History ComicBook / TheWasp

Shortly after introducing herself to the superhero community, Nadia joined the new Avengers roster as a full member and, with the advice of fellow crimefighting scientist [[ComicBook/{{Mockingbird}} Bobbi Morse]], decided to become a champion for the smartest (and oft-ignored female) minds of the MarvelUniverse -- making her the ''Unstoppable'' Wasp.

After ''Disassembled'', Janet stepped back from the Avengers, but eventually rejoined following ''ComicBook/CivilWar'', as part of the pro-Registration Mighty Avengers. However, her return didn't last long, as Janet was seemingly killed during the ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' storyline.

Janet appears --[[TheLostLenore briefly, via flashback]]-- in ''Film/AntMan1'', one of the many properties that form the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. In that film's {{stinger}}, Hank gives his daughter Hope van Dyne (played by Creator/EvangelineLilly) a suit he designed with Janet prior to her death.

She surely enough donned the suit in ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp'', but she wasn't alone --- her mother Janet appeared in the film as well, played by Creator/MichellePfeiffer. ''Ant-Man & The Wasp'' was also be the first MCU film with a female character in the title -- fittingly, since The Wasp was also the first female Avenger in the comics. Both mother and daughter appeared again in ''Film/AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania''.

She surely enough donned the suit in ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp'', but she wasn't alone --- her mother Janet appeared in the film as well, played by Creator/MichellePfeiffer. ''Ant-Man & The Wasp'' was also be the first MCU film with a female character in the title. Fitting, since The Wasp was also the first female Avenger in the comics.

** ''Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania'' (2023)

In 2016, a new Wasp based on Hope van Dyne from the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse was introduced as part of the Comicbook/AllNewAllDifferentMarvel relaunch. This new Wasp was Nadia Pym, the daughter [[ComicBook/AntMan Hank Pym]] and his late wife Maria Trovaya, a Hungarian political refugee.

* ''Wasp'' (2023)

''The Wasp'' is a superhero created by Creator/StanLee and Creator/JackKirby, first appearing in ''[[ComicBook/TalesToAstonish Tales to Astonish]] #44'' (June, 1963). The title has been used by three major characters; Janet van Dyne, Hank Pym, and Nadia van Dyne. One of the founding members of ComicBook/TheAvengers, the Wasp famously gave the team its name after the heroes take down the villain Loki. Aside from a few solo adventures in ''Tales to Astonish'', Janet is the only original Avenger never to receive her own series.

* ShesGotLegs: The ladies (especially Janet) when giant through the fact that they wear very form fitting tights or dresses with their costumes that highlight their legs.

''The Wasp'' is a superhero created by Creator/StanLee and Creator/JackKirby, first appearing in ''[[ComicBook/TalesToAstonish Tales to Astonish]] #44'' (June, 1963). The title has been used by three major characters; Janet van Dyne, Hank Pym, and Nadia van Dyne.

The Wasp is a Creator/MarvelComics superhero created by . Making her debut in ''Tales to Astonish #44'' (June, 1963), has been featured in more than five decades of Marvel comics history. One of the founding members of ComicBook/TheAvengers, the Wasp famously gave the team its name after the heroes take down the villain Loki. Aside from a few solo adventures in ''Tales to Astonish'', Janet is the only original Avenger never to receive her own series.

[[redirect:Characters/AntManHeroes]]

[[redirect:Characters/TheWaspJanetvanDyne]]

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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Wasp_debut_5509.jpg]]

The Wasp is a Creator/MarvelComics superhero created by Creator/StanLee and Creator/JackKirby. Making her debut in ''Tales to Astonish #44'' (June, 1963), Janet van Dyne has been featured in more than five decades of Marvel comics history. One of the founding members of ComicBook/TheAvengers, the Wasp famously gave the team its name after the heroes take down the villain Loki. Aside from a few solo adventures in ''Tales to Astonish'', Janet is the only original Avenger never to receive her own series.

When her father was killed by an alien attack, Janet turned to his colleague Hank Pym aka ComicBook/AntMan. After revealing his secret identity to her, Hank gave her access to the same [[SizeShifter size-changing]] Pym Particles that he used, plus genetic augmentation for insect wings that would allow her to fly once she shrank small enough. Over time the size-changing would become an innate power (and, like with Ant-Man, began retaining her strength despite how small she gets, resulting in proportunate super-strength; at an inch in height, she's capable of bending steel), plus she developed the ability to fire bio-electric "stings" from her hands.

