While Steve Rogers is the most popular version of Captain America, many other heroes – including Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, and John Walker – have worn the costume and wielded the shield when Steve was unable or unwilling to continue as Cap. Although each hero had a different approach to being Captain America, all of them strove to do justice to the name and had several distinguishing moments during their time as the Sentinel of Liberty. Although… perhaps not Ant-Man.
Yes, sadly, in one universe, Hank Pym (aka Ant-Man and Giant Man) ended up putting on a Captain America costume for one of the worst reasons imaginable. While mercifully brief, his time as Cap reminded readers why putting on a Captain America suit doesn’t always make you feel powerful.
This story happened in the Ultimate universe to a version of Hank Pym who was a very dark reflection of his mainstream counterpart. In the “regular” Marvel Universe, Hank Pym once slapped his wife Janet in an infamous scene that has haunted him ever since. Hank was unknowingly under the influence of certain mind-altering drugs that caused him to develop a more violent personality. While he was eventually able to rid himself of the effects, his actions cost him his marriage and saddled him with the label “wife beater” by many fans.
In the mainstream universe, Hank owned up to this mistake, apologizing and eventually reconciling with Janet. He even sponsored several domestic violence programs in her name and acknowledged that, whatever the circumstances, hitting Janet even one time was inexcusable. Sadly, in the Ultimate universe, writers decided to use Hank’s unfortunate reputation to reimagine his character into an abusive man who regularly beat up his wife in secret. When the Ultimates discovered this, they kicked him off the team and Captain America personally beat him up. Disgraced, Hank tried to find a way to salvage his career and public image, but was shunned by all of his former friends. In desperation, he tried to join the Ultimate universe’s version of The Defenders. Although this team contained many powerful members in the mainstream universe, in the Ultimate Universe, the Defenders were all basically a bunch of cosplaying vigilantes who only claimed to have powers.
Thrilled to have someone with actual superpowers on their team, the group eagerly accepted Hank, who decided to adopt the new identity of Ant-Man. Unfortunately, their first mission was far from ideal. Attempting to get some press by stopping a bunch of teenagers from stealing thousands of secrets out of a warehouse, the Defenders instead ended up getting beaten up by the low-level thugs. As the situation got critical, Hank transformed into Giant Man to stop the criminals… but since he didn’t have his costume handy, he wound up giving the newspapers a very embarrassing photo to run.
Hank tried to drown his sorrows in a late-night tryst with Defenders’ member Valkyrie (actually a weightlifter and martial arts student who wound up being chased by the criminals she was trying to stop). Valkyrie, however, requested that Hank wear a Captain America costume to put her in the mood… which Hank apparently did as the costume could be seen on his bed in the very next panel.
Although few people knew about Hank’s dalliance as Captain America, Hank himself felt the entire incident put him at the lowest point in his life. Later stories would give Hank a chance to redeem himself, but as the Ultimate comic books were intended to be a grittier version of the mainstream Marvel comics, he never did get to be the type of major hero many know Hank Pym to be.