LIGHTS, CAMERA, SUPER-HERO ACTION! Simon Williams has had his ups and down, from being manipulated into villainy by the Enchantress, to being one of the brightest stars in the Avengers! But just like Hollywood, no matter how low the lows, Simon keeps fighting the good fight! But what happens when the past finally catches up to him? Enter Randolph Chancellor: Simon’s former cellmate! A true love letter to L.A. as well as the history of Wonder Man. Wonder Man #1 delivers an interesting start that feels more like a detective whodunnit that your typical superhero comic.
At this point, I have no idea what the status is for Simon Williams/Wonder Man in the Marvel comic universe. He was a hero, he was a villain, he was a pacifist. But, thankfully with Wonder Man #1 you have to know none of that to enjoy it.
Writer Gerry Duggan seems to keep things rather simple and focused with the debut issue, keeping it to the main things that really make Simon Williams/Wonder Man stand out from all of the other heroes. Duggan dips into his past as a villain and the experiments done on him to give him power. Basically, he’s kind of a screw up, that’s never quite clicked. That’s not just being a superhero but also as an actor as well. He’s had some hits, he had his moment, but now he’s more of a fixer for the individuals that manage his career.
That gets him involved with an old friend who is having a sort of good streak for his career but also might have stolen a lot of money meant for a show. Wonder Man #1 feels like it echoes a recent real story of a producer who took a lot of money for a production and delivered nothing except goods for himself.
And that’s partially what makes Wonder Man #1 interesting. It has more to do with inside Hollywood baseball and a wink and nod but also has a feel that’s more like classic detective stories, down to the dame coming into the picture.
The art by Mark Buckingham is good. With ink by Aure Jimenez, color by Rachelle Rosenberg, and lettering by Joe Caramagna, the comic’s visuals are interesting, with a look that feels a bit like a reality show following Wonder Man. There’s a behind the scenes sort of vibe to it that’s interesting visually. That extends beyond the panel with pages whose sides look like a film reel. It all adds to the feel the comic is going for mixing superhero aesthetics with reality television. It works really well for the comic.
Wonder Man #1 is a solid start that isn’t what I expected at all. It has far more in common with detective stories than it does with modern superhero comics and is a great introduction to Simon Williams/Wonder Man. Well worth checking it out for something a little different.
Story: Gerry Duggan Art: Mark Buckingham
Ink: Aure Jimenez Color: Rachelle Rosenberg Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 8.0 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.85 Recommendation: Read
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
