The Avengers welcome a new addition, the "son" of the iconic Ant-Man, carrying a heritage that surpasses his predecessor.
Created by a future Hank Pym to thwart Ultron, Mark Twelve embodies the finest qualities of various AIs, yet maintains his unique identity.
Regardless of his artificial intelligence status, the extended Ant-Man clan embraces Mark as an individual, reflecting the Avengers' and Ant-Family's refusal to discriminate based on one's origins.
The Avengers, at their core, are a tight-knit family, and the recent addition to their ranks underscores this even further, given that he is the offspring of one of their founding fathers.
Spoiler Alert for Avengers Inc. #5!
The Avengers have embraced a fresh face, one who is already deeply ingrained in their family tree as the "son" of the original Ant-Man. Though he may not be blood-related, this new recruit carries a lineage that surpasses even his predecessor. His narrative weaves together iconic threads from various Avengers and Ant-Man tales, highlighting Marvel's heroes' journey while still paying homage to classic sci-fi tropes.
In Avengers Inc. #5, penned by Al Ewing, illustrated by Leonard Kirk, colored by Alex Sinclair, and lettered by VC’s Cory Petit, Hank Pym declares that he views the new heroic AI, Mark Twelve, as his own flesh and blood, thereby expanding the Pym clan.
Mark was crafted by a time-traveling future Hank to thwart Ultron, whose design partially inspired Mark. Although Mark embodies virtues from other AIs like the original Ultron Mark-12, the Vision, and Jim Hammond (the original Human Torch), he stands apart as an individual. Hank's acknowledgment of him as kin leaves no doubt about his place within the family.
Ultron's Comeback: The notorious Avengers foe has resurfaced in the Marvel Universe under a guise that none could have anticipated.
Mark: The Newest Branch of the Giant-Sized Ant-Man Tree
Mark has now become a part of the ever-expanding ensemble of characters linked to Ant-Man, forming a vast and intricate Marvel family. Among them are Hank Pym, the inaugural Ant-Man, and Avengers Inc.'s leader, Janet Van Dyne, alias the Wasp, along with Hank's daughter, Nadia Van Dyne, who's also Janet's adopted child and stepdaughter. Other notable AI figures include Ultron, who views Hank as his creator, and Vision, birthed by Ultron, who affectionately calls Mark "uncle" in Avengers Inc. #5. This is just scratching the surface, as there are numerous other Ant-Men and their respective families.
Despite being an AI with ties to Ultron, it's unsurprising that Mark is readily accepted as an individual by this extended family. Vision, especially, grasps the significance of personal identity, having endured his own identity crisis after being created by Ultron. The Avengers and Ant-Family's acceptance of Mark underscores their non-judgmental attitude towards origin stories, given that many of their own members have a background as supervillains or criminals. They firmly believe in people's capacity for change.
"Ant-Man and the Avengers" raises profound ethical questions about AI. Vision unequivocally demonstrates that AI entities are sentient beings. Conversely, the creation of AI proxies often reflects human arrogance and ego, portrayed as a risky venture. Hank's creation of Ultron, for instance, is considered one of his greatest failures, leaving him with a sense of remorse. This creates a moral dilemma: while AIs are recognized as sentient beings, their creation remains ethically ambiguous.
This phenomenon is not exclusive to Marvel. Science-fiction, when done well, delves into complex ethical dilemmas, utilizing extraordinary scenarios to pose these questions in manners that cannot be realistically expressed. It raises inquiries such as: What ought to be humanity's connection to technology? Should humans have the power to assume the role of a deity? What defines being human? Or being a person? Are there disparities between the two? The narratives of Ant-Man, Ultron, Vision, and now Mark Twelve encompass all these inquiries and beyond, narrated through the distinctive perspective of the Avengers' superhero tales.
Avengers Inc. #5 is currently available for purchase from Marvel Comics.