WONDER MAN
Despite his villainous start, Simon Williams became a respected member of the Avengers and a Hollywood superstar. As Wonder Man, he uses his ionic energy powers to perform stunts when he isn't saving the world—and they've even allowed him to defy death a time or two. Here's how Wonder Man went from villain to Avenger to celebrity on the silver screen.
A Star-Making Turn
In Avengers (1963) #9
To escape a sticky situation, Simon Williams aligns himself with Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil, who imbue him with ionic energy. Using his new abilities as Wonder Man, Simon joins the Avengers as a double agent, but ultimately undergoes a change of heart with deadly results.
In Avengers (1963) #151
Resurrected by his brother Eric Williams, AKA Grim Reaper, for nefarious purposes, Simon overcomes his reconditioning starting in this issue. This sets him down the path that leads him to join the Avengers as a full-fledged member of the team.
In Avengers (1963) #164
In this issue, Simon comes to understand the true nature of his ionic powers, leading him to experience some doubts about his place on the Avengers. He also rocks a costume designed for him by Beast, cementing their growing friendship.
West Coast Avengers: The Beginning
In West Coast Avengers (1984) #1
When Hawkeye and Mockingbird launch the West Coast Avengers in L.A., Simon joins alongside Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes' Iron Man and Tigra. As a rising star, he must juggle his responsibilities as Wonder Man with his budding film career.
West Coast Avengers: The Expansion
In West Coast Avengers (1985) #1
As the West Coast Avengers grow to include heroes like Iron Man (Tony Stark), Wasp, Ant-Man (Hank Pym), Vision, and Scarlet Witch, Simon remains a core member of the team. In this series, he faces his brother Grim Reaper, establishes a familial relationship with Vision, develops feelings for Scarlet Witch, reveals his past villainy to the public, and undergoes other milestone moments in his heroic journey.
In WONDER MAN 1 (1986) #1
In this one-shot, Simon takes a break from acting and heroing to try a new gig: tech testing. At CordCo, a former arm of Stark Enterprises, he must employ his powers when an interdimensional experiment goes terribly wrong.
In Force Works (1994) #1
After the West Coast Avengers disband, Simon joins Force Works, a new West Coast-based super-team led by Iron Man. Unfortunately, he doesn't last long on this team, thanks to a targeted attack by the Kree.
In Avengers (1998) #2
Despite his apparent death, Simon returns in this issue as a being of pure energy. During a fight with Morgan Le Fay, Scarlet Witch uses her powers to reach out for help, inadvertently summoning Wonder Man's ionic energy. Simon initially has trouble maintaining this physical form, but his rekindled romance with Wanda helps stabilize him.
In Wonder Man (2006) #1
Now fully reconstituted, Simon embraces his status as a true Hollywood star, to the point that a director talks him into rehabilitating a wannabe assassin who just tried to kill them for his latest project: a super hero retelling of 'Pygmalion.'
In The Mighty Avengers (2007) #1
Following the events of CIVIL WAR, in which he fought on the pro-registration side, Simon joins the Mighty Avengers at Carol Danvers' request. The two strike up a romance even as they face threats like Mole Man, Doctor Doom, and the Skrulls alongside Iron Man, Black Widow, Sentry, Wasp, and Ares.
In New Avengers Annual (2011) #1
Disillusioned by the Avengers' recent failures, Simon turns against his former team and enlists superhumans like Anti-Venom, Goliath, Atlas, and D-Man to take them down. With these Revengers, he attacks Avengers Mansion in this first half of a two-part story.
In Avengers Annual (2012) #1
In the second half of this Revengers tale, the Avengers rally and confront Simon. He shares a heart-to-heart with his old pal Beast, while the public reckons with the message he initially set out to get across.
In Uncanny Avengers (2012) #5
At Wasp's behest, Simon reluctantly joins the Avengers Unity Division despite his newfound commitment to pacifism. He joins Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Havok, Thor, and Rogue, who ends up using her absorption powers on him in a startling way.
In Uncanny Avengers (2015) #28
In this three-part story, Simon and Beast reunite to reminisce about their glory days on the Avengers, only to find themselves pulled back into action by a super villain car chase and some mystical mayhem involving the servants of Cyttorak.
In War of the Realms: Journey Into Mystery (2019) #1
To protect Thor's baby sister during the WAR OF THE REALMS, Simon joins Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), and Balder the Brave on a madcap journey across the Marvel Universe.
Avengers Emergency Response Squad (AvengE.R.S.)
In Avengers Assemble (2024) #1
In the aftermath of BLOOD HUNT, Captain America assembles a team of Avengers to have on standby in case of emergency. While Cap takes select teammates out to face Red Skull's daughter Sin, Simon sticks to the base with Hawkeye, She-Hulk, Hercules, Julie Power, Night Thrasher, Lightning, and Jarvis, where they get up to some trouble of their own.
In West Coast Avengers (2024) #7
When Iron Man forms a new team of West Coast Avengers, Simon stops by to confront the newcomer who attempts to take the name Wonder Man, only to learn of the lasting impression he left on the public through his on-screen roles and his real life heroism.