Tales to Astonish #35
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeTales to Astonish #35 marks the first appearance of Henry Pym in the Ant-Man costume — the full red suit, cybernetic helmet, and ant-communication technology that would define the character for decades — making it the true origin issue of one of Marvel's most scientifically inventive Silver Age heroes. The issue also signals a pivotal editorial turning point: a sci-fi anthology that had run standalone monster and suspense stories since 1959 now committed to an ongoing superhero feature, anticipating the same anthology-to-superhero conversion that was reshaping the entire early Marvel line. Pym's costumed debut set the character on a trajectory that led directly to his role as a founding member of the Avengers in 1963, cementing his place in the backbone of the Marvel Universe. The character born in these pages has since appeared across decades of comics under multiple identities, animated adaptations, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, demonstrating how durable a single issue's creative foundation can be.
In "Return of the Ant-Man, Part 1," a fugitive named Hugo Cragg seeks refuge in a forgotten mansion, only to stumble upon a mysterious closet that swallows objects whole—leading him to wonder if he can vanish into the same unseen dimension. Written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Steve Ditko, with colors by Stan Goldberg and letters by Artie Simek, this 1962 tale kicks off a bizarre transformation when Cragg’s curiosity takes a dangerous turn. The cover by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers captures the eerie, otherworldly tension of the moment.
In "Return of the Ant-Man, Part 1," Henry Pym—scientist, inventor, and expert on ants—leverages his shrinking serum and ant-synchronized helmet to take on a new kind of threat: Soviet spies infiltrating his lab. With the government's radiation-immunizing gas at risk, Pym dons his specialized suit and ventures into the garden, aiming to use his unique connection to ants to stop the enemy from stealing their secret.
Hugo Cragg, on the run from the law, takes refuge in a forgotten mansion—only to stumble upon a mysterious closet that swallows objects whole. Curious and desperate to vanish completely, he dares to step inside, not knowing the strange portal will leave him trapped in a flat, two-dimensional world.
Col. John Rogers returns from a distant world with a strange, telepathic plant that insists it is the true human and that their minds have been swapped. As the truth unravels, the line between man and alien blurs, forcing a desperate reckoning. The planet is sealed off—no one knows what’s real anymore.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The creative team behind the issue — editor/plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber (Lee's younger brother), penciler Jack Kirby, and inker Dick Ayers — was the same core unit responsible for the original Hank Pym one-shot in Tales to Astonish #27 eight issues earlier. Lee later recounted that the strong sales response to that standalone story prompted him to transform Pym into a recurring superhero, framing it as a deliberate bid to expand Marvel's young stable of costumed characters. Lieber, who coined the name 'Hank Pym' among the alter egos he named during this period (including Donald Blake and Tony Stark), went on to script the first nine Ant-Man adventures beginning with this issue, before Lee eventually took over writing duties himself. The issue hit newsstands in June 1962 — the same month as Journey into Mystery #83, Thor's own debut — placing it squarely at the generative heart of Marvel's Silver Age superhero explosion.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Hank Pym as the costumed superhero Ant-Man; this is his second overall appearance (first was Tales to Astonish #27, January 1962, where he appeared without a costume).
- Created by the team of Stan Lee (editor/plotter), Larry Lieber (scripter), Jack Kirby (penciler), and Dick Ayers (inker); cover art by Kirby and Ayers.
- The main story — a three-part tale titled 'Return of the Ant-Man / An Army of Ants! / The Ant-Man's Revenge!' — spans 13 pages and establishes Ant-Man's two core pieces of technology: the size-changing Pym Particles serum and the cybernetic helmet that allows communication with ants.
- The plot is rooted in Cold War espionage: Soviet agents attempt to steal Pym's anti-radiation formula, and Pym defeats them by shrinking and commanding an army of ants, establishing the character's early spy-thriller flavor.
- Issue also features the unnamed first comics appearance of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, per the Marvel Database.
- Larry Lieber scripted the first nine consecutive Ant-Man stories beginning with this issue (Tales to Astonish #35–43), and was also responsible for coining the name 'Hank Pym.'
- The character's ongoing feature ran in this title through issue #69, during which he evolved into Giant-Man; as Ant-Man he became a founding member of the Avengers in Avengers #1 (September 1963).
- The story has been reprinted many times, including in Marvel Tales Annual #1 (1964), Essential Ant-Man Vol. 1 (2002), Marvel Masterworks: Ant-Man/Giant-Man Vol. 1 (2006, reissued 2013), the Ant-Man/Giant-Man Epic Collection Vol. 1 (2015), and the Avengers: The Many Faces of Henry Pym TPB (2012), among at least seventeen known reprint appearances.
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Reprints
↩ Reprints Spy Thrillers #4 (1955)
Reprinted in Weird Planets #3 (1962), Spellbound #41 (1963), Misterios del Gato Negro #163 (1963), Marvel Tales Annual #1 (1964), Terrific! #1 (1967), Terrific! #11 (1967), Hit Comics #115 (1969), Creepy Worlds #127 (1971), Secrets of the Unknown #133 (1972), Fantastic Four #16 (1972), Le Tombeau de Dracula #3 (1973), The Mighty World of Marvel #33 (1973), Der Eiserne #2 (1975), Secrets of the Unknown #180 (1978), Hulk Comic #1 (1979), Hulk Comic #2 (1979), Hulk Comic #3 (1979), Secrets of the Unknown #216 (1983), The Marvel Saga the Official History of the Marvel Universe #4 (1986), Strange Spécial Origines #205 (1987), Marvel Limited: Fantastic Firsts #[nn] (1994), Fantastic Firsts #[nn] (2002), Essential Ant-Man #1 (2002), America's Greatest Comics #15 (2006) + 18 more
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