Though initially presented as a flighty, somewhat typical token female character at the time, with the same trappings as Lee and Kirby often struggled with at the time, Janet later went through considerable CharacterDevelopment. After her volatile marriage to Hank ended, Janet (humiliated by the events), returned to the Avengers and became their new chairperson and taking over as Leader, in order to try and prove herself a serious superhero. Under her leadership, the Avengers expanded their roster's gender ratio and recruited several heavy-hitters, and survived Baron Zemo's siege of the Avengers Mansion; during which, Janet herself took on Absorbing Man and Titania, [[TookALevelInBadass demonstrating just how much her combat ability had improved by this point]].

While she took a leave of absence after this, she returned to active duty several times over the years, and after some time eventually returned to leading the Avengers when Captain America stepped down. Her leadership here continued (with Captain America eventually rejoining when the Avengers restructure themselves into a larger unit, the two becoming Co-leaders), lasting throughout the ''Kang Dynasty'' storyline (during which Janet's leadership again proves vital for Kang's final defeat).

After ''Disassembled'', Janet stepped back from the Avengers, but eventually rejoined following ''ComicBook/CivilWar'', as part of the pro-Registration Mighty Avengers. However, her return didn't last long, as Janet was seemingly killed during the ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' storyline. In the last arc of Creator/BrianBendis' ''Avengers'' run, she's found having been trapped in the [[Comicbook/{{Micronauts}} Microverse,]] and returns to the Avengers under the new ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' title.

The Wasp name was also briefly used by Hank himself during a time when Janet was considered dead, during which he would co-lead the limited series "Ant-Man & Wasp" with then-current Ant-Man Eric O'Grady. Tropes regarding him can be found over on the ''ComicBook/AntMan'' page.

Janet Van Dyne/The Wasp appears as one of the main characters in ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', voiced by Creator/ColleenOShaughnessey. Despite the fact she was mostly the same as her comic book counterpart in this adaptation (only without the destructive overtones of her relationship with Hank, or the resulting emotional baggage, which allowed her to remain TheHeart of the team throughout the series), it still managed to increase her popularity with the fans.

Janet appears --[[TheLostLenore briefly, via flashback]]-- in ''Film/AntMan1'', one of the many properties that form the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. In that film's {{stinger}}, Hank gives his daughter Hope van Dyne (played by Creator/EvangelineLilly) a suit he designed with Janet prior to her death.

She surely enough donned the suit in ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp'', but she wasn't alone --- her mother Janet appeared in the film as well, played by Creator/MichellePfeiffer. ''Ant-Man & The Wasp'' was also be the first MCU film with a female character in the title. Fitting, since The Wasp was also the first female Avenger in the comics.

Hope was then used as the inspiration for a new Wasp in the comics, who appeared as part of the Comicbook/AllNewAllDifferentMarvel relaunch. Pym's first wife was a Hungarian political refugee, but she was murdered by the Russians before he met Janet. However, unknown to Pym she had given birth to a daughter, Nadia, who was taken into the Russian "Red Room" program that had produced the ComicBook/BlackWidow. Showing herself to have inherited Pym's aptitude for science, Nadia escaped using Pym Particles acquired from the black market and sought out her father, only to find out he had supposedly died in battle. She then steals some of his unclaimed gear and is working to prove herself his successor.

[-Note: Unless otherwise stated, all media appearances below are presumed to feature Janet Van Dyne as the Wasp.-]

[[AC:{{Comics}}]]
* Ongoing titles:
** ''ComicBook/AntMan and The Wasp'' (featuring Hank in the role of Wasp instead of Janet)
** ''The ComicBook/UnstoppableWasp'' (featuring Nadia, also marks the first solo dedicated to a Wasp)
* Team books:
** ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''
** ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'' (reimagination of the Avengers in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe)
** ''ComicBook/Champions2016'' (Nadia)
* Individual storylines:
** ''ComicBook/SecretWars''
** ''ComicBook/JLAAvengers''
** ''ComicBook/MarvelZombies''
** ''Comicbook/CivilWar''
** ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion''

[[AC:{{Anime}}]]
* ''Anime/MarvelDiskWarsTheAvengers''

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' (2015 -- present), with Creator/EvangelineLilly playing Hope Van Dyne. Janet also appears in a supporting role, played by Creator/MichellePfeiffer.
** ''Film/AntMan1'' (2015) (Hope is a major supporting character but does not yet take the role of the Wasp; Janet's Wasp only appears briefly in flashback.)
** ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp'' (2018)
** ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' (2019)
** ''Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania'' (TBA)

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* ''VideoGame/CaptainAmericaAndTheAvengers''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelAvengersAlliance''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelHeroes'' (Non-playable combat pet)
* ''VideoGame/SuperHeroSquadOnline''
* ''VideoGame/AvengersAcademy'': While Janet is a regular fixture in the game, Hope was added in 2018 as a limited-time recruit to tie in with ''Ant-Man and the Wasp'' and Nadia was added a few months afterward.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelFutureFight'': Janet was added in 2015 as part of an update loosely based on the ''Ant-Man'' movie, and Nadia was added in 2018 for ''Ant-Man and the Wasp''. Hope doesn't directly appear, but Janet can get her appearance as an alternate costume.
* ''VideoGame/LEGOMarvelSuperheroes2'': Janet serves as the game's MissionControl, and is also playable in a couple stages of the story mode and in Free Play. Nadia is available as part of the ''ComicBook/{{Champions|2016}}'' DLC character pack, and Hope was included in another DLC pack based on ''Ant-Man and the Wasp''.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance3TheBlackOrder''

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheMarvelSuperHeroes''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersUnitedTheyStand''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperHeroSquadShow''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes''
* ''Ant-Man''
* ''WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble'': Featuring Hope van Dyne as The Wasp.

Not to be confused with [[ComicBook/TheWaspLevGleason the Golden Age hero]].

----
!!Tropes seen in multiple versions of the Wasp include:
* ActionGirl: At first Janet was the weak link of the team, but later on became one of the smartest and craftiest of its members. Nadia was trained in the Red Room all her life.
* AnimalThemeNaming: As The Wasp.
* AnimalThemedSuperbeing: Based on Wasps, obviously. Nadia is shown to take this to heart as she looks to real wasp's ability to build nests from paper for inspiration.
* AppliedPhlebotinum: The Pym Particles.
* DecompositeCharacter: In the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, rather than being one woman, the Wasp is a LegacyCharacter: [[spoiler: Jan was the original Wasp in the 80's, and her daughter Hope carries on her legacy as the new Wasp in the present]].
** Now subverted as in Marvel Comics there's been at very least two other Wasp in 616 not named Janet, with Hank for a short while taking over after her supposed death at the end of the event Secret Invasion and now Nadia Pym.
* {{Flight}}: When she shrinks, and can use her wings. Sometimes even at normal sizes, depending on the writer.
** While Jan's wings are implanted in her back, both Hank and Nadia had/have mechanical wings in their suits. Nadia has since created a "portable" version of her wings, giving her more freedom to use them.
* HandBlast: The Wasp can fire bio-electric energy blasts from her hands. At first Janet required special wristbands, but years of exposure to the Pym Particles allowed her to generate the blasts naturally.
** Hank during his as Wasp time developed a gun version of this ability.
** The gloves of Nadia's suit work similarly to Jan's old wristbands.
* LegacyCharacter: Janet was the first and for over 40 years the only person in 616 marvel to take up the name.
** Hank Pym as Wasp II, also Petra Larkov as Red Wasp in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel continuity after the respective deaths of their versions of Janet. Janet got better in 616.
** As mentioned above, [[spoiler: Hope Van Dyne is the Wasp II in the movies]].
** While Janet is still active as the Wasp, another girl has also taken up the mantle of the Wasp in ''ComicBook/AllNewAllDifferentMarvel''. This other girl is named Nadia Pym, the daughter of Hank and his first wife, Maria Trovaya. She's basically movie!Hope as a CanonImmigrant down to her name meaning hope.
* MadeOfIron: The Wasp's density increases in her giant form, giving her greater durability.
* PintSizedPowerhouse: The Wasp retains her normal strength and weight in insect form.
* ShesGotLegs: The Ladies (especially Janet) when giant through the fact that they wear very form fitting tights or dresses with their costumes that highlight their legs.
* SizeShifter: Initially someone requires doses of Pym Particles in order to change size, requiring them to carry special pills or gas canisters. Later, the body would start to generate Pym Particles on its own, allowing a person to change size at will. Every version of the Wasp so far has gotten to this point.
* SuperStrength: Only available in giant form. A portion of the strength goes to [[SquareCubeLaw supporting the Wasp's body]], leading to diminishing returns if she grows too large. Janet, after a power upgrade in the Seventies, had the same strength in tiny size that she does at regular height, leading some to mistakenly assume it's super.
* UnbalancedByRivalsKid: {{Averted}} Janet with her relationship with Nadia, who is the daughter of Hank Pym and his first wife. While Nadia fears this trope may be in play the two actually become extremely close.
* UnrelatedInTheAdaptation: While Nadia is based on [[ComicBook/MarvelComics2 the Red Queen]] and [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Hope van Dyne]], she's isn't the biological daughter of Janet like she is in those universes, instead being Maria Trovaya's daughter. That said, while not her biological mother, Janet is a surrogate one for Nadia.
* WingedHumanoid: Hank Pym implanted two tiny wings on Janet's back, giving her the power to [[{{Flight}} fly]] when she shrinks to insect size. Nadia has mechanical wings built into her suits.

!!Tropes Pertaining to Janet:
%%* TenMinuteRetirement
* ActionFashionista: Probably has the largest wardrobe in comic book history. Justified, as she actually ''is'' TheFashionista. See portrayals of and information about each costume [[http://www.wondrouswasp.altervista.org/w64-72.htm here]].
* AdultFear: Her and Havok's child was wiped out of existence from the timeline, but they still remember her as clearly as they did before the timeline change.
* ArchEnemy: In as far as her own solo adventures get focus, Whirlwind takes this role - being a villain who is obsessed with her and who most commonly faces her specifically. In true Marvel fashion, the two have something of a complicated relationship in that she'll put up with his presence if she has to, or even get jokey towards him, but the second he starts getting creepy, it's time for a "New Jersey beatdown."
* BadassAdorable: DependingOnTheWriter, but Jan can kick ass and her quirky personality makes her adorable as she does so.
* BalefulPolymorph: For a very brief period in the late 1990s, Jan was stuck in a mutated insect-woman form.
* BattleCouple: With Hank Pym, and later with Havok.
* TheBeastmaster: Rarely used, can communicate with and control insects via tiny implants she received when she first became a hero.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Janet really wanted to be the second Mrs. Pym, and in a moment of extreme selfishness took advantage of his unstable mental state to finally get hitched. The marriage failed, due in no small part to her methods.
* BioAugmentation: The origin of her wings; they were added to her by Hank Pym when she volunteered for his experimentation.
* BrainUploading: The KillerRobot Ultron tried to upload Janet's mind into Jocasta, his newly-built female companion. Though the Avengers intervene before the procedure is complete, Jocasta retains enough of Janet's brain engrams to turn against her creator.
* CasualKink: Comicbook/UncannyAvengers establishes that Janet and Hank used to visit the Hellfire Club "to spice things up".
* TheChessmaster: A very downplayed example, but she has learned a ''lot'' over her history about how important connections can be, and has learned multiple languages to use them more effectively.
--> "My superpower is I get things done."
* TheChick: Her early role in the Avengers. She develops into TheHeart, throwing herself at heroism with an enthusiasm that rubs off on those around her.
* ClothingDamage: In the ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' episode "Gamma World", her costume is torn apart when she mutated to an actual Human Wasp, only pieces that cover her ladies part remain.
* ComicBookFantasyCasting: ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'' redesigned the Wasp after the likeness of Zhang Ziyi.
* CuteBruiser: Jan is so very, very, very much this, especially on ''Earth's Mightiest Heroes''.
* DeathByOriginStory: The death of her father at the hands of the creature from Kosmos is what inspired Janet to contact Hank Pym, resulting in her transformation into the Wasp. Jan herself died during the early days of Hank Pym as Ant-Man in the Film/AntMan1 film.
* DeathIsCheap: [[spoiler: Comicbook/TheMightyThor gave Jan a MercyKill during ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion''. Years later, after ''ComicBook/AvengersVsXMen'', the Avengers learned that Jan did not really die, but got transported to the Microverse]].
** [[spoiler: Also the potential fate of MCU!Janet after the finale of Ant-man but she went into a bomb instead of being made into one.]]
* {{Depending On The Artist}}[[DependingOnTheWriter /Writer]]: A number of aspects of her character have varied depending on who's drawing and writing her:
** Her competence, maturity, and intelligence varies depending on how much the writer likes her.
** Her hair varies from being reasonably long, short and springy, to even boyishly cut.
** Her abilities also vary; usually she has to shrink to fly and use her hand blasts, but some writers let her fly and blast at full size.
* DomesticAbuse: Her relationship with Hank ventured into this, in a [[NeverLiveItDown particularly infamous manner]]. Unlike most examples in fiction they worked through it and were eventually able to get to a healthy, stable relationship, and despite being the victim Janet has often accepted some of the blame for not minding Hank's mental state as well as she could to prevent things going the way they did. A lot of attention tends to be disproportionately drawn to the instance where Hank slapped Janet, which in itself was ambiguous as to if it was intentional, which has lead to real-life discussions on if the relationship was ''really'' abusive, and to some extent argued that Janet was the also at fault as she took advantage of his mental state by pushing him into marriage during a time where he was having a psychotic break, [[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/03NrlRaNJNbLoccl0l5TS5Tx4kmS7EVIM_ZPIAQ-W2RPz2hn_omF8adjEbWY0vkMpD2chQC349eV=s1600 with everyone including himself]] believing he was another person entirely as the Yellow Jacket persona. On top of this ranting about Hank's focus on science and her wealth [[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/MWN-QfHUgDD9O1bluFExXysPQSrqPUt-wr8oK_omCfuMT7qu6ynOqLXaIoGbLzhwKzg8JGrC7N_V=s1600 stood in the way of HER happiness and their relationship]], one she pushed to even begin. Though there's a case it is a back and for as before this, Hank spent the majority of their relationship talking down to her and being emotionally and verbally abusive towards her (ValuesDissonance was in play, given this was the 60s).
* FashionDesigner: Her constant CostumeEvolution is justified by her make up new outfits all the time.
* TheFashionista: Janet is a fashion designer in her free time.
* FauxActionGirl: DependingOnTheWriter, some people just don't know how to write a competent Jan.
* GoodStepmother: Janet is kind and supportive step-mother for Nadia Pym. They're fond of each other, so much so Nadia eventually decides to officially take Janet's last name rather than Hank's, due to not really knowing much about Hank.
* HeadTurningBeauty: The original pin-up girl of the Marvel Universe. One of her earliest appearances has her drooled over by the residents of a veterans' hospital.
* HiddenBuxom: In ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', where she seems normally endowed in her costume, but her bikini scene reveals she is very busty indeed.
* TheHost: Janet was the host of two TV shows in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse: "America's Next Superstar" & "America's Newest Superhero".
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: This was taken UpToEleven in the years that she was still The Wasp, but Hank was Giant Man. Most of her other relationships tend to be this too, since even at normal height she's usually dwarfed by everyone.
* ImprovisedClothes: On the occasion that her clothing has failed to change size with her, either because she forgot it hadn't been treated, or the chemical process that was supposed to cause the change had somehow been disrupted.
* InstantCostumeChange: Depending on the writer and artist, Jan's costumes and clothes can work like this, as there's no way she could simply hide the costumes under the outfits without someone noticing (i.e. a full bodysuit under a short sleeveless dress.)
* JerkassBall: Occasionally she'll grab this in order to make her butt heads with someone or do something to cause trouble.
* {{Joisey}}: Averted. She was born and raised in Creskill, but years and years of finishing school left her with a no detectable accent. She's perfectly willing to go full New Jersey on a villain's ass, though, especially if that villain is Whirlwind.
* JumpedAtTheCall: She was much more excited at the prospects of forming a team than the others, and was even the one who coined the name "The Avengers".
* KickingAssInAllHerFinery: While she'd rather have a second to switch to a costume if possible, she will not hesitate to throw a hell of a right hook in her wedding dress or chuck a table in a short skirt if necessary.
* TheLeader: Its often forgotten, but Janet's been leader of the Avengers three times in total, for ''very'' long stretches of time. Her tenures combined, she's actually the second-longest serving leader, only behind ''Captain America'' himself.
* MamaBear: Alternate BadFuture timelines notwithstanding, she has absolutely no desire for biological children. Adoption, as is the case with Nadia, is not off the table, however, and she will move mountains for anyone she takes under her wing.
* ManicPixieDreamGirl: For Hank. Eventually becomes a deconstruction of the trope, considering how that relationship ends up.
* MissingMom: While her father suffered DeathByOriginStory, nothing was known about her mother for decades, as was common in comics at the time. It was eventually revealed in ComicBook/AvengersAcademy that her mother was in a car crash when Janet was very young, and spent years essentially braindead before finally succumbing. Her fate and the fate of Jan's father are the root of most of her issues with becoming a parent, as she's very aware of the danger in her life and wouldn't want to leave a child in the same position she was in when she was little.
* MostCommonSuperpower: Under most artists, she has a very nice bust.
* MsFanservice: Not nearly as much anymore, but her most common role in the original line-up; her role as a fashion designer was used to justify as many bikini, clothes changing and skimpy outfit scenes as possible. She also tends to change size in civilian clothes more than her husband, which leaves her naked since the clothes don't change with her.
** In ''The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'' episode in “The Casket of Ancient Winters”, we see her in bikini and in the episode “Gamma World” her uniform is shredded.
* MySuitIsAlsoSuper: Janet's various outfits can shrink and grow with her thanks to the Pym Particles.
* NonIdleRich: Her fashion empire is such that she could live comfortably without lifting a finger. Instead she's personally involved in designing new lines, funding new projects, and social/political networking on top of her heroing.
* OvershadowedByAwesome: In ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', Wasp is fully capable of kicking villains around; in fact, she can more than handle herself against most villains, unless said villain is a BigBad or PersonOfMassDestruction, such as Graviton, Loki, Enchantress, or Executioner. Unfortunately for Wasp, she's the weakest member on the team, but they're ''[[BadassCrew Earth's Mightiest Heroes]]'' after all. The weakest of the mightiest is still one of the mightiest.
* PowerPerversionPotential: More than just potential. Janet and Hank have used their powers to pleasure each other in ''creative'' ways.
* RaceLift: The Wasp is Asian American in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe [[ComicBook/{{Ultimatum}} (except when she isn't)]].
* RichBitch: Janet's personality when she was first introduced. Hank Pym cited this as one of the reasons he was so hesitant to marry Janet in the first place. After CharacterDevelopment beginning in the 70's, she eventually evolves into a SpoiledSweet.
* SexyBacklessOutfit: A number of Janet's costumes have holes in the back for her wings, which are too tiny to see when she's at normal height.
* ShapeshiftingExcludesClothing: Most versions of The Wasp have this; Janet Van Dyne usually has a tiny superhero outfit to wear when she turns into the Wasp. If she doesn't? Well, then she has to fight starkers.
* ShapeshifterModeLock: Janet became trapped at insect size for a time after leaving the Avengers.
* ShesGotLegs: She tends to wears costumes or other outfits that show off her nice legs (particularly when she is featured in the comics that are drawn by Frank Cho).
* SidekickGraduationsStick: Janet was generally treated as Ant-Man's young, flighty sidekick/partner at the beginning of her career. As a member of the Avengers, the Wasp gained considerable experience working alongside Iron Man and Captain America, eventually becoming Chairman and, later, leader of the Avengers.
* SleevesAreForWimps: Most notable with her ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', ''Anime/MarvelDiskWarsTheAvengers'', ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'' and ''WesternAnimation/UltimateAvengers'' counterparts.
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: The only female member of the original Avengers.
* StalkerWithACrush: David "Whirlwind" Cannon developed a romantic obsession with her way back in ''Marvel Feature #6'', and has held the torch all the way through her supposed death and return. Any time Whirlwind shows up in a book, ''usually'' some attention is drawn to it, either by having other villains chastise him for his Wasp obsession or comment on how much it creeps them out, and whenever he gets a girlfriend, they usually mention how uncomfortable they are about him wanting them to dress like her.
** Even ComicBook/MarvelAdventures wasn't exempt. Erik Josten (Atlas in the 616-verse) was a coworker of Hank's who noticed her whenever she would come visit the lab and became infatuated enough that he was willing to make Hank disappear and fight the Avengers just to have her.
* TheStoryTeller: Many solo stories feature "the Wonderful Wasp" in Tales to Astonish showed her entertaining in various venues by performing as a raconteur. One of the stories had her using Hank to evaluate her story. She was really upset when she learned he wasn't listening.
* TheTease: She always flirts with every member of the team, especially the male ones. In general though, she's more like their little sister most of the time. In ''Tony Stark: Iron Man'', when her and Tony began dating again, she outright claims one of her main talents is being able to flirt ''and'' fight at the same time.
* TookALevelInBadass: Janet received a power-up in the early 1980s in a ''Marvel Team-Up'' plotline, due to Hank Pym refining her particular formula of Pym Particles, receiving more powerful "stings" and higher strength when she was shrunken down, and again in the early 2000s when she gained the ability to grow to giant size as well as shrink. She also spent much of the 1980s as the chairwoman of the Avengers, where she scored several impressive wins one right after the other. During this time, she also learnt that her powers advanced enough that she could bend ''steel'' while at Wasp size due to her strength being compressed, and at the cost of mobility could keep her wings at higher sizes, up-to 4 feet.
* TookALevelInKindness: Eventually grows into a better person from her original RichBitch persona, gladly funding ventures by both superheroes and civilians. (Notably, her Giant-Girl persona in MarvelAdventures was this from the very beginning.)
* UltimateUniverse: She has a counterpart in the ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'' universe. This version of Janet is an Asian {{mutant}} who has the power to shrink down to insectile size and fly via wings -- as well as a few other implied "drawbacks" that Pym references, like eating bugs and laying "egg-like constructs" once per month instead of going through her period. The Ultimate version of Pym actually retro-engineered his size-shifting technology from her biology, and she let him take the credit for it.
** ''Marvel Adventures'' also has a counterpart of her who rather than choosing to shrink and use insect-themed powers, instead was known as 'Giant Girl' and used them to grow. She later developed the Wasp as a secondary power-set and identity, to use when that power-set was needed.
* UnclePennybags: From RichBitch to SpoiledSweet to this. Currently bankrolling an entire laboratory to help girls in STEM and often called on to help with funding for superhero matters.
