Set Description:
Quasar - Marvel's Protector of the Universe. A big job for one guy, but made possible by the vast powers of the Quantum Bands which give the user complete control over the electo-magnetic spectrum and all of the potential background energy of the Universe in the form of the Quantum Zone.
I love this character. I was at a Jewel/Osco with my parents in late Summer of 1989 when I saw Mark Gruenwald's Quasar #1 on the newsstand....
The timing was perfect - I had gotten into comics in earnest only weeks earlier with Iron Man #247 and I was on board completely with being on the ground floor of a new series. And the main character looked cool on the Paul Ryan drawn cover, flying towards the viewer, bristling with energy. I had to know more and picked up the book. Years later I came across the color guide for the issue #1 cover art, and although I missed the opportunity to buy the original line art which was on eBay back in the early 2000’s, I’m glad to at least have this pieced of art history with this set as well.
I collected Quasar from day one of his solo title and every new issue was the first book I read from that week's grabs. Quasar volume 1 was also Mark Gruenwald's passion project and along the way he was joined by some great artists - Paul Ryan, Mike Manley, Greg Capullo, Andy Smith. Gruenwald built a compelling story, developing Wendell Vaughn in the role as the Universe's Protector and a new Avenger while also writing the long-form build-up of "the cosmic assassin" which was later revealed to be Malestrom in the epic "Cosmos In Collision" arc.
Quasar lasted 60 issues and in that time took us through Wendell's growth as Protector of the Universe, some great story arcs including "Journey Into Mystery" and "Cosmos In Collision" as well as a fling through Marvel's New Universe and the return of the Starbrand. The quality of the series varied somewhat near the end with the Starblast event, but Quasar went on in the Starmasters title, played a large role in Maximum Security, and continued years later in Annihilation and the post-Annihilation Guardians of the Galaxy material.
I've followed the character all these years, across a myriad of events and even replacement characters, but for me there is only one P of the U in Wendell. A true every man character raised in Wisconsin, became an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., heroically saved Stark Industries by slipping on the quantum bands expecting certain death, and going on to defeat a cosmic menace greater than Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet.
This set is being built for true 9.8 examples when I can find them, although I'm inclined to pick up the occasional Signature Series slab if a unique opportunity presents itself. The title itself also featured some interesting history in Newsstand publication that has made for some very interesting collecting in slabbed form.
Although my collecting habits are most widely associated with Iron Man, Quasar is a character I'm into more than anything, and this set represents a passion project of mine towards the character and the amazing Quantum Bands - the things I wished for as a kid maybe even more than Iron Man's armor.
 |