Recommended reading to continue exploration of ‘Quantumania’

A villain who has conquered multiple eras of time and a microscopic realm of fantastic worlds are just two of the science-fiction elements slated for Marvel’s latest film.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” kicks off phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

According to Marvel’s synopsis, super-Hero partners Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope's parents Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.

Some of Marvel’s wildest concepts will be explored in cinematic form in this film – but there are more than 60 years of comics fans can dig through to further explore the ideas!

Kang the Conqueror

Kang is one of the Avengers’ most tenacious foes, traveling through time and conquering eras throughout the centuries. Drawn to the “Heroic Age” of the Avengers, Kang officially made his debut in 1964’s “Avengers” #8, but like many things involving time travel – it’s complicated! Kang was revealed to be the same character as the pharaoh Rama-Tut, who first appeared in “Fantastic Four” #19 in 1963, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Rama-Tut was a criminal from the year 3000 who traveled back to the Egyptian era, and was implied to be a descendant of Doctor Doom.

Marvel recently reprinted “Avengers” #8 in a facsimile edition recreating the original presentation of the story. Kang initially has the Avengers at his mercy, until the Wasp and Rick Jones come up with a plan to thwart the time-traveler. Kang later becomes the future conqueror Immortus, among other characterizations, and eventually there are multiple variant Kangs throughout Marvel’s timelines, though the “prime” Kang is the most-frequent Avengers foe.

The Quantum Realm/Microscopic World

The first Marvel Universe story featuring characters shrinking down to visit a microscopic realm is way back in 1943 in “Captain America Comics” #25 and 26. Captain America and Bucky travel to the microscopic world of Mita in a story by Ray Cummings, adapting his own 1919 pulp story “The GIrl in the Golden Atom.” That story, now in the public domain, can be read online at

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21094.

The microscopic world was further explored in 1963's Fantastic Four #16, where Doctor Doom conquers a part of the dimension known as “Sub-Atomica.” The Fantastic Four put a stop to his machinations with the help of Ant-Man, in the first official crossover of these characters.

The size and scope of this “Microverse” was further explored in “Micronauts,” by Bill Mantlo and Michael Golden, a Marvel comic series based on the Mego toy line – which itself as based on the Japanese “Microman” storyline. Commander Rann led his team against Baron Karza, who was taking over the many worlds of the Microverse. Because the rights to the toy line and the Marvel elements split after the series’ conclusion, Marvel’s cinematic arm doesn’t call this microscopic dimension the Microverse, but instead, the Quantum Realm.

Matthew Price, matthew@matthewlprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman.