Wasp

Founding Avenger who gave the team its name.

The Wasp (Janet van Dyne) is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee, Ernie Hart and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales to Astonish #44 (June 1963). She can shrink to a few centimeters tall, fly with insect wings and fire bioelectric blasts.

Quick Facts

Real name

Janet van Dyne

First appearance

Tales to Astonish #44 (June 1963)

Creators

Stan Lee
Ernie Hart
Jack Kirby

Lore & Background

Janet became the Wasp as Hank Pym's partner to avenge the death of her father, the scientist Vernon van Dyne. She was a founding member of the Avengers, gave the team its name and later led it for long stretches. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe Michelle Pfeiffer plays Janet, while Evangeline Lilly plays Hope van Dyne, an MCU Wasp based on Hope Pym, in Ant-Man (2015), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Avengers: Endgame and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).