The 8 Greatest Wonder Man Comics
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Actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has a Hollywood resume unlike many other actors. He has portrayed three prominent comic book characters in films and TV. He took on the role of Dr. Manhattan in HBO’s The Watchmen. The actor was cast as Black Manta in the Aquaman films. In 2026, he played the Ultimates Comics version of Wonder Man in the Disney+ series of the same name. While Abdul-Mateen II’s casting was initially seen as controversial due to race-bending, it became obvious that the outrage was coming from people who had never even read the greatest Wonder Man comics.
Simon Williams, also known as Wonder Man, is one of the most powerful characters in Marvel Comics. He is a Superman analogue. He has super speed, strength, reflexes, and the power of flight.
Wonder Man is canonically white, but then again, so is Nick Fury. Wonder Man is a very old character and has been in the comic books for decades. However, most casual readers and comic book film fans had never heard of him before.
So, if you’re prepping to watch the Disney+ series, or just really curious about the character, here are the eight greatest Wonder Man comics you should read now. But first, here is a brief character origin.
Simon Williams 101
Simon Williams made his debut in The Avengers #9 in October 1964. Williams was the son of an industrialist put out of business by Tony Stark. After turning to crime and going to jail, Williams agrees to become a guinea pig for an experiment to give him superpowers.
Baron Zemo imbues Williams with ionic energy, which turns Williams into Wonder Man. Williams now has super strength, speed, reflexes, healing factor, the power of flight, and is immortal. Williams became a being of pure ionic energy; he does not need to breathe, sleep, eat, or drink to survive.
In the beginning, Williams was initially a villain but soon became an ally and then an official member of the Avengers. The character is 62 years old and has a very deep history in Marvel Comics as an Avenger, but that is the short version. Here are the eight greatest Wonder Man comics.
1. Avengers Annual #6 (1976)
Williams attacks the Avengers while under the mind control of the Living Laser. Hank McKoy, Beast from the X-Men, became an Avenger during this era. He knocks Williams out, disrupting the Living Laser’s influence. This is one of the greatest Wonder Man comics because it is the dawn of Williams becoming a good guy. This comic was also the start of Williams and Beast’s long-running bromance as best friends in the 1970s and 1980s.
2. Wonder Man #1 (1986)
The Hollywood action hero and stuntmen were cultural icons in the 1980s. It was during this era of comics that Simon Williams was given a character reimagining as a Hollywood celebrity, stuntman, and actor. This comic is a one-shot that helps set the modern personality tone for the character that we know today.
3. Avengers #160 (1977)
Simon’s older brother, Eric, holds a deep resentment for him. Eric feels his parents had a preference for Simon over him. Initially, it was Simon and Eric working with Baron Zemo to battle the Avengers. After Simon dies in his first battle with the Avengers (more on that later), Eric becomes the Grim Reaper to deal with his grief.
In the comics, Hank Pym uses the brain patterns of Simon to create The Vision. Eric resurrects Simon and manipulates him into attacking Vision. This is one of the greatest Wonder Man comics because Simon learns he is not human anymore, and that he is a being made of pure ionic energy.
4. Marvel Premiere #55 (1972)
Marvel Premiere #55 is one of the greatest Wonder Man comics ever because it is technically Simon’s first solo adventure. Simon battles Madam Masque and the Maggia, the Marvel Comics version of the 1980s and 1990s Italian-American Mafia. Various crime syndicates want to take Williams Innovations, Simon’s family corporation, and Simon stops them.
5. West Coast Avengers #1 (1984)
This four-issue limited series was the first time that the Avengers’ name would be franchised to the West Coast. The original Avengers had their headquarters in New York City. So, the goal was the franchise so that there were multiple strike teams when multiple threats occur. Iron Man, Mockingbird, and Hawkeye would join, with Hawkeye leading the team.
Simon would become a prominent member of the team and a regular member. After a relaunch, the West Coast Avengers would go on a 102-issue run. In the 1980s and 1990s, Simon Williams was mostly known as West Coast Avenger.
6. West Coast Avengers #25 (1985)
In this comic, Simon invites the Avengers to the Hollywood premiere of his new action film “Arkon IV: The Goblin Pit.” Simon plays the villain in a film starring Arnold Scwartzburger. The Abomination, a Hulk villain, crashes the premiere and causes chaos. This is one of the greatest Wonder Man comics because Simon realizes that he cannot be an action star, a Hollywood celebrity, and an Avenger.
Simon ultimately chooses to focus his energies on being an Avenger. The themes in this story, of Simon wrestling with his powers, identity, and celebrity ambition, also mirror the story themes of the recent Disney+ series.
7. Avengers #1 (1998)
The Avenger battles against powerful enemies like Morgan Le Fay, the Squadron Supreme, and Ultron. In this series, Simon temporarily loses his human form and aesthetically presents as a being of pure ionic energy. Simon begins to believe that he is in love with Scarlet Witch since he shares brain chemistry with Vision.
After Vision was taken apart in another storyline, Simon and Wanda began a torrid, romantic relationship. However, when Vision came back as the White Vision, and without any emotions, their relationship ended. Simon believed that since Vision’s brain is based on his own brain patterns, it was destiny that Simon and Wanda be together, a destiny that would never be.
8. The Avengers #9 (1964)
This is where it all began for Simon Williams. After getting his powers from Baron Zemo, Sion attacks the Avengers. Simon is convinced to ally himself with the Avengers and changes his mind. He ultimately loses his life, sacrificing himself, to stop Baron Zemo. Hank Pym records Simon’s brain patterns, which would later be used to create Vision.
Unknown to the Avengers, Simon is in a catatonic state. His body is changing into pure ionic energy, and the character will come back later.
Wonder Man: The Early Years Omnibus is a 1,064-page hardcover. It collects all of the early appearances from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Buy it now for $104 on Amazon.
The Greatest Wonder Man Comics
One of the main problems of the MCU post-Endgame is that they were trying to make films and shows for everyone. Marvel Comics has over 11,000 characters, depending on who you ask. Every character cannot find a proper representation in adapted media. One of the casualties until now has been Wonder Man.
Depending on the events of Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, we may not see Wonder Man again. So, if you like the character, consider reading his comic book stories, which go all the way back to 1964. It’s like I always say, the best comic book stories are in the comic books, not the films or streaming shows.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College and has decades of experience in comic investing and personal finance. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen now focuses on comic book reviews, collectible investments, and helping others collect and enjoy comics.