Following Fantastic Four: First Steps, Eyes of Wakanda, and Marvel Zombies, Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues with Wonder Man. For those who don’t know, Wonder Man, aka Simon Williams, is a superhero from the Marvel comics who has the power to harness ionic energy and doubles as a Hollywood actor. (As for some extra Marvel comics lore, he was also the founding member of a West Coast branch of the Avengers and his brain waves were used by Ultron to create Vision.) This series leans very heavily into the Hollywood aspect of the character, as it follows Simon Williams as a struggling actor who must keep his superpowers a secret to obtain the role of a lifetime. Of course, like many of the Marvel series that came before, there are many Easter eggs throughout that remind audiences that this series takes place in the MCU, including some of the most obscure Marvel comics references to characters such as Doorman and the Department of Damage Control serving as the series’ main antagonist. (Damage Control has appeared in other Marvel projects since Avengers: Endgame such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, She-Hulk, and Ms. Marvel.) However, what makes this series different is how the Hollywood aspect of the character is utilized to give us an entertaining dramedy that is only elevated by its cleverly written commentary on the intricacies of Hollywood showbusiness and the chemistry between the series’ two protagonists. (Simon is joined by Trevor Slattery, a character who has underwent a significant amount of character development since he posed as the Mandarin in Iron Man 3.) The series isn’t very action heavy, which may dissappoint some Marvel fans looking for more action packed fare, but the tension that came with Simon trying to hide his earthshaking powers along with the endearing relationships between the characters did more than enough to keep me captivated. My only real gripe with the series is that it ended quite abruptly. I’d very much like to see the continuing adventures of Simon and Trevor, as well as what role these characters will play in the MCU going forward. This series was actually directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the same director of Shang-Chi and the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, so I’m definitely looking forward to seeing this filmmaker’s winning streak continue. Score: 8/10
Noah Robinson 