Ant-Man Likes The Wii
By David Cassel
Nintendo’s Wii console has become an ongoing story point in an unexpected comic book from Marvel — The Irredeemable Ant-Man.
The fun began in the June issue. Our hero is former government worker Eric O’Grady, who’s stolen the Ant-Man superhero suit, and is living as a fugitive. Returning from his secret day job as a bounty hunter, he’s confronted by an old jewel thief — the Black Fox — who’s broken into his apartment. They’ve quarreled over stolen jewelry in the past, and it looks like it’s going to get ugly.
“What are you doing in my apartment?” demands Ant-Man. “Look, I don’t have the energy to argue tonight. Can’t we do this tomorrow?”
At the bottom of the page, he relents, and says “All right, 20 minutes.”
And the next page shows the two men playing Wii games.
But the Wii’s first cameo was only the beginning. In July the comic intersected a larger storyline in other Marvel comic books, where the Incredible Hulk threatens to level New York City unless his enemies are delivered to him. In the prelude to an unlikely battle — giant green monster vs. shrinking superhero — there’s a shift in perspective to Ant-Man’s apartment, where the Black Fox is entering through a window. Receiving no response, he looks around the apartment, and in the last panel is seen leaving with his arms full.
Because he’s stealing Ant-Man’s Wii…
Alas, all good things must come to an end. The Marvel comic book failed to achieve enough popularity, and in its final issue this week, writer Robert Kirkman scrambled to tie up all the remaining storylines — including the fate of Ant-Man’s Wii. Eric O’Grady, recovered from his battle with the Hulk, has returned to his government job and turned in his old jewel thief compatriot (and sometime gaming companion). But they have one final conversation — as Ant-Man slips him an escape route through the bars of his government jail cell.
The grateful thief calls out to say, “Before I realized you’d been abducted by the government and I came here to rescue you… I went to your apartment, to make sure you’d gotten out before the Hulk attacked.
“You weren’t there, and I… I stole your video game console.”
“You stole my Nintendo Wii?!”
“I did… And I’m not giving it back.”
The Wii’s final reference in the comic book becomes something more than just a video game — it becomes a symbol of friendship.
Ant-Man thinks for a second about how he’d handed over his old gaming partner to the authories, and then says, “You know what? Keep it.
“I think that’ll about square things between us.”
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September 26th, 2007
[...] Scott McNulty wrote an interesting post today!.Here’s a quick excerptBut the Wii’s first cameo was only the beginning. In July the comic intersected a larger storyline in other Marvel comic books, where the Incredible Hulk threatens to level New York City unless his enemies are delivered to him. … [...]