Comic Review #69: Quasar #17 (1990)

 

Alright! It's time to get back into reviewing Comics! The last one was in October! That's like two whole weeks ago! I picked this series because I was reminded of this issue and I remember it being a neat little story so I wanted to give it a re-read. It also requires a bit of backstory so when I describe that backstory I get to make it look like I put more effort into these things then I actually do. I usually just vomit words onto the computer screen but this time I get to vomit even more words on the screen making people go "Wow this guy really has a lot to say about this comic book" which is sorta sometimes true but it's mostly me being the wordiest bitch in the history of talking. See just explaining that took an entire paragraph. 

Anyway you might be asking yourself "Well, how did I get here?" and after I get slapped for making that terrible joke I will tell you about the story of Quasar. It goes back many many decades. You see his story kinda goes back to 1940s Marvel. There was a character named Marvel Boy. Then Roy Thomas a man who loved the 1940s more than humanly possible decides to bring him back for a story in the 1970s. Sorta, he gets a new name and I think he turns out to be a robot or something. I haven't re-read that story in a long time. Anyway this guy had Quantum Bands and when he was disintegrated (this is a cool word and should be used more) S.H.I.E.L.D. takes over. This is where Wendell Vaughn comes in. He has to put on the Quantum Bands to fight A.I.M. He stays around as a S.H.I.E.L.D agent for a little while in Captain America comics. 

Showing up in another hero's comic is pretty much his thing until 1989 when Marvel Comics puts out his own comic. Mark Gruenwald was the writer of all 60 issues. This series had all kinds of artists on it, our pal Mike Manley from Darkhawk comics comes in again. So you might be asking yourself what is the plot of this issue huh? Well it's like those old DC comics where Flash and Superman would race to see who was the fastest in that universe (in my mind it should be the Flash who always wins those races because he SHOULD be the fastest man in the universe). This story starts right where the last issue ended, with Quasar, the Squadron Supreme and Captain Marvel flying back home from a space fight with the Stranger. Quasar sees someone run past him and it causes him to shit his britches. They all land and say there goodbyes and when Quasar is flying back to house with Makarri of the Eternals running below him. They meet The Runner!

The Runner is one of the Elders of the Universe. They are the oldest beings in the Marvel universe. They all have this thing they are passionate about and that's how they get their superhero name. Like the Runner or the Obliterator (another cool word that should get used more). Ego the Living Planet is a  Elder of the Universe so they are totally fucking awesome. Anyway the Runner wants to race all of the fastest beings on the planet Earth. So he gets Makarri who is not happy that someone is faster than him. I'm going to skip the stuff that sets up different plot points later on because I really usually do that and discuss the main plot of any comic anyway. 

So let's discuss the people running in this race. First we have Black Racer, a snake lady who is a member of the Serpent Society, a group of snake based bad guys that fight Captain America, mostly in the 1980s and 1990s. Speed Demon, a bad guy who fought Spider Man and I think had one appearance before this. Super Sabre, a guy who would fight the X-Men and is like old as fuck. He's in his 60s I think. Quicksilver probably the most famous of the Marvel speedsters (and probably my favorite. I love arrogant superhero assholes), the second Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau (and my favorite of the lot of them) and of course the Runner! Oh and the Whizzer but I fucking hate that stupid looking asshole and his stupid name. Would you be amazed that he has that name and wears a yellow suit. What a fucker. The Whizzer is one of the few comic book characters I would totally destroy if I had the chance. Fuck the Whizzer.

So during the race Quasar is brought back to earth to find someone who sent off an alarm he had created using his powers. He's got to keep an alien creature named Eon safe. A man whos pretty much completely naked except for a red and yellow appears out of nowhere thinking about his old world. He is compelled to run and well he ends up beating everyone. He then gives himself the named Buried Alien. If you can't guess by now this special guest is The Flash from the DC universe. the Pre-Crisis on  Infinite Earths Barry Allan Flash. Yep, this is an unofficial DC/Marvel crossover! I love when these things happen. There's a couple of them and they are all fun. Anyway the Runner takes him away and Makkari shows up. Quasar tells him that since Buried Alien wasn't from this earth that makes HIM the fastest man on earth! They have a nice moment together which ends the comic.

FINAL VERDICT: This comic series was for the 30 or so issues I've read of it, a fun time. Mark Gruenwald always wrote fun stories. I love his picking out of the most obscure things from the Marvel universe. The dude knew everything. I like how Captain Marvel loses because she's technically not hitting the ground enough for it to count as running. This might not be the most popular comic but it's had a cult following for over 30 years now and that's gotta count for something. Portnoyd will yell about it for some dumb reason because he's a giant turd.