Quasar is such a long-overdue character that I actually keep forgetting I haven’t dedicated a “Legendary Focus” column on him. I had to google to make sure I hadn’t already written this column. I’m trusting Google not to lie to me.
Quasar has been be-bopping around the Marvel Universe since the ’70s under various names and uniforms. His initial appearances were as Marvel Boy, then he quickly–and briefly–graduated to Marvel Man, and finally upgrading to the much cooler and evocative Quasar handle we all know and love.
Quasar is a character that would theoretically make a great looking and fun action figure. He’s had a handful of nifty costumes, and with a power set revolving around a pair of Quantum bands capable of making energy constructs, it’s a little weird that he’s never made Marvel Legends status. He hits all the notes that say “make me.” He’s been an Avenger, and has had an important role in several large-scale comic events dating back to early 90s, from Infinity Gauntlet up to the various Annihilation series. He’s fought against or beside a ton of important villains and heroes. He had his own 60 issue comic series. His Quantum Bands essentially make him the Marvel Universe’s Green Lantern. He’s even died and come back, just like…literally every Green Lantern, I think.
The problem seems to stem from the fact that, even though Gilgamesh is technically the Forgotten One, poor Wendell Vaughn does a more than adequate job of being forgotten as well. He’s not really an A-lister, and he doesn’t have a lot of super-definitive stories you can point to and say “Quasar really stood out in ______.” I guess that works against you when they’re choosing who to turn into plastic.
Plus he’s never even been in a movie. Amateur.
It doesn’t help that so many people seem to want Phyla-Vell as Quasar instead of Wendell. A dude dies for a little while and he loses all his fans.
Unlike a lot of heroes, I can’t say I have a specific preference for Quasar’s costume. I’d obviously like a figure of how he looked early in his series, but I wouldn’t mind the updated look that he took on a little later in the series, with the starfield cape. That seemed to hang around quite a while, and I was the one he wore in a lot of events, so I could see that edging out his earlier look. I liked the masked one he wore in there as well. He’s kind of like Wonder Man in that he’s had a bunch of costumes and needs a box set featuring all of them. I’d kill for box sets of characters that have had multiple costumes.
Despite that, I have a feeling if he was made he would lean toward the Annihilation-era look, which kept a lot of the iconic imagery of past costumes and shifted them just a little. That was the costume his 4-inch marvel Universe figure wore, so they’d probably replicate that for the ML line. Fortunately, I like most of the costumes designed during that time period–Phyla-Vell clearly dug it as well–and I don’t think you can go wrong with gold, red and black.
I don’t necessarily need them, but it would be cool if Quasar came with a handful of quantum energy constructs that could be placed around his wrists, for people who dig that kind of thing. Of course, saying that, I can see them tossing in those circle-bubble things that I keep getting with figures and keep ending up in bags of accessories never to be used again. Those things have been used more often than your average Kardashian.
Bodywise, he’s never been a large character, so I’d be perfectly happy with him on the new Bullseye body. The butterfly hinges would be good for Quantum ass-kicking poses.
An Avenger, a cosmic hero, a cool design, and a nifty power set…Quasar is due a figure. It’s kind of past time for him to get the Legends-styled recognition he deserves.