* UnfinishedBusiness: [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules Hercules]] and Amadeus Cho encounter Janet's soul in Erebus, stubbornly trying to win resurrection on one of the slot machines. This created a PlotHole when Bendis later established that Jan ''[[HesJustHiding had never really died in the first place]]''.
* UnlimitedWardrobe: The Wasp has hundreds of different costumes thanks to her career as a fashion designer. [[http://www.wondrouswasp.altervista.org/ind-eng.htm almost all the costumes she's made are listed here]].
* VagueAge: How old she's actually meant to be, even by superhero comics standards, varies. Sometimes she's written like a 20-something, usually when writers emphasise her ditzy side. However, other times, she's written to be in her 30s if not older, such as in ''Uncanny Avengers'', when Rogue -- who is definitely in her 20s in modern stories -- insults Jan regarding her supposed old age.
* WardrobeMalfunction: Frequent, given that her clothes need to be specially prepared to change size with her.
* WeaponOfMassDestruction: The Skrulls turn Janet into one of these during ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'', prompting Thor having to seemingly MercyKill her to save the planet.
* WeddingSmashers: Janet nearly died when the Ringmaster and the [[CircusOfFear Circus of Crime]] attacked during her wedding to Hank Pym.
* WillfullyWeak: Janet is fully aware of the power and durability that come with growing to giant size, but she prefers to fight at insect size. She'll only break out the big guns when the shit really hits the fan.
* WorkingWithTheEx: Happened quite often given the "on again, off again " nature of her relationship with Hank Pym. Also with Tony Stark, who remained one of her closest friends after they briefly dated.
!! Tropes pertaining to Nadia:
%%
* AdaptationNameChange: While Creator/MarkWaid said it's coincidental, her name is the Russian word for "hope", Nadia, instead of the English one.
* AgeLift: Most likely because this version isn't in [[ComicBook/MarvelComics2 a possible future]] or [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse a universe where Hank himself underwent this, becoming a man in his 60s]], Nadia is quite a bit younger.
* CanonImmigrant: Nadia Pym is basically [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]]!Hope Pym ("Nadia" even means "hope" in Russian), only with her mother being Maria Trovaya rather than Janet. As well as the 616 heroic Equal to Hope Pym from [[ComicBook/MarvelComics2 MC2]] who was also the daughter of Hank and Jan. Which was like MCU!Hope, but was a villain instead of a hero. In a weird way it's some what a circular immigration as MCU Hope was based off the idea of doing a Heroic [[ComicBook/MarvelComics2 MC2]]!Hope. Comics everybody.
* FeministFantasy: In issue #1, the only named males to appear are Hank Pym, in a flashback when Nadia is talking about her past, and Naveen, the guy working in the bakery along with name dropping Bruce Banner and Clint Barton. Every other major character is a woman, the immigration officer working her case is a woman and she teams up with Ms .Marvel and Mockingbird to take on a HumongousMecha stolen by a female MadScientist (who better to stop her than a happy scientist); and after talking to Bobbi Morse about the fact people forget she's not just an ActionGirl that hits things with stick but closer to a GeniusBruiser specialising in biology and a bona fide Adventurer who went to the Savage Lands, along with the fact that until they discovered Moon Girl was the smartest person on the planet, the first woman on S.H.I.E.L.D's list of geniuses was only number 27. Nadia then decides to look for more women who's talents are going unrecognised by setting up [[FunWithAcronyms Genius In action Research Labs]].
* HappilyAdopted: At the end of Unstoppable Wasp's first volume, Nadia asks Janet if she can use the Van Dyne surname, and also moves in with her. By the time Mark Waid's Ant-Man and the Wasp miniseries starts, she's referred to as "Janet's adopted step".
* NaiveNewcomer: She is just so wide eyed and innocent and happy about all the heroes and her newly found freedom, home, friends, and family... given how the Marvel Universe works, and more specifically, who Hank Pym is, she is set up for very hard BrokenPedestal situations, the first you can find under WhatTheHellHero.
* RelatedInTheAdaptation: While based on the Red Queen from ''ComicBook/MarvelComics2'' and Hope van Dyne from the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'', Maria Trovaya is now her biological mother with Janet as a surrogate one.
* SweetTooth: The first scene of her solo comic has her in in a bakery looking at pastries with her face touching the glass. She later walks out with a large bag full of sweets, after being given a large discount. Ms Marvel doesn't get a discount [[DudeWheresMyRespect and she saved the shop from aliens once]].
* WhatTheHellHero: When Nadia Pym appears in All New All Different Avengers' cross over with Civil War II she watches a news report about the event which causes her to start angrily asking why the hell heroes are fighting each other instead of talking things out.

