Jack of Hearts / Scott Lang
the SCOTT LANG/JACK OF HEARTS MANIFESTO
English is not my first language. Please, feel free to point out every mistake (both in the Marvel chronology and in the grammar) you can find!
--- ANT-MAN. Scott Lang: profile ---
THE STORY UNTIL THE MEETING WITH JACK
Profiles from the Official Handbook and Marvel Universe Deluxe:
Scott Edward Harris Lang, as an electronics expert, used to do repair work but the income was not enough so he decided to become a burglar and a thief to be able to support his wife Peggy and his daughter Cassie. He was arrested for burglary and while he was in prison he continued his studies in electronics. It was during that time that Peggy divorces from him.
When he got out, for good behaviour, he was hired by Tony Stark as an engineer.
Unfortunatelty, Cassie was diagnosed as having a heart condition that could be lethal and Scott decided to ask for the help of the best surgeon in the field: Erica Sondheim. The problem was that she had been kidnapped by Darren Cross (alias Crossfire) who wanted her to cure his own heart condition.
To save Dr. Sondheim, Scott Lang entered into Hank Pym's laboratory and stole his Ant-Man gas and helmet, basically stealing Ant-Man's powers. After having saved Erica Sondheim and after the doctor had cured Cassie, Scott decided to return the helmet but Hank Pym asked him to keep it and be useful against villains and criminals as the new Ant-Man.
The next adventures of Scott Lang were often to aid Iron Man, the Avengers or the Wasp. He also helped the Fantastic Four and for some time he actually lived with them and Cassie.
When Tony lost his company (and Stane bought it), Scott Lang left his job and started his own electronics business.
After the Onslaught event (basically: the Avengers disappeared), Scott Lang became one of the Heroes for Hire, the new team of superheroes. Among his teammate there were Luke Cage, Iron Fist, She-Hulk, Black Knight and White Tiger). The team ceased to exist when the Avengers came back to Earth and reality.
After than he often helped the Avengers and he became an official Avenger when he lost custody of Cassie.
EXTRA
His identity is secret to the public. Cassie found out that his father was Ant Man all of her own.
He is divorced.
He is an electronics engineer and he has an Electronics technician certificate and additional advanced electronics.
His height is 6' 0" and he weights 86 kg.
He has blue eyes and strawberry blond hair.
He was born in Coral Gables, Florida.
He has a criminal record and he was in prison.
Scott Lang appeared in the episode of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
The future Ant-Man movie will probably be about Scott Lang.
Past love interests: Peggy Lang, Jessica Jones.
--- JACK OF HEARTS. Jonathan Hart: profile ---
THE STORY UNTIL THE MEETING WITH SCOTT
Profile from the Marvel Universe Deluxe:
Jonathan Hart is the son of Philip Hart and Marie Hart who died in a car accident when Jack was little. Philip, a scientist, developed the Zero Fluid, an innovative fuel, which catched the attention of the Corporation, a criminal association that wanted to possess the fluid for financial reasons.
They killed Philip in front of a teenager Jack and then they proceed to destroy the laboratory, accidentally striking the Zero Fluid which violently hit Jack. After his encounter with the Zero Fluid, Jack changed and started to have uncontrollable burst of energy which killed his father's murderers.
After that (and after creating the costume which partially contains the energy... and calling himself Jack of Hearts because of his father's passion for cards) Jack worked for some time with Iron Man before going to SHIELD because incapable of controlling his own powers, hoping to find help or at least a safe prison.
The miniseries called "Jack of Hearts" was placed in this period where an ex classmate, Marcy Kane, revealed to him that she was an alien called a Contraxian and that Jack himself was an half alien too.
In fact, his mother, Marie, had actually been a Contraxian who had had the duty of supervising Philip's inventions because those same inventions could have saved the sun of Contraxia, which was slowly shutting down. Marie then had fallen in love with Philip.
Marcy convinced Jack to come with her on Contraxia to try to give to the sun new power. After some problems with a Contraxian cult named the Survivalists, Jack decided to sacrifice himself and explode into the sun so that he can at least do something good with his life. He miraculously survived and left Contraxia and the civilized worlds, too afraid of the danger of his own powers.
After this he was captured by Doctor Stranger and then freed by Quasar. They had some adventures together and he was even mindcontrolled by Moondragon.
In successive issues, he became Ganymede's lover (Ganymede is a woman) but they never had any form of physical intimacy because of Ganymede's religion and the fact that Jack could have never lived without his armor on.
After working again with Quasar and then with Thor, Jack joined the Avengers, first as a helper and then as an official Avengers.
EXTRA
His identity is public.
He has a college degree in poetry.
His height is 5' 11" and he weights 80 kg.
He has a blue eye (the right one) and a white eye (the left eye).
His hair is brown.
Place of birth: New Haven, Connecticut.
Past love interests: Marcy Kane, Ganymede.
--- Avengers: Scott and Jack in the comics ---
THE MEETING (Avengers v.3 #57)
Jack of Hearts and Scott Lang meet each other for the first time* in the issue #57 of Avengers v.3. Jack of Hearts is a new addition in the team and is trying to be a good teammate and to adjust to the Avengers life.
First we have to say that Jack interactions with the other teammates are quite peaceful. He even goes out with Carol, Vision and Delroy (Triathlon) after being invited by Delroy to go to some clubs.
