Mark Gruenwald

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Mark Gruenwald
Gruenwald90s.png
Mark Gruenwald, photographed at a comic convention in New York City in the early 1990s.
Born (1953-06-18)June 18, 1953[1]
Oshkosh, Wisconsin[2]
Died August 12, 1996(1996-08-12) (aged 43)
Nationality American
Area(s) Writer, Penciller, Editor
Notable works Captain America
Squadron Supreme
Quasar
Awards Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award 1987, 1996

Mark E. Gruenwald (June 18, 1953 – August 12, 1996) was an American comic book writer, editor, and occasional penciler known for his long association with Marvel Comics.

Contents

Biography [edit]

Early career [edit]

Gruenwald got his start in comics fandom, publishing his own fanzine, Omniverse, which explored the concept of continuity. Before being hired by Marvel, he wrote text articles for DC Comics official fanzine, Amazing World of DC Comics. Articles by Gruenwald include "The Martian Chronicles" (a history of the Martian Manhunter) in issue #13[3] and several articles on the history of the Justice League in issue #14.[4]

Entry to Marvel [edit]

In 1978 he was hired by Marvel Comics, where he remained for the rest of his career. Hired initially as an assistant editor in January 1978, Gruenwald was promoted to full editorship by Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter in 1982, putting Gruenwald in charge of The Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Spider Woman, and What If.[5][6] During this period, he shared an office with writer/editor Denny O'Neil, whom Gruenwald considered a mentor.[7]

Penciler [edit]

During the years 1982–1984, Gruenwald did fill-in pencil work for a handful of Marvel comics, most notably the 1983 Hawkeye limited series, but also issues of What If?, Marvel Team-Up Annual, The Incredible Hulk, and Questprobe.

The artwork of Merlyn in Who's Who in the DC Universe[8] is the only known artwork by Gruenwald for a comics company besides Marvel Comics.

Writer [edit]

As a writer, Gruenwald is best known for creating the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and his ten-year stint as the writer of Captain America (from 1985 to 1995) – during which he contributed several notable characters such as Crossbones, Diamondback and U.S. Agent. At one point Gruenwald owned a replica of Captain America's shield – the same shield now owned by Stephen Colbert.[9]

His 60-issue run on Quasar (1989–1994) realized Gruenwald's ambition to write his own kind of superhero. However, he considered his magnum opus to be the mid-1980s 12-issue miniseries Squadron Supreme, which told the story of an alternate universe where a group of well-intended superheroes decide that they would be best suited to run the planet. Gruenwald was highly loyal to each series he wrote. In addition to his lengthy stint on Captain America, he wrote the entire runs of both Quasar and D.P.7, and Jim Salicrup recalled that when Gruenwald was taken off of Spider-Woman after only 12 issues, he "was crushed."[10]

Executive editor [edit]

In the late 1980s Gruenwald became Marvel's executive editor, with a particular remit as the keeper of continuity. Gruenwald was famous for a perfect recollection of even the most trivial details.

In the pages of Thor,[11] writer/artist Walt Simonson created the Time Variance Authority, a cosmic bureaucracy that regulates the Marvel Multiverse. Simonson paid homage to Gruenwald by having the TVA's staff all be clones of Gruenwald; no one could keep track of everything but him.

Gruenwald (or "Gru" or "Grueny" as he was often referred to) was a recurring character along with Tom DeFalco in the single-panel comic The Bull's Eye that ran in "Bullpen Bulletins" in the late 1980s–early 1990s. These strips ran as filler pages in comics during the majority of DeFalco's run as editor-in-chief, and Gruenwald was often depicted as a caricature and foil for DeFalco's antics.

Death [edit]

In 1996, Gruenwald succumbed to a heart attack, the result of an unsuspected congenital heart defect. Gruenwald was a well-known practical joker, and due to his young age, many of his friends and co-workers initially believed the reports of his death to be just another joke. Just days prior, he had done one of his trademark cartwheels down the halls of the Bullpen. A longtime lover of comics, Gruenwald made it known amongst his friends and families that his one desire was to have his ashes used in part of a comic. In accordance with his request, he was cremated, and his ashes were mixed with the ink used to print the first-run trade paperback compilation of Squadron Supreme.[12]

Personal life [edit]

Gruenwald married singer Belinda Glass in May 1981.[13] They later divorced, and he married Catherine Schuller on October 12, 1992 in New York after a year's courtship. Catherine was the executrix of the famous will that indicated he wanted his cremains to be put into a comic book upon his death. Gruenwald had a daughter, Sara.[14]

Legacy [edit]

The Amalgam Comics book The Exciting X-Patrol #1 (June 1997) is dedicated to Gruenwald's memory.

