BOBC

WIKINDX Resources  

Olsen, Jason. Mark Gruenwald’s Quasar: The Cosmic Gem of the Marvel Universe. Jefferson: McFarland, 2025. 
Added by: joachim (12/09/2025, 17:49)   
Resource type: Book
Language: en: English
ID no. (ISBN etc.): 978-1-4766-9545-7
BibTeX citation key: Olsen2025
Email resource to friend
View all bibliographic details
Categories: General
Keywords: "Quasar", Gruenwald. Mark, Marvel, Superhero, USA
Creators: Olsen
Publisher: McFarland (Jefferson)
Views: 11/106
Attachments  
Abstract
Mark Gruenwald was one of Marvel’s most prolific and popular comic book writers of the 80s and 90s, but his most personal and dynamic comic book series has been largely ignored since it was last published in 1994. His five-year run on Quasar, the adventures of Wendell Vaughn, the Quantum Band–wielding Protector of the Universe, features some of Gruenwald’s best work in his extraordinary career, and it deserves to be discussed and seen as one of the era’s best. Even though most observers would consider Quasar a footnote, it is anything but—it’s a bold and wild ride through some of the strangest corners of the Marvel Universe. This book will provide a thorough look at what makes Quasar so essential to Gruenwald fans, comic readers of the 80s and 90s, and those interested in Marvel’s cosmic universe by discussing how the series handles themes both light and heavy, often simultaneously. Chapters will discuss topics as wide-ranging as Gruenwald’s interests in continuity and science, along with more serious themes that permeate the series, like depression, suicidal ideation, atheism, and more. Quasar is a tour-de-force that embodies what makes Mark Gruenwald such a key figure in Marvel’s history.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments (v)
Foreword: Mark Gruenwald and the ­Star-Filled Stories of Quasar, 1989–1994, by David Lofvers (1)
Preface (5)

One. “It’s time you learn the might of…. Quasar!”: The Impetus and Urgency of Mark Gruenwald’s Quasar (9)
Two. “There’s the ol’ homestead”: Decency and Morality in Quasar (26)
Three. “The biggest ­foul-up”: Quasar’s ­Self-Doubt and Mental Health (44)
Four. “I am the messenger of oblivion”: Suicidal Ideation in Quasar (55)
Five. “The way I got it figured…”: Science and “Science” in Quasar (70)
Six. “There’s just so much to assimilate”: Problematic Fathers and Quasar’s Quest for Mentors (84)
Seven. “I’ve been ­dimension-traveling”: Why Gruenwald’s Continuity Matters (99)
Eight. “Once an Avenger….”: Quasar’s Role in the Avengers (117)
Nine. “Religious rigamarole”: Atheism in the Face of Cosmic Enlightenment (129)
Ten. “Guess I should have worn something ­straight-laced. Huh?”: Depictions of Women in Quasar (144)
Eleven. “Who would you say got the better bargain?”: The Starblast Saga (159)
Twelve. “What more could I do?”: The End of Mark Gruenwald’s Quasar (and Everything After) (174)

Chapter Notes (189)
Works Cited (201)
Index (211)


  
WIKINDX 6.12.1 | Total resources: 14919 | Username: -- | Bibliography: WIKINDX Master Bibliography | Style: Modern Language Association (MLA) | Time Zone: Europe/Berlin (+01:00)