History

Eon was responsible for the creation of the Quantum Bands billions of years ago. As it is Eon's duty is nurturing the evolution of sentient life of the universe and to maintain conditions favorable to life in the universe, he foresaw a need that the universe would need a protector; he created the Quantum-bands to be the instrument of that protection.

The Quantum Bands themselves are predominantly made of a unknown black alloy that is warm to the touch. They are embedded with seven golden gems which encircle each band. The bands have been known to change their shape not only to alter size to fit a new bearer, but one bearer, Trantra of the Trill, the first non-humanoid Protector, had apparently merged the bands (or had them merged) into a belt-like ring which encircled his body at what would be the waist in humanoids.

The Kree know the Quantum-Bands as the legendary Power-Bands of Rinn, which according to Captain Atlas were the inspiration/prototypes for the Nega-Bands. While it's possible that the Supreme Intelligence (who created the Nega-Bands) somehow aquired the Quantum-bands for study, it's more likely that he was able to study 'archive footage' of the Quantum-Bands in action.

The Quantum-bands were a major factor in the outcome of the Annihilation War and the Phalanx's attempted takeover of the Kree space (Annihilation Conquest).

Contintuity of the Quantum-Bands

The Quantum-Bands first became notable in Marvel continuity when Robert Grayson a.k.a. Marvel Boy (an Atlas comics character) wore “Uranian power-bands” in defense of the US from aliens, sabetours, and communists during the 1950’s. Later, (after Marvel aquired Atlas Comics) Marvel Boy returned from Uranus (now callimg himself the Crusader) and had been driven mad by the horrors of what had happened to the outpost. He battled the Fantastic Four and disintegrated himself when he attempted to use too much power through the bands.

The bands were then collected from Reed Richards by SHIELD for study. SHIELD enlisted Stark International in that endeavor. The head scientist was a man named Dr. Gilbert Vaughn, who had a son named Wendell who at the time was training to become a SHIELD agent. William Wesley, a test pilot, (a possible allusion to Hal Jordan) tested the bands out but disintegrated himself just as Marvel Boy had.

AIM assualt group attacked in an attempt to steal the bands but were foiled when Wendell donned the bands to protect them and single-handedly drove them off. He was then offered a job by Col. Nick Fury himself to become the first member of the Super-Agents of SHIELD. He called himself Marvel Boy and then Marvel-Man in honor of Marvel Boy.

Later calling himself Quasar, he had many adventures and eventually was appointed by Eon to be Protector of the Universe. It is here that the bands are called by their proper name for the first time. The Quantum-Bands.

Quasar served well as Protector, he was unfortunately killed by the cosmic assassin, Maelstrom, who then donned the bands, but Quasar was able to resurrect himself and reclaim them. Later Quasar was nullifed by the Magus and was still able to resurrect himself and eventually reclaim the bands again, but not before a Skrull (disguised as the Comtemplator) briefly claimed one of them.

Quasar was killed by Annihilus who claimed the bands during the Annihilation War. Phyla-Vell avenged Quasar and claimed his mantle along with the Quantum-Bands. She has recently been defending the Kree Empire from the Phalanx.

Bearers

Known bearers have included: Glakandar the Stygian Starbender (the first Protector), Ree, Trantra, Marvel Boy, William Wesley, Quasar, Maelstrom, An unnamed Skrulls disguising himself as the Contemplator (wielded only one), Annihilus, and Phyla. In an alternate future they were wielded by Silver Surfer (who referred to himself as 'The Keeper') and Starhawk.

It is important to note that despite Captain Marvel being a Protector of the Universe, he never wore the Bands because they were lost for a time, apparently being used by the true Uranians when they sent the Crusader to Earth; then by Wendell Vaughn. Marvel Boy (Robert Grayson) never wore the Quantum Bands, we wore Uranian power-bands that were based on the Quantum-bands but built with inferior Uranian technology, those bands were solar powered and lacked the extensive energy manipulation capabilities of the Quantum Bands. They ran out of power while Robert had exiled himself to Uranus.

Recently, Phyla-Vell's Nega-Bands merged with the Quantum-Bands when they flew onto her wrists. It's unknown if this will have a lasting effect on the Quantum-Bands. Phyla-Vell has adapted to the power of the Q-Bands, with the help of a Cotati priest discovered that Annihilus had indeed corrupted the Quantum-bands when he wielded them. Phyla was drawn into the bands themselves and found an area of inky darkness within them. Shortly thereafter, she learned that with the Phalanx having cut off the Kree empire from the rest of the universe, also have cut off the Quantum-bands from the Quantum-Zone, leaving only the energy that happened to be within the Bands for Phyla to complete her quest to find the savior of the Kree people.

