Wonder Man Continues The MCU's Destruction Of One Of Marvel's Most Fun Concepts
by Kieran Fisher · /Film"Wonder Man" is a fine addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Andrew Guest and Destin Daniel Cretton's Disney+ series eschews action-packed spectacle for a grounded story about a superpowered man called Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who is trying to keep his abilities hidden. That's because agencies like the Department of Damage Control want to capture people with unique powers and lock them up, which isn't ideal for an aspiring actor like Williams. No matter how good "Wonder Man" is, though, it continues the trend of Damage Control being wasted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The MCU's iteration of Damage Control debuted in "Spider-Man: No Way Home," where we learned it was created as a response to the destruction caused by the Battle of New York. Since then, the agency has appeared in various movies and MCU television shows, with its members mostly just wearing suits and acting shady. The agents — like the joyless dork Agent Cleary (Arian Moayed) — don't stand out from the myriad of other bureaucratic and law enforcement bodies that populate MCU, which begs the question: why not make Damage Control more like its fun comic book counterpart?
Created by Dwayne McDuffie and artist Ernie Colón, the original Damage Control is a construction company that specializes in cleaning up the messes left behind by superheroes and their foes. Its members are made up of regular people and a steam shovel that contains the essence of an alien named Trull the Unhuman. Needless to say, the team has been at the center of some offbeat stories that are more inventive and entertaining than their tales in the MCU — so why not explore them on the screen?
The MCU is failing to make the most of Damage Control
In the comics, Damage Control's escapades are lighthearted and more akin to a workplace comedy than a superhero story. The team has provided clean-up duties for some of the most cataclysmic events in the Marvel Universe, and their presence has allowed writers to provide unique and hilarious insights regarding those stories, often breaking the fourth wall in the process.
Cleaning up messes left behind by superheroes and supervillains isn't the only thing Damage Control has to contend with, either. The organization faces competition from rival companies like John Porter's Chaos Reductions, contends with PR disasters, and deals with the everyday things that affect businesses, albeit with a Marvel spin. They're true underdogs in a world full of larger-than-life characters, and who doesn't love rooting for the little guy?
With "Wonder Man" and "Deadpool," the MCU has already embraced meta humor and satire. With that in mind, a Damage Control organization that's similar to the comic book construction workers would make perfect sense. It isn't too late for the group to be given a dramatic creative makeover in the movies and TV shows. Unfortunately, this dream probably isn't going to happen, as the "Wonder Man" finale teases more future adventures featuring the guys in suits.