Spoilers Wonder Man all episodes now streaming

[Paul Farquhar]

In the original comics' version he was a small-time actor, who got empowered by Baron Zemo so he could be a spy for him as a member of The Avengers. He flipped and allied with The Avengers, instead, and was killed. Then his life essence inhabited The Vision (who I believe was created by Hank Pym, not Tony Stark in comics), then was reborn later on.

So the similarities to the 80s Flash Gordon movie (the American Dan Dare) and the British Eagle comic aren’t from the original.

 

[Tonguez]

In the original comics' version he was a small-time actor, who got empowered by Baron Zemo so he could be a spy for him as a member of The Avengers. He flipped and allied with The Avengers, instead, and was killed. Then his life essence inhabited The Vision (who I believe was created by Hank Pym, not Tony Stark in comics), then was reborn later on.

Simon Williams was originally a "Wealthy Industrialist" who went bankrupt trying to compete with Stark Industries, thus he blamed Tony, which allowed Zemo to manipulate him. Zemo used "Ionic Energy" to turn Simon into a "living engine of destruction" to rival Thor and Hulk.
It was after his resurrection in the 70s that he used his indestructible body to become a movie stuntman

and yes the original Wonderman did indeed fly with the help of a jetpack

 

[Morrus]

Wow. I love Ben Kingsley but his accent to wandering all over the shop. Liverpool, Birmingham, sometimes veering into a touch of Scottish, everywhere!

 

[Rabulias]

Then his life essence inhabited The Vision (who I believe was created by Hank Pym, not Tony Stark in comics), then was reborn later on.

You are correct about the Vision being created by Hank Pym in the comics, but IIRC, it was not his "life essence" but his "memory engrams" and "brain patterns" that were used to encode the Vision's personality. And while Simon was thought to have died, the ionic energy regenerated him.

 

[Ryujin]

Simon Williams was originally a "Wealthy Industrialist" who went bankrupt trying to compete with Stark Industries, thus he blamed Tony, which allowed Zemo to manipulate him. Zemo used "Ionic Energy" to turn Simon into a "living engine of destruction" to rival Thor and Hulk.
It was after his resurrection in the 70s that he used his indestructible body to become a movie stuntman

and yes the original Wonderman did indeed fly with the help of a jetpack

Thanks. It's been a long time. So that would make Justin Hammer a stand-in for Williams. Most of my exposure to Wonder Man was post rebirth, when he was composed of energy.

 

[chuckdee]

Another thing I’m probably wrong about the significance was the Eagle cinema. I’m unfamiliar with the original Wonderman comics, but it all seemed very similar to Dan Dare.

From watching another reactor, it's actually a real place. They had fond memories of going there when they lived there. And this is something that I've seen from several reactors - unlike many places set in real locales, this one is apparently shot in LA. They were surprised at actually recognizing places and things going on, and wondering how they got those shots.

I've finished it, and it is now my favorite TV property, bar none.

 

[pukunui]

Wow. I love Ben Kingsley but his accent to wandering all over the shop. Liverpool, Birmingham, sometimes veering into a touch of Scottish, everywhere!

Maybe he did it on purpose to show how addled Trevor's brain is from the years of drugs and such? That said, I am reminded of his performance in Ender's Game as Mazer Rackham, a Māori commander with a complete moko on his face ... yet his accent was very Australian. I know the Kiwi accent is hard to get right (I've lived here for over 20 years and I still can't do it!), but I had thought that someone of Sir Ben's caliber would've been able to pull it off.