Ant-Man (Scott Lang)

The Ant-Man identity originated with Dr. Henry 'Hank' Pym, who first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 (January 1962) and assumed the Ant-Man identity soon thereafter. Scott Lang became the second notable bearer after stealing the Ant-Man suit to save his daughter Cassandra 'Cassie' Lang from a heart condition. Lang reformed from his life of crime and continued operating as Ant-Man in comics and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, later affiliating with teams such as the Avengers and appearing across films, commercials, animated shorts, and theme-park attractions. In comics continuity he was killed during the Avengers Disassembled storyline and later returned in the 2011 miniseries The Children's Crusade.

Scott Lang is an ordinary human male who wears the Ant-Man costume when operating as that persona. The Ant-Man apparatus ascribed to the mantle includes a specialized helmet—used to coordinate with ants—and technology that enables reduction of the wearer's size. Historically the size-changing means associated with Ant-Man progressed from an inhaled shrinking gas to size-changing pills and later to the use of 'Pym Particles.' Visual specifics beyond the helmet-and-suit motif are treated in source media art and film adaptations.

Ant-Men, including Scott Lang's Ant-Man, possess the capacity to shrink to the size of an ant and typically to control or coordinate ants via a helmet or similar device. The size-change capability in Ant-Man's published history was effected first by shrinking gas, then by pills, and later by Pym Particles; the helmet is the narrative/technological means for interacting with ants. Scott Lang used these technologies to commit acts of theft (notably stealing the suit to save his daughter), to reform and fight crime, and to operate alongside other heroes and teams in Marvel stories.