Who is Wonder Man? Marvel’s discontinued hero explained
MarvelAs part of Marvel’s new push of TV shows, the lesser-known Wonder Man will be getting his very own series.
Amid the excitement for Daredevil: Born Again, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and Marvel Zombies, the name Wonder Man might have slipped past a few minds.
But there’s more to this hero than meets the eye, and the new TV show in Marvel’s upcoming slate could prove to be the most meta yet.
Here’s everything you need to know about Wonder Man’s comic book origins and his new show.
Who is Wonder Man?
Simon Williams (aka Wonder Man) first appeared in Marvel Comics during The Avengers #9, originally starting out as a supervillain who fought the Avengers.
The comic was published in October 1964, introducing Wonder Man as a one-comic foe who died in the same issue.
Wonder Man was initially axed after his debut appearance because Marvel Comics was sued for his similarities to DC’s Wonder Woman.
In 1978, Stan Lee said: “You know, years ago we brought out Wonder Man, and [DC Comics] sued us because they had Wonder Woman, and… I said okay, I’ll discontinue Wonder Man. And all of a sudden they’ve got Power Girl [after Marvel had introduced Power Man]. Oh, boy. How unfair.”
MarvelHowever, he returned four years later, with the Avengers explaining that they electronically saved his mind into a computer.
He didn’t come back completely until The Avengers #102 in 1972, making a cameo while in a comatose state. In The Avengers #131-132, he was brought back to life by Kang, and once more by Black Talon in #152.
He wouldn’t be fully revived until The Avengers Annual #6, when he was brought back by the Living Laser.
By The Avengers #106, Wonder Man became fully aware and joined the superhero team as a full-time hero. Most notably, Wonder Man was good friends with X-Men’s the Beast, and the two would go out on the town together. (Even after both characters left the Avengers, they remained pals.)
The character later became a founding member of the West Coast Avengers, a miniseries spinoff. Across the years, he would come and go from the original Avengers group, and he eventually got his own self-titled graphic novel in 1986.
It’s important to note that, in 1981, Wonder Man peeled off from the Avengers to utilize his strength and become a stuntman and actor!
Wonder Man’s origins explained
Wonder Man is the alias of Simon Williams, the wealthy son of Sanford Williams, who transforms into a superhuman after being freed from prison by the villain Baron Heinrich Zemo.
Much like Tony Stark, Simon inherited his father’s company, Williams Innovations, when he died. However, competing against Stark Industries was a difficult task, and Simon saw his company’s profits collapse.
His brother Eric suggested that Simon embezzle funds from the company in order to invest in other ventures, but is later caught and arrested for doing so.
MarvelBlaming Stark for his downfall, Simon accepts the help of Baron Zemo on the condition that he infiltrate the Avengers.
When he agrees, Simon is transformed into a superhuman through chemical and radiation treatments. This granted him incredible strength, durability, speed, and reflexes. (His level of powers have even been compared to Thor’s and Sentry’s.) Of course, Zemo’s plan failed when Simon’s conscience made him unwilling to betray the Avengers.
Over the years, he would also develop abilities in regeneration, the capacity to go without air, food, and water, and energy projection.
But what’s most interesting about Wonder Man is his in-canon status as a talented stuntman and actor, which looks as though it’ll come into play during the upcoming Marvel show. (Read ahead for more on that!)
What is the Wonder Man Marvel show about?
Wonder Man will get his own self-titled TV show in December 2025, which stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams/Wonder Man.
The character was originally set for his MCU debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, played by Nathan Fillion. However, his scenes were later cut from the final movie.
The Marvel TV show will follow Simon Williams as an actor and stuntman who gains superhuman abilities and later becomes Wonder Man. In October 2024, a teaser was released for Marvel’s 2025 releases, including a preview of Wonder Man.
From the teaser, it looks as though Simon is a struggling actor auditioning for the part of Wonder Man in an upcoming movie. (In the comics, Simon has already become Wonder Man before turning to his acting career, so there’s a chance he’s already a superhuman in the TV show.)
The series also stars Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, reprising his role from Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Also in the cast is Demetrius Grosse as Eric Williams, Simon’s brother, and Ed Harris as Neal Saroyan, Simon’s agent.
The show will have ten episodes and be released on Disney+.
Will he be part of the MCU?
Yes, Wonder Man will be included in Phase 6 of the MCU!
With the inclusion of Trevor Slattery, it’s clear Simon Williams is already slipping into an existing version of the MCU. So, what does this mean for his future beyond the TV show?
MarvelWell, with Marvel’s new approach to TV and movies under the “Spotlight” banner, he may not have as large a role as one might assume. However, we know from his history in the comics that he was deeply involved in the Avengers storylines.
He may not have a major role in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, but since Wonder Man will premiere before both movies, he may show up as an already established character.
For more, take a look at our guides to all the best superhero movies to watch now. You can also keep up to date with Spider-Man 4, Captain America: Brave New World, and Thunderbolts. Don’t miss all the new movies coming out this month, too!