Micheleen Martin of Looper has the right of it in saying that Wonder Man isn’t really that popular of a hero since he’s not only had his fair share of issues in the past, but he’s kind of moved in and out of the spotlight over the years as he’s been written in as a guy that’s continually plagued by mental issues that either wants to make a difference or doesn’t want to get involved. It’s easy to see that Simon Williams is a guy that, through a twist of fate, was given a life that he might never have experienced had he just gone to prison and not been looking for a way out. There’s a reason why he started out his days in the comics as a villain and there’s an equally confounding reason why he just had to become the hero at one point, and it’s because he’s kind of a flake when it comes to the world of superheroes, as he’s been for a good deal of his run in the comics. A lot of heroes have had qualms about the lives they’ve led, and some of them have even walked away from it all more than once due to issues that have arisen from their dealings in one situation or another, but in his defense, Williams is a guy that’s been manipulated a couple of times and lost a lot of confidence in himself over the years only to become someone that no longer wants to fight but still has no need to fear anything or anyone since he’s been made indestructible, and immortal, by the writers.
There are rumors that we’ll see Williams in the MCU at some point but at this time it’s easier to think that he’ll be second-string or a serious threat that eventually gets downgraded to a new member of the Avengers, if Disney wants to take things that far. Given how they’ve treated various stories upon adapting them to their own liking it might be that Wonder Man could become kind of a joke character that’s not nearly as great as he was in the comics. In a way he’s very much like a Superman character in that he can fly, he has powers given to him year by year as things continue to change and evolve, and he’s just ridiculously powerful to the point that even taking on the Hulk doesn’t worry him too much. One reason for not bringing him on, yet, is pretty simple: there are just too many characters to think about at the moment and getting the most popular and core characters was obviously a priority. Simon Williams has actually been around since the 60s, but again he’s not much of a constant force since he’ll stick around for a little bit and then take off, making him kind of a part-timer when it comes to the Avengers.
A lot of his arc has also been focused on him being an egotist at times for various reasons, though this wouldn’t do much to dissuade Disney from bringing him on. But the fact that he would need to be de-powered a bit, or would be anyway, might rub some fans the wrong way since in the comics, just like many other characters, Simon is one of the toughest people on the Avengers and has been able to take on some of the toughest opponents they’ve ever faced. Why he doesn’t get as much credit is due solely to his character and how he’s been written throughout the years since his reluctance to use his powers, especially since becoming a pacifist, has made him something less than desirable to a lot of people since being one of the most powerful individuals in the Marvel universe he’s kind of expected to take care of problems any way he can. Why the writers made him this way is kind of confusing since he’s not a mentally stable individual and yet he’s one of the best assets the Avengers have ever had. Anyone that can take on some of the powerhouses they’ve dealt with and walk away is obviously someone with a lot of potential, but as one might be able to find out in the comics he’s stood by the Avengers and he’s worked against them alternately throughout his timeline, and somehow he’s always managed to redeem himself. As a character he’s kind of a mess and does put the hypocrisy firmly in the court of Marvel fans that like to say that DC characters are simply too over-powered for their own good. Of course there are several characters we could say this about, but the one thing about DC characters is that while they and Marvel characters are both overpowered, Marvel characters tend to come with a lot more emotional baggage more often. That could be why they appear a little more realistic. Matthew Aguilar of Comic Book has more to say on this topic.
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