ANOMALY

Real Name: Inapplicable

Identity/Class: Cosmic/Abstract Entity, Metaphysical Being, Quasar enemy

Occupation: Representative for all anomalous forces, objects, beliefs, etc. throughout the universe/multiverse

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Associate of other cosmic entities; possible agent of the Living Tribunal; his loyalties are difficult to predict in any given situation.

Enemies: Maelstrom

Known Relatives: Unknown relationship to other cosmic entities

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Dimension of Manifestations; the known universe, and possibly other realms as well

First Appearance: Quasar#20 (March, 1991)

Powers: Undefined. The Anomaly is the embodiment of all things that are like no other things. It obeys no physical laws and is the exception to all rules. Its exact abilities are unclear but it is not harmed by virtually any conventional on unconventional attack. In addition, as an abstract entity, it only takes physical form by drawing on matter from the Dimension of Manifestations, to create a Manifestation, or M-Body. Clearly the destruction of an M-Body would not destroy the Anomaly's abstract existence, although it may prevent it from interacting with others until it can form a new M-Body.

When it attacked Quasar, the quantum energy bent around it, making it impervious to it, as well as allowing it to penetrate it with ease. It could dampen the energy sufficiently to prevent Quasar from quantum jumping away. The only way Quasar was able to defeat it was to realize he could not win and to give up, which caused the Anomaly's M-Body to break apart into energy fractals.

When Maelstrom, at the time himself in a somewhat abstract form and serving as an avatar of Oblivion, attacked the Anomaly, he simply choked it and seemingly killed it. Clearly he only affected the M-Body, as the Anomaly appeared a short time later none the worse for wear.

History: The Anomaly is an abstract entity, which may be as old as the current universe, or possibly even pre-date it. It claims that it was not born an abstract entity, but that it assumed the function of concept embodiment when it determined to manifest itself in the Earth dimension. It perceived an unfilled conceptual niche and bioformed itself to suitably fill it. It is unclear whether other abstract entities have similar origins, or if the Anomaly is...anomalous.

When the deviant/inhuman hybrid known as Maelstrom became an agent of Oblivion, he sought out the Anomaly. After questioning it on its origins, Maelstrom, presumably using power derived from Oblivion, seemingly choked it to death and took on its abilities for himself. Whether Oblivion's power was sufficient to overwhelm Anomaly, or it was caught unawares, or it simply allowed Maelstrom to believe he had destroyed it is unclear. As we later learned, it was only the M-Body of an abstract entity which physical beings encounter, and it was this that was choked to death by Maelstrom.

The entity known as Origin had created a temporal anomaly by changing Quasar's costume retroactively throughout time on what seemed to be a whim. While battling Maelstrom (who was then the current manifestation of Anomaly), Quasar used this fact to reveal he was an anomalous pocket of reality inversion. The knowledge that he was not the supreme or even the only anomaly in existence was sufficient to overwhelm Maelstrom's concentration and cause his form to be disintegrated by the Quantum Bands, which he had usurped from Quasar.

When Quasar and the Contemplator journeyed to the Dimension of Manifestations, they disrupted a hearing of the Living Tribunal. The Anomaly attacked Quasar, but let him go free when he agreed to desist his disruption. Shortly thereafter, Quasar encountered the comatose M-Body of Eternity, the result of an attack by the Magus. When he attempted to investigate further, he was again attacked by the Anomaly. This time the Anomaly, having realized that Quasar had invoked his attributes without permission against Maelstrom, refused to let him go and threatened to end his life. Quasar was able to defeat him by realizing that normal logic was inapplicable to the Anomaly. On advice of the Contemplator, Quasar gave up, which caused the Anomaly's M-Body to disperse. The Anomaly has almost certainly reformed another M-Body since that time.

Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald and Greg Capulo.

per Kyle Smith: The visual design for the character Anomaly comes from one of the fossils on the 570 million year old stone called the Burgess Shale.  This comparatively alien-looking, caterpillar-like, spiny specimen is known as "Hallucigenia."