----

After ''Disassembled'', Janet stepped back from the Avengers, but eventually rejoined following ''ComicBook/CivilWar'', as part of the pro-Registration Mighty Avengers. However, her return didn't last long, as Janet was seemingly killed during the ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' storyline. In the last arc of Creator/BrianBendis' ''Avengers'' run, she's found having been trapped in the [[Comicbook/Micronauts Microverse,]] and returns to the Avengers under the new ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' title.

After ''Disassembled'', Janet stepped back from the Avengers, but eventually rejoined following ''ComicBook/CivilWar'', as part of the pro-Registration Mighty Avengers. However, her return didn't last long, as Janet was seemingly killed during the ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' storyline. In the last arc of Creator/BrianBendis' ''Avengers'' run, she's found having been trapped in the Microverse, and returns to the Avengers under the new ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' title.

* TheBeastmaster: Rarely used, can communicate with and control insects.

** Hank during his as wasp time developed a gun version of this ability.
* KickingAssInAllHerFinery: While she'd rather have a second to switch to a costume if possible, she will not hesitate to throw a hell of a right hook in her wedding dress or chuck a table in a short skirt if necessary.

* PowerPerversionPotential: More than just potential. Janet and Hank have used their powers to pleasure each other in ''creative'' ways.

* RichBitch: Janet's personality for most of her early career. Hank Pym cited this as one of the reasons he was so hesitant to marry Janet in the first place. She eventually evolves into a SpoiledSweet.

* StalkerWithACrush: David "Whirlwind" Cannon developed a romantic obsession with her way back in ''Marvel Feature #6'', and recent events in ''Avengers Academy'' showed that her death didn't lessen it one iota. Any time Whirlwind shows up in a book, ''usually'' some attention is drawn to it, either by having other villains chastise him for his Wasp obsession or comment on how much it creeps them out, and whenever he gets a girlfriend, they usually mention how uncomfortable they are about him wanting them to dress like her.

* MissingMom: While her father suffered DesthByOriginStory, nothing was known about her mother for decades, as was common in comics at the time. It was eventually revealed in ComicBook/AvengersAcademy that her mother was in a car crash when Janet was very young, and spent years essentially braindead before finally succumbing. Her fate and the fate of Jan's father are the root of most of her issues with becoming a parent, as she's very aware of the danger in her life and wouldn't want to leave a child in the same position she was in when she was little.

* RichBitch: Janet's personality for most of her early career. Hank Pym cited this as one of the reasons he was so hesitant to marry Janet in the first place.

* ArchEnemy: In as far as her own solo adventures get focus, Whirlwind takes this role - being a villain who is obsessed with her and who most commonly faces her specifically. In true Marvel fashion, the two have something of a complicated relationship.

Janet appears --[[TheLostLenore briefly, via flashback]]-- in ''Film/AntMan'', one of the many properties that form the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. In that film's {{stinger}}, Hank gives his daughter Hope van Dyne (played by Creator/EvangelineLilly) a suit he designed with Janet prior to her death.

** ''Film/AntMan'' (2015) (Hope is a major supporting character but does not yet take the role of the Wasp; Janet's Wasp only appears briefly in flashback.)

* DeathByOriginStory: The death of her father at the hands of the creature from Kosmos is what inspired Janet to contact Hank Pym, resulting in her transformation into the Wasp. Jan herself died during the early days of Hank Pym as Ant-Man in the Film/AntMan film.

* HelloNurse: The original pin-up girl of the Marvel Universe. One of her earliest appearances has her drooled over by the residents of a veterans' hospital.

* SpoiledSweet: Eventually grows into this from her original RichBitch persona, gladly funding ventures by both superheroes and civilians.
** Notably, her Giant-Girl persona in MarvelAdventures was this from the very beginning.

Janet Van Dyne/The Wasp appears as one of the main characters in ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', voiced by Creator/ColleenOShaughnessey. Despite the fact she was mostly the same as her comic book counterpart in this adaptation, it still managed to increase her popularity with the fans.

After ''Disassembled'', Janet stepped back from the Avengers, but eventually rejoined following ''ComicBook/CivilWar''. However, her return didn't last long, as Janet was seemingly killed during the ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' storyline. In the last arc of Creator/BrianBendis' ''Avengers'' run, she's found having been trapped in the Microverse, and returns to the Avengers under the new ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' title.