WASP's Costumes from 1972 to 1981
(From the "Giant-Wasp" transformation to the separation from Hank)

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Mfea-06.gif Nov 1972 - Marvel Feature #6 - The first time I read this stories I was not so impressed. But the Human Top, Egghead, Para-Man and the Doctor Nemesis appear ... and also Henry Pym has a new costume! Trying to help hank to find an antidote for the serum that blocked him at the ant-size, Janet swallows the antidote before Hank can test it well. And the first collateral effect is: for a few seconds Janet grows at Giant-Wasp size. And after this she understand that she is blocked at the ant-size, too.
Mfea-07.gif Jan 1973 - Marvel Feature #7/9 - In this story you can find one of the most classic costumes Janet ever wore. Boots and gloves may change in shape, blue and red may be darker or lighter, collars may appear, but the costume remains basically this. For other appearances of this costume see Avengers #137 (the first time of the costume in the Avengers stories), 146, 150, 153, 155, 156 (with a blue collar), 157, 158, 159 (with a red belt), 160.
Mfea-08.gif Mar/May 1973 - Marvel Feature #8/9 - Eventually the serum swallowed by Janet produces its last effect: the first bug/Wasp is born and wants to kill Ant-Man!

Cm1-035.gif Cm1-037.gif Nov 1974 - Captain Marvel #35, 37- Rick Jones is  in coma at the hospital and Janet and Hank visit him. But they must protect him by the Living Laser, who have the order to kill Rick. A short battle and the revelation that the Living Laser is not so "living": he is a humanoid made of plastic and metal. Wasp and Ant-Man talk to Captain Marvel about the Lunatic Legion
Avtwo1b.gif May 2000 - Avengers Two: Wonder Man and Beast#1 - Usually is the costume different, when it is shown in a flashback. The penciler does not remember the correct shape, or the colorist does not find any issue of that period, or other reasons... so the costume is not the same original one more. The flashback reprints moments about the Avengers recruiting new members as shown in Avengers# 137.
Ave152.gif Oct 1976 - Avengers #152, 154 - Avengers #152, 154 - Avengers #152, 154 - Probably this is the classice blue-red costume as seen above, but with some little changes. Very important events in these issues: the "resurrection" of Wonder Man performed by Black Talon. The Avengers vs Black Talon's zombies and Damballah the god. And the first "Atlantis Attack" by Attuma and the powerful Tyrak, who, alone, defeated 5 Avengers! Wasp and Ant-Man talk to Captain Marvel about the Lunatic Legion
Ave161.gif Jul 1977- Avengers #161 - Avengers #161 - WOW! A great costume drawn by George Pérez! Really something different! We can admire it just in one issue because in the next one, Wasp is...naked! But I know why. I completely understand Ultron who fell in love with his "mother"... what a beauty!

From Avengers #162: Janet captive of Ultron while her lifeforce has being transferred in the Jocasta's cold mechanical body.

Mtu059c.gif Jul 1977 - Marvel Team-Up #59/60 Covers - This costume (on the cover) is supposed to be the same one in the issue, but the shirt is different and its colour, too.Note: in these story Henry Pym enhances his Yellowjacket powers and makes a gift for Janet's birthday secretly increasing Wasp's powers, too.

I increased Yellowjacket's powers 10 times... as for Janet, I secretly gave her a serum, that modified the effects of the original serum, bridling the energy involved in the shrinking... so the more she shrinks the stronger she becomes... and I also modified her stingers, to let them get more energy from her body.

Wasp from the cover of Marvel Team-Up #60
Ave167.gif Jan 1978 - Avengers #167 - Another great creation performed by the George's (Pérez) hand. The enemy battled in the story is not so important (The Porcupine) and Janet was helped in defeating him by Kyle Richmond as Nighthawk, but the dress is wonderful! Note: in the story Carina and Michael/Korvac appear, too. Question: with the exception of Janet, how many characters between those mentioned are still alive?
Ave170.gif Apr 1978 - Avengers #170/177 - Not so simple to draw, this costume had two wonderful artists: George Pérez and John Byrne. I copied this one from a Ms. Marvel story (penciler: Jim Mooney), so if it is not compliant with the original forgive me. Avg1177.jpg
Ktpb_1.gif ??? - Korvac Saga Paperback - This is the previus costume not so well reproduced by Tom Morgan. The Paperback puts together all the magnificent stories of the "Korvac Saga" plus four tables. Wasp appears in one of the last "added" tables together many other Avengers.
Avea08a.gif Avea08b.gif 1978 - Avengers Annual #8 - Avengers Annual #8 - Six! Six scans Brian and Susan sent me to help me to draw these costumes. Now I understand what was that green-dark cyan costume in the Pérez 30th anniversary Avengers poster!
Msm-20.gif Dec 1978 - Miss Marvel #20 - NO! This is not a Wasp's costume. YES! This is a Wasp's costume, or, explaining better, is a costume created by Janet. Perhaps, the first idea for the costume came from Carol Danvers, but I think that Janet added her stylist talent and the cloth of instable molecules. Note: Wasp does not appear in the issue, but is only mentioned by Miss Marvel.
Ave179.gif Jan 1979 - Avengers #179 - Another non-costume for Wasp. Janet is worried about her night dress crumpled on the floor but she must act to stop Bloodhawk. The second costume of the story is a classic red/blue costume with a red collar. Notes: in the same story a super-villain I never saw after appears: Stinger (no, he is not the mutant of the Alliance of Evil). But the singular event of this issue is Jim Mooney at the pencils, probably the unique Avengers story he drew.
Dec 1978 - Alias#26 - Purple variation of the W-shaped orange costume, with a skirt.

