Capes and Space

Original Green Costume
Like many future Avengers, Simon Williams started out as a villain in 1964’s AVENGERS #9. To save his crumbling business, Williams agreed to become a test subject for Baron Zemo’s experiments to create a human as strong as Thor. Zemo, fashion-challenged himself some would say, gave Simon the original mostly-green costume with splashes of red to liven things up designed by Jack Kirby. The new Wonder Man does a good job trouncing the Avengers, but ultimately flips on Zemo and theMasters of Evil, seemingly dying in the process.

Green, Red and Yellow Costume
Over the next 16 years, Wonder Man would be toyed with, projected through time, regain his mind and join the Avengers for real, but wouldn’t change his costume until 1977’s AVENGERS #161 after his villainous brother The Grim Reaper screwed up his threads. This costume came from artist George Perez in the real world and Beast in the comic universe. It’s something of an improvement, but lacks a distinct touch that screams “I’m Wonder Man,” which probably accounts for its limited shelf life.

90’s Costume
The early 90’s remained a good time for Wonder Man as he appeared in both AVENGERS WEST COAST and his own solo book. He even got a power boost in WONDER MAN #25 which allowed him to fly on his own along with a new costume, this time with sleeves and a bigger belt. As the decade came to its midpoint, though, things got bad as the West Coast branch disbanded following Mockingbird’s apparent death, leading some members to regroup as Force Works with Wonder Man apparently perishing once more on their first mission.

Red Jacket with Turtle Neck
The green, red and yellow costume only lasted seven issues and saw its last panel in AVENGERS #166 after a battle with Count Nefaria. Wonder Man’s next outfit remains one of his most iconic, even if it might seem silly to modern readers: the red jacket with matching shades, tight black pants and a turtle neck. This would be Wonder Man’s signature look as he moved over to become a member of the West Coast Avengers and lasted until 1985 when his next most look came about.

Green and Red with Jet Pack
For a year while working with the West Coast Avengers during issues #12-24 of their series, Simon switched to a red and yellow costume similar to his earliest looks, but this time with a jetpack to help him fly. Soon enough, Wondy would return to the black and red that suits him so well.

Energy Look
After a four-year period of inactivity, Wonder Man returned thanks to writer Kurt Busiek. This time, Simon didn’t have so much of a costume as a brand new body that crackled with purple energy. Eventually he would adopt his classic black costume and keep that through his tenure on the Mighty Avengers, with a brief departure back to the red jacket look. He wore those duds when retired by Norman Osborne during Dark Reign and when he attacked the Avengers in the recent AVENGERS #2.

Black Costume
1985’s AVENGERS #253 featured the first appearance of Wonder Man’s tight black sleeveless look which sported a familiar “W” symbol across the chest with matching boots and belt. For the most part, this would be his signature gear for the next few years