Wonder Man premiered on Disney+ last month to glowing reviews. If one thing has become clear since then, it's that MCU fans want to see more of Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery moving forward.
Marvel Studios made some big changes to the character during his journey from page to screen. In the comics, Simon is given powers by Baron Zemo and tasked with taking out The Avengers. He eventually sees the error of his ways, and while Wonder Man has flirted with villainy over the years, he's become a mainstay in the superhero team (his brain patterns were even used as a basis for Vision).
The MCU's Simon was introduced as an actor, and likely another mutant whose powers emerged during his formative years. After starring in a reboot of "Wonder Man," he breaks Trevor out of the Department of Damage Control's Supermax prison and blasts away.
Marvel Comics has long been influenced by what happens on screen, and it's now been confirmed that we're getting a new, black Wonder Man later this year. The original Simon is white, but Marvel Studios cast the immensely talented Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for its version, a decision which has been met with widespread approval, given how superb the Watchmen star is in the role.
What's the deal with this new Wonder Man? We don't know. He was shown to ComicsPRO attendees alongside another new character, Hostilicus. Chances are that they'll both get these powers after being exposed to the Origin Boxes that Miles Morales brought back from the Ultimate Universe.
As a reminder, in that alternate reality, The Maker stopped countless people from becoming heroes by storing away the reason for their respective transformations (for example, he stole the spider that was meant to bite Peter Parker).
It's not clear what this means for the original Wonder Man, but it could be the end of the line for him. When Marvel Comics introduced a Black Nick Fury, he was revealed as Nick Fury Jr., the son of the original version, who was later turned into a villain before vanishing. The weird thing there was that Samuel L. Jackson's Nick was actually based on his lookalike in the alternate reality Ultimates series.
You can check out a first look at the new Wonder Man below. It turns out he was also on the cover for Reborn: Ultimate Impact #1, we just didn't realise it at the time.
THE ULTIMATE UNIVERSE'S LEGACY LIVES ON!
MILES MORALES returned from the Ultimate Universe with a plan: safeguard the ORIGIN BOXES – catalysts for the creation of new super heroes – before they fall into the wrong hands! But the secret is out as Miles' battle over the boxes engulfs the entire Marvel U! This May, Chris Condon (ULTIMATE WOLVERINE) and Stefano Caselli (ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER) team up to create stunning and unforgettable new characters on both sides of a conflict that will shape the future of the 616!
REBORN: ULTIMATE IMPACT #1 (OF 5)
Written by CHRIS CONDON
Art by STEFANO CASELLI
Cover by BEN HARVEY
On Sale 5/20