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The Astonishing Ant-Man (2015) (Collected Editions) #1-3
The Astonishing Ant-Man: The Complete Collection
One tiny hero - one giant, action-packed book! Scott Lang was a down-on-his-luck divorced ex-con - until he stole Hank Pym's size-changing suit to save his daughter! Since then, Scott's life has been a rollercoaster. But will he continue to be a hero - or return to his former life of crime? Or perhaps both?! Scott has his hands full with a new business, some questionable employees and a teenage daughter who was once an Avenger herself! Then there are villains like the Power Broker and Scott's archenemy, Darren Cross, plus the female Beetle - will she be friend, foe or something else entirely? Nick Spencer's entire fast, furious and fun Ant-Man run! Collects Ant-Man (2015) #1-5 and Annual #1, Ant-Man: Last Days #1 and Astonishing Ant-Man #1-13.
472 pages, Paperback
First published June 26, 2018
24 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Nick Spencer
998 books345 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Nick Spencer is a comic book writer known for his creator-owned titles at Image Comics (Existence 2.0/3.0, Forgetless, Shuddertown, Morning Glories), his work at DC Comics (Action Comics, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents), and for his current work at Marvel Comics (Iron Man 2.0, Ultimate Comics: X-Men).
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Nick Spencer is a comic book writer known for his creator-owned titles at Image Comics (Existence 2.0/3.0, Forgetless, Shuddertown, Morning Glories), his work at DC Comics (Action Comics, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents), and for his current work at Marvel Comics (Iron Man 2.0, Ultimate Comics: X-Men).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 19, 2023
So as I was reading the first 5 issue mini series collected in here, I was feeling like this book would end up at a 3.5 star rating. Spencer has the tendency to make his characters very long winded. They talk soooooo much. But luckily this wasn’t as bad as his Superior Foes of Spider-Man. He dialed the dialogue back a bit in this book and Scott Lang was nowhere as annoying as Boomerang was in that book. But as I read on, I really started to like this story. This book deals with Scott and his daughter. Him and her mom are divorced and Scott is trying to make it work.
Mom ups and moves down to Florida so Scott follows. Down in Florida, Scott is trying to be the hero there and trying to get some kind of job going. As the villains start to come after Cassie, his daughter and himself, Scott gets real creative with getting his own squad together. These characters that he rounds up make a interesting and funny team. Plus some of the story ideas and concepts Spencer has Scott doing were really cool and a lot of fun. Book had some heart with what was going on between Scott and Cassie and a lot of quirky energy with the characters Spencer decided to use in this book. Ended up being pretty awesome. Would definitely recommend if you haven’t read this.
Mom ups and moves down to Florida so Scott follows. Down in Florida, Scott is trying to be the hero there and trying to get some kind of job going. As the villains start to come after Cassie, his daughter and himself, Scott gets real creative with getting his own squad together. These characters that he rounds up make a interesting and funny team. Plus some of the story ideas and concepts Spencer has Scott doing were really cool and a lot of fun. Book had some heart with what was going on between Scott and Cassie and a lot of quirky energy with the characters Spencer decided to use in this book. Ended up being pretty awesome. Would definitely recommend if you haven’t read this.
August 22, 2018
I was somehow forced to buy this, so I did. And there are no regrets.
If I had more time, I would devour this book in one sitting.. It was wow, just… wow. Ant-Man was always character I liked every time he was mentioned, or when he appeared somewhere. No matter if it was Hank Pym, Scott Lang or Eric O’Grady. He is probably the only member of The Avengers I truly like… The Astonishing Ant-Man: The Complete Collection shows us that Lang’s heart is in the right place, he’s funny, he wants to be good parent aaand he’s screwing up all the time.
How?
Warm-hearted story, with amazing humor – seriously, one minute I was laughing like a horse and next I had tears all over my face. Writing is clever, dialogues are lively and you can actually feel what those characters feel. Art is excellent. 100%. 5/5. Definitely one of my Top 10.
If I had more time, I would devour this book in one sitting.. It was wow, just… wow. Ant-Man was always character I liked every time he was mentioned, or when he appeared somewhere. No matter if it was Hank Pym, Scott Lang or Eric O’Grady. He is probably the only member of The Avengers I truly like… The Astonishing Ant-Man: The Complete Collection shows us that Lang’s heart is in the right place, he’s funny, he wants to be good parent aaand he’s screwing up all the time.