However he is what is usually called "a hot head" and in the issue #57 Carol Danvers tells him: "Better watch it, Jack, you know what Pym said about your temper. You get too worked up and-" She is probably referring to the fact that Jack actually has explosive zero energy in him.
In this issue, Captain America comes back from a mission and Iron Man informs him that Washington, D.C., disappeared in an empty void and it has been displaced by some unknown enemy. And suddenly we see Scott Lang, in his miniaturized Ant Man uniform, that asks for explanation (in quite a rude and worried way).
This is what happens:
(for this pics and the next ones: click on them to view the entire pic)
And now the cute part. Captain America is the leader of the team (Jan is the leader, actually, but she disappeared because she was in Washington) and he stops the fight using his shield. Instead of accusing each other (a behavior that is common in situations like this) they actually justify their actions. Jack doesn't say: "I am on edge, Cap" and Scott doesn't say: "I am only human."
They say:
Jack: "We're all on edge, Cap."
Scott: "Hey, we're only human."
And they basically justify each other and their need to fight with each other.
AND MORE
In the next issue (Avengers v.3 #58) everyone is buys with trying to solve the horrible situation (from She-Hulk to Black Panther, from Falcon ro Iron Man) and yet Jack and Ant Man are together and bickering. Again.
We can easily see that Jack is quite angry about the fact that Scott is not an Avenger (while Jack is an official Avenger) and still is permitted to help and partecipate into Avengers business.
And more. (A part from the horrible biological mistake where Scott calls spiders "insects").
In the same issue we find out that Jack still needs to spend hours in the Zero Room to contain his energy. He doesn't want to go, he wants to help, but he can't. He can't help because he has to stay in that room. I think this is part of where his anger toward Scott Lang comes from. Scott Lang isn't even an Avenger but at least he is useful.
During a meeting with Namor, Scott Lang asks about Jack. He is so obvious. He is like: "Ohh he is stupid. Like Jack. So, where is Jack? Not that I am interested- but, where is Jack?"
By the way, Scott Lang basically saves the day during the mission... while some of the Avengers start working about Jack of Hearts and his destructive energy problem.
In Avenges v.3 #61 everyone is better after fighting off the villain of the previous arc and Hank Pym asks Scott to become an Avenger and stay. Unfortunately, Scott has to leave because he has a custody hearing. Cassie is his first priority.
He leaves the team. He just asks about Jack, before going. He asks again where Jack is. We don't know if Scott knows or not where all the other Avengers are (maybe he knows that Cap and Falcon are in the mansion and the Black Panther is angsting on the roof with Tony), maybe he does. We only know he asks about Jack.
(And Jack is still angsting in the Zero Room, isolated from the world).
AVENGERS v.3 #62
This is a favourite of mine. It's basically the manifesto of Jack/Scott. Look at the cover:
The issue is all about a parallela analysis of Jack and Scott and their issues.
At the beginning we have Jack thinking about his experience in the Zero Room: "[...]Nothing to pass the time- because nothing can survive the discharge. Everything disintigrates around me. I just stare at the wall hour after hour. Until the door opens and the pain takes over."
Some images (not Scott/Jack, actually, but all about Jack):
So, Jack wants the action. He wants to be a hero, to be normal, to not be in pain, to have responsabilities and help others. Instead he is the one who has to be helped, who is a danger. And he hates it.
The last words of the scene are "I don't believe in happy endings" but while he 'says' them the scene changes and we see Scott and Cassie in the tribunal, where Scott has to fight to keep the right to raise his daughter.
Peggy (his ex wife) obtains custody because the judge thinks that Scott is a danger to his own daughter because of his life as an Avenger-helper. And it doesn't matter that Scott tells him that he is not an Avenger because, well, he helps the Avengers a lot.
The scene is back to Jack. Hank Pym tells him that his future now will be with 14 hours a day in the Zero Room or he will detonate like an atomic bomb. After this he tells Jack that his father saved his life (also if he died to do it) with the zero fluid.
Jack has a guilty complex:
Meanwhile, Scott watches his daughter going away to live with Peggy and her new boyfriend.
After this, he asks Janet to be admitted as an Avenger because he has nothing else, now.
And suddenly, a wild Jack appears. He had just run away from Iron Man. He doesn't even talk to Janet. He just wants to fight with Scott.
Even Scott notices it- asking him why Jack is always angry with him.
And I'll just leave here the next pages.
THE RED ZONE ARC
The Red Zone is my favourite Avengers arc and it begins with Avengers v.3 #64. That issue is dedicated to the prologue and to Falcon. We see more Jack/Scott interactions from #65. Now both Jack and Scott are official Avengers and in these issues it seem like their relationship is calmer.
The Red Zone arc is about a poisonous red mist and that's the reason why everyone has to wear protective suites, everyone but Jack who is basically immune to everything. Captain America decides to team up the team and, of course, (he is maybe a shipper like us!) he pairs Jack and Scott. She-Hulk is not sure that's a great idea. Ant-Man and Jack have a pacific dialogue:
In the #66, She-Hulk starts to feel nauseous and Jack jokes about it: "You are looking a little green." When She-Hulk falls on the ground, Scott answers him: "Nice, Jack."
Jack: "I was just kidding."
She-Hulk is actually fine and she felt only a little claustrophobic in the suit. This time it's Captain America who angrily says to Jack: "Just stay away from her, Jack. And start taking this situation seriously."
And that's what Jack does for the rest of the issue.
In the #67, Cap continues being a shipper and again he leaves Jack with Scott when Scott decides to stay in the enemy base and look into computer files for informations about the attack.
