Tales to Astonish #27

5:59 AM Brad No comments

Cover Date: January 1962

Plot Overview: Scientist Henry Pym has discovered a serum that can shrink items and an antidote that returns them to normal size. Pym tries the serum on himself and panics as he realizes he's left the antidote on a window sill.

Pym retreats to the backyard where a group of ants attack. He takes refuge in an ant hill but falls down a hole into honey. He is saved by a lone ant but the attackers from before return. Pym uses fire and his knowledge of judo to fight off his attackers.

Pym makes his way back to his house where he sees the antidote. The ant that saved his life earlier returns and they work together to get up to the antidote. Pym uses it and returns to normal. Pym promptly destroys the serum and tells his peers that from now on he'll be sticking to practical projects. The story notes that he never stepped on an ant hill for the rest of his life.

My Take: This wasn't really a superhero story, more of a sci-fi horror story. It was also only 8 pages. It was more of a throwaway story. It's really only significant because Pym eventually becomes an important part of the Marvel universe.

The story itself is forgettable and mediocre. Though I did enjoy Pym randomly breaking out judo to fight off an ant.

I'd give this one a *1/2 out of *****.

Notes: This is the first appearance of Henry Pym who later becomes Ant-Man, Giant-Man, etc. The interesting thing about this issue is that it's really just a throwaway story in an anthology title. It was written as being a one shot deal. Pym doesn't reappear until issue 35 of this same title. Lee claims that the issue sold really well and he thought it would be fun to make a superhero out of him.

Another note about these anthology titles. Marvel was actually distributed by DC until 1969. As a result they were very limited to how many titles they were allowed to release every month. As their superhero line became more popular they took over these anthology books and pushed the western and sci-fi stories out. Fantastic Four, Avengers, Spider-Man, Daredevil and X-Men are the only non-anthology superhero titles that Marvel will put out for quite awhile. Once 1969-1970 hits you'll see an explosion of titles from Marvel as everyone gets their own book.

Next Issue: Fantastic Four #3

Posted in: Henry Pym,Tales to Astonish