After defeating the Super-Adaptoid, Phyla's mind receded into the Bands as Annihilus' corruption was finally consuming her along with the Bands themselves. It is then that the 'spirit' of Wendell Vaughn manifested within the bands with her and with her help forced Annihilus' corruption finally out of the Quantum-Bands. Sending Annihilus and Wendell possibly to their final resting placed or possibly on their way back to the land of the living. Only time will tell.

Abilities of the Quantum Bands

Energy Manipulation: Primarily, the bands are tools for manipulating forms of energy. A bearer of the quantum-bands can affect, alter, absorb, and channel any form of energy found in the Electromagnetic spectrum, from Gamma Rays to Radio Waves, and this also includes visible light. Wendell Vaughn, the previous wearer, once absorbed and released the entire energy output of a star, funneling the radiation, and nuclear fusion, passing entirely through the bands. So great is the bands ability to absorb and control energy that most other energy manipulators (Presence, Jack Of Hearts, Living Laser… etc.) cannot come close to overwhelming the bands, only truly powerful energy manipulators (Silver Surfer, Thanos, or Galactus… etc.) are capable of such a feat. The energy output of the bands is generally appears to be yellow in color, but since the bands have mastery of the entire EM spectrum, presumably a wielder could change the color of the energy at will (since visible light is only a small fraction of the greater EM spectrum). It is believed that the energy defaults to yellow because the energy of the Quantum-Zone seems to be yellow in color.

Energy Constructs: The bands can construct anything the wearer can imagine from "Quantum energy", This energy is derived from the Quantum-Zone, although the bands can absorb energy from all known sources. The more care the bearer takes in the creation of a construct, the stronger and more durable it is. A practiced bearer can alter the mass of the constructs so that they have the consistency of molasses or to be lighter than air. These constructs last indefinitely or until the bearer reabsorbs the construct into the Q-bands.

Flight: The bands allow the bearer to fly in atmosphere or in space (surrounding the wearer in an energy aura to protect from air-friction or the vacuum of space), and can achieve incredible speeds (Wendell Vaughn once flew from New York Harbor to the Sea of Tranquility in under 5 minutes).

Teleportation: they also enable the bearer to quantum jump or create apertures between the fabric of space/time of various sizes. Allowing the wearer access to the realm of potential energy which the bands interface with known as the Quantum-Zone. A wearer can then travel through this trackless, featureless zone and emerge at a different point in our physical space light years away from his starting point only seconds later. His Quantum-bands would enable him to keep his bearings while in the zone and thus emerge where he wants to. He can cross countless light years in a single jump (Quasar regularly traveled from our star system to systems in other galaxies) if he so desires. Important note, however, she cannot quantum-jump within an atmosphere without ripping a hole in its ozone layer.

Communications: The bands can detect, emit, and receive radio waves; thereby the bearer can communicate with other radio receivers. The bands can also create a “Quantum-link” which appears as a glowing golden sphere about 2 inches in diameter, which travels to the point of contact at warp speeds and connects with any communication device present allowing the bearer to carry on near-instantaneous communications even over extra-galactic distances.

Altered Metabolism: One previous bearer of the Quantum bands(Marvel Boy) has been known to be able to augment his strength and stamina to unknown limits with the Quantum-bands. Quasar himself rarely exhibited this ability and only when it was needed. He once physically restrained She-Hulk by himself, whether this was a statement of his augmented physical strength or her own restraint is unknown, though she seemed to struggle against him.

Mental Protection: Despite the fact that the Quantum-Bands have no control over the mind or Psionics, at least one previous bearer (Quasar) had "programed" the Bands to protect his mind for mental attacks and takeover. So powerful is this protection that neither powerful psychics, such as Moondragon, or the Overmind could overcome it.

Limitations

Worthiness: Similar to the hammer of Thor, a bearer of the Quantum-Bands must to be worthy. As the Quantum-Bands are tied to the station of the Protector of the Universe, the bands seem to require a calm mind lacking ‘killer instinct’ to learn to use them to their fullest potential. A bearer with the intent to commit acts of depravity and destruction will quickly find himself losing control of the energy output of the bands until they disintegrate him.

Magic: The Bands cannot absorb it or resist it. However, an enchanted physical object will only be as strong as the object itself would otherwise be. Therefore, Thor's hammer (Mjolnir) will simply not shatter Quasar's forcefield like glass. Fortunately, magicians have no control over the energies he manipulates so, it evens out.

Extradimensional energy: Quasar is susceptible to all persons using Darkforce. His Q-bands cannot create constructs to hold or resist darkforce energy. The Darkforce penetrates his energy like it wasn't even there. Also entities from the Negative-Zone (such as Annihilus) can corrupt the bands if wearing them.