Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1994-06-01 00:01:30 |
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Quasar #59
Issue(s): Quasar #59
Cover Date: Jun 94
Title: "Brothers in arms"
Credits:
Ron Marz - Writer
Andy Smith - Penciler
Ralph Cabrera - Inker
Mike Rockwitz - Editor
Review/plot:
I've said that Marvel had stopped doing "just in case" fill-ins, but between this issue, Deathlok #30, and Sleepwalker #30, that seems to have proven not really accurate. In all three cases we have these fill-ins getting dumped shortly before the respective series was canceled. In all three cases the fill-in interrupts a story from the regular creative team, which is odd. Why not finish the story and then publish these issues? I guess people would be less likely to stick around for fill-ins after the series was over as far as fans of the creative team would be concerned.
This issue features Thanos and Starfox, characters that fill-in writer Ron Marz has written previously on Silver Surfer. Artist Andy Smith had a run on this book and worked on Silver Surfer with Marz in the past.
The story has Quasar going to Titan to visit Starfox, who actually is eschewing that name at this point...
...and who is back to his womanizing ways.
This being a Ron Marz story, i will note that there's no evidence of using his power to seduce the women. This seems like a reference to something specific, though.
Starfox has an errand that he has to run while Quasar is visiting, and it turns out to be a meeting with his brother, Thanos. They apparently have a yearly event called the Truce where they meet. They also exchange gifts.
The gift Thanos gives Starfox, the Destiny Crystal, turns out to have been stolen from the Kharta'een Empire. Troops from that Empire show up to reclaim it. They fight for a bit, with Quasar confronting Thanos to prevent him from actually killing the troops (and Thanos, having extended the Truce to Quasar, doesn't fight back). Starfox then uses his powers to subdue the troops and send them away, believing that they have retrieved the stolen crystal (it's a little unclear to me if Starfox did try to give them the crystal or not, but in the end after Starfox and Quasar leave we see that Thanos still has it).
The story definitely screams fill-in, not just because Quasar's role is minimal but because what feels like it should have been a moment of character development for Thanos and Starfox doesn't go anywhere. Even the idea of them meeting on an annual basis feels kind of made-up (and as far as i know, is never referenced again).
Quality Rating: D
Historical Significance Rating: 1
Chronological Placement Considerations: This fill-in issue shouldn't take place in the normal publication sequence between issues #58 & #60 since in those issues Quasar is despondently hanging around the orbit of the New Universe planet. This issue begins with Quasar in space (seemingly already approaching Titan, although the timing between panels isn't definitive), with no mention of where he's coming from, which means it can take place after issue #60 when Quasar has left Earth.
References:
- Starfox left Titan to satisfy a thirst for adventure in Avengers #230.
- Infinity Gauntlet #4 is cited as an example of the times that Thanos and Quasar have fought.
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: N/A
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Comments
I think I asked this once on another issue but - does anybody know if Starlin or Stern came up with the "Starfox" name? As far as I know it was never used until Stern had Starfox join the Avengers, which would make me think Stern. But on the other hand, he's had that "fox head" logo on his outfit since the very beginning.
He was given the name when he joined the Avengers in Avengers #231 or 232. (I feel like that should be a Reference because of his "somebody else's idea" line, but I can understand it being too minor and oblique to count.)
The way the italics are written are kind of oversized and it's kind of distracting and amateurish-seeming.
This comes off as an oversized Marvel Comics Presents story. Were there no "cosmic" Annuals this could have been stuck in?
Fnord, maybe you could elaborate on the Ron Marz and Eros' powers comment? It did not come across very clear.
Luis, it was an allusion to Marz's somewhat notorious depiction of Starfox in Silver Surfer annual #4.
Andy Smith (who takes commissions and, much like MC Wyman and Michael Bair, has become a really solid artist) said that this was a retooled Genis-Vell story originally planned for a back-up to Silver Surfer Annual #6 (which would also explain why that is one of the few annuals that doesn't have a back-up "starring" the new character).
Not sure how much retooling actually went on, I'd assume it's been made a lot longer or padded out and even as a Genis-Vell story, it still seems to favour Starfox too much. Or maybe when the character was swapped out, Marz just took out the majority of the character out and didn't bother actually writing much of anything for Quasar. This would also explain why Genis-Vell and Thanos' first meeting in Cosmic Powers is surprisingly lacking any real acknowledgement of the Mar-Vell connection between them. Marz felt he already wrote that story even if it didn't see print and as a result we never actually get a real Thanos/Genis story like that.
The slow buildup to 1994 is killing me. I have this issue but never read it. These stories where enemies meet once a year to exchange pleasantries has become cliche. I loved Quasar though.
The statue puts me in mind of the DC mini JONNI THUNDER. This was about a lady private detective who gained from a mysterious statue the power to release an electrical entity from her body. In the mini the entity seemed to be a ruthless version of herself, but in INFINITY, INC. it was revealed to be an alien being that meant to make Skyman, Thunder's new boyfriend, its mate's host. JONNI THUNDER wasn't a cosmic series, so I'm not sure it's plausible Marz was referencing it.
