Wonder Man Review With Muscles of the Multiverse: Trevor Slattery’s Redemption, Doorman’s Darkforce Twist, and MCU Mutant Setup

Frank is joined by Joe, aka “Muscles of the Multiverse,” to talk Marvel storytelling from the comics page to the MCU screen, then go all-in on Disney+’s Wonder Man after its eight-episode drop. Joe breaks down what he does on YouTube, why he started the Reading the Multiverse podcast, and how he approaches Marvel adaptation trends without expecting (or wanting) a 1-to-1 translation.

From there, the episode shifts into a full Wonder Man discussion: why the show works as a character-first story, how it balances comedy with real stakes, and why the Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery dynamic ended up being the surprise engine of the season. The conversation also gets into Simon’s anxiety and identity pressure, the Department of Damage Control angle, the “Doorman” detour episode, and what all of this might be setting up for mutants and the next big MCU era.

Timestamps and Topics (major beats)

• 00:00 Intro and guest welcome: Joe “Muscles of the Multiverse”

• 00:30 Joe’s content approach: MCU-to-comics explainers + Reading the Multiverse podcast

• 02:15 Quick MCU news: Ian McKellen “destroyed New Jersey” comment and what it could imply

• 05:10 Wonder Man first reactions: why it’s landing better than expected

• 06:40 Character-driven Marvel: Simon’s relatability, anxiety, and hiding “who you are” in Hollywood

• 09:00 Acting as the hook: standout performances, “meta” acting scenes, and why Trevor works now

• 18:10 Wonder Man powers explained: ionic energy basics and how the MCU might simplify the lore

• 20:10 Bigger MCU threads: Vision/Wanda possibilities, mutant framing, and Damage Control as a warning sign

• 30:45 Episode balance talk: comedy vs drama, and why the Doorman episode hits so hard

• 41:00 What’s next for Simon: hero-by-proxy theory, team potential, and final scores

• 44:40 Disney+ marketing debate: why some shows feel under-pushed and what Marvel can fix

• 50:35 Recommendations: The Ultimates (Deniz Camp) and revisiting Schitt’s Creek

• 53:10 Joe’s upcoming work: Doctor Doom deep cuts, Fantastic Four read-through, and the editing grind

Key Takeaways

• Wonder Man works because it treats Simon Williams like a person first, superhero second.

• The show’s comedy lands because the stakes stay real in the background, especially with Damage Control looming.

• Trevor Slattery is fully recontextualized here: still funny, but also weirdly wise and essential to Simon’s growth.

• The Doorman episode is a standout swing that doubles as a Hollywood critique and a superhero fatigue commentary.

• Joe’s breakdown of Simon’s ionic-energy comic history highlights why Marvel rarely does strict comic-to-screen adaptation.

• Damage Control and the “quota” vibe point toward a wider MCU theme: institutional fear of powered people.

• Mutant groundwork is starting to feel less like a sudden switch and more like a slow social shift in-world.

• Both hosts land at a 9/10, with the only “missing point” being more about feel than a specific flaw.

Memorable Quotes

• “There’s usually never a 1 to 1 adaptation.”

• “I didn’t know that I needed more Trevor Slattery in my life. But now I do.”

• “Mephisto is not going to be in everything.”

• “It felt like it was made to be for an episodic TV show.”

• “You can’t help but root for Simon.”

Call to Action

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Links and Resources

Joe's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@musclesandthemultiverse 

Joe's Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8PARQ22AcU&list=PLnF-GbqwIyclHZ6Pg5DGOWvT1wvKOXGWh 

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Apple Podcast Tags

Marvel, MCU, Wonder Man, Simon Williams, Trevor Slattery, Ben Kingsley, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Disney Plus, Marvel TV, Department of Damage Control, Doorman, Darkforce Dimension, X-Men, Mutants, Avengers Doomsday, Magneto, Ian McKellen, Vision Quest, Scarlet Witch, Comic Book Movies, Comic Book TV, Marvel Comics, Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom, Superhero Reviews, Geek Culture Podcast