This article contains spoilers from Thunderbolts #1, on sale now by Marvel Comics.
Second chances don’t come easy, and no other Marvel Comics hero knows this truth better than Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man. With a past plagued by shame and self-loathing, Simon has struggled to find his confidence as a superhero. Redemption is a road filled with regrets, and he has made enough bad decisions to build a mountain. From teaming up with Baron Zemo to seducing Wanda Maximoff while Vision suffered peril, Simon has a multitude of reasons to prove that he’s a failed hero.
Like Wonder Man, the rag-tag crew in Thunderbolts #1 (by Jim Zub, Sean Izaakse, and Java Tartaglia) have their fair share of ghosts to haunt them. The Purple Man's daughter, Persuasion (Kara Killgrave), knows the sting of self-doubt well. When she found out who her father was she began to question her own morality. The Thunderbolts' conflicted members need a leader who has been through the same struggles, someone who will understand and not judge. This may make Wonder Man the right coach to guide the team toward redemption.
Thunderbolts #1 begins with a quick chat between Hawkeye and Wonder Man, a chat that will lay the foundation for Wonder Man’s path to lead the group. In their phone call, Hawkeye pleas to reunite the West Coast Avengers, enticing Simon to dust off his old suit and relive the glory days. Before Wonder Man can decide, Clint receives an urgent call from Mayor Luke Cage, who invites him to lead his new, rebranded Thunderbolts. Clint accepts Luke’s offer and heads to NYC to fight with the team; however, by the issue’s end, Hawkeye’s eyes glow in a sinister manner, leaving the team without a leader they can trust.
Throughout his career, Simon has been forced to choose sides. During Marvel’s Civil War event, he advocated for the Superhero Registration Act, which forced him to label his former allies as bitter foes. Simon drew a thick line in the sand when he condemned the Avengers in the Dark Reign event, aligning him with Norman Osborn and his vision for a utopian world. His romance with the Scarlet Witch severed his relationship with his brother, Vision. To escape his failings, Simon fled to Hollywood to be an actor, believing that his ‘act’ as a hero might translate to being a successful actor on the silver screen. Yet, Wonder Man’s call wouldn’t cease, as Simon suited up again despite his self-doubt.
Simon’s struggles may disqualify him in some readers’ eyes, but his failings ultimately prepare him to lead the Thunderbolts, the team of second chances. In Avengers Two: Wonder Man and Beast #1-3 (by Roger Stern, Mark Bagley, Greg Adams, and Tom Smith), Simon sets out for a night on the town with his best friend, Beast. Unfortunately, their fun is short-lived, as the monstrous Lotus and It the Living Colossus arrive to spoil the mood. Thankfully, Wonder Man and Beast make quick work of their foes, but the battle is not over yet. Instead of partying with his pal on the Sunset Strip, Hank corners Simon for a heart-to-heart, challenging the reluctant hero to cast off his self-doubt.
Beast confronts his best friend's shame head-on, exposing the truth behind Simon's escape to Hollywood. Even though Simon has erred from his true calling, he should remember that Hank -- and the rest of the world -- believe that Wonder Man is a hero. While the public has forgiven Simon’s past transgressions, the famed actor and former Avenger, unfortunately, has not. To spark his journey toward self-acceptance, Simon creates the Second Chance Foundation, an organization to help citizens and superheroes face their failures and fight again.
The Thunderbolts can serve as the living embodiment of Simon’s Second Chance Foundation. No other Marvel character knows the pain of regret quite like Simon Williams. He understands what it feels like to harm a friend and hurt a brother. Throughout his tenure as an Avenger, Simon believed he was wearing a mask, a mask that hid who he truly was -- a villain. He fled to Hollywood not to escape Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but to escape himself. Yet he has learned to extend grace and compassion, knowing that there’s power in being kind to oneself. With these internal powers in hand, Wonder Man can guide the Thunderbolts to believe that the past does not define them, for they are just like Simon -- heroes through and through.