While they are together they manage to contact Tony Stark who immediately asks to Scott if Jack is with him. Suspicious. He doesn't ask if Scott with with the other Avengers or where he is Jack. However, here you are the pic: (As we can see, Jack and Tony talk about the necessity that Jack goes to the Zero Room and Scott doesn't seem surprised. We know that Scott knew nothing of the Zero Room when he became an Avenger so someone must have told him recently).
As you can see, Jack and Scott again manage to have a civil conversation. Jack actually opens up a bit, telling Scott that he would like to return to the space, sometime. Instead of ignoring him or saying "Fine, go", Scott actually tries to explain to him that there are important reasons to stay and fight. But Jack can't find one.
I thought it was quite cute that the next time we see them together they are very close. Basically Scott is still sitting at the computer desk and Jack seems crouched on the floor just near him:
However, the plot demands attention, infact She-Hulk has been hurt by some soldiers and Cap asks Jack to bring her in a safe place. Not because he trust him particularly, in my opinion, but because he is the only one with powers which will permit him to fly fast.
But something happens. While he is bringing her to safety, Jennifer starts to feel sick. In the next issue (#68) we see that She-Hulk becomes feral and can't control her humanity anymore and starts attacking her own teammate. But first, we have this beautiful scene where Jack is actually crying and asking for help. Of course, the first person he asks for is Scott Lang. Not Steve Rogers, who is the leader. I've always found this scene incredibly touching because this is what Jack fears. He is not human, he can hurt people and now he had just hurt Jennifer.
Jennifer starts attacking the other ones (we can see that Wanda doesn't trust Jack because she immediately asks Jennifer if Jack has done something to her or had hurt her).
Later (#69) Carol Danvers help them to return to a safe place where they can receive medical attention (while She-Hulk disappeared in the woods) and she explains that Jack of Hearts absorbs radiations and probably that's what he, inadvertely, did to She-Hulk. Jack of Hearts not only hurt She-Hulk but, as a consequence, put in danger the all team. In this issue we don't see Jack (probably in the Zero Room?) but we can see Scott Lang wounded in a hospital bed.
In the #70, the enemy is defeated and again the comic makes us see Jack and Scott together:
ANT MAN AGAINST JACK
Avengers v.3 #73 begins with a domestic scene where Scott talks about his own love for insects with Cassie who is visiting him at the mansion. Sadly, it's time for Cassie's stepfather to pick her up and Scott watches her leave. Maybe to take his mind off the sadness, Jarvis reminds him that Iron Man asked him to take care of Jack of Hearts.
Scott Lang finds Jack alone in the meeting room. I decided to link all the pages:
Scott tries to have a normal conversation with Jack and tells him about his own daughter. Of course, he is talking about a problem that Jack doesn't really have because we can easily see that Jack has not many people who care about him (Quasar and ex-teammmates are not there, Wanda and Cap don't trust him and probably the rest of the team don't trust him anymore because of what happened with Jennifer). And we also know that Jack likes to angst so that's what he does, he angrily replies that his own problems are worse than Scott's ones. Jack is angry. Scott is angry and frustrated because Jack is irritating and because he can't see is daughter for another week. And that's when he tells something really cruel, in my opinion.
Scott: "You ruined her [Jennifer] life, Jack."
It's the moment Jack has to enter in the Zero Room. The moment he would give anything to avoid. We can see that he is staring at the room while Scott keeps talking to him. Jack's posture is a defensive one but it's directed toward the room. And Scott now talks about the room, about the fact that there is a possibility that Jack hurt Jennifer on purpose.
Jack: "What? I swear, Scott. I didn't know. I didn't-"
And after Scott closes the door, Jack is crying. Because he was deeply affected by Scott's words. Maybe not only because those are things he fear and probably know (the fact that no one trusts him) but maybe also because he respects Scott and what he says has value for him.
In #75, Iron Man finds out that he needs Jack's abilities to stop the Hulk and asks Scott to open the Zero Room (to find a way to open it also if it is blocked). He manages to do it, of course, freeing a confused and hurt Jack of Hearts. And the classic name calling: "Sleeping beauty."
Jack is terrorized by the idea that Scott's words were right (he keeps telling to Cap that he swears he didn't do it on purpose) and he is afraid of hurting someone else. Still, he does the job and then he is taken back to the Zero Room.
REDEMPTION
It's time for the sad Avengers v.3 #76. It begins with Cassie playing with some children and then suddenly she is kidnapped by a stranger. The scene changes and Jack of Hearts gets out of the Zero Room and arrives in the meeting room where he overhears the others talking about him.
They are talking about the fact that She-Hulk and Jack can't be together on the same team because if they touch than She-Hulk will again lose control. Hawkeye wants Jack off the team, Black Panther thinks the decision is up to Jennifer and Tony agrees also if he doesn't want to abbandon Jack, he still wants to help him.
Scott Lang agrees with Hawkeye: "I've asked Jack, before... I've asked him why he wanted to be an Avenger. Why he wants to help people. You know what his answer was? He doesn't know."
Falcon: "[...] He's here and he's trying. That should be enough for any of us."
Scott. "Ok, but Jack is still a wild card. He has a temper, he's a physical threat to our teammates and he's never been a team player. Quite honestly-- we'd be lucky to lose him--"
Of course, that's the moment Jack arrives.
Jack: "Thanks for the kind words, Ant-Man."
