WONDER MAN Introduced a Deep-Cut Avenger* to the MCU

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Disney+’s Wonder Man series offered a fresh take on the character Simon Williams, who’s been an Avenger in Marvel comics for years. In the comics, Simon Williams is Wonder Man, a superhero who also happens to be a Hollywood actor. But the show flips that around: Simon only becomes famous as an actor because he plays Wonder Man in a movie. This twist is a fun element, and for most of the series, it’s the only hint of anything superpowered. That changes in episode four, though, which introduces another character with comic book ties…with a unique spin.

The fourth episode, “Doorman,” reveals the origin story of DeMarr Davis (Byron Bowers), a club bouncer who unexpectedly gains the power to create portals inside his body, letting people pass through solid objects. At first, he doesn’t want to use this ability, but when a fire breaks out at the club, he heroically saves everyone – including Josh Gad – by allowing them to escape through him. This earns him the nickname “Doorman,” and he soon joins Gad’s team, quickly becoming famous. However, like many stars, he eventually faces a downfall, leading Hollywood to ban anyone with superpowers from appearing on screen.

NOTE: It is now canonical in the MCU that actor Josh Gad is lost in a dimensional void.

Okay, so this character is totally wacky in this particular episode, but it’s more than just a funny cameo. Turns out, Doorman is actually an Avenger – though a bit of an obscure one. He’s one of the Great Lakes Avengers from the comics, which is a fun little detail for those of us who follow that stuff!

The Great Lakes Avengers started as a funny idea by writer and artist John Byrne in an issue of West Coast Avengers. West Coast Avengers was a second Avengers team that ran from 1984 to 1994. The team’s leader, Hawkeye, learned about a group of less-known heroes from the Midwest who were calling themselves the “Avengers.” He and Mockingbird went to investigate and ultimately offered to train them, on the condition that they stop using the name. (Wonder Man was also a member of West Coast Avengers at the time.)

The newly formed GLA team is made up of heroes who are…unconventional, to say the least. There’s Flatman, who’s incredibly flexible and can reshape himself like origami. Mr. Immortal, as you might guess, can’t be killed. Dinah Soar is a lizard-like woman with the power of flight – a playful nod to dinosaurs. Big Bertha is large and can alter her size, form, and weight. And finally, Doorman can connect to a mysterious dimension called the Darkforce Dimension.

Doorman wasn’t known as a particularly skilled superhero, but his link to the Darkforce Dimension gave him a unique set of powers. He famously died a hero in 2005 during a battle with Maelstrom, allowing Mr. Immortal to win. However, his story didn’t end there – the cosmic being Oblivion brought him back as his new Angel of Death. This resurrection granted Doorman several new abilities, including the power to perceive life and death, flight, invulnerability, and complete control over Darkforce energy. He still had the same personality, but with a much more impressive skillset.

Doorman is a pretty unusual Marvel character, so it was fun to see him play a significant role in an MCU project. It’s unlikely we’ll see him or the Great Lakes Avengers again, though. It’s also surprising Doorman showed up in the franchise before Blade! Still, DeMarr Davis’s character was important to Simon Williams’ story, and we appreciate that contribution.

Kyle Anderson is a Senior Editor at TopMob and the host of the weekly podcast, Laser Focus, where he dives deep into pop culture. He also writes film and TV reviews, and you can find him on Letterboxd.

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2026-01-28 09:03