| Quasar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | As Marvel Boy: Captain America #217 (Jan. 1978) As Quasar: The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #234 (April 1979) |
| Created by | Don Glut Roy Thomas John Buscema |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Wendell Elvis Vaughn |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | The Avengers Project: Pegasus "Defenders for a Day" S.H.I.E.L.D. Star Masters Annihilators |
| Notable aliases | Marvel Boy Marvel Man |
| Abilities |
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Quasar (Wendell Elvis Vaughn) is a fictionalsuperhero appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. He is one of Marvel's cosmic heroes, a character whose adventures frequently take him into outer space or other dimensions. However, Quasar deviates from the archetype of the noble, dauntless alien set by suchSilver Age cosmic heroes as theSilver Surfer,Adam Warlock andCaptain Marvel (Mar-Vell) in that he is aneveryman. He starred in an eponymous monthly ongoing series written byMark Gruenwald that ran for sixty issues beginning in 1989 and has served as a member ofThe Avengers.
The character first appeared as Marvel Boy inCaptain America #217 (Jan. 1978).[1] He continued to make guest appearances inCaptain America,The Incredible Hulk,Marvel Two-in-One, andThe Avengers. He was revamped as Quasar byMark Gruenwald,[2] and first appeared under this new name inThe Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #234 (April 1979).
Quasar received an eponymous series in October 1989, written by Mark Gruenwald and illustrated byPaul Ryan and Danny Bulanadi. The title crossed over withInfinity Gauntlet,Operation: Galactic Storm, andThe Infinity War.
Later, theNew Universe'sStar Brand was introduced into the Marvel Universe. Its presence precipitated into the "Starblast" storyline, which was intended to stir up interest in Quasar's solo series or a prospective cosmic team series starring Quasar, but it failed to do so.Quasar was cancelled at issue #60.
He would appear sporadically over the next several years. The character appeared in the 1996Star Masters miniseries (as well asCosmic Powers Unlimited &Silver Surfer vol 3 #123) as part of a team of cosmic heroes with the Silver Surfer andBeta Ray Bill. He also appeared in theAvengers: Infinity miniseries,Maximum Security (2000), andFantastic Four #521-524 (2006).
Quasar appeared and died in the four-issuemini-seriesAnnihilation:Nova (June-Sept. 2006). He appeared as a spirit inAnnihilation: Conquest: Quasar #1-4 (Sept.-Dec. 2007), by writerChristos Gage and pencillerMike Lilly. An astral form of Quasar had a recurring role inNova vol 4 beginning with issue #17, as the writersDan Abnett andAndy Lanning (known collectively as DnA) thought he was too useful a character to stay dead:
the writers felt Vaughn's unique powers, never say die attitude, and everyman perspective made him too good of a character to stay dead. "His return was always on the cards because of his power set," DnA told CBR News. "We were just waiting for the best opportunity to fit it in as an organic part of the story. TheSecret Invasion tie-in, and the return ofProject Pegasus in particular, gave us that opportunity.[3]
The character regained a physical form in theRealm of Kings one-shot (2009) and played a role inThe Thanos Imperative (2010). Quasar assumed the leadership role of the titular team inAnnihilators #1-4 (2011) andAnnihilators: Earthfall (2011).
Wendell Vaughn was born inFond du Lac, Wisconsin. He graduated fromS.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. Although considered highly capable by his superiors, they nonetheless deem him unfit for field work, sensing that Vaughn lacked the necessary "killer instinct"—the will to win at all costs.[4]
His first assignment is security detail for a research facility where a team of scientists were performing experiments on the Quantum Bands taken from the deceasedCrusader. A test pilot selected to wear the bands proves spectacularly successful at wielding them, but he perishes when the energy output reaches a critical mass beyond his control. Vaughn dons the bands when the criminal scientistsA.I.M. launch a full-scale assault on the facility. Using the bands' power to generate solid energy constructs, he repulses the attack. When the energy buildup begins to overwhelm him, he decides to simply relax and "go with the flow". To his surprise, the buildup abruptly dissipates. Vaughn realizes the key to wielding the bands is a flexible will, rather than an indomitable, uncompromising one. Ultimately, his lack of a killer instinct makes him a more suitable wielder of the bands.[4]
Wendell Vaughn becomes a superhero, using the codenameMarvel Boy in his first appearance alongside S.H.I.E.L.D.'ssuperhuman Super-Agents.[5][6] He later becomesMarvel Man,[7] and finally settles onQuasar.[8][6]
AlongsideCaptain America, theFalcon, andHulk, he battlesMoonstone and theCorporation.[9] Later, as security chief ofProject: Pegasus, he battles the originalDeathlok,Nuklo, theGrapplers, and theNth Man when they attack the facility.[10] Quasar later journeys with theThing into an alternate reality.[11] His mind is temporarily taken over by theSerpent Crown.[12]
Quasar journeys toUranus, where the original Marvel Boy had received the bands. The bands' true nature and origins are revealed to him by the cosmic entity calledEon.[4] Eon explains the bands were intended to be worn by his agent, the Protector of the Universe (previously the lateMar-Vell). Quasar is offered the role and accepts. As a result, his mind is opened to the true extent of the bands' power, including how to use the bands to teleport via a dimension called the Quantum Zone. He also battlesDeathurge.[13] After returning to Earth, he resumes his role as a superhero and assists theAvengers in battle against Super-Nova.[14] He is inducted into the Avengers shortly after.[15]
Quasar meetsUatu theWatcher.[16] He encounters theStranger, and solves the Watcher's "Oblivion Plague".[17]
After a falling-out with both his estranged father and Eon, he quits his role as Protector of the Universe. During this timeMaelstrom, the "Cosmic Assassin", kills both Quasar and Eon. However, Quasar is recreated in an energy form by the cosmic being Infinity and battles Maelstrom andOblivion. Quasar saves the universe from collapse. Maelstrom is destroyed by the Quantum-bands and Quasar resurrects himself.[18] Quasar fightsThanos at Eon's funeral.[19] Eon is reincarnated in the form of its newborn offspringEpoch.[20]
When a stargate being used by theShi'ar during theKree-Shi'ar War threatens to destroy Earth's sun, Quasar is able to undo the damage with the help ofBinary.[21]
During the 1992 storyline "Infinity War", Quasar travels to the Dimension of Manifestations to gather intelligence. With the aid of theContemplator, he discovers the cosmic beingEternity in a catatonic state.[22] He leaves the dimension to join with his fellow superheroes. Quasar attempts to use the near-omnipotentUltimate Nullifier against the god-like villainMagus, but Magus uses theInfinity Gauntlet to turn the weapon against Quasar, wiping him from existence.[23]
He is briefly replaced by a supervillain who claims his Quantum Bands for himself but Quasar is able to resurrect himself through means of theStar Brand, which he had acquired during a trip to theNew Universe prior to the Infinity War.[24] He saves theLiving Tribunal from power-hungry Deviant Ereshkigal and stops Skeletron and The Black Fleet from acquiring the Star Brand for themselves. When thePresence threatens to kill his loved ones, Quasar fakes his death and leaves Earth.[25]
Quasar helps defend the universe from aliens called Infinites.[26] When Earth is threatened byEgo the Living Planet, Quasar absorbs Ego's essence and exiles himself into space, for fear of Ego expanding to planet-size.[27]
Quasar helps to operate an Avengers deep-space sensing station with the support ofLiving Lightning andMonica Rambeau,[28] and then becomes involved in Kang's War.[29] He later assists theFantastic Four in a battle withGalactus.[30] When the Annihilation Wave strikes, Quasar and Nova try to stop it. Quasar is killed byAnnihilus.[31]
Wendell is restored to life in a Quantum Energy form thanks to the scientists ofProject Pegasus.[32]
Wendell volunteers to scout the rip inspacetime that occurs during the 2009 "War of Kings" storyline. During the trip, he regains physical form and discovers an alternate universe planning to invade his universe.[33] Trying to return to his reality, Quasar encounters anImperial Guard exploration ship.[34] Quasar joins Nova's team to resist the invasion.[35]
In an effort to prevent further galactic catastrophes, Quasar joins theAnnihilators.[36] The team protectsGalador from an invasion of theDire Wraiths and brings an end to the generations long war between the two worlds.[37] The Annihilators learn of an attempt to revive theMagus by theUniversal Church of Truth, and they prevent his resurrection with the aid of the Avengers.[38] Quasar and the other Annihilators later confront Thanos andAdam Warlock while the two are on a cosmic crusade, and are defeated.[39]
