Mark Gruenwald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mark Gruenwald |
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Gruenwald at a comic convention in New York City in the early 1990s.
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| Born | Mark Eugene Gruenwald June 18, 1953 Oshkosh, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | August 12, 1996 (aged 43) Pawling, New York, U.S. |
| Area(s) | Writer, Penciller, Editor |
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Notable works
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Captain America Squadron Supreme Quasar DP7 |
| Awards | Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award, 1987, 1996 |
| Spouse(s) |
Belinda Glass
(m. 1981; div. 1988)Catherine Schuller
(m. 1992) |
| Children | 1 |
Mark Eugene Gruenwald (born June 18, 1953 – died August 12, 1996) was an American comic book writer and editor. He sometimes drew comics too. He was famous for working with Marvel Comics for many years.
Contents
Mark Gruenwald's Story
Starting in Comics
Mark started out as a big fan of comic books. He even made his own fan magazine, called Omniverse. In it, he wrote about how all the different comic stories fit together, like a big puzzle.
Before working at Marvel, he wrote for DC Comics' fan magazine. He wrote about characters like Martian Manhunter and the Justice League.
Joining Marvel Comics
In 1978, Marvel Comics hired Mark. He stayed there for his whole career. He began as an assistant editor. By 1982, he became a full editor. He was in charge of popular comics like The Avengers and Captain America. He also worked on Iron Man, Thor, Spider Woman, and What If. During this time, he learned a lot from writer and editor Denny O'Neil.
Mark as an Artist
From 1982 to 1984, Mark sometimes drew comics. He did "fill-in" drawings for several Marvel titles. His most famous drawing work was on the 1983 Hawkeye comic series. He also drew for What If?, Marvel Team-Up Annual, and The Incredible Hulk.
Mark as a Writer
In 1982, Mark helped write Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions. This was Marvel's first ever limited series. A limited series is a comic story told over a set number of issues.
Mark is best known for creating the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. This book was like an encyclopedia for Marvel characters. He also wrote Captain America for ten years, from 1985 to 1995. During this time, he created new characters like Crossbones and U.S. Agent. He wanted to create villains that were special to Captain America. Mark even owned a copy of Captain America's shield!
He also wrote all 60 issues of Quasar (1989–1994). He felt this series let him write his own kind of superhero. But he thought his best work was the 12-issue series Squadron Supreme. This story was about a group of superheroes in another universe. They decided to take over the world to make it better. Mark was very dedicated to the comics he wrote.
Executive Editor Role
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In 1987, Mark became Marvel's executive editor. His special job was to keep track of all the comic book stories and make sure they fit together. This is called "continuity." Mark was famous for remembering even the smallest details about Marvel's universe.
In the Fantastic Four comic, the character Walt Simonson honored Mark. He showed a group called the Time Variance Authority (TVA) whose staff were all clones of Mark. This was a joke about how only Mark could remember everything!
Mark was also a character in a comic strip called The Bull's Eye. This strip appeared in Marvel comics in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Mark's Passing
In 1996, Mark passed away from a heart attack. He had a heart problem that no one knew about. Mark was known for playing jokes, so many of his friends first thought the news was just another one of his pranks. Just days before, he had done one of his famous cartwheels down the office halls.
Mark loved comics very much. He told his friends and family that he wanted his ashes to be used in a comic book. So, after he passed, his ashes were mixed with the ink. This ink was then used to print the first copies of the Squadron Supreme comic collection.
Personal Life
Mark Gruenwald married Belinda Glass in 1981. They later divorced. He then married Catherine Schuller in 1992. Mark had one daughter named Sara.
His Legacy
Many comic books have been dedicated to Mark's memory. These include The Exciting X-Patrol and Generation X.
Mark has also been honored in other ways:
- In the DC Universe, a building in Gotham City is called the Von Gruenwald Tower.
- In a Captain America novel, a lawyer character is named Mark Gruenwald. He is described as looking and acting like the real Mark.
- In the comic Elephantmen, a character named Gruenwald looks a lot like Mark. The creator confirmed it was based on him.
- In Marvel's Nova comic, a new director of Project Pegasus is named Dr. Gruenwald.
- In 2006, Mark was officially called the "Patron Saint of Marveldom" in Marvel's "Bullpen Bulletins" pages.
- In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) show Loki, the character Mobius M. Mobius looks like Mark Gruenwald.
A book about Mark's time writing Captain America was published in 2021.
Images for kids
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Gruenwald at a comic convention in New York City in the early 1990s.
