Quasar (character)

Quasar is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are noted for having worn the Quantum Bands, advanced ancient alien technology that grants the wearer manipulation of quantum energy.

Quasar
Wendell Vaughn and Phyla-Vell, two versions of Quasar
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Wendell Vaughn (as Quasar): The Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) #234 (April 1979) Phyla-Vell (as Quasar): Annihilation #6 (March 2007) Richard Rider (as Quasar): Nova (vol. 4) #23 (May 2009) Avril Kincaid: Captain America: Sam Wilson #7 (May 2016)
Created by	Neutron: Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum Wendell Vaughn: Don Glut, Roy Thomas, John Buscema Avril Kincaid: Nick Spencer, Angel Unzueta
Characters	Sh'iar imperial guardsman Wendell Elvis Vaughn Phyla-Vell Richard Rider Avril Kincaid
Quasar
	Quasar #1 (October 1989). Featuring the Wendell Vaughn version of the character. Art by Paul Ryan.
Series publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	Superhero
Publication date	October 1989 – July 1994
Number of issues	60
Main character(s)	Wendell Vaughn

Fictional character biography

Wendell Vaughn

Main article: Quasar (Wendell Vaughn)

Vaughn is the longest-running Quasar character, and the first to use the name.

Phyla-Vell

Main article: Phyla-Vell

Phyla-Vell becomes Quasar for a time after taking the Quantum Bands from Annihilus.

Richard Rider

Main article: Nova (Richard Rider)

To keep him from dying while deprived of the Nova Force, Rider temporarily takes the Quantum Bands from Vaughn, thus becoming Quasar.

Avril Kincaid

Avril Kincaid is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who debuted during the Avengers: Standoff! storyline. While working at Pleasant Hill, a gated community holding super villains brainwashed by Kobik, Avril runs a daycare center as her cover. When Baron Helmut Zemo and Fixer regain their memories and start a riot, Kincaid is attacked by the Blood Brothers, but is saved by Captain America and Winter Soldier. After Captain America shuts down the security system at the Pleasant Hill Museum, Kincaid enters it and encounters the curator, a retired Wendell Vaughn. As part of a contingency plan for if S.H.I.E.L.D. ever lost control of Kobik, Vaughn gives the Quantum Bands to Kincaid. In the aftermath of the events that transpired at Pleasant Hill, Kincaid becomes the new Quasar with Vaughn acting as her mentor. She is later revealed to be gay.

She is later seen trying to prevent an attack by the Chitauri, but is apparently killed in action. Her apparent death leads the United States government to give Captain America control of the military and law enforcement, as Steve Rogers also assumes control of Hydra. It is later revealed that Kincaid is in a comatose state. When she awakens, she destroys the planetary shield that the Hydra Steve Rogers has been using to keep some of Earth's most powerful heroes off-planet. However, this act seemingly costs Avril her life, with Captain Marvel stating that Avril died after bringing down the shield.

After Avril's apparent demise, Wendell Vaughn reassumes the Quasar mantle. However, after becoming trapped in a black hole, Vaughn catches a glimpse of Avril, who is still alive, but lost somewhere in space.

Powers and abilities

Quantum Bands used in the promotional art for Annihilation: Nova #3 (August 2006), by Gabriele Dell'Otto

The Quasars' powers are derived from the pair of Quantum Bands fused to the bearer's wrists (or more specifically, from the seven gems on each of the bands). The bands are permanently affixed to the wrists; while he or she can make light bend around them so they appear to be invisible, they are still tangible. They are linked to their wearer's nervous system and grant tremendous powers of energy manipulation, apparently working the same for each bearer. Composed of unknown materials, the bands were originally created by Eon to be worn by his designated Protector of the Universe. At some point they were left in a weapons depot by the alien Kree, where they were discovered by the Uranian Eternals and brought to Earth by the deluded Crusader, who believed himself to be the 1950s Marvel Boy.

Foremost among the bands' powers is the ability to tap into a limitless energy source called the "Quantum Zone". Quasars can project quantum energy in the form of devastating beams of force or heat. Vaughn more commonly employs them to fashion incredibly durable constructs of solid energy, such as containment spheres or pincers. He protects himself with a personal force field of quantum energy.

The Quantum Bands can also exert control over many other types of energy that are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, Vaughn once caused a star to emit an enormous solar flare. It is also possible to absorb and redirect the cosmic energy wielded by such powerful beings as the Silver Surfer, Jack of Hearts, Adam Warlock, Thanos, Jean Grey and the Watchers, siphoning their power and using it to augment the quantum energy. Forms of energy the Quantum Bands cannot control include magic and the Darkforce.

Although the bands apparently cannot overtly affect psionic energy, Vaughn has programmed them to render him impervious to psionic mental control. Even such powerful psychics as Moondragon and the Overmind have proven unable to overcome this defense. This does not protect the bearer from magical forms of compulsion.

It is possible to create apertures into and out of the Quantum Zone, thus allowing passage through its infinite, featureless expanse. Vaughn mainly uses this ability to traverse interstellar distances in a manner similar to hyperspace travel, which he refers to as a "Quantum Jump". A Quantum Jump has a destructive side effect on the local environment, violently upheaving gravity and tearing holes in the atmosphere (on Earth, it would damage the ozone layer). Vaughn initially refrains from using this ability except when in space or in dire circumstances, but eventually discovers that he can prevent this effect by surrounding himself with a barrier of solid energy before jumping. It is also possible to shunt matter into the Quantum Zone, provided that the Quasar is in physical contact with it.

The Quantum Bands enable their wearer to fly by manipulating gravitons. The maximum obtainable flight speed is unknown, but Vaughn once made a trip from Earth to Uranus in approximately four years flying non-stop (this was before he learned how to quantum jump). That would require a constant speed of roughly 50,000 miles per hour (80,000 km/h). This doesn't take into account the velocity that can be achieved in a short burst of acceleration.

The Quantum Bands' gems possess some capability to analyze and process information as if they were extremely advanced computers. This makes it possible to navigate the Quantum Zone and the depths of space. The gems are able to detect, analyze, and track energy emissions across vast distances. They can also "program" Quasars' quantum energy to register and react to certain preset conditions. For instance, at one time Vaughn had the Earth surrounded with an invisible lattice-work of energy that was designed to act as a global alert system against potential extraterrestrial threats. The energy field could detect any surges of exotic energy emanating from the planet's surface and any object larger than a micrometeorite passing through it; in either case, the field would react by transmitting an alert signal to the Quantum Bands.

Vaughn has had a direct link to Eon and later Epoch through the bands, which provides ready access to their omniscience.

Phyla-Vell discovers that the bands contain a finite amount of energy which will drain away if they are isolated from their power source (as yet unexplained) and that they also remain linked in some way to their former users.

Other versions

Main article: Quasar (Wendell Vaughn) § Other versions

In other media

Television

The Phyla-Vell incarnation of Quasar appears in the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "Michael Korvac", voiced by Moira Quirk.

Video games

• The Wendell Vaughn incarnation of Quasar appears in Lego Marvel's Avengers.
• The Phyla-Vell incarnation of Quasar appears in Disney Infinity 2.0.
• The Avril Kincaid incarnation of Quasar appears as a playable character in Marvel: Future Fight.
• The Phyla-Vell incarnation of Quasar appears in Disney Infinity 3.0.

References

• Grand Comics Database
• Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
• Comics Vine

External links

• Quasar (disambiguation) at the Marvel Universe
• Quasar at Marvel Wikia
• Neutron at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe