The Unstoppable Wasp is an ongoing American comic book series published by Marvel Comics featuring Nadia van Dyne (née Pym). The solo series initially debuted in January 2017 and ran for 8 issues as a part of Marvel NOW! 2.0, before relaunching in October 2018 for another run of 10 issues.[1] The series were written by Jeremy Whitley. Art was by Elsa Charretier from the start of the publication until the second run, which Gurihiru took over as artist for.[2] In May 2020, Disney Books published a young adult novel continuing the series written by Sam Maggs, titled The Unstoppable Wasp: Built On Hope. Critics have praised the series for its comedy as well as its portrayal of relationships and bipolar disorder.
| The Unstoppable Wasp | |
|---|---|
 Promotional art for The Unstoppable Wasp Vol. 2, depicting the title character in flight. Art by Gurihiru. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | Vol. 1: January–August 2017 Vol. 2: December 2018–July 2019 |
| No. of issues | Vol. 1: 8 Vol. 2: 10[1] |
| Main character(s) | Nadia van Dyne (née Pym) |
| Creative team | |
| Created by | Jeremy Whitley Elsa Charretier |
| Written by | Jeremy Whitley |
| Artist(s) | Elsa Charretier (Vol. 1) Gurihiru (Vol. 2) |
| Penciller(s) | Elsa Charretier (Vol. 1) Gurihiru (Vol. 2) |
| Inker(s) | Elsa Charretier (Vol. 1) Gurihiru (Vol. 2) |
| Letterer(s) | Joe Caramagna |
| Colorist(s) | Megan Wilson (Vol. 1) Gurihiru (Vol. 2) |
| Editor(s) | Alanna Smith Tom Brevoort |
Publication history
editStarting in July 2016, the Civil War II crossover storyline affected a number of Marvel comics and characters, introducing the character of Nadia Pym / The Wasp. Marvel announced in late 2016 that, after Civil War was complete, they would relaunch their entire line as part of a Marvel NOW! 2.0 rebranding,[3] including The Unstoppable Wasp, with the series following Nadia after acquiring U.S. citizenship, as she starts the program G.I.R.L. (Genius In action Research Labs) to look for women with genius intellects upon realizing that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s index of the world's most intelligent people doesn't list any women above 27th place,[4] adopting the new surname "Van Dyne" after Janet van Dyne.[5]
Plot
editVolume 1
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Volume 2
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (June 2021) |
Reception
editIssue #1 was published on January 5, 2017, to positive reviews. The Unstoppable Wasp was praised for its comedy, and the character of Nadia Pym (later van Dyne) was seen as empowering for being likable, smart, and having an infectious charm unlike that of typical superheroes.[6] ComicsAlliance praised the series' "structure, pacing and character interactions", regarded its "Unstoppable" title as "the perfect adjective for the series, because Nadia represents a kind of determination and perseverance that’s both admirable and inspiring."[7] CBR expressed interest in the series being adapted to the Marvel Cinematic Universe,[8] while Comics Beat lauded the series' "enticing" nature and "Jeremy Whitley’s commitment to Nadia Pym’s unwavering & infectious optimism against the worst odds [with] Elsa Charretier’s incredible layouts and spreads add[ing] so much substance to the vibrant personality of this comic".[9] The series' depiction of bipolar disorder was also praised.[10][11][12]
Collected editions
editThe series has been collected into trade paperbacks:
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Unstoppable Wasp Vol. 1: Unstoppable! | The Unstoppable Wasp #1–4 and All-New, All-Different Avengers #14 | September 12, 2017 | 978-1302906467 |
| The Unstoppable Wasp Vol. 2: Agents of G.I.R.L. | The Unstoppable Wasp #5–8 and Tales to Astonish #44 | March 13, 2018 | 978-1302906474 |
| The Unstoppable Wasp: G.I.R.L. Power | The Unstoppable Wasp #1–8 | April 2, 2019 | 978-1302916565 |
| The Unstoppable Wasp: Unlimited Vol. 1: Fix Everything | The Unstoppable Wasp (vol. 2) #1–5 | May 7, 2019 | 978-1302914264 |
| The Unstoppable Wasp: Unlimited Vol. 2: G.I.R.L. VS. A.I.M. | The Unstoppable Wasp (vol. 2) #6–10 | September 11, 2019 | 978-1302914271 |
| The Unstoppable Wasp: A.I.M. Escape! | The Unstoppable Wasp (vol. 2) #1–10 | January 26, 2021 | 978-1302923846 |
Novels
editNadia van Dyne has also been featured in one middle grade novel.