Jack quietly accepts the decision but still he feels the need to tell Jennifer that he didn't mean it.
And that's what happen next:
We see that Jack gives up. He doesn replies angrily to Scott, he just walks away and says that he will not be with them much longer. He doesn't even seem to care about what will happen to him. When Cap orders Scott to go talk to Jack, Scott does it. He doesn't attack Jack, he "plays nice". And still, after all happened between them, Jack again opens up and tells him about space and freedom and what he feels. Unfortunately their conversation is interrupted and Scott (saying only "My daughter- I have to go") has to leave. Jack has no idea about what happened to Cassie, he doesn't know if he can help. He knows he should go to the Zero Room but he doesn't even think about letting Scott go alone and he follows him.
As you can see, Jack follows Scott without knowing anything about what happened and Cassie's foster father informs him of the kidnapping. Scott Lang is blinded by rage and worry and he actually is going to kill the kidnapper in front of his daughter. We know that the Avengers don't kill. It's their policy. They do not kill. Never.
Here we have Scott Lang trying to kill a man and Jack stops him, not only because an Avenger doesn't kill but also because of Cassie.
Finally Scott Lang has accepted Jack as an Avenger and Jack found the reason he was looking for, also if he is so tired that he prefers to commit suicide. It's probably my own interpretation, but I like to think that Jack couldn't let Scott Lang kill the kidnapper, but Scott Lang wanted to kill the kidnapper so it was Jack's duty to do it because he was expendable, he was the one who was going to be kicked out of the team, he was tired of living in his conditions and fears of hurting others.
I like the fact that Jack's very last words are for Scott Lang's family because that is the most important thing in Scott's life.
AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED
You probably know that Avengers V.3 ends with #84 and continues with Avengers v.1 #500. The Avengers v.1 #500 - #503 are called "Avengers Disassembled" and are the sum of the events that destroy the Avengers and the team, killing Hawkeye, the Vision and Scott Lang. After "Avengers Disassembled", Captain America and Iron Man will be the leaders of a new team: New Avengers.
However, let's stay on the famous arc "Avengers Disassembled". You all probably know what it is about so I will concentrate on the but about Scott Lang. (If you don't know about what happened in this arc you can read the summaries here).
The #500 begins with Scott's death. The Avengers are in the mansion and they are having a discussion (with some tea) when the alarm tells them that Jack of Hearts has just entered in the mansion. Scott Lang can't believe it because he saw Jack flying into space to die, but the computer confirms his identity.
As Janet says: "Full alert." Scott Lang leaves them to go meet Jack even if the other ones are tryint to stop him and be cautioys.
Jennifer tells him: "Ant-Man! Scott! Don't!"
And this is what happens:
I love how Scott is so anxious to meet him and he is worried about him. Jack's last words before exploding (because of Wanda's magic and her manipulations) are "I'm sorry" just as Scott was beginning to tell him that everything was going to be all right.
After this we know that the Avengers built a statue of Scott Lang, in his honor, in front of the Avengers mansion and that Cassie Lang, now a teenager, has became Stature, a Young Avengers.
CHILDREN'S CRUSADE
In Children's crusade (a miniseries dedicated to Young Avengers) Billy and Tommy go looking for their 'spiritual' mother: Wanda Maximoff. In this series, Iron Lad (who has time travelling powers) brings the Young Avengers to the past, right before Jack of Hearts explodes killing Scott. Cassie saves her father, bringing him with her into the present.
This doesn't add anything to Jack and Scott's story but at least we have another pic of this:
ISSUES TO READ
Avengers v.3 #57 - 58 - 59 - 60 - 61 - 62 - 65 - 66 - 67 - 68 - 69 - 70 - 73 - 75 - 76
Avengers v.1 #500 - 501 - 502 - 503
Children's crusade #05
--- Jack/Scott: why? ---
I remember the first time I thought "Uh, Scott/Jack could be interesting." I was reading the Red Zone arc because I am a Tony/Steve shipper and in that issues the superhusbands subtext was lovely. However, I found myself very intrigued by the strange bickering relationship that Scott and Jack had. I slowly looked into these two characters, their comics, the relations they had with other characters in the Marvel universe- and it quickly became my OTP.
I am not going to say that they are canon because they are not. They don't even have that long term relationship of friendship and living together as many other famous pairings (like, for example, Tony/Steve), but I think they have potential.
We have seen that they seek each other a lot, also if it's only to bicker and fight. And Ant-Man is the only Avenger Jack of Hearts open up to and talk to. His relations with the other ones are really minimal. The comics often associate them, creating parallelism between their stories because they are both alone, as that famous issue says.
It would have been interesting to find out what would have happened between them if Jack hadn't died. That is the moment Jack gives up and finally Scott understands him. That is the moment which results in an entusiastic Scott Lang running to a new found Jack in "Avengers Disassembled".
(Now that Scott Lang is alive again I can only hope they'll decide to revive Jack too. Please, Marvel, do it.)
--- The fandom ---
FANFICTIONS
Domestic (lucre_noin) - PG - Scott Lang and Jonathan Hart have their own routine and life in the Avengers mansion.
The paradox of letting it go (pada_something) - PG - Cassie is safe. Scott’s heart isn’t. (it's also on Archive of our own)
Tick Tick Boom (Pervyficgirl) - NC17 - In which Jack and Scott get a happier ending than canon gave them, even if they can't quite figure that out, in the middle of the Civil War.
