| Mark Gruenwald | |
|---|---|
.png) Gruenwald at a comic convention in New York City in the early 1990s | |
| Born | Mark Eugene Gruenwald (1953-06-18)June 18, 1953[1] Oshkosh, Wisconsin, U.S.[2] |
| Died | August 12, 1996(1996-08-12) (aged 43) Pawling, New York, U.S.[2] |
| Area | Writer,Penciller, Editor |
Notable works | Captain America Squadron Supreme Quasar DP7 |
| Awards | Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award, 1987, 1996 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Mark Eugene Gruenwald (/ˈɡruːnwɔːld/GROON-wawld;[3] June 18, 1953 – August 12, 1996) was anAmerican comic book writer, editor, and occasionalpenciler known for his long association withMarvel Comics.
Gruenwald got his start in comics fandom, publishing his ownfanzine,Omniverse, which explored the concept ofcontinuity. Before being hired by Marvel, he wrote text articles forDC Comics’ official fanzine,The Amazing World of DC Comics. Articles by Gruenwald include "The Martian Chronicles" (a history of theMartian Manhunter) in issue #13[4] and several articles on the history of theJustice League in issue #14.[5]
In 1978 he was hired byMarvel Comics, where he remained for the rest of his career. Hired initially as an assistant editor in January 1978, Gruenwald was promoted to full editorship by Marvel editor-in-chiefJim Shooter in 1982, putting Gruenwald in charge ofThe Avengers,Captain America,Iron Man,Thor,Spider Woman, andWhat If.[6][7][8] During this period, he shared an office with writer/editorDenny O'Neil, whom Gruenwald considered a mentor.[9]
During the years 1982–1984, Gruenwald did pencil work for a handful of Marvel comics, most notably the 1983Hawkeye limited series, but also issues ofWhat If?,Marvel Team-Up Annual,The Incredible Hulk, andQuestprobe.[10]
The cover ofComic Reader #180 (May–June 1980) featuringHawkman andAdam Strange[11] and the entry forMerlyn the Archer inWho's Who: the Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #15 (May 1986)[12] were Gruenwald's only comics artwork outside of Marvel.
In 1982, Gruenwald,Steven Grant, andBill Mantlo co-wroteMarvel Super Hero Contest of Champions,[13] the firstlimited series published by Marvel Comics. As a writer, Gruenwald is known for creating theOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe[14] and his ten-year stint as the writer ofCaptain America (from 1985 to 1995) – during which he contributed several notable characters such asCrossbones,Diamondback, andU.S. Agent. He made a deliberate effort to create villains who would be specific to Captain America, as opposed to generic foes who could as easily have been introduced in another comic.[15] At one point, Gruenwald owned a replica ofCaptain America's shield – the same shield now owned byStephen Colbert.[16]
His 60-issue run onQuasar[17] (1989–1994) realized Gruenwald's ambition to write his own kind of superhero. However, he considered hismagnum opus to be the mid-1980s 12-issue maxiseriesSquadron Supreme, which told the story of an alternate universe where a group of well-intended superheroes decide that they would be best suited to run the planet. Gruenwald was highly loyal to each series he wrote. In addition to his lengthy stint onCaptain America, he wrote the entire runs of bothQuasar (save for one issue) andD.P.7,[18] andJim Salicrup recalled that when Gruenwald was taken off ofSpider-Woman after only 12 issues, he "was crushed."[19]
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On September 1, 1987, Gruenwald became Marvel's executive editor,[15] with a particular remit as the keeper of continuity. Gruenwald was famous for a perfect recollection of even the most trivial details.
In the pages ofFantastic Four,Walt Simonson paid homage to Gruenwald by having theTime Variance Authority (TVA)'s staff all be clones of Gruenwald; no one could keep track of everything but him.
Gruenwald was a recurring character withTom DeFalco in the single-panel comicThe Bull's Eye that ran in Marvel comics in the late 1980s–early 1990s, created byRick Parker and Barry Dutter. These strips, which ran on theBullpen Bulletins page during the majority of DeFalco's run as editor-in-chief, featured Gruenwald depicted as a caricature and foil for DeFalco's antics.
Gruenwald married singer Belinda Glass in May 1981.[20] They later divorced, and he married Catherine Schuller on October 12, 1992, in New York after a year's courtship; she was the executor of Gruenwald's will. Gruenwald had a daughter, Sara.[2]
In 1996, Gruenwald died from aheart attack, the result of an unsuspectedcongenital heart defect. Gruenwald was a well-known practical joker and, due to his young age, many of his friends and co-workers initially believed the reports of his death to be a joke. A longtime lover of comics, Gruenwald made it known among his friends and family that he desired to have his ashes used in part of a comic. In accordance with his request, he wascremated, and his ashes were mixed with the ink used to print the first printing of thetrade paperback compilation ofSquadron Supreme.[21]
TheAmalgam Comics bookThe Exciting X-Patrol #1 (June 1997) and theMarvel Comics bookGeneration X #21 (November 1996), "Valkyrie" #1 (January 1997) are dedicated to Gruenwald's memory as wasPeter Parker: Spider-Man #75 which saw the return ofNorman Osborn after his supposed deathtwenty years earlier.
In theDC Universe, a building inGotham City was named theVon Gruenwald Tower,[22] and in the novelCaptain America: Liberty's Torch written byJenny Blake Isabella andBob Ingersoll, the lawyer kidnapped to defend the similarly kidnapped Captain America in a mock trial before amilitia is named Mark Gruenwald, and is described with the same general physical attributes and personality as the real Gruenwald. The lawyer acts heroically throughout the story.[23]
InRichard Starkings'Elephantmen, the executive director of the Information Agency where almost all of the main characters of the series work is called Gruenwald and bears a strong resemblance to Gruenwald. In an interview withNewsarama, Starkings confirmed that the character was based on his friend.[24]
In volume four ofNova from Marvel Comics, the new director ofProject Pegasus is named Dr. Gruenwald.[25]
In 2006, Gruenwald was officially named the "Patron Saint of Marveldom" in the "Bullpen Bulletins".[26]
In theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) showLoki, TVA analystMobius M. Mobius is portrayed byOwen Wilson, and is made to resemble Gruenwald's likeness.[27]
Jason Olsen'sMark Gruenwald and the Star Spangled Symbolism of Captain America, 1985-1995, a book about Gruenwald's run onCaptain America, was published byMcFarland & Company in 2021.[28]
The United States Social Security Death Index gives date of death as '15 August 1996.'
Plotted by Mark Gruenwald, Steven Grant, and Bill Mantlo, and penciled by John Romita, Jr.,Contest of Champions eventually saw print in June 1982.
When I found myself looking for a character who knew more about the world of the Elephantmen than anyone else in that world, I thought of Mark, who in many ways knew more about the Marvel Universe than anyone else.
| Preceded by | Marvel Comics Group Editors-in-Chief: Avengers titles Bob Budiansky,Spider-Man titles Bobbie Chase,Marvel Edge titles Bob Harras,X-Men titles Carl Potts, licensed-property titles 1994–1995 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Marvel Two-in-One writer (withRalph Macchio) 1978–1981 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Thor writer (withRalph Macchio) 1980–1981 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Captain America writer 1985–1995 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Avengers writer 1990 (back-up stories; main stories byFabian Nicieza) | Succeeded by |
