How WONDER MAN Paid Homage to Years of Marvel Comics Costumes Eric Diaz | usagoldmines.com

Wonder Man, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in the title role, is not your traditional Marvel superhero show. Mainly because the lead character, who does have superpowers, never actually gets to be a superhero. He just plays one in a movie. Nevertheless, the creators found a way to pay homage to the many different costumes that the Wonder Man character has worn in the comics over the years, designed by some of comics’ most iconic artists. Below, we present the major comic book costumes that Wonder Man gave a hat tip to.

The Original Wonder Man Costume (Color Scheme Only) Avengers #9 (1964)

The original Wonder Man costume was a red and green ensemble designed by artist Don Heck, and made its debut in 1964’s Avengers #9. It was very short-lived, as poor Simon Williams died in that very issue. But Marvel revived the character about a decade later, and he became an Avenger in earnest from there on out. The red and green color scheme lasted briefly, in a new costume designed by the great George Pérez.

The West Coast Avengers #12 Costume (1985)

That one didn’t last long either, replaced by his red jacket look (see below). But the red/green combo came back in Wonder Man’s new Al Milgrom-designed costume, which he wore while appearing in the West Coast Avengers series. That costume, debuting in 1985’s West Coast Avengers #12, lasted only a few issues before being replaced. However, Marvel Television chose this as the costume the in-universe character of Wonder Man wore on screen back in the ‘80s. It’s pretty much the exact same design, even the bulky yellow jet pack.

The Avengers #167 Red Jacket Costume (1977)

We would designate Simon’s late ‘70s costume as his second most popular. Starting in Avengers #167, he wore a bright red safari jacket over a black turtleneck. Black/blue pants and red boots accompanied this. He wore this outfit for much of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. And it was his costume when he began his career as a Hollywood actor and stuntman. He wore this costume in his first self-titled mini-series as well. The MCU Simon Williams wears a bright red jacket over a black turtleneck at the premiere of the Wonder Man movie. So it’s clearly a tip of the hat to that costume. The sunglasses Simon wore during this era to cover his glowing eyes also feature heavily in the series.

The West Coast Avengers #25 Red and Black Costume (1985)

Probably Wonder Man’s most famous costume is the one he began wearing in the late ‘80s. After the red/green costume “tested poorly with his fanbase,” he started wearing a black and red outfit, with a sleeveless t-shirt to show off his muscles. With some tweaks here and there, this costume has been his default for the better part of forty years now. And it’s the costume that Simon Williams wears in the movie reboot of Wonder Man that he stars in. Although, his version is clearly not spandex. Unfortunately, we barely see him wear it at all in the Wonder Man series. But when we do, he looks absolutely perfect in the suit.

The Avengers (Vol.3) #2 “Energy Costume”

In the final sequence of the series, Simon breaks his buddy Trevor out of prison, and flies off into the sky covered in purple ionic energy. This is a nod to Wonder Man’s “energy form” in the comics. This “look” debuted in the Avengers run by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez, starting in 1998. Sadly, we only see Simon this way from a distance, which seems like a waste. But who knows what the future may bring.

All episodes of Marvel’s Wonder Man are now streaming on Disney+.