Hank Pym returns in Tales to Astonish #35 (June 1962) as an official superhero: Ant Man! This time around the scientist has invented a now-recognizable superhero suit, a cybernetic helmet and some powers beyond “shrinking to the size of an ant”.
However, at the same time, the government has given Dr. Pym an assignment: Invent a gas to make people immune to radioactivity. He cranks it out, and suddenly those pesky commies catch wind of it and attempt to rob him. He dashes into his office and decides the only way to escape is as Ant Man using a rubber band to launch himself out a window. Oookay.
Hank gathers an army of ants, sneaks back into his office, and has the ants go to town on the intruding commies, while Ant Man frees his lab co-workers who capture the commies. Finally Ant Man takes a dip in the enlarging goop.
It was quite the month for the Marvel Age: Spider-Man, Thor, and Ant Man all joined the Fantastic Four and the Hulk. A couple more issues to firmly root the new characters, and then it’s about time for some heroes showing up across different mags, don’t you think?