8 Superheroes Who Are Less Intimidating Than Ant-Man

Allie Gemmill
Movies Marvel
Movies Marvel MCU

Ant-Man is heading back into theaters along with his new partner-in-crime, The Wasp, and we’re pretty darn stoked about it. We’ve been curious to see what kind of adventures await the MCU duo, especially with that Quantum Realm villain we saw in the film’s first trailer lying in wait for these high-tech (but pretty low-key) superheroes.

But as we get all kinds of excited for Ant-Man and The Wasp, we have to acknowledge something about Ant-Man‘s return to the big screen. Yes, we’ll be getting a lot of thrilling action scenes in the film, but the range of powers and abilities the hero brings to the table are kind of underwhelming.

Ant-Man and the Wasp
Scene from 'Ant-Man and the Wasp'

Ant-Man’s ability to change sizes with the push of a button and to communicate with ants of all kinds, not to mention his superhuman strength and the requisite superhero gifts of hand-to-hand combat and martial arts, make Ant-Man a qualified, capable superhero — but he’s hardly the most intimidating of the bunch. We can only watch a superhero get the upper hand by changing his size so many times, you know?

Then again, there are plenty of other superheroes who are way, way less intimidating than Ant-Man, making him look a bit better in the long run while reminding us that, however beloved they may be, there have been some real superhero duds in the past. Let’s take a look at the list below for eight not-so-menacing comic heroes.

Squirrel Girl

We love Marvel’s Squirrel Girl, but no, sorry, not at all intimidating. Twee, sure. But not intimidating, not even with that big ol’ squirrel tail. Being able to talk to squirrels, move like a squirrel, and even having enhanced regenerative powers are admirable qualities, sure, but they’re so niche it’s hard to feel like she’s intimidating overall.

Dazzler

Arguably one of the flashiest (literally and figuratively) X-Men in recent memory, Dazzler‘s powers of creating light and energy through sound are certainly very cool, but we’re not entirely convinced she’s as formidable a superhero as fans of hers would argue.

Jubilee

Much like Dazzler, X-Men’s Jubilee is certainly one of the more fun, interesting mutants that exist, representative of a new generation of heroes. But ultimately, the ability to shoot fireworks out of your hands as a method of combat is a so-so ability that would hardly leave any of her opponents shaking in their boots.

Color Kid

Bless his heart, but Color Kid, who appeared in the WB’s Legion of Superheroes, might have the most useless superpowers — and thus might be arguably one of the most ineffective superheroes — in the known, discovered universe, as well as in the realm of DC superheroes. There’s no way anyone would be intimidated by him or his ability to change the color of, well, anything.

Gambit

Another X-Men character makes the list, but you know what? I’ll stand by this one. Gambit may be the only superhero in this line-up who is nearly as intimidating as Ant-Man, but we still argue that he is a bit of a dud. Gambit may have powers of hypnosis and the ability to charge up any given object with kinetic energy, but hey, Ant-Man has some equally cool abilities too. Next!

Groot

The MCU’s very own Groot is totally a sweetheart — nobody is contesting that. But, it’s hard to ignore the fact that it was very easy for Groot to be reduced from full-grown adult to a tiny baby plant in the first installment of Guardians of the Galaxy and thus immediately exposing a huge weakness. Even with the ability to shoot branches at his enemies and trip them up (as we saw in GoTG: Vol. 2), how are we supposed to truly be intimidated by this humanoid tree? C’mon now.

Archangel

Don’t be fooled by the intense costume that X-Men Archangel is frequently seen wearing. Oh, and forget the massive wings, as well. This mutant can definitely be overpowered by Ant-Man any day of the week, not to mention literally any other superhero you could think of. If the power of flight and his gift for hand-to-hand combat are basically the range of skills this dude is bringing to the table, we’re not worried about him when there are bigger fish to fry.

Matter-Eater Lad

Talk about a snooze of a DC Comics character, right? Matter-Eater Lad may be able to eat literally anything, but that’s hardly a fearsome quality in a person. Maybe that’s why his popularity and pop culture staying power has wavered since his debut in the early 1960s.

Allie Gemmill
Allie Gemmill is an experienced editor & entertainment journalist. She currently edits and writes at SheKnows, as well as Teen Vogue and Dazed (dot com). Previous bylines include: Bustle, Movie Pilot, VICE, Broadly, Bitch Flicks, and Vague Visages.