MAJOR SPOILER ALERT FOR WHAT IF…? EPISODE 4.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
This week’s episode of What If…? was much more mature than the first two episodes. Again, the story focused on what would happen if the tables were turned in the MCU. Episode Three takes place between the first two phases as Nick Fury is recruiting the Avengers. Only, someone is murdering each one before he can build the team. The culprit: the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, but this time he is sporting his Yellowjacket attire.
With that in mind, here are three issues that will see a direct impact from the episode.
TALES TO ASTONISH #27
This issue hasn’t flown under the radar in a very long time, especially since Hank Pym is a founding Avenger. It became especially popular when word of the first Ant-Man began to spread. With Hank making his return to the MCU - and finally in action - it is only fitting to start at the top with his first appearance in Tales to Astonish #27.
Considering this issue’s age and significance, it is no wonder it commands high prices. On August 1, a 4.0 sold for nearly $3,500, and that is actually down from the almost $4k prices it commanded in July. Even a lowly 1.8 sold for $1,799 on July 29.
AVENGERS #59
Of all the issues on today’s list, Avengers #59 stands to gain the most value. Since the majority of collectors can’t afford TOA #27, this is a worthy consolation prize. While Hank Pym didn’t debut in this issue, he did first take on the Yellowjacket name and costume here. Seeing Hank sport the yellow and black will have many buyers on the lookout for Avengers #59.
There were plenty of sales for this issue last month after Loki’s Yellowjacket Easter egg. That had buyers paying inflated prices for Avengers #59, beginning with an 8.5 that sold for a record-high $210. For those on a tight budget, consider the 6.5, which sold last month for $116.
AVENGERS #213
Another issue that could get the rub from What If…?’s latest episode is Avengers #213, but not for any obvious reason. There is no first in this issue to speak of, so a number of collectors will overlook it. However, Pym fans will remember this as the issue when Marvel began to transition Hank into more of a villainous role. Granted, he never became a supervillain, but after Hank was expelled from the Avengers for assaulting Wasp in Avengers #213, his character became darker and despised by fans. Considering What If…?’s third episode sees Hank fully embrace the dark side, this could be an issue that gets the rub.
At the moment, prices are fairly low for this comic. The only graded copy to sell this year has been an 8.5, which brought $48 in February. The last time a 9.8 swapped owners was in December for $80.
A POSSIBLE MCU FUTURE
The What If…? creative team has said that the series’ characters and plotlines are fair game for the canonical MCU. We already saw Yellowjacket’s helmet in the Void in the fifth episode of Loki, and the rumor is the villain is returning for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. It stands to reason that instead of getting a rematch between Scott Lang and Darren Scott, the Hank Pym Yellowjacket could find his way from the Quantum Realm and into the main MCU. Just a little food for thought.
What did you think about What If…? episode #3? Tell us in the comments!