FANARTS
Jack, Scott and Cassie
OTHER
Jack of Hearts dreamcast
Scott Lang dreamcast
English is not my first language. Please, feel free to point out every mistake (both in the Marvel chronology and in the grammar) you can find!
--- ANT-MAN. Scott Lang: profile ---
THE STORY UNTIL THE MEETING WITH JACK
Profiles from the Official Handbook and Marvel Universe Deluxe:
Scott Edward Harris Lang, as an electronics expert, used to do repair work but the income was not enough so he decided to become a burglar and a thief to be able to support his wife Peggy and his daughter Cassie. He was arrested for burglary and while he was in prison he continued his studies in electronics. It was during that time that Peggy divorces from him.
When he got out, for good behaviour, he was hired by Tony Stark as an engineer.
Unfortunatelty, Cassie was diagnosed as having a heart condition that could be lethal and Scott decided to ask for the help of the best surgeon in the field: Erica Sondheim. The problem was that she had been kidnapped by Darren Cross (alias Crossfire) who wanted her to cure his own heart condition.
To save Dr. Sondheim, Scott Lang entered into Hank Pym's laboratory and stole his Ant-Man gas and helmet, basically stealing Ant-Man's powers. After having saved Erica Sondheim and after the doctor had cured Cassie, Scott decided to return the helmet but Hank Pym asked him to keep it and be useful against villains and criminals as the new Ant-Man.
The next adventures of Scott Lang were often to aid Iron Man, the Avengers or the Wasp. He also helped the Fantastic Four and for some time he actually lived with them and Cassie.
When Tony lost his company (and Stane bought it), Scott Lang left his job and started his own electronics business.
After the Onslaught event (basically: the Avengers disappeared), Scott Lang became one of the Heroes for Hire, the new team of superheroes. Among his teammate there were Luke Cage, Iron Fist, She-Hulk, Black Knight and White Tiger). The team ceased to exist when the Avengers came back to Earth and reality.
After than he often helped the Avengers and he became an official Avenger when he lost custody of Cassie.
EXTRA
His identity is secret to the public. Cassie found out that his father was Ant Man all of her own.
He is divorced.
He is an electronics engineer and he has an Electronics technician certificate and additional advanced electronics.
His height is 6' 0" and he weights 86 kg.
He has blue eyes and strawberry blond hair.
He was born in Coral Gables, Florida.
He has a criminal record and he was in prison.
Scott Lang appeared in the episode of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
The future Ant-Man movie will probably be about Scott Lang.
Past love interests: Peggy Lang, Jessica Jones.
--- JACK OF HEARTS. Jonathan Hart: profile ---
THE STORY UNTIL THE MEETING WITH SCOTT
Profile from the Marvel Universe Deluxe:
Jonathan Hart is the son of Philip Hart and Marie Hart who died in a car accident when Jack was little. Philip, a scientist, developed the Zero Fluid, an innovative fuel, which catched the attention of the Corporation, a criminal association that wanted to possess the fluid for financial reasons.
They killed Philip in front of a teenager Jack and then they proceed to destroy the laboratory, accidentally striking the Zero Fluid which violently hit Jack. After his encounter with the Zero Fluid, Jack changed and started to have uncontrollable burst of energy which killed his father's murderers.
After that (and after creating the costume which partially contains the energy... and calling himself Jack of Hearts because of his father's passion for cards) Jack worked for some time with Iron Man before going to SHIELD because incapable of controlling his own powers, hoping to find help or at least a safe prison.
The miniseries called "Jack of Hearts" was placed in this period where an ex classmate, Marcy Kane, revealed to him that she was an alien called a Contraxian and that Jack himself was an half alien too.
In fact, his mother, Marie, had actually been a Contraxian who had had the duty of supervising Philip's inventions because those same inventions could have saved the sun of Contraxia, which was slowly shutting down. Marie then had fallen in love with Philip.
Marcy convinced Jack to come with her on Contraxia to try to give to the sun new power. After some problems with a Contraxian cult named the Survivalists, Jack decided to sacrifice himself and explode into the sun so that he can at least do something good with his life. He miraculously survived and left Contraxia and the civilized worlds, too afraid of the danger of his own powers.
After this he was captured by Doctor Stranger and then freed by Quasar. They had some adventures together and he was even mindcontrolled by Moondragon.
In successive issues, he became Ganymede's lover (Ganymede is a woman) but they never had any form of physical intimacy because of Ganymede's religion and the fact that Jack could have never lived without his armor on.
After working again with Quasar and then with Thor, Jack joined the Avengers, first as a helper and then as an official Avengers.
EXTRA
His identity is public.
He has a college degree in poetry.
His height is 5' 11" and he weights 80 kg.
He has a blue eye (the right one) and a white eye (the left eye).
His hair is brown.
Place of birth: New Haven, Connecticut.
Past love interests: Marcy Kane, Ganymede.
--- Avengers: Scott and Jack in the comics ---
THE MEETING (Avengers v.3 #57)
Jack of Hearts and Scott Lang meet each other for the first time* in the issue #57 of Avengers v.3. Jack of Hearts is a new addition in the team and is trying to be a good teammate and to adjust to the Avengers life.
First we have to say that Jack interactions with the other teammates are quite peaceful. He even goes out with Carol, Vision and Delroy (Triathlon) after being invited by Delroy to go to some clubs.
However he is what is usually called "a hot head" and in the issue #57 Carol Danvers tells him: "Better watch it, Jack, you know what Pym said about your temper. You get too worked up and-" She is probably referring to the fact that Jack actually has explosive zero energy in him.