The Avengers visited Jessica Jones whom they sent into coma after she attacked them under the Purple Man's control.
Ave183.gif May 1979 - Avengers #183/188 - Not so bad (hey, Byrne and Pérez at work, here). A good matching of the blue/red/white colours so common in super-heroes costumes.
The costume appears in lots of other stories, such as Avengers #190/194, Avengers #225/226, Incredible Hulk #279, The Defenders #76/81, Micronauts #41/42 or Contest of Champions, and Iron Man #125 too (thanks to Mark Ogilvie for the hint).
Janet in the quinjet while the Avengers are flying over USSR.
Thun-07.gif Oct 1997 - Thunderbolts #7 - Question: is this costume different from the previous one? Answer: NO. Why? Well... in this story the Thunderbolts tries to stop the Elements of Doom. Captured and imprisoned, they meet the creator of the Elements, Vasily Khandruvitch, a sovietic scientist. He tells them the story of the first creation, and rebellion of the Elements, stopped by the Avengers years ago (Avengers vol.I #188), and in this flashback appears Wasp with this costume. But in the Avengers' story Janed wore the previous one.
Ave194.gif Aug 1982 - Avengers #194/199 - A nice design. Was George Pérez the first penciler to draw it? May be... However, the costume was used several times after, see also Avengers #222, #228, Incredible Hulk Annual #11.
Ave200.gif Oct 1980 - Avengers #200 - George Pérez' Art! The Ms. Marvel's son is his own father too!? A must see! For the same costume see Avengers #203, and Incredible Hulk #277. Janet in Avengers #200.
Ave201.gif Nov 1980 - Avengers #201-202- Another creation by George Pérez! Iron Man suspects that Ultron is back. But Ultron is moving faster than he thinks. A huge robot invades Pym's lab and steal the Adamantium Resin X and Resin Y used to forge the Adamantium! Janet tries to stop him but to complete his mission...it kills her!                                                
"After the union of the resins, the adamantium remains malleable for about 8 minutes, during this time it is possible to put it molding on a temperature of about 800 Celsius degrees... Once cooled, it can resist to the explosion of an H-bomb."

Janet trying to stop the robot.

Ave202b.gif Dec 1980 - Avengers #202 - Janet is only wounded! But nothing can stop her to assemble to the other Avengers to battle Ultron for Wanda's safety and for the destiny of the world! Shall the Avengers succed in stopping it/him to build an invincible army of robot in adamantium? 
Ave204.gif Feb/Aug 1981 Avengers #204/211 - Was Gene Colan the artist? Note: in the next Avengers stories the costume has little variations about the belt, the red W, etc.
Dazzlr1.gif Mar 1981 - Dazzler #1 - A new series and a new character of Marvel Comics: Dazzler! Artists: Tom DeFalco, John Romita jr and Alfredo Alcala (unmistakable). The plot is not so original, but the villain has all my respect: the Enchantress!Note: during the story, the Beast asks Janet how many costumes she has in the wardrobe.
Ave206a.gif Ave206b.gif Apr 1981 - Avengers #206 - Thanks again to Fonzie Mendoza for the scans of some cartoons of this story never printed in Italy. In the few images I have of this story, I can admire a Gene Colan over the medium quality he usually produced when penciled the Avengers. The costume is mostly identical to the one in Avengers #204, but the colours seems to be different (could it be an effect of the scan?). The enemy is Pyron the Thermal Man. A very hot guy. Infact, the Avengers must wear special asbestos suits to approach him, and Wasp too.
Dazzlr2.gif Apr 1981- Dazzler #2 - Here the début of Dazzler as singer! Lots of super-characters are present to the concert, but Wasp wears a not so original costume for this occasion.
Ave211c.gif Sep 1981 - Avengers #211 Cover - This costume is shown just on the cover. Probably an error of coloration. Another story by Gene Colan. I think his work is more efficacious on Daredevil, Doctor Strange and Dracula (and when there is Tom Palmer inking...). In the issue we can see the Avengers mansion invaded by an horde of superheroes who wants to ... become Avengers! Does Moondragon know anything about this situation?

Wasp on the cover of Avengers #211

Ave212.gif Ave212b.gif Oct 1981 - Avengers #212 - Bad moments for Janet and Hank. In late for the first official reunion of the Avengers after the return of Yellowjacket, Janet is showing Hank two costumes she would wear but she does not decide the one to choose. So an enraged Yellowjacket destroy one of those with his stinger and after flies alone to the Avengers Mansion.
Mgn-01.gif 1982 - Marvel Graphic Novel #1 - Jim Starlin tells the tale of the end of a famous and powerful super-hero. Captain Mar-Vell, born Kree, adopted human, protector of the humanity and of the entire Universe, dies for a cancer.Note: the Marvel Chronology Project places this story between Avengers #211 and #212. I place this story between Avengers #212 and #213 just for one reason: the costume used in this story and the costume used in the first panels of Avengers #213 are almost identical (but the colours). Of course, I can be in wrong, because I never read the story.
Ave213a.gif ave213b.gif ave213c.gif Nov 1981 - Avengers #213 - Number Record of original costumes shown in one issue! But the record arrives in the ugliest moment of Janet's life: the breakup with Hank after his beating.

Colan rocks: the first costume is one of the sexiest costumes never worn by Janet; the second one is not a real costume, but a night-dress (composed from of unstable molecules!) and if this is not sexy.....

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