This May, Marvel is introducing an All-New Wasp on Free Comic Book Day before she makes her official debut in the pages of Mark Waid’s All-New, All-Different Avengers. And while the early rumors contended that this Wasp could be Hope Van Dyne or Katie Summers, a new interview with Waid suggests that the All-New Wasp is neither of those young women.

“[The new Wasp] has a strong connection to Hank Pym,” explained Waid while speaking to io9. “We will see that in the Free Comic Book Day story [that introduces her], and we will understand a large part of what that connection is, and how she has come to grips with this new Wasp identity. She’s a girl about 16, 17 years old, and we will see how she comes to grips [with her situation]…So this girl shows up at Hank Pym’s front door, looking to figure out what her connection to Hank is, and Hank is not there. Hank’s absence is a large part of what births this new Wasp as part of her origin.”

Given Marvel’s recent history of aligning its comic book universe more closely to the films, the new Wasp could still be Pym’s daughter, Hope…but perhaps this version of Hope wouldn’t be the daughter of Janet Van Dyne, the original Wasp. The new Wasp is also considerably younger than Evangeline Lilly’s Wasp from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Additionally, Waid indicated that the new Wasp would be a genius on par with Pym and Reed Richards who is “a biochemist wizard.” If she’s Pym’s daughter, then her intellect could be another way for her to carry the legacy of the Wasp.

As for Hank Pym, he’s due to return to Earth soon in Uncanny Avengers while still merged with Ultron (don’t ask). Waid also revealed that Janet Van Dyne will appear in Uncanny Avengers as well, and he went out of his way to assure classic Avengers fans that Janet isn’t being shuffled off of the stage in favor of her younger counterpart.

“I’ve always been a fan of the Wasp,” noted Waid. “The thing we had to be most careful about was making readers understand that this isn’t a dismissal of Janet Van Dyne or her legacy, and I think we’ve accomplished that in the way we’ve set up our story…We’re not in any way trying to replace Janet.”

FCBD All-New, All-Different Avengers # 1 will be released on Saturday, May 7.

Who do you think the All-New Wasp will be? Shrink down and share your opinions below!

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HT: io9

Image Credits: Marvel Comics