Wonder Man (vol. 2) #15
Shadow of the Infinite
This story takes place between the events of Infinity War #5 and 6…[1]
The Magus is threatening to replace the entire universe with one that is entirely under his control. In response, many of Earth’s heroes have been gathered together to stop him. This has led to a final battle between the heroes and an army of twisted doppelgangers created by the Magus to oppose them.
Among members of the Avengers, Alpha Flight, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and X-Factor is Wonder Man, who is participating in the battle even though he is undergoing a massive personality crisis at the moment.[2]
Lunging into battle with the others, Wonder Man reminds himself to keep his rage up otherwise his fluctuating powers will fail him.[3] He allows himself to revel in the violence as he has decided to embrace a more savage nature and the resulting strength boost allows him to take down a doppelganger of the Hulk on his own.[4] He also takes pleasure in beating on a evil duplicate of the Vision since the real android has made his life a personal hell.[5] Wonder Man is so consumed with rage he almost doesn’t see a doppelganger of Hercules sneaking up behind him. Although he is warned by Wolverine, Simon tells Logan to watch his own back and let him fight his own fights.
As he continues his battle, Simon decides that he doesn’t care a wit about the cosmic chess game between Thanos and the Magus, all that matters is the rage boiling inside him.[6] He embraces the rage since that is exactly what Baron Zemo intended him to be when he transformed Simon Williams into Wonder Man in the first place. When he saves the real Hercules from a evil double of Vindicator, Herc asks if Simon is possessed by rage again. Wonder Man tells him that he possesses his rage and nothing else. Although Hercules is concerned by this admission the pair rejoin the fight.
As Wonder Man fights through the legion of doppelgangers he bumps into the Thing. At first, he isn’t sure if this is the real Ben Grimm or another doppelganger. Deciding not to take chances, he throttles Grimm into a pile of rocks. When the Thing lets loose a string of his trademark catch phrases and swears to his Aunt Petunia, Simon realizes that he was mistaken. The pair quickly make peace since they are being surrounded by another group of evil duplicates. This further demoralizes Wonder Man, who fears that giving into the rage will make him lose sight of who his friends and allies are.
As if on cue, Simon spots what appears to be evil versions of Drax and Captain America attacking the Scarlet Witch. Simon races to her aid and knocks them aside only to discover he misjudged the situation again and actually helped one of the Magus’ creatures. That’s when the doppelganger of Wonder Man himself arrives on the scene for a rematch.[7] Looking forward to proving who is the better warrior, Wonder Man tells everyone else to stay back because this fight is his and his alone.
As the two start brawling, the real Wonder Man gives in to his rage and lashes out at his twisted duplicate with complete abandon. With each blow he starts seeing the doppelganger as the various people Simon feels have used and mistreated him in the past. First he sees Baron Zemo who turned him into Wonder Man to begin with. Then he sees his former self, who he blames for not accepting his own death. Next its the Executioner who used him. Then his own brother the Grim Reaper, who has taunted Simon with his own life.[8] He then sees Iron Man who he blames for trying to make him a hero. Then the Scarlet Witch for making him love what he can’t have. Then he’s hitting Alex Flores for making him think he could be human.[9] The last person he sees is Spider and that makes him angry enough that he rips off the doppelganger’s head.[10]
Exhausted from the ordeal, Wonder Man lays down next to his dead duplicate to rest. The greater battle around him has all but ended and only doppelgangers of Captain America, Cyclops, Hercules, and the Thing are left. With no fight left in him and his powers fading, Wonder Man gives up the fight. As the doppelgangers turn their hands into tentacles and close in to assimilate him, Wonder Man totally gives up hoping that he will finally sink into darkness for good.[11]
… Infinity War concludes in Infinity War #6.
Recurring Characters
Wonder Man, Captain America, Hercules, Nova, Sasquatch, Drax, Hulk, Living Lightning, X-Men (Cyclops, Iceman, Archangel, Storm, Wolverine, Rogue), X-Factor (Havok, Strong Guy, Polaris)
Continuity Notes
Per the Marvel Chronology Project, the events of this story take place immediately after the end of Infinity War #5 and between pages 4 and 5 of Infinity War #6.
Wonder Man’s personality crisis stems from the fact that he had a near death experience that lasted from Avengers #9 through 151. Although he has gotten over this in the past, he has recently re-experienced the trauma again after Galactus probed his mind last issue. This has led to Simon suffering a loss of identity.
Wonder Man’s powers have been out of whack since he was caught in a nega-bomb blast in Wonder Man (vol. 2) #9. This will remain the status quo until issue #25.
In Wonder Man (vol. 2) #11-12, Simon discovered that his powers are affected by his emotional state and decided to embrace a more savage personality in order to stay jacked up all the time.
The dynamics between Wonder Man and the Vision are quite complicated. See, during the period that Wonder Man was dead, the robot Ultron used his brain engrams to create the Vision’s personality as explained in Avengers #57. The Vision later met and fell in love with the Scarlet Witch and the two got married in Giants-Size Avengers #4. More recently, Simon discovered that he had feelings for Wanda. This realization also coincided with the Vision being stripped apart and put back together a process that left him bereft of his emotions as seen in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42-45. When the Vision abandoned his wife in Avengers #312, Simon tried dating her. This brief romance lasted from Avengers West Coast #63 to 69. Wanda then called it off because she just wanted to be friends.
For more on the battle between Thanos and Magus that is going on behind the scenes, see Infinity War #5.
Wonder Man previously fought his evil duplicate in Wonder Man (vol. 2) #13.
Eric Williams first became the Grim Reaper to avenge the “death” of his brother by killing the Avengers, as seen in Avengers #52. Since Simon’s return to life, the Grim Reaper has frequently attacked Simon and the Vision not believing either man was truly his brother. See Avengers #160, Vision and the Scarlet Witch (vol. 2) #1-2 and 12, as well as West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #1-2.
Wonder Man has been trying to date Alex Flores since Wonder Man (vol. 2) #10, in an attempt to have a normal relationship outside the superhero community.
Although it is unspoken here, Wonder Man’s dislike of Spider Beach is due to the fact that their agent — Neal Saroyan — has insisted that Spider become Wonder Man’s boy sidekick. See Wonder Man (vol. 2) #3.
This is not the case. All the heroes assimilated by Magus’ doppelgangers find themselves teleported to his hideout where they are being kept in stasis. Wonder Man and the others will be rescued when the Magus is defeated in Infinity War #6.
Infinity War Reading Order
Infinity War #1, Alpha Flight #109, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #7, Fantastic Four #366, Spider-Man #24, Captain America #408, Deathlok (vol. 2) #16, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #42, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #67, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #43, Infinity War #2, Fantastic Four #367, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #68-69, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #44, Guardians of the Galaxy #27, Quasar #37, Infinity War #3, Marvel Comics Presents #108-111, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #8, Fantastic Four #368, Alpha Flight #110, New Warriors #27, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #4, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #41-42, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #13, Nomad (vol. 2) #7, Quasar #38, Daredevil #310, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #45, Infinity War #4, Alpha Flight #111, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #5, Guardians of the Galaxy #28-29, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #9, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #14, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #43, Quasar #39, Infinity War #5, Sleepwalker #18, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #46-47, Fantastic Four #369, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #10, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #15, Infinity War #6, Fantastic Four #370, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #44, Alpha Flight #112, Quasar #40