How?
Warm-hearted story, with amazing humor – seriously, one minute I was laughing like a horse and next I had tears all over my face. Writing is clever, dialogues are lively and you can actually feel what those characters feel. Art is excellent. 100%. 5/5. Definitely one of my Top 10.
April 11, 2020
This complete series run of Astonishing Ant-man by Nick Spencer is an absolute must read! The story sees Scott Lang trying to start career using his super powers but failing miserably, despite his best efforts. Spencer has created a very flawed but ultimately good character in Scott and it really gets fleshed out over the course of his journey. As with his others series (such as the criminally underrated Superior Foes of Spider-man) Spencer pulls from the annals of unused characters and gives Scott a D list team to play off of and the results are great. The art is really consistent, which I’m always a fan of.
If you enjoyed Hawkeye by either Fraction or Thompson then this will be an ideal read!
If you enjoyed Hawkeye by either Fraction or Thompson then this will be an ideal read!
August 12, 2020
What I would call a seminal run, every issue does an excellent job of taking a look at Scott Lang as a character from a different angle while also advancing him in a new direction that eventually leads to an ending that makes the whole run feel like one complete story. So glad to have finally read it all in order.
September 21, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this series , Scott as always is so freaking funny and so is the other characters in this book ,it was different then i was expecting but it was still really good ,i loved all the stories :)
if you love Ant-man then i think you would love this other side of him ,it's a little different then the movie version but still an interesting take on his world .
if you love Ant-man then i think you would love this other side of him ,it's a little different then the movie version but still an interesting take on his world .
February 8, 2019
'That was hard...like Battletoads level 3 hard."
Nick Spencer, I'm a fan. You're writing is witty, clever and fast paced and the number of references to the 80s and 90s really hit home with me. I found myself smiling throughout this read, which by the way is a really great story. This is the first Ant-Man story I've read and I loved what Spencer did here with Scott Lang. You really felt for him through all his hardships and terrible luck...rooting for him to finally get his life in order.
The artwork here is great as well; the variant covers of the issues are included in the book here and they are pretty awesome. I highly recommend this series and I'm looking forward to checking out more of Spencer's work.
Nick Spencer, I'm a fan. You're writing is witty, clever and fast paced and the number of references to the 80s and 90s really hit home with me. I found myself smiling throughout this read, which by the way is a really great story. This is the first Ant-Man story I've read and I loved what Spencer did here with Scott Lang. You really felt for him through all his hardships and terrible luck...rooting for him to finally get his life in order.
The artwork here is great as well; the variant covers of the issues are included in the book here and they are pretty awesome. I highly recommend this series and I'm looking forward to checking out more of Spencer's work.
September 23, 2023
Italian review:
4.5 stelle.
Amo tantissimo Scott e questo fumetto lo caratterizza perfettamente. Il rapporto che ha con Cassie è di sicuro la parte migliore della storia.
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English review:
4.5 stars.
I love Scott so much and this comic characterises him perfectly. The bond he has with Cassie is for sure the best part of the story.
4.5 stelle.
Amo tantissimo Scott e questo fumetto lo caratterizza perfettamente. Il rapporto che ha con Cassie è di sicuro la parte migliore della storia.
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English review:
4.5 stars.
I love Scott so much and this comic characterises him perfectly. The bond he has with Cassie is for sure the best part of the story.
May 25, 2020
An extremely fun and heartwarming take on how it feels to be a superhero nobody cares about!
April 23, 2024
This series strikes a near-perfect balance of humour, drama, and general superhero fun. Nick Spencer does a great job at making Scott Lang a lovable underdog who ends up feeling like an average guy trying to get by and be a good dad who also happens to be a super hero. The books also embraces the absurd aspects of superhero comics and sillier concepts with humour but embraces them in a way that makes these characters feel like they really exist in this world as people instead of simply poking fun at them and their absurdity. The street level settings and stakes really help to amplify the story even more as even though the world isn't at stake it helps empathize with Scotts situation as it builds a more personal level of danger and drama. This book is also really, really funny. The dialogue between the characters is always entertaining yet still manages to ramp up the drama when the story needs it. The art and colors by Ramón Rosanas and Jordan Boyd do a great job at establishing the casual feel of the story and characters while also capturing simple yet energetic action sequences. The facial expressions, body language, and action poses are all really well done and the colors pop without being too overtly distracting leading to a great balance. The lettering by Travis Lanham is also well done as even though sometimes characters are speaking in paragraphs at a time the speech bubbles don't feel crammed full and remain readable while leaving room for the wonderful art. All in all this was a great series about a street level hero down on his luck that manages to capture alot of my favorite aspects of superhero comics.
May 25, 2019
I read this over the course of a month before bed, and I have to say it was thoroughly enjoyable. I'm not really a big comic book reader, but I like the Ant-Man movies a lot, so I gave this a try. As a general feel for what it is like, it makes fun of a lot of the tropes of the comic-book genre in really clever ways while also having some good heartwarming and funny stories. The humor doesn't break the fourth wall like a Deadpool story might. Instead it is more of a self-aware type humor like this quote from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: "You know what's remarkable? That England looks in no way like Southern California."
As far as the story itself, it does follow ex con Scott Lang, like the Ant-Man movie, and his central struggle is maintaining his relationship with his daughter Cassie. Darren Cross is the main villain, albeit very different from the movie. Hank Pym makes a few appearances, but is not in any way a central character. Then there is a whole cast of other characters from the Marvel universe including the Falcon, She-Hulk, the Beetle, Iron-Man (hilarious, I might add), and many many many more.
As far as the collection of the comics goes, I thought it was pretty good. There is this bizarre part about halfway through where the world ends in a flash, but the next comic it pretends like nothing happened. I assume this is in reference to some big crossover event in the bigger Marvel universe, if anyone would like to let me know what that was all about, that would be very cool of you. Other than that, it was very easy to pick up and follow the story.
As far as the story itself, it does follow ex con Scott Lang, like the Ant-Man movie, and his central struggle is maintaining his relationship with his daughter Cassie. Darren Cross is the main villain, albeit very different from the movie. Hank Pym makes a few appearances, but is not in any way a central character. Then there is a whole cast of other characters from the Marvel universe including the Falcon, She-Hulk, the Beetle, Iron-Man (hilarious, I might add), and many many many more.
As far as the collection of the comics goes, I thought it was pretty good. There is this bizarre part about halfway through where the world ends in a flash, but the next comic it pretends like nothing happened. I assume this is in reference to some big crossover event in the bigger Marvel universe, if anyone would like to let me know what that was all about, that would be very cool of you. Other than that, it was very easy to pick up and follow the story.
March 16, 2023
I think I might have a new favorite super hero. Picked this up on a whim from a local thrift store because it was on sale for $1. Prior to reading this all I knew was Paul Rudd played ant man in the Marvel movies.
This book is a great intro to Scott Lang. The successor to the original Ant Man, Hank Pym. His powers sound kind of lame, he shrinks, so what? That's what I love about him. The stories aren't end of the world grandiose Avenger type stuff. They're real world, semi low stakes to the universe but very important to the characters involved. It reminds me of Luke cage and Iron fist stuff. Just two superheros running around a city tackling semi-believeable issues while running a business based on their powers.
Ant Man is a sarcastic wise guy that reminds me a bit of Spiderman meets Heros For Hire. I find him genuinely funny and love how the stories are somewhat run of the mill and grounded in reality(superhero reality that is). He has a great back story of being bad guy thief and divorced dad turned hero.
A lot of these omnibuses can feel like cash grabs. This one, on the other hand, was a great intro to the character that explained his backstory really well.
This book is a great intro to Scott Lang. The successor to the original Ant Man, Hank Pym. His powers sound kind of lame, he shrinks, so what? That's what I love about him. The stories aren't end of the world grandiose Avenger type stuff. They're real world, semi low stakes to the universe but very important to the characters involved. It reminds me of Luke cage and Iron fist stuff. Just two superheros running around a city tackling semi-believeable issues while running a business based on their powers.
Ant Man is a sarcastic wise guy that reminds me a bit of Spiderman meets Heros For Hire. I find him genuinely funny and love how the stories are somewhat run of the mill and grounded in reality(superhero reality that is). He has a great back story of being bad guy thief and divorced dad turned hero.
A lot of these omnibuses can feel like cash grabs. This one, on the other hand, was a great intro to the character that explained his backstory really well.
January 8, 2024
I love these kinds of stories. Personal. This collection is about Scott Lang trying to get his life together and running in to obstacle upon obstacle.
The writing is smart, the art is not as good as I would have liked, but it felt right for the stories.
Although these stories seem to be a part of the Ant-Man from the movie world -- they make Scott out to be a charming idiot--and from these stories he does seem to get into a lot of trouble without really trying.
Machinesmith and Gorilla Man are an interesting addition to his world. (By the way Machinesmith is a dick! and I have no idea where he came from. In all my years reading Marvel--I don't remember him --but I am getting old, so maybe I just don't remember him!)
The story is somewhat loser gets shafted over and over again. By the end it was really tiring that he was just treated like an idiot. Tony Stark came across like a big old wienie and so did Beetle. The bad guys were unrelentingly greedy, awful, mad, and ultimately stupid.
Cassie got new powers though and both of them returned from the dead (gee, that NEVER happens in comics!)
Anyway, I loved this collection.
The writing is smart, the art is not as good as I would have liked, but it felt right for the stories.
Although these stories seem to be a part of the Ant-Man from the movie world -- they make Scott out to be a charming idiot--and from these stories he does seem to get into a lot of trouble without really trying.
Machinesmith and Gorilla Man are an interesting addition to his world. (By the way Machinesmith is a dick! and I have no idea where he came from. In all my years reading Marvel--I don't remember him --but I am getting old, so maybe I just don't remember him!)
The story is somewhat loser gets shafted over and over again. By the end it was really tiring that he was just treated like an idiot. Tony Stark came across like a big old wienie and so did Beetle. The bad guys were unrelentingly greedy, awful, mad, and ultimately stupid.
Cassie got new powers though and both of them returned from the dead (gee, that NEVER happens in comics!)
Anyway, I loved this collection.
July 23, 2018
I was compelled to buy this one after reading Ant-Man Second Chance Man book. This collection is just awesome! I mean I was really never that interested with the Ant-Man character until Nick Spencer came and changed the way I see Scott Lang/Ant-Man. The whole story is self-contained and no irrelevant crossovers from main Marvel event were inserted to muddle the plot. The parental struggles of Scott Lang is emotionally relatable, the narration and dialogues are funny and lively, the action sequences are fluid. With this, (movie aside) Scott Lang/Ant-Man has become one of my favorite superhero in the Marvel Universe. The story telling is excellent as well as the art. This has easily become a definitive Ant-Man graphic novel available. Looking forward to more Ant-Man appearances in other Marvel books especially with the Avengers in the near future!
October 11, 2018
Nick Spencer writes the definitive version of Ant-Man! Scott Lang is a down on his luck super-hero who is just trying to make things right. His prison record keeps him from getting a good job, he's trying to patch things up with his ex-wife so that he can rebuild his relationship with his daughter, girlfriends and dating are going no where, and super villians keep attacking him. What's a superhero to do? He tries doing everything right but nothing seems to go his way. This book is highly recommended and I think Ant-Man has just become one of my favorite characters.
April 22, 2019
This complete collection was a fun sigh of relief after reading the entire Marvel Cosmic Saga.
Scott Lang is arguably one of the most realistic and human superheroes in comics these days. This run makes you want to hug Scott but also do him a solid by shaking him and saying, "Yo, get your shit together, dude!"
There is a lot of humor, heart, and fun with Spencer's run. At times it's a bit silly but it counterbalances all the love Scott has for Cassie. It seems to me this was the basis for the MCU version of Antman or vice versa.
Scott Lang is arguably one of the most realistic and human superheroes in comics these days. This run makes you want to hug Scott but also do him a solid by shaking him and saying, "Yo, get your shit together, dude!"
There is a lot of humor, heart, and fun with Spencer's run. At times it's a bit silly but it counterbalances all the love Scott has for Cassie. It seems to me this was the basis for the MCU version of Antman or vice versa.
