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Wonder Man #1 is an example of MCU synergy, which is something that comic readers usually complain about. Marvel Comics has been changing its comics for movie fans who definitely aren’t ever going to buy comics, and it can get pretty frustrating. However, the creative team of Gerry Duggan and Mark Buckingham understood the assignment and give readers a wonderful old school first issue.
Rating: 4 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
| Duggan captures the feel of Hollywood, while nailing the characters and giving readers a fun, accessible story | This book is a great read, but it’s not going to reinvent wheel and it definitely isn’t about the MCU Wonder Man |
| Buckingham is an old pro, and his art is fantastic | |
| Cool mystery plot, a fun return, and a big surprise add up to a great first issue |
Duggan Captures the Hollywood Hero Perfectly
Wonder Man has been getting a lot of praise, so the character getting a comic series isn’t as huge a shock as him getting a show. Writer Gerry Duggan, a resident of Los Angeles, is honestly a pretty uneven scribe; he redefined who Deadpool could be, but he also was one of the biggest problems with the X-Men’s Krakoa Era. His Godzilla comics have done well, but West Coast Avengers sank like a stone. However, he was the perfect choice for this issue, because he’s someone who understands the Hollywood system, having worked with his friend Brian Posehn in Tinsel Town. Right from the first page, you can feel him using this experience to make the book feel correct in a way that most creators who have worked on Wonder Man can’t.
As far as it goes, Duggan is a white meat superhero writer. He’s not going to challenge readers too much, and his stories work best when he keeps it simple because he doesn’t really have the chops for grand storytelling (other than Deadpool). This first issue isn’t remaking superhero comics, and it’s stronger for it. This is a pretty standard first issue, laying out the status quo, catching up fans who don’t know the character very well, and giving readers a solid mystery plot that will pull them in. The characters shine in this book, and there’s a few great Marvel mainstays here who add to the fun of it. This isn’t the MCU Wonder Man, and it’s not some redefinition of the character. It’s just good old fashioned superhero goodness, which is Duggan’s sweet spot.
