Wonder Boy (Disambiguation)

Wonder Boy is the name of the sidekick that adventures alongside solar-powered superhero Captain Sunshine on The Venture Bros. At least five different individuals have filled the role of Wonder Boy since the 1960s.

Wonder Boys

1. Chuck Scarsdale: The original Wonder Boy in the 1960s, Chuck was the sidekick of the original Captain Sunshine (Desmond), until the latter retired and promoted Chuck to the new Captain Sunshine.

• First appearance: Handsome Ransom

2. Wonder Boy II: The second Wonder Boy, who took Chuck Scarsdale's position following his promotion. He was the boyhood partner of the current Captain Sunshine but was forced to retire when he turned eighteen. He has multiple emotional and physical problems stemming from his past as a sidekick.

• First appearance: Self-Medication

3. Wonder Boy III: The third Wonder Boy, whose life was tragically cut short at only sixteen when he was crushed by a giant penny. He was never seen on screen, but The Monarch mentioned killing him (under the influence of heavy drinking) after Dr. Girlfriend left him. Wonder Boy III's charred remains were sent to Captain Sunshine courtesy of Henchman 21 and Henchman 24 under The Monarch's orders while he was imprisoned. A memorial statue of Wonder Boy III was erected at Stately Scarsdale Manor following his death.

• First mentioned: Return to Spider-Skull Island

4. Hank Venture: Hank became the fourth Wonder Boy after Captain Sunshine saved him from The Monarch and believed him to be an orphan. He tried to be Wonder Boy for a day, then quit after realizing that Captain Sunshine was just using him to replace his former Wonder Boy(s). Captain Sunshine ordered Hank to leave after his father Rusty Venture showed up.

• First appearance: Handsome Ransom

5. Wonder Boy V: The fifth Wonder Boy is an unnamed boy with a Brooklyn accent and an excellent sense of balance. He accompanied Captain Sunshine to Boggles the Clue Clown's funeral after the latter died of heart disease.

• First appearance: Bot Seeks Bot

Trivia

• While Wonder Boy is a pastiche of various superhero sidekick tropes, he is primarily a parody of Robin from Batman comics, a role that has also been filled by several different individuals over time.
• Batman's sidekick Jason Todd considered several names for his secret identity before taking on the mantle of Robin from Dick Grayson. His first suggestion was "Wonder-Boy", which he immediately rejected for making him sound like bread.
• "Wonderboy" is the title of a pop song written by Ray Davies and recorded by his band The Kinks in 1968.
• "Wonderboy" is the title of a 2002 comedic rock song by American comedy-rock duo Tenacious D.

Gallery

Wonder Boy II (Adolescence)

Wonder Boy II (Adult)

Memorial statue of Wonder Boy III (1990-2006) at Stately Scarsdale Manor.

Wonder Boy IV (Hank Venture)

Wonder Boy V at the funeral of Boggles the Clue Clown.