Issue(s): Tales To Astonish #63 (Giant-Man/Wasp story only)
Cover Date: Jan 65
Title: "The gangsters and the Giant!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Carl Burgos - Penciler
Chic Stone - Inker

Review/plot:
We are in re-run territory again with a plot remarkably similar to Tales To Astonish #37 (granted that was over two years ago), where a masked criminal running a protection scheme turns out to be one of the affected store owners.

The masked villain is called the Wrecker, but, of course, not relation to the future leader of the Wrecking Crew.

Two issues ago the opening splash panel announced that Giant-Man wasn't a clumsy oaf any more, but that change in direction was sort of overshadowed by the sad pratfalls of last issue. This issue attempts to make up for lost time, but the overall effect makes it look like Pym is deep into a manic episode.

He's been preparing for antics like that by doing similar acrobatics in his gym with weight bars loaded into his costume.

DDT was banned in 1972, so in this issue we have a moment similar to all those asbestos scenes in the Human Torch's Strange Tales, where the Wrecker nails the Wasp with a dose of DDT...

...and Giant-Man rescues her via mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

DDT is "moderately toxic" to full sized humans and is an endocrine disruptor and a carcinogen, so who knows what affect this had on Janet.

Quality Rating: D+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP places this between Avengers #10-11. That's based on the 1987 Marvel Index's placement, although i don't know why it's pushed back so far from publication date. Since for me that would push this issue prior to FF #33, which is referenced in the next issue blurb as something that's already occurred, i'm leaving this issue at publication date. If necessary i could ignore that footnote since it's not an in-story reference, or do some shifting, but so far i don't see a reason.

References:

• The next issue blurb makes a specific reference to Fantastic Four #33 while touting the upcoming appearance of Attuma.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Essential Ant-Man vol. 1