During theAvengers: Standoff! storyline, Vaughn begins to lose control of the Quantum Bands and willingly allows his memories and appearance to be altered byKobik in Pleasant Hill, a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. prison disguised as agated community run byMaria Hill, who poses as itsmayor. During this time, he works as thecurator of the Pleasant Hill museum. When Wendell's memories are restored duringHelmut Zemo's prison revolt, he bequeaths the Quantum Bands to a young S.H.I.E.L.D. agent namedAvril Kincaid and agrees to mentor her so she can become the next Quasar.[40]
After Avril's apparent demise while battling theChitauri and the forces of Hydra Steve Rogers[41][42] (which had briefly knocked her into a comatose state),[43] Wendell Vaughn reacquires the Quantum Bands and resumes the Quasar mantle. During a mission with other cosmic heroes and theGuardians of the Galaxy, he is trapped in a black hole and catches a glimpse of Avril, revealing she is still alive but lost somewhere in space.[44]
Wendell Vaughn is an athletic man with no inherent superhuman powers. He received extensive training in hand-to-hand combat, and moderate experience in the same. He is an expert in all basic espionage skills, as aS.H.I.E.L.D. Academy graduate.[4]
While he possessed the power of theStar Brand, Quasar gained the abilities of flight, superhuman strength and resilience. He also was able to regenerate his entire body from minute remains and did not need to eat, drink or breathe. However, virtually all of the energy derived from the Star Brand was depleted not long after he gave it away. TheLiving Tribunal later stated that Quasar's body retains only an insignificant trace amount of energy.[45]
Quasar also briefly possessed the same powers ofcosmic awareness that Eon granted to Kree soldier Mar-Vell (later known as the originalCaptain Marvel). By simply concentrating for a moment, he could gain complete knowledge about virtually anything in the universe.[citation needed]
While Quasar's powers are quite powerful and diverse, since he doesn't make it a habit of using all of his power to destroy his opponent, it is important to note his standard operating procedure:[46]
After a failed war with the Elder God Set and the deaths of every hero on Earth save the Silver Surfer, Quasar is merged with Captain Universe to form a super-being capable of capturing and defeating Set. Using the Eye of Agamotto, Quasar traps himself and Set within its pocket dimension.[49]
Once, during a trip through alternate realities, the Earth-616 version of Quasar viewed his Captain Universe-enhanced counterpart and Set battling each other.[50]
Tricked by Eon's evil "child" Era, Quasar jumps to a sentient nexus of energy and is killed. He ends up in the 'White Room', where all Quantum Band wielders go after death. Eon is entrapped with him, in the form of a centerpiece on the Room's table.[51]
Her, now calledKismet, teams up with the long-lost son she had with Quasar,Starhawk. They visit Quasar's grave and learn what Era has done. With the aid of the Hawk-God Starhawk worships, the two vow to stop Era.[52]
Wendell Vaughn briefly appears as a scientist in the alternate timeline. There is no indication that he possesses the quantum bands in this universe.[53]
Quasar is briefly mentioned as having gone insane inLast Avengers Story #1, but does not appear.
InMarvel Zombies: Dead Days #1, Quasar is one of the heroes attending the briefing given byNick Fury about defending their world from the zombie plague.[54] A zombified Quasar is featured in the 2009 limited seriesMarvel Zombies Return, part of a super-powered zombie force including theSuper-Skrull,Namor,Moon Knight, andThundra. The group destroys many of the somewhat heroic zombies featured inMarvel Zombies 2. Quasar murders his reality's humanKitty Pryde, holding her underwater until she is forced to turn solid, upon which it is implied that Namor eats her. Quasar and his zombie cohorts are killed at the end of the series.[55]
In theUltimate Marvel universe,S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Wendell Vaughn is the head of security for the top secretProject Pegasus in Devil's Point, Wyoming. He first appears inUltimate Power #1, when Project Pegasus is attacked by theSerpent Squad until stopped by theFantastic Four.[56]
| Title | Material collected | Published date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quasar Classic Volume 1 | Quasar #1-9, material fromAvengers Annual #18,Marvel Comics Presents #29 | March 2012 | 978-0785163596 |
| Quasar: Cosmos In Collision | Quasar #10-25 | October 2018 | 978-1302913724 |
| Avengers: Galactic Storm Volume 1 | Quasar #32-33 andCaptain America #398-399,Avengers West Coast #80-81,Wonder Man #7-8,Avengers #345-346,Iron Man #278,Thor #445 | February 2006 | 978-0785120445 |
| Avengers: Galactic Storm Volume 2 | Quasar #34-35 andIron Man #279,Thor #446,Captain America #400-401,Avengers West Coast #82,Wonder Man #9,Avengers #347,What If? #55-56 | December 2006 | 978-0785120452 |
| Infinity War Aftermath | Quasar #41-43 andWarlock & The Infinity Watch #11-17,Silver Surfer/Warlock: Resurrection #1-4, material fromMarvel Comics Presents #112,Marvel Holiday Special #2,Marvel Swimsuit Special #2 | October 2015 | 978-0785198147 |
Quasar appears as a playable character inLego Marvel's Avengers.[57]
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