"Oh come on Nori, can’t you crack a smile at least once? We’ve got a freakin’ spaceship!!!" Max Black, Beyond The Impossible #33
Maximilian "Max" Black is the world's first superhero and a key member of the Vanguard. A longtime comic book fan, he has embraced his new life while keeping his real identity a secret in the effort to continue having a normal life as well.
Biography[]
Born and raised in Chicago, the youngest child of a policeman [1] , Max has always dreamed of having the fantastical adventures of his fictional heroes. After witnessing the tragic death of his older brother [2] and failing to live up to his dreams, Max found himself in New York City in the right place at the right time, gaining superpowers and a chance to be the world's first superhero.
Powers[]
Quantum's powers derive from his exposure to the energies of the Heart Of The Universe, a Drylon device of mysterious origins.
Particle shapeshifting: With very little mental effort, Quantum can transform the atoms of his body into a wide variety of particles and energies, including:
-Radio waves
-Microwaves
-Light (infrared, visible light, ultraviolet); can also be focused in a laser
-X-rays
-Gamma rays
-Electricity
-Ionizing radiation (neutrons)
-Kinetic energy (by scrambling his own atoms)
-Neutrinos
-Anti-matter
Energy blast: Quantum can emit any kind of energy in the desired direction. Since this is done by converting his own mass, the amount of energy emitted is limited by the quantity of mass Quantum can afford to lose.
Light speed: By turning all of his body into massless particles, Quantum can move at the speed of light. Thinking at the same speed requires extreme mental effort and can only be sustained for a limited time.
Energy senses: Quantum can see or hear any kind of energy, regardless if it is outside his human sight. He is able to see and hear even when in energy form.
Energy absorbtion: Quantum has demonstrated the ability to absorb external energy into his own body, without transforming [3]. The extent of this ability remains to be seen.
Weaknesses[]
Human body: Aside from his powers, Max's body is human, giving him the same vulnerabilities of any other man.
Anti-neutrino fields: Quantum's energy form can't pass through areas shielded by anti-neutrino fields, and he can't transform into the same. [4]
Mind over matter powers: Beings capable of controlling energy with their minds, like most gods, have little trouble controlling his energy body.
Blood weapons: Weapons created by skilled Blood users can hurt or trap his energy body.
Trivia[]
- Although primarily a fan of superhero comics, Max has shown to be a fan of other media such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Stargate and Mass Effect
- Despite being successful at keeping his identity a secret to the general public, he has a terrible track record of doing the same with his enemies and the authorities
- He's the only member of the Vanguard to regularly live outside the Tower, not counting Kari's duplicates
- He doesn't earn any money for his work as Quantum, but he's technically working for Null in his identiy as Max Black [5]
Defining episodes[]
- Beyond The Impossible #3, "A goddess walks into a bar": meets Vesta and Null
- Beyond The Impossible #7, "The fanboy and the power": realizes he has super-powers
- Beyond The Impossible #22, "Seeing double": arrives on Myridia and meets Kari Zel
- Beyond The Impossible #62, "Take back the night": saves New York from Null's Negative Drive
- Beyond The Impossible #99, "The speech": helps Noriko recover from the Abyss saga
- Beyond The Impossible #141, "It didn't happen one night": confronts Null after the war with Eris
- Beyond The Impossible #156, "Nowhere": relives the death of his brother
- Beyond The Impossible #161, "Setting the board": meets Kristen Lynn
- Beyond The Impossible #234, "Vanguard unchained": fights Dionysus
Gallery[]