In this issue, Captain America comes back from a mission and Iron Man informs him that Washington, D.C., disappeared in an empty void and it has been displaced by some unknown enemy. And suddenly we see Scott Lang, in his miniaturized Ant Man uniform, that asks for explanation (in quite a rude and worried way).
This is what happens:
(for this pics and the next ones: click on them to view the entire pic)
And now the cute part. Captain America is the leader of the team (Jan is the leader, actually, but she disappeared because she was in Washington) and he stops the fight using his shield. Instead of accusing each other (a behavior that is common in situations like this) they actually justify their actions. Jack doesn't say: "I am on edge, Cap" and Scott doesn't say: "I am only human."
They say:
Jack: "We're all on edge, Cap."
Scott: "Hey, we're only human."
And they basically justify each other and their need to fight with each other.
AND MORE
In the next issue (Avengers v.3 #58) everyone is buys with trying to solve the horrible situation (from She-Hulk to Black Panther, from Falcon ro Iron Man) and yet Jack and Ant Man are together and bickering. Again.
We can easily see that Jack is quite angry about the fact that Scott is not an Avenger (while Jack is an official Avenger) and still is permitted to help and partecipate into Avengers business.
And more. (A part from the horrible biological mistake where Scott calls spiders "insects").
In the same issue we find out that Jack still needs to spend hours in the Zero Room to contain his energy. He doesn't want to go, he wants to help, but he can't. He can't help because he has to stay in that room. I think this is part of where his anger toward Scott Lang comes from. Scott Lang isn't even an Avenger but at least he is useful.
During a meeting with Namor, Scott Lang asks about Jack. He is so obvious. He is like: "Ohh he is stupid. Like Jack. So, where is Jack? Not that I am interested- but, where is Jack?"
By the way, Scott Lang basically saves the day during the mission... while some of the Avengers start working about Jack of Hearts and his destructive energy problem.
In Avenges v.3 #61 everyone is better after fighting off the villain of the previous arc and Hank Pym asks Scott to become an Avenger and stay. Unfortunately, Scott has to leave because he has a custody hearing. Cassie is his first priority.
He leaves the team. He just asks about Jack, before going. He asks again where Jack is. We don't know if Scott knows or not where all the other Avengers are (maybe he knows that Cap and Falcon are in the mansion and the Black Panther is angsting on the roof with Tony), maybe he does. We only know he asks about Jack.
(And Jack is still angsting in the Zero Room, isolated from the world).
AVENGERS v.3 #62
This is a favourite of mine. It's basically the manifesto of Jack/Scott. Look at the cover:
The issue is all about a parallela analysis of Jack and Scott and their issues.
At the beginning we have Jack thinking about his experience in the Zero Room: "[...]Nothing to pass the time- because nothing can survive the discharge. Everything disintigrates around me. I just stare at the wall hour after hour. Until the door opens and the pain takes over."
Some images (not Scott/Jack, actually, but all about Jack):
So, Jack wants the action. He wants to be a hero, to be normal, to not be in pain, to have responsabilities and help others. Instead he is the one who has to be helped, who is a danger. And he hates it.
The last words of the scene are "I don't believe in happy endings" but while he 'says' them the scene changes and we see Scott and Cassie in the tribunal, where Scott has to fight to keep the right to raise his daughter.
Peggy (his ex wife) obtains custody because the judge thinks that Scott is a danger to his own daughter because of his life as an Avenger-helper. And it doesn't matter that Scott tells him that he is not an Avenger because, well, he helps the Avengers a lot.
The scene is back to Jack. Hank Pym tells him that his future now will be with 14 hours a day in the Zero Room or he will detonate like an atomic bomb. After this he tells Jack that his father saved his life (also if he died to do it) with the zero fluid.
Jack has a guilty complex:
Meanwhile, Scott watches his daughter going away to live with Peggy and her new boyfriend.
After this, he asks Janet to be admitted as an Avenger because he has nothing else, now.
And suddenly, a wild Jack appears. He had just run away from Iron Man. He doesn't even talk to Janet. He just wants to fight with Scott.
Even Scott notices it- asking him why Jack is always angry with him.
And I'll just leave here the next pages.
THE RED ZONE ARC
The Red Zone is my favourite Avengers arc and it begins with Avengers v.3 #64. That issue is dedicated to the prologue and to Falcon. We see more Jack/Scott interactions from #65. Now both Jack and Scott are official Avengers and in these issues it seem like their relationship is calmer.
The Red Zone arc is about a poisonous red mist and that's the reason why everyone has to wear protective suites, everyone but Jack who is basically immune to everything. Captain America decides to team up the team and, of course, (he is maybe a shipper like us!) he pairs Jack and Scott. She-Hulk is not sure that's a great idea. Ant-Man and Jack have a pacific dialogue:
In the #66, She-Hulk starts to feel nauseous and Jack jokes about it: "You are looking a little green." When She-Hulk falls on the ground, Scott answers him: "Nice, Jack."
Jack: "I was just kidding."
She-Hulk is actually fine and she felt only a little claustrophobic in the suit. This time it's Captain America who angrily says to Jack: "Just stay away from her, Jack. And start taking this situation seriously."
And that's what Jack does for the rest of the issue.
In the #67, Cap continues being a shipper and again he leaves Jack with Scott when Scott decides to stay in the enemy base and look into computer files for informations about the attack.
