WONDER MAN #3 – Into the New Act

Creative Team – Gerry Duggan, Farid Karami, Rachelle Rosenberg, VC’s Joe Caramagna

Published by Marvel Comics

Catch up with Wonder Man #2!

The Story

This comic review is brought to you by the dynamic duo of Megan and Shawn!

Shawn – Gerry Duggan has killed it this entire series, but this may be the best yet. Duggan perfectly captures Simon Williams at times goofy approach to life with some crazy one-liners. I really appreciate Duggan continuing to incorporate real-life events into this series, with the Altadena Fires serving as a backdrop for some of the scenes we see unfold.

In addition to the somewhat silly tone, there is an actual good story put in place by Duggan as we begin to understand a little bit more about Randolph and why folks are after him. Duggan gives us some prime character moments from Simon Williams, as well as a glimpse at the relationship between Wonder Man and Hellcat, as unsteady as it may be.

Megan – This is easily the most exciting issue yet, and that’s saying a lot. Spot continues to be an absolute menace for anyone he has his eyes set on, and that just so happens to be Simon and Randolph. Simon has been in the middle of this entire fiasco completely against his will, and now he’s even further to blame as police footage has been leaked everywhere.

Now, he’s on the run and still has to keep Randolph safe. Even with how much is going on, there’s still so much Simon doesn’t know, and has yet to find out. Like, who can he trust, for example? Things are heating up quickly, and Gerry Duggan is pulling all the right stops out to continue the high quality that we’ve seen in the previous issues. With the varying tones of the story and the wildly different emotions that play out in the comic, Wonder Man #3 continues the exciting story, raising the stakes higher than they’ve ever been.

The Art

Shawn – Farid Karami, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Joe Caramagna really did a phenomenal job with this issue. Karami’s work really stands out with the characters in this issue. The lines on their faces, a small grin, or Randolph’s smug smile all show great detail and expressiveness. Karami also does a brilliant job on Hellcat, using some lines and hatching techniques to add depth to her character design. He’s giving us an “old school” feel using modern assets.

Rachelle Rosenberg continues to put forth some of her best work with this series. The colors and shading feel just perfect. One thing I continue to be impressed with is Rosenberg’s ability to capture light so well. Whether it’s Simon’s sunglasses or the sun setting at a taco shack in Altadena, Rosenberg seems to always perfectly capture the light and how it strikes objects within the panel. Joe Caramagna moves everything through the story, marking clear differences between Simon’s internal monologue and actual interactions between characters. I really love a moment that happens in this issue where Caramagna busts the work bubble, creating an automatic impact of the words.

Megan – Farid Karami, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Joe Caramagna knocked this issue straight out of the park. The action scenes were drawn in a way that made you feel right in the middle of the action, especially when Spot was flexing what he could do. There was excellent symmetry between the characters, giving each one their own spotlight to shine in. The colors were perfectly handled by Rosenberg, playing really well off of the drawings. Rosenberg is one of the best colorists in the comic book industry, and with every comic she works on, that proves to be more and more true. Caramagna perfects the story with excellent lettering work, pushing the emotions of the story from the characters. Together, the artists did a marvelous job at making this comic as fantastic as it is.

Final Thoughts

Shawn – 9/10. This creative team continues to put together an amazing series about Wonder Man. I really wish Marvel had dropped this series right after the debut of the Disney + show because I feel like Duggan, Karami, Rosenberg, and Caramagna are really capturing the essence of what makes Wonder Man such a unique character in the Marvel mythos. He’s both serious and ridiculous at the same time. A poet and all one-liners. This series captures that perfectly.

Megan – 9/10. This series continues to be a lot of fun with characters that just aren’t given enough of a spotlight until now.

Overall Grade – 9/10

Let us know in the comments what you thought of Wonder Man #3!