Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as wonder man with comic art
As Yahya Abdul-Mateen II brings Wonder Man to life over on Disney+, more people than ever before are getting to know the Hollywood hero. And with that increased fandom, it's impossible to hide Simon Williams' dark secret - he's had some truly terrible costumes and designs over the years.
However, Wonder Man has also had some great designs. We're looking at the top 7, with hopes that the MCU will see fit to include them at some point in the future. Wonder Man's Hollywood Redesign As Seen in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 #18 by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Wesley Craig In the distant future of 3009, the Guardians of the Galaxy battle a Martian army at the end of the universe. The team are aided by a rangy old superhero who goes by the nickname 'Hollywood' - a version of Simon Williams whose ionic body makes him functionally immortal. The costume itself is nothing special - a composite of Wonder Man's classic costumes, now with an 'H' logo - but Wesley Craig draws him with so much rueful glee that it's hard not to love this version of Simon. The awesome beard, the old-man muscles, the sparkling red eyes behind shades, and the fact that Simon is keeping his Hollywood dream alive make this alternate-future take Wonder Man's best variant. Wonder Man 1872 Debuted in 1872 #3 by Gerry Duggan and Nik Virella Marvel's 1872 series reimagines Marvel lore in the Wild West, and casts Simon Williams in his original role as a villain. This Simon Williams has no superpowers, although he is a skilled grappler. This is the most dapper Wonder Man has ever looked, and those octagonal, red-tinted sunglasses are absolutely awesome, and really work for his more sinister characterization. Wonder Man's Original Villain Costume First Seen in Avengers Volume 1 #9 by Stan Lee and Don Heck Like many other Avengers, Wonder Man first appeared as a villain, and his look is suitably threatening. This initial look gives Simon Williams goggles, his Hercules-esque red bracers, and his giant 'W' logo, which has always emphasized his barrel chest. The patterning on his midriff is a nightmare detail that surely contributed to this costume's short lifespan, but ultimately Wonder Man looks like a muscular threat who could put Iron Man through a wall, which is what his creators were going for at the time. Wonder Man's West Coast Avengers Costume First Seen in Avengers Volume 1 #253 by Roger Stern and Bob Hall After his terrible red jacket phase , Wonder Man began wearing a black bodysuit with bare arms and a chunky red rocket pack on his waist. This is the costume that came to define Simon Williams' future looks, and he wore it throughout his service on the Avengers and West Coast Avengers. Today, the look is just slightly on the wrong side of kitsch thanks to the tank top-style cut, but Marvel eventually nailed this look Ultimate Universe Wonder Man Design Debuted in Ultimate Comics Ultimates #22 by Sam Humphries and Joe Bennett In the Ultimate Universe - aka Earth-6160 - Wonder Man is a former bodybuilder granted Hulk-like powers. Unstable and filled with rage, Wonder Man is a SHIELD asset who eventually ends up attacking the heroic Ultimates. Simon's physical design was nothing special, though it was fun to have him grow bigger and bigger the more he fought. However the costume adds cool details like huge metallic boots, a spangled bodysuit and a fuel cannister-style utility belt, treating Wonder Man as the superhero equivalent of a tank. Fans have often asserted that the MCU's realistic aesthetic came from the Ultimate Universe, and this costume is good evidence for that claim. Wonder Man's Ionic Form As Seen in Avengers Volume 3 #2 by Kurt Busiek and George Perez After dying and being brought back to life by the Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man tapped into his ionic powers in new ways. Since gaining powers, Simon has never been truly human, but rather an ionic being voluntarily projecting a human shape. The way Simon looks is little more than a memory of when he was human. As an energy being, Wonder Man no longer looks like an average superhero - he's visually different and bursting with energy, with iconic 'Kirby dots' paying tribute to one of the fathers of the Marvel Universe. Purple is also a rare color for superheroes, so making Wonder Man all about it sets him apart as truly unique. Most of Wonder Man's designs see him disappear into the crowd when surrounded by other heroes, but his energy form broke that streak. Wonder Man's Pacifist Redesign As Seen in Avengers Volume 4 #2 by Brian Michael Bendis and Klaus Janson After once again returning from death, Simon decided that the Avengers had failed as an idea and adopted a pacifist worldview, taking advantage of the fact that he can't be physically hurt. This costume is basically an update of Bob Hall's classic look, but in doing so, it removes the worst aspects of that former design. Simon now has bare arms but a covered chest, making him feel wider and more muscular Bands of color break up his black torso in the right places, making the costume feel more in-tune with superhero iconography, and a more modern haircut cuts down the kitsch factor. Ultimately, this is as good as Wonder Man has ever looked - a thing you can say of a lot of heroes when they're drawn by Daniel Acuña Subscribe to our newsletter for top comic design insights Craving more behind-the-scenes takes on character looks? Subscribe to our newsletter to get curated spotlights on costume evolution, designer highlights, and rankings across comics and pop culture — perfect for fans who care about design details. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Those are the best Wonder Man designs of all time, but there are plenty of others - let us know below what you think of our ranking, and what other Simon Williams looks belong on our list. 9.3/10 Wonder Man 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Superhero Adventure Comedy Release Date January 27, 2026 Network Disney+ Writers Andrew Guest Franchise MCU Cast See All
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