8:21 PM
Brad
Cover Date: April 1963
Plot Overview: Jason Cragg sets up shop on a soap box and begins preaching for the citizens of Central City to hate the Ant-Man. Ant-Man wanders by and sees the events but his helmet protects him from Cragg's voice. We learn that a near radioactive accident gave Cragg a voice that could not be resisted. Through his travels, he decided to test himself against the Ant-Man.
Cragg easily convinces the people to attack Ant-Man and leads the mob. AM tries to hide in a field but Cragg equips the people with magnets to pick him up by his helmet. AM has no choice and removes the helmet to try and remain hidden. The mob finds the helmet and his gas canisters so Cragg begins to speak. He orders AM to surrender himself and Am eventually has no choice but to listen.
Cragg orders AM to walk off the end of a pier and to not try to save himself. AM obeys the order and walks into the river and doesn't attempt to swim. AM's loyal ants make the save and return AM to his home.
AM comes up with a plan and steals a virus from a lab and heads to a local television studio where Cragg will be appearing. AM borrows a prop gun. When Cragg appears, AM tells him to give a positive speech about AM because he has a gun trained on him. Cragg does as he's told and then AM reveals the gun isn't loaded. Cragg tries to give another speech but his voice gives out. AM reveals that he also covered the mic with a virus and Cragg has now caught it. Cragg tries to incite the crowd again but they turn on him and chase him out of town. The issue ends with AM lamenting the fact that Cragg didn't use his powers for good.
My Take: I enjoyed this issue. I looked at the cover and read the first two pages and thought I was in for a bad story but it really turned out to be a fun little read. The Ant-Man concept worked despite itself in this issue. The plot was a good generic plot for any superhero and it didn't feel ridiculous like some of the other Ant-Man stories have.
I liked Jason Cragg as a villain. He was different and he provided a unique set of challenges for the hero to overcome. I also liked the Cragg was out for blood in this issue. When he got hold of Ant-Man, there wasn't a silly deathtrap, he wanted Ant-Man to commit suicide. That felt a lot different than what a lot of other comics were doing at the time.
I can't really think of any complaints I had with the issue. There wasn't really action or anything but the story wasn't really meant to have any. It was about Ant-Man overcoming a superior force with his superior intellect. I think the story succeeded in that aspect.
The art was good this time as Don Heck did the art. A lot of little details in there and it didn't feel rushed or slapped together like some of these early Marvel books can.
I'd give this **1/2 out of *****
Notes: This issue is the first appearance of Jason Cragg. Cragg will be a very minor villain in the Marvel Universe. This is really his only appearance until he pops back up in the 1980s in the West Coast Avengers and Captain America. It looks like he's had a total of 6 appearances over the 50 years of the Marvel Universe. We'll call him a D lister and move on.
Next Issue: Tales of Suspense #40
Posted in: Henry Pym,Jason Cragg,Tales to Astonish
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