet.

Following this, Jan officially separated from Hank. Pym was reduced to and eventually left his role at S.H.I.E.L.D.. She began a relationship with Captain America.

This ran into problems due to his anachronism (spending a lot of time with his older friends, his dislike of her modern TV shows, etc.). As a result he discovered that she was meeting up with Hank now and again, feeling marginalised from both the relationship and the expanding team. After an angry confrontation, she moved out.

Cap was soon arrested as the suspected traitor in the group.

Invasion

The United States were soon attacked by the Liberators, an army of superhumans organised by hostile countries. Their first strike took down most of the Ultimates, already demoralised by the actions of the agent they’d planted in the group. Wasp was the only one who managed to evade capture.

She freed Captain America from imprisonment. The pair then followed the Liberators to Washington, where they’d taken the other Ultimates for execution. They joined up with the freed Ultimates, and battled the Liberators. During the fight, Jan used a growth serum that Hank (who happened to be allied with the Liberators) had given her for an emergency.

The Liberators were beaten, and America freed. The team decided they could no longer work as part of a national force, but would operate as an independent group. Wasp seemed inclined to continue working with the team. However, it is unknown as of this writing what her relationship with Captain America will be in the future.

Biographical note

Janet kept her mutant nature secret from everyone but Hank. But it was noticed by S.H.I.E.L.D. when she joined, despite her attempt to hide it. Still, they kept quiet about it. Her team mates know about it, but it isn’t general knowledge. Thus, she’s worried about the reaction it would get her.

Personality

Friendly and open, Jan is the most personable member of the team. As a result she is usually the one assigned to do the talk show circuit, helping maintain the team’s public approval.

Keeping her mutant abilities secret, and the biological side-effects of her state, have added to her low self-esteem. Therefore, she occasionally gets periods of depression, feeling isolated from the world around her. This has made her make stupid decisions occasionally, like staying with Hank for so long, or staying in touch with him after their separation.

DC Universe History

Between the time after the dissolution of her marriage and before she became serious with Steve Rogers, she became briefly involved with Bruce Wayne. Janet, a super-hero herself had a lot of experience with other super beings.

She quickly saw through his playboy image after seeing his scarred and massively muscled body. Bruce denied this, of course. She was too fascinated and too recently scarred by secrets to leave it alone.

Janet investigated him on her own. She was unaware of the anti-S.H.I.E.L.D. cabal of Carter Hall, Bruce and Steve Rogers. She dove, out of her depth, into the Gotham underworld. Janet ran afoul of gun-runner activity on the waterfront and was arrested for “defending herself”.

Rather than flee from the arriving SWAT teams she just showed he S.H.I.E.L.D. ID.

Steve Rogers and Clint Barton were sent to retrieve the errant Ultimate. Janet refused to let go of her mystery. Clint was willing to go hunt her mystery with her if it caused her to come home quicker, but Steve wanted nothing to do with Gotham.

The exact events causing the destruction of the White Eyes gang of white supremacists are unknown. After the carnage Sue Storm of the Fantastic Four briefly spoke to the three Ultimates and The Bat. It is known that near half of their active members were killed and that Batman has one more thing against Captain America.

Janet Van Dyne turned her back quickly of Bruce Wayne after that. Janet and Sue formed a tenuous friendship going forward. Hawkeye found the whole thing just one more day at the office. Janet learned a bone-deep lesson in violent people and the gentleness that resides in some, the madness in others. She knew too well what effect unbridled violence could have on her life.

By Gareth Lewis.

Source of Character: Marvel Comics, Ultimate Universe (up to Ultimates II #13).

Helper(s): capita_senyera, Mike Winkler (DC Universe History section), Sébastien Andrivet, Frank Murdock.