This week’s “Comic Book of the Week” is “Quasar” #1, which was published by Marvel Comics in October 1989. This comic was the first issue in a series that lasted five years with a complete run of 60 issues that wrapped up in July 1994. The title of “Quasar” #1 was “The Price of Power!” and the creative team included Mark Gruenwald, story; Paul Ryan, breakdowns; Danny Bulanadi, finishes; Janice Chiang, letters; Paul Becton, colors; Howard Mackie, edits; and Tom DeFalco, chief. Paul Ryan was the cover artist for this issue, which sold for $1 at newsstands.
“Quasar” #1 gives us the origin story of Quasar, a.k.a. “The Cosmic Avenger.” The story opens with S.H.I.E.L.D. Col. Nick Fury giving a briefing at Stark Enterprises on the late Robert Grayson, the son of a German rocket scientist who wielded a pair of powerful bracelets and fought criminals and communists under the name Marvel Boy. Marvel Boy had a stellar crime-fighting career until one day he unexpectedly disappeared. Years later, out of the blue, he reappeared and “was missing a few marbles.”
Marvel Boy proceeded to go on a rampage, and the Fantastic Four stepped in to bring him under control. During this battle, Marvel Boy’s bracelets went haywire and disintegrated Marvel Boy. His bracelets were the only things left behind, and Reed Richards, the leader of the Fantastic Four, took custody of them in hopes of learning how they worked.
For “international security reasons,” Reed turned the bracelets over to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the purpose of Fury’s briefing at Stark, which was attended by Tony Stark (Iron Man) and scientists Dr. Gilbert Vaughn, Dr. Stanley Zane and Dr. Madeline Reznek, was to encourage them to study the bracelets. Their specialty is the study of extraterrestrial objects, and S.H.I.E.L.D. wants them to figure out how the bracelets work. At the end of Fury’s presentation, Stark agrees to a six-month contract with S.H.I.E.L.D. to study the bracelets.
As it turns out, Dr. Vaughn’s son, Wendell Vaughn, is almost finished with his training to become a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and at the end of his training, he’s assigned to duty at Stark International’s research facility in Pittsburgh, Pa., where his scientist father is studying Marvel Boy’s bracelets. Wendell believes he’s been given the assignment because his dad pulled some strings, but his father actually had nothing to do with the duty assignment. Despite their best efforts, Stark’s scientists are having a hard time figuring out how the bracelets work, and readers also learn that Reznek is actually a spy for the high-tech terrorist group, A.I.M., which is short for “Advanced Idea Mechanics.”
Enter William Wesley, a S.H.I.E.L.D. test pilot who has agreed to wear the power bracelets, so that the scientists can run further tests on their capabilities. They put him through all manner of tests, from shooting light rays through brick walls to flying and lifting cars. Wesley meets his end though when they try to remove the bracelets at the end of the tests, and he gets disintegrated like the original Marvel Boy.
Suddenly and without warning, a large A.I.M. ship loaded with a host of assault droids arrives to steal the power bracelets. Wendell Vaughn and other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents fight back, and Wendell puts on the power bracelets to keep them safe. Having watched the bracelet tests with William Wesley, Wendell has a rough idea of how to make them work, and he repels the A.I.M. attack and keeps the droids from stealing the bracelets.
At the end of the battle, Wendell begins to feel overwhelmed by the power of the bracelets, and he fears that he’s going to be disintegrated like Wesley and Marvel Boy. To avoid hurting anyone and to keep his father from witnessing his death, he flies high above the Earth and relaxes, accepting his fate. It’s at that point, the energy buildup fades, and Wendell realizes that he’s figured out something about how the bracelets work.
In the end, he returns to Stark’s Pittsburgh facility, where Col. Fury invites him to enroll in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s new Super Agent Program, where he receives “special powers training in the company of other special operatives.” He also continues to work with his father to unravel the mystery behind the bracelets. To boot, he’s given a facsimile of Marvel Boy’s original uniform and adopts the superhero name “Quasar.”
This comic (unless I’ve sold it) and others are available for purchase through Peacock’s Books on Amazon.com. If you’re interested in buying it, search for it there by title, issue number and date of publication.
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