Ant-Man & Spider-Man: Earth's Mightiest Scientists

Chapter 14: The Sandman Cometh

Author's Note: Based on Tales to Astonish No. 47 (1963) and The Amazing Spider-Man No. 4 (1963).

Jazz Radio Station

It was suppose to have been a relaxing evening watching another movie, which was Antz, as they opted to watch A Bug's Life together yesterday, in the break room from the comfort of their own lab, but then the Ant-Alarm started to go off signaling Hank's wristwatch in the process much to everybody's overall annoyance. While Hank was preoccupied with deciphering what kind of trouble that the ants were alerting them about this time, Peter was listening to music on his MP3 player with the use of those noise cancelling headphones and Janet was trying to find a station on the radio as she was bored out of her mind. That's when the socialite tuned in to a jazz station and some hypnotic sound began to affect everyone down in the basement level of the laboratory. All except for Peter who had on the headphones which were blocking out the piercing noise and the young lab assistant had to act quickly by pressing the off button on the radio. Knowing that they're dealing with someone who specializes in hypnosis once again, the Tiny Trio got in gear instantly and they were able to triangulate where that strange broadcast was coming from thanks to the help from Lee and Newton, who the latter was so eager to assist in anyway that the electrician can now that Dr. Cobbwell is fully aware of their heroic alter-egos. It was something that will take some time getting use to but it's quite liberating that they didn't have to keep on lying to the kind elderly scientist as it felt like a huge weight has been lifted off their shoulders.

Fast forward to now at a radio station downtown where Ant-Man, Spider-Man and the Wasp were being held captive by three musicians, who were under some form of mind control by a Jazz trumpet player. The well-dressed man had on a black business suit with a green turban and an orange ascot wrapped around his neck and the bearded maniac was smiling fiendishly at the restrained heroes while holding on to his precious trumpet.

"You three are about to have front row seats to my masterful performance, Tiny Trio!" The devious trumpeter gloated to his bug-themed opponents. "You're just in the nick of time to witness greatness! Once I begin to play my mesmerizing melody over the airwaves, the listeners of New York will soon be under my sway forcing them to surrender their treasures and valuables over to the Master of Music! Liso Trago!"

"Trago?" Wasp tilted her head with a confused expression that was written on her face and then the socialite's eyes widened when she seem to recall encountering him during one of the couple's date nights. "Weren't you the guy that Ant-Man and I stopped from making a run for it after we caught you stealing from your boss at some night club few months back?"

"You're probably dying to know the story about how I came across this musical power!" Trago boasted to the trio with a smug smirk as he took immense satisfaction at the idea that his victory was most certainly assured.

"Uh no, man. Not really-" Spider-Man blankly said with zero interest in his voice only to get promptly interrupted by his mentor.

"Why yes of course, Trago! We would very much like to hear it!" Ant-Man was quick to interject as Spider-Man had to raise an eyebrow at this sudden odd turn of behavior.

"What are you doing?!" Spider-Man loudly whispered to the entomologist but what he doesn't realize is that the ant-themed hero already had a plan of his own in motion.

"Just go with it!" The entomologist quietly shushed his young protege to remain silent.

"You see it all started about two months ago and I was just your average unappreciated artist trying to make a decent living here in Manhattan by entertaining the uncultured masses at Club Cosgrove with my music," Trago looked away from the group for a moment while staring down at his prized musical instrument in melancholy.