In the DC Universe, a building in Gotham City was named the Von Gruenwald Tower, and in the novel Captain America: Liberty's Torch (written by Tony Isabella and Bob Ingersoll), the lawyer kidnapped to defend the similarly kidnapped Captain in a mock trial before a militia is named Mark Gruenwald, and is described with the same general physical attributes and personality as the real Gruenwald. The lawyer acts heroically throughout the story.

In the comic series Elephantmen by Richard Starkings of Comicraft, the executive director of the Information Agency where almost all of the main characters of the series work is called Gruenwald and bears a strong resemblance to Mark Gruenwald, down to his personal traits. In an Interview with Newsarama Richard Starkings confirmed that the character was based on his dead friend.[15]

In volume four of Nova from Marvel Comics, the new director of Project Pegasus is named Dr. Gruenwald.

In 2006, Gruenwald was officially named the "Patron Saint of Marveldom" in the new "Bullpen Bulletins" pages.[16]

Selected bibliography [edit]

Regular Writer [edit]

Fill-in Writer [edit]

Penciller [edit]

  • What If? No. 32 (Marvel Comics, April 1982) – (Avengers story; co-penciller; inks also)
  • What If? No. 34 (Marvel Comics, August 1982) – (co-penciller)
  • Marvel Team-Up Annual No. 5 (Marvel Comics, 1982)
  • The Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) No. 279 (Marvel Comics, January 1983)
  • Hawkeye #1–4 (Marvel Comics, September 1983 – December 1983) – (limited series)
  • "What if the Universe Ceased to Exist?" What If? No. 43 (Marvel Comics, February 1984)
  • Questprobe No. 1 (Marvel Comics, August 1984)

Editor-in-Chief [edit]

Executive Editor [edit]

  • The War #1–4 (Marvel Comics, June 1989 – March 1990)

Editor [edit]

Assistant Editor [edit]

Colorist [edit]

Notes [edit]

  1. ^ "United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J16Z-M4W : accessed 12 Mar 2013), M E Gruenwald, 15 August 1996.
  2. ^ "Pro File on: Mark Gruenwald," "Bullpen Bulletins," X-Men Annual No. 11 (1987).
  3. ^ Amazing World of DC Comics No. 13 (Oct. 1976)
  4. ^ Amazing World of DC Comics No. 14 (March–April 1977)
  5. ^ "Avengers Assemble! A Memo From... Mark!" Avengers No. 222 (Marvel Comics, August 1982).
  6. ^ Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel comics cover-dated November 1983.
  7. ^ Gruenwald, Mark. "Mark's Remarks," Iron Man No. 223 (October 1987).
  8. ^ Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #XV (May 1986).
  9. ^ Jones, Seth. "WWC: Civil War & Remembrance Panel – Updated!", Comic Book Resources (Aug. 11, 2007). Accessed Sept. 29, 2008.
  10. ^ Hembeck, Fred (2006). The Fred Hembeck Show: Episode 72 - The Mark Gruenwald Show, Fred.
  11. ^ Thor #372 (October 1986).
  12. ^ Cronin, Brian. "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #1," Comic Book Resources (June 3, 2005). Accessed Sept. 29, 2008.
  13. ^ Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel comics cover dated August 1982.
  14. ^ Hembeck, Fred. "The Fred Hembeck Show: Episode 72 – The Mark Gruenwald Show", Quick Stop Entertainment (Sep. 14, 2006). Accessed Mar. 26, 2009.
  15. ^ Starkings' "Elephantmen" turns 25 (April 2010)http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25885
  16. ^ Son of M No. 2 (March 2006), among others.

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Preceded by
Tom DeFalco		 Marvel Comics Group Editor-in-Chiefs, Avengers titles;

Bob Harras, mutant titles; Bob Budiansky, Spider-Man titles; Bobbie Chase, Marvel Edge titles; Carl Potts, licensed-property titles
1994–1995

 Succeeded by
Bob Harras
Preceded by
David Anthony Kraft,
Roger Slifer		 Marvel Two-in-One writer
(with Ralph Macchio)
1978–1981		 Succeeded by
Tom DeFalco
Preceded by
Roy Thomas		 Thor writer
(with Ralph Macchio)
1980–1981		 Succeeded by
Doug Moench
Preceded by
Mike Carlin		 Captain America writer
1985–1995		 Succeeded by
Mark Waid
Preceded by
John Byrne		 Avengers writer
1990
(back-up stories; main stories by Fabian Nicieza)		 Succeeded by
Larry Hama
Authority control
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