Quasiman
Encyclopedia
Quasiman is a fictional character from the Wild Cards
anthology series. He was created by author Arthur Byron Cover
.
Quasiman is a Joker, a person mutated by the Wild Card virus. He does not remember his past or his real name, or indeed any information prior to his transformation. He is large and powerfully built, but with a hunched back
and twisted spine. Quasiman is the caretaker of the Church of Jesus Christ, Joker in New York's Jokertown
, having been hired by Father Squid
shortly after the Church opened.
Quasiman has superhuman strength and can teleport
, but his powers come with a price; his body is constantly in flux, with molecules moving back and forth in space and time while still staying part of him. Because of this, his mind has difficulty focusing. At times his thoughts are clear and lucid; but those times are few and far between, and never last very long. Usually it is an effort for him just to remember what he was going to do, or if he'd already done it, or if his memories are of the past or future. Occasionally parts of his body will phase