February 18, 2021
Overall, great. It does occasionally have some repetitive "previously on..." segments, especially in the last segment. But it is mostly amazing. Very funny, with a lot of heart. The whole "Hench" storyline is super creative. The setting is used wonderfully. The art is always really good. Lots of great characters, that I really enjoyed giving voice to and that caused Raven to laugh out loud many times. Good stuff.
July 14, 2018
Much like Spencer's Superior Foe's of Spider-Man, the Astonishing Ant-Man is a fun romp of Scott Lang as he tries to navigate one self made problem after another with nothing more than super powers and a quick wit.
February 21, 2020
Story has problems, weird family dynamic, odd changes in charecter and terrible art. That all makes for a one star comic. But in the humor of Nick Spencer?
HILARIOUS!!!
Brings it all the way up to 3 stars, makes it enjoyable if not good.
HILARIOUS!!!
Brings it all the way up to 3 stars, makes it enjoyable if not good.
April 23, 2023
4.5 stars
Of all the Scott Lang Ant-Man stories out there, I think Nick Spencer has the best run. Scott is a down on luck but good-hearted individual, who faces off various challenges whilst trying to look after his daughter Cassie, to start a respectable business, and do super-hero stuff as Ant-Man. Along the way he encounters some some familiar foes like Taskmaster or Darren Cross, and a whole string of C and D-list characters, such as Grizzly or the female Beetle (who is great), plus some team-ups with Hank Pym as Giant-Man and Sam Wilson Cap.
The stories are fun to read (the Hench app stuff in particular), there's a lot of balanced humor without being cringy or too over the top and even a couple of romantic interests.
The main thing that prevents getting full marks is that the story drags on bit towards the end, and while everything is wrapped up satisfactorily, it feels like there's a lot of filler in the last 2-3 issues. The art is fine for this type of book - clean and easy to follow, without getting in the way of the story.
Of all the Scott Lang Ant-Man stories out there, I think Nick Spencer has the best run. Scott is a down on luck but good-hearted individual, who faces off various challenges whilst trying to look after his daughter Cassie, to start a respectable business, and do super-hero stuff as Ant-Man. Along the way he encounters some some familiar foes like Taskmaster or Darren Cross, and a whole string of C and D-list characters, such as Grizzly or the female Beetle (who is great), plus some team-ups with Hank Pym as Giant-Man and Sam Wilson Cap.
The stories are fun to read (the Hench app stuff in particular), there's a lot of balanced humor without being cringy or too over the top and even a couple of romantic interests.
The main thing that prevents getting full marks is that the story drags on bit towards the end, and while everything is wrapped up satisfactorily, it feels like there's a lot of filler in the last 2-3 issues. The art is fine for this type of book - clean and easy to follow, without getting in the way of the story.
August 6, 2023
This was fun. Reminiscent of Matt Fraction's Hawkeye run. Packed with silly one-liners, consciously used comic book cliches, and a heap of dad jokes, all wrapped in a story of a dude who really is trying to be a better dad. A fun, self-contained Marvel book from start to finish.
July 13, 2018
I was warned, there's good & no-so-good in this collection... true. But it was fun & good prep for the upcoming movie.
January 29, 2019
A magnificent run in its own right, and a surprising companion to Spencer's Superior Foes. Had a lot of fun reading this book
March 22, 2019
Better than I expected it to be.
November 9, 2019
Absolutely fantastic read. Great humor and amazing culture references. One of the best collections I’ve read!
December 5, 2019
It got better as the series went on. The last couple issues were the best. It was a solid story overall, but not my cup of preferred tea.
June 18, 2021
It’s good. I love ant-man! I love the films. I really like this comic book, the second volume is better though
February 2, 2022
DNF. Just boring, way too much exposition and not enough happening.
May 7, 2023
Awesome book. Doesn't take itself too seriously. Dry sense of humor. And really made me appreciate Ant-Man that much more!
Artwork is 'simple' but suits the book really well.
Artwork is 'simple' but suits the book really well.
May 20, 2025
Enjoyable read. Has good humour and the character dynamics are similar to that of the MCU which is fun to see.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews