Wonder Man

WONDER MAN [Simon Williams]

First Appearance: Avengers V1 #9 (Oct 1964)

First Avengers Appearance: Avengers V1 #9 (Oct 1964)

Williams Innovations, owned by Simon Williams had fallen on hard times. Williams blamed rival industrialist Tony Stark and egged on by his brother Eric, Simon embezzled from the company. Down and out he accepted a proposition from  Baron Zemo, to infiltrate and destroy the Avengers. Zemo uses his technology to transform Williams into an ion-powered super-man. Dubbed Wonder Man he is sent to join the Avengers. Zemo ensures Williams obedience with the threat of needing ongoing treatment to retain his powers and his life.

Williams cannot go through with the plan and Wonder Man saves the Avengers, apparently at the cost of his own life. Iron Man makes a recording of Wonder man’s brain patterns. However Wonder Man's body has simply entered a catatonic state as it adjusts to the effects of the ion treatment. Simon’s brother Eric, vows revenge on the Avengers who he believes is responsible for his brother’s death. Eric becomes the Grim Reaper and battles The Avengers a number of times before he learns firstly that Simon’s brain patterns had been used in the creation of the Vision and later that Simon is still alive.

Wonder Man remains in his inert state for years, and it is during this time that the artificial intelligence known as Ultron, steals the brain patterns recorded by Iron Man for use as a template for his synthezoid creation later called The Vision. When Wonder Man is eventually revived he remains with The Avengers and is finally inducted as a member. 

Refer also to the entry Avengers: Wonder Man