Yellowjacket (Marvel Comics)

Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym is the first major character to take on the Yellowjacket codename as an anti-hero after having several other superhero identities, such as Ant-Man, Giant-Man and Goliath.^[1] The character has been associated with several superhero teams in the Marvel Universe, including the Avengers and the Defenders.

Yellowjacket
Rita DeMara as Yellowjacket. Art by Kevin West.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The Avengers # 264 (February 1986)
Created by	Roger Stern John Buscema
In-story information
Alter ego	Rita DeMara
Species	Human
Team affiliations	Guardians of the Galaxy Masters of Evil Femizons Avengers
Abilities	Cybernetics expert Suit grants: High-speed flight Size manipulation Electrical bolt projection via stinger blasts

Rita DeMara is the second major character to use the Yellowjacket codename who is initially a reluctant supervillain and later superhero.

The character first appeared in The Avengers #264 (February 1986), and was created by Roger Stern and John Buscema.^[2] Years later, she was featured as a regular character in the Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers titles. Guardians of the Galaxy writer/artist Jim Valentino reminisced, "It was my group's first foray into the 20th Century. I knew they were going to meet the Masters of Evil... She was a member of the Masters of Evil at the time and I liked her. I thought it would be nice to have someone see the 31st Century through present-day eyes. It would give a new perspective, so I asked if I could have her. They said yes, and even though I never got the chance to write her in, they put her in the group after I was gone."^[3] Yellowjacket was one of the feature characters in the 2011 three-issue limited series Chaos War: Dead Avengers.

Rita DeMara was a reluctant supervillainess who had stolen one of Hank Pym's Yellowjacket costumes, which she modified to make more feminine (and removing the insect emblem). But when she clashed with the Wasp, she became terrified upon shrinking and was captured.^[4]

Yellowjacket participates in a takeover of the Avengers Mansion, assisting one of the more powerful versions of the Masters of Evil as a professional criminal.^[5] Yellowjacket is defeated and sent to prison, but she is freed by the Fixer with amorous intentions. She flees and tries to gain revenge on the Wasp, but she is distracted by the Black Knight. Furious at being rejected, the Fixer tries to kill her. The Black Knight helps Yellowjacket defeat the Fixer and the two part on possibly romantic terms.^[6]

During a time when no Avengers were active, her Yellowjacket costume receives a call for help from an automated system at an old base of the Avengers. She finds herself teaming up with the Beast, The Captain, the Falcon, Hercules, the Hulk and Jocasta. They battle the High Evolutionary wishing to jumpstart humanity's evolution through worldwide catastrophe. Yellowjacket helps battle through the High Evolutionary's underground submarine base, fighting against dozens of his soldiers. The High Evolutionary is eventually defeated by Hercules, and the two evolving out of reality.^[7] She later briefly serves as a member of Superia's Femizons.^[8]

Her second affiliation with the Masters of Evil begins and ends during the Infinity War. Her team, led by Doctor Octopus, confronts the Guardians of the Galaxy inside the Avengers Mansion as the Masters of Evil had wished to take it over. Yellowjacket is soon betrayed by her side. Moments later, both teams are overwhelmed by waves of evil aliens. These aliens were impersonating all the super-powered beings involved. Each double wishes to take over the relevant body. Despite many aliens being slain, more show up.^{[volume & issue needed]} Both groups work together to stay alive. Events in the Infinity War series stop the flow of aliens. Doctor Octopus desires to continue the fight, the group turn against, not wanting to hurt those who had helped them. Yellowjacket is left behind and joined the other group.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Yellowjacket went to the 31st century with Guardians of the Galaxy. She further proves her worth when she saved the life of Charlie-27 by shrinking, flying inside his throat, and performing "surgery" on a massive blood clot with her stings. She forms a close friendship with Nikki. She later uses 31st century technology to redesign her Yellowjacket costume to look less like Pym's design (as she even found a way to fly without installing wings on her Yellowjacket costume).^{[volume & issue needed]}

She used her powers as a valued member of the team, until, homesick, she attempts to return to the 20th century. On the way, she stops in the near future and learns that a disaster was about to happen to the Avengers in her target time. On her return to the present, she confronts Iron Man under the control of Immortus, a powerful time-traveling being in the guise of Kang the Conqueror. Iron Man kills Yellowjacket.^[9]

During the Chaos War storyline, Yellowjacket is among the dead people released by Pluto to defend the Underworld from Amatsu-Mikaboshi.^[10] Because of what happened to the death realms, Yellowjacket is among the dead people that return from the dead.^[11] Yellowjacket joins with the other resurrected Avengers as they fight the Grim Reaper and Nekra.^[12] Yellowjacket, the Swordsman, and the Shi'ar warrior Deathcry are given a second chance to live when the three survive the Grim Reaper's attacks.^[13] After the Chaos King's defeat, resurrected members of Alpha Flight were seen having been fully restored to life but there has been no sign of Yellowjacket.^[14]

Criti Noll is a Skrull who impersonated Hank Pym / Yellowjacket during the Secret Invasion storyline.^[15]

Darren Cross is the third major character to use the Yellowjacket codename, thanks to Egghead, as a supervillain.^[16]

• The Hank Pym incarnation of Yellowjacket appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, voiced by Wally Wingert.^[17][18]
• The Darren Cross incarnation of Yellowjacket appears in Ant-Man (2017), voiced by William Salyers.^[19]

The Darren Cross incarnation of Yellowjacket appears in Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Avengers Reassembled, voiced by Travis Willingham.^[20][19]

 

• Darren Cross / Yellowjacket appears in the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Ant-Man (2015), portrayed by Corey Stoll.
• Alternate timeline variants of Yellowjacket appear in the Disney+ / MCU animated series What If...?:
  • The Hank Pym incarnation appears in the episode "What If... the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?", voiced by Michael Douglas.^[21][18]
  • A group of size-changing musketeers called the Royal Yellowjackets appear in the episode "What If... the Avengers Assembled in 1602?" as the royal guard of a Rennaissance-themed universe.

• The Hank Pym incarnation of Yellowjacket appears as a boss in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, voiced by Wally Wingert.^[18]
• The Darren Cross incarnation of Yellowjacket appears as a boss in Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
• The Darren Cross incarnation of Yellowjacket appears as a playable character in Marvel Contest of Champions.
• The Darren Cross incarnation of Yellowjacket appears as a playable character in Marvel: Future Fight.
• The Darren Cross incarnation of Yellowjacket appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers via DLC.
• The Hank Pym incarnation of Yellowjacket appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2.^[22]
• The Hank Pym incarnation of Yellowjacket appears in Marvel Future Revolution, voiced again by Wally Wingert.
• The Darren Cross incarnation of Yellowjacket appears in Marvel Snap.

• Marvel.com profile - Rita DeMara