| Title | Author | Publication date | Synopsis | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Unstoppable Wasp: Built On Hope | Sam Maggs | May 26, 2020 | Nadia Van Dyne is new to this. New to being a Super Hero, new to being a real friend and stepdaughter (to one of the founding Avengers, no less), new to running her own lab, and new to being her own person, far, far away from the clutches of the Red Room―the infamous brainwashing/assassin-training facility. She's adjusting well to all of this newness, channeling her energy into being a good friend, a good scientist, and a good Super Hero. It's taking a toll, though, and Nadia's finding that there are never quite enough hours in a day. So, when she's gifted a virtual assistant powered by the most cutting-edge A.I. technology that the world has to offer, Nadia jumps at the opportunity to "do less, experience more"―just like the advertisements say. The device works―really works. Nadia has more time to pursue her passion projects and to focus on new discoveries. But it's never quite that simple, and not everything is as it seems. This thrilling adventure finds Nadia confronting her past as she tries to shape her future, and learning that sometimes the best way to effect big change is to think small―maybe even super small.[13][14] | 9781368054652 |
References
edit- ^ a b Terror, Jude (May 14, 2019). "Unstoppable Wasp Canceled After Issue #10.. But Is It Goodbye, or So Long For Now?". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- ^ Terror, Jude (June 12, 2018). "The Unstoppable Wasp is Back with a New Ongoing Series by Jeremy Whitley and Gurihiru". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- ^ DeRider, Mathias; Frost, Kay Tilden (August 15, 2018). "'Unstoppable Wasp' Returns: An Interview With Jeremy Whitley". Geek Dad. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- ^ Granshaw, Lisa (June 12, 2018). "Marvel's The Unstoppable Wasp Flying Back To Comics This Fall". SyFy Wire. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- ^ Puc, Samantha (May 17, 2019). "Exclusive Preview: It's Time for the G.I.R.L. Young Scientists Expo in Unstoppable Wasp #8, But What About Nadia's Mom?". Comics Beat. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- ^ Schedeen, Jesse (January 5, 2017). "The Unstoppable Wasp #1 Review". IGN. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
- ^ Schedeen, Jesse (January 4, 2017). "Don't Stop Her Now: The Infectious Enthusiasm Of Charretier's 'The Unstoppable Wasp' #1 [Review]". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Lockyer, Margaret (April 22, 2020). "Unstoppable Wasp: How Nadia van Dyne Could Appear in the MCU". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- ^ Jones, Alexander (January 4, 2017). "The Marvel Rundown: Nadia Pym is a Breakout Star in her First Wasp Ongoing Series". Comics Beat. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ V., Juliette (February 20, 2019). "Marvel Reveals Superhero 'The Unstoppable Wasp' Has Bipolar Disorder". The Mighty. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ Schrodt, Paul (March 19, 2019). "Marvel's New Comic Book Series, The Unstoppable Wasp, Stars a Superhero With Bipolar Disorder". Men's Health. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
- ^ Johnston, Rich (February 21, 2019). "Unstoppable Wasp – The Villain in Her Story? (Spoilers)". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^ Spry, Jeff (March 9, 2020). "The Unstoppable Wasp Takes On A High-Tech AI In Exclusive Excerpt From Novel 'Built On Hope'". SyFy Wire. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ McMillan, Graeme (August 7, 2019). "Marvel Sets 'Unstoppable Wasp' YA Prose Novel for 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 August 2019.