While they are together they manage to contact Tony Stark who immediately asks to Scott if Jack is with him. Suspicious. He doesn't ask if Scott with with the other Avengers or where he is Jack. However, here you are the pic: (As we can see, Jack and Tony talk about the necessity that Jack goes to the Zero Room and Scott doesn't seem surprised. We know that Scott knew nothing of the Zero Room when he became an Avenger so someone must have told him recently).
As you can see, Jack and Scott again manage to have a civil conversation. Jack actually opens up a bit, telling Scott that he would like to return to the space, sometime. Instead of ignoring him or saying "Fine, go", Scott actually tries to explain to him that there are important reasons to stay and fight. But Jack can't find one.
I thought it was quite cute that the next time we see them together they are very close. Basically Scott is still sitting at the computer desk and Jack seems crouched on the floor just near him:
However, the plot demands attention, infact She-Hulk has been hurt by some soldiers and Cap asks Jack to bring her in a safe place. Not because he trust him particularly, in my opinion, but because he is the only one with powers which will permit him to fly fast.
But something happens. While he is bringing her to safety, Jennifer starts to feel sick. In the next issue (#68) we see that She-Hulk becomes feral and can't control her humanity anymore and starts attacking her own teammate. But first, we have this beautiful scene where Jack is actually crying and asking for help. Of course, the first person he asks for is Scott Lang. Not Steve Rogers, who is the leader. I've always found this scene incredibly touching because this is what Jack fears. He is not human, he can hurt people and now he had just hurt Jennifer.
Jennifer starts attacking the other ones (we can see that Wanda doesn't trust Jack because she immediately asks Jennifer if Jack has done something to her or had hurt her).
Later (#69) Carol Danvers help them to return to a safe place where they can receive medical attention (while She-Hulk disappeared in the woods) and she explains that Jack of Hearts absorbs radiations and probably that's what he, inadvertely, did to She-Hulk. Jack of Hearts not only hurt She-Hulk but, as a consequence, put in danger the all team. In this issue we don't see Jack (probably in the Zero Room?) but we can see Scott Lang wounded in a hospital bed.
In the #70, the enemy is defeated and again the comic makes us see Jack and Scott together:
ANT MAN AGAINST JACK
Avengers v.3 #73 begins with a domestic scene where Scott talks about his own love for insects with Cassie who is visiting him at the mansion. Sadly, it's time for Cassie's stepfather to pick her up and Scott watches her leave. Maybe to take his mind off the sadness, Jarvis reminds him that Iron Man asked him to take care of Jack of Hearts.
Scott Lang finds Jack alone in the meeting room. I decided to link all the pages:
Scott tries to have a normal conversation with Jack and tells him about his own daughter. Of course, he is talking about a problem that Jack doesn't really have because we can easily see that Jack has not many people who care about him (Quasar and ex-teammmates are not there, Wanda and Cap don't trust him and probably the rest of the team don't trust him anymore because of what happened with Jennifer). And we also know that Jack likes to angst so that's what he does, he angrily replies that his own problems are worse than Scott's ones. Jack is angry. Scott is angry and frustrated because Jack is irritating and because he can't see is daughter for another week. And that's when he tells something really cruel, in my opinion.
Scott: "You ruined her [Jennifer] life, Jack."
It's the moment Jack has to enter in the Zero Room. The moment he would give anything to avoid. We can see that he is staring at the room while Scott keeps talking to him. Jack's posture is a defensive one but it's directed toward the room. And Scott now talks about the room, about the fact that there is a possibility that Jack hurt Jennifer on purpose.
Jack: "What? I swear, Scott. I didn't know. I didn't-"
And after Scott closes the door, Jack is crying. Because he was deeply affected by Scott's words. Maybe not only because those are things he fear and probably know (the fact that no one trusts him) but maybe also because he respects Scott and what he says has value for him.
In #75, Iron Man finds out that he needs Jack's abilities to stop the Hulk and asks Scott to open the Zero Room (to find a way to open it also if it is blocked). He manages to do it, of course, freeing a confused and hurt Jack of Hearts. And the classic name calling: "Sleeping beauty."
Jack is terrorized by the idea that Scott's words were right (he keeps telling to Cap that he swears he didn't do it on purpose) and he is afraid of hurting someone else. Still, he does the job and then he is taken back to the Zero Room.
REDEMPTION
It's time for the sad Avengers v.3 #76. It begins with Cassie playing with some children and then suddenly she is kidnapped by a stranger. The scene changes and Jack of Hearts gets out of the Zero Room and arrives in the meeting room where he overhears the others talking about him.
They are talking about the fact that She-Hulk and Jack can't be together on the same team because if they touch than She-Hulk will again lose control. Hawkeye wants Jack off the team, Black Panther thinks the decision is up to Jennifer and Tony agrees also if he doesn't want to abbandon Jack, he still wants to help him.
Scott Lang agrees with Hawkeye: "I've asked Jack, before... I've asked him why he wanted to be an Avenger. Why he wants to help people. You know what his answer was? He doesn't know."
Falcon: "[...] He's here and he's trying. That should be enough for any of us."
Scott. "Ok, but Jack is still a wild card. He has a temper, he's a physical threat to our teammates and he's never been a team player. Quite honestly-- we'd be lucky to lose him--"
Of course, that's the moment Jack arrives.
Jack: "Thanks for the kind words, Ant-Man."
Jack quietly accepts the decision but still he feels the need to tell Jennifer that he didn't mean it.
And that's what happen next:
We see that Jack gives up. He doesn replies angrily to Scott, he just walks away and says that he will not be with them much longer. He doesn't even seem to care about what will happen to him. When Cap orders Scott to go talk to Jack, Scott does it. He doesn't attack Jack, he "plays nice". And still, after all happened between them, Jack again opens up and tells him about space and freedom and what he feels. Unfortunately their conversation is interrupted and Scott (saying only "My daughter- I have to go") has to leave. Jack has no idea about what happened to Cassie, he doesn't know if he can help. He knows he should go to the Zero Room but he doesn't even think about letting Scott go alone and he follows him.
As you can see, Jack follows Scott without knowing anything about what happened and Cassie's foster father informs him of the kidnapping. Scott Lang is blinded by rage and worry and he actually is going to kill the kidnapper in front of his daughter. We know that the Avengers don't kill. It's their policy. They do not kill. Never.
Here we have Scott Lang trying to kill a man and Jack stops him, not only because an Avenger doesn't kill but also because of Cassie.
Finally Scott Lang has accepted Jack as an Avenger and Jack found the reason he was looking for, also if he is so tired that he prefers to commit suicide. It's probably my own interpretation, but I like to think that Jack couldn't let Scott Lang kill the kidnapper, but Scott Lang wanted to kill the kidnapper so it was Jack's duty to do it because he was expendable, he was the one who was going to be kicked out of the team, he was tired of living in his conditions and fears of hurting others.
I like the fact that Jack's very last words are for Scott Lang's family because that is the most important thing in Scott's life.
AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED
You probably know that Avengers V.3 ends with #84 and continues with Avengers v.1 #500. The Avengers v.1 #500 - #503 are called "Avengers Disassembled" and are the sum of the events that destroy the Avengers and the team, killing Hawkeye, the Vision and Scott Lang. After "Avengers Disassembled", Captain America and Iron Man will be the leaders of a new team: New Avengers.
However, let's stay on the famous arc "Avengers Disassembled". You all probably know what it is about so I will concentrate on the but about Scott Lang. (If you don't know about what happened in this arc you can read the summaries here).
The #500 begins with Scott's death. The Avengers are in the mansion and they are having a discussion (with some tea) when the alarm tells them that Jack of Hearts has just entered in the mansion. Scott Lang can't believe it because he saw Jack flying into space to die, but the computer confirms his identity.
As Janet says: "Full alert." Scott Lang leaves them to go meet Jack even if the other ones are tryint to stop him and be cautioys.
Jennifer tells him: "Ant-Man! Scott! Don't!"
And this is what happens:
I love how Scott is so anxious to meet him and he is worried about him. Jack's last words before exploding (because of Wanda's magic and her manipulations) are "I'm sorry" just as Scott was beginning to tell him that everything was going to be all right.
After this we know that the Avengers built a statue of Scott Lang, in his honor, in front of the Avengers mansion and that Cassie Lang, now a teenager, has became Stature, a Young Avengers.
CHILDREN'S CRUSADE
In Children's crusade (a miniseries dedicated to Young Avengers) Billy and Tommy go looking for their 'spiritual' mother: Wanda Maximoff. In this series, Iron Lad (who has time travelling powers) brings the Young Avengers to the past, right before Jack of Hearts explodes killing Scott. Cassie saves her father, bringing him with her into the present.
This doesn't add anything to Jack and Scott's story but at least we have another pic of this:
ISSUES TO READ
Avengers v.3 #57 - 58 - 59 - 60 - 61 - 62 - 65 - 66 - 67 - 68 - 69 - 70 - 73 - 75 - 76
Avengers v.1 #500 - 501 - 502 - 503
Children's crusade #05
--- Jack/Scott: why? ---
I remember the first time I thought "Uh, Scott/Jack could be interesting." I was reading the Red Zone arc because I am a Tony/Steve shipper and in that issues the superhusbands subtext was lovely. However, I found myself very intrigued by the strange bickering relationship that Scott and Jack had. I slowly looked into these two characters, their comics, the relations they had with other characters in the Marvel universe- and it quickly became my OTP.
I am not going to say that they are canon because they are not. They don't even have that long term relationship of friendship and living together as many other famous pairings (like, for example, Tony/Steve), but I think they have potential.
We have seen that they seek each other a lot, also if it's only to bicker and fight. And Ant-Man is the only Avenger Jack of Hearts open up to and talk to. His relations with the other ones are really minimal. The comics often associate them, creating parallelism between their stories because they are both alone, as that famous issue says.
It would have been interesting to find out what would have happened between them if Jack hadn't died. That is the moment Jack gives up and finally Scott understands him. That is the moment which results in an entusiastic Scott Lang running to a new found Jack in "Avengers Disassembled".
(Now that Scott Lang is alive again I can only hope they'll decide to revive Jack too. Please, Marvel, do it.)
--- The fandom ---
FANFICTIONS
Domestic (lucre_noin) - PG - Scott Lang and Jonathan Hart have their own routine and life in the Avengers mansion.
The paradox of letting it go (pada_something) - PG - Cassie is safe. Scott’s heart isn’t. (it's also on Archive of our own)
Tick Tick Boom (Pervyficgirl) - NC17 - In which Jack and Scott get a happier ending than canon gave them, even if they can't quite figure that out, in the middle of the Civil War.
FANARTS
Jack, Scott and Cassie
OTHER
Jack of Hearts dreamcast
Scott Lang dreamcast