In this story, we’re treated to the boldly proclaimed “New Giant-Man” starring in his own feature. However, beyond his new look, his supposed new ability to shrink others goes unused just one issue after the, frankly, terrible idea was introduced. Enter Madam Macabre, whose powers are somewhat similar to Giant-Man’s—but with a twist. While he (it is implied) can only shrink living things—a premise that feels inconsistent with earlier portrayals—she can shrink inanimate objects. Well, specifically, objects made of a certain substance.

Our villain approaches our hero with the classic proposition: join forces to, you guessed it, take over the world. Upon his refusal, she sets a plan in motion to eliminate the heroic competition.

Story

By the end of the issue, it’s clear there was an attempt to give the Wasp more focus and a bigger role. Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of Giant-Man’s competence. The story leans on the well-worn “damsel in distress” trope, but here the roles are reversed—and it feels just as forced. This dynamic doesn’t do much to strengthen either character and makes it harder to salvage Giant-Man’s fading relevance during this run.

Characters & Development

As mentioned, Giant-Man is sidelined to spotlight his co-star, but the execution is lackluster. Wasp’s expanded role doesn’t shine as brightly as intended, and the villain, Madam Macabre, is largely forgettable. She fails to make a compelling first impression, and her gimmick doesn’t do much to stand out. It is no wonder this is her one and done appearance.

Then there’s the flashback appearance of The Mandarin, teased on the cover and featured on page four. Sadly, this cameo adds little to the story or the cast—and even less to his own legacy. Thankfully, Madam Macabre’s trip to obscurity is a brief one.

Art

The art in this issue has its ups and downs, but one thing stands out: the portrayal of size-changing motion, particularly in the work of Bobby Powell (carried over from the previous issue). In several panels, we don’t just see the characters change size; we see the process of it, with dynamic motion across panels—even spilling from one into the next. It’s a small but clever touch that builds on previous visual techniques and adds something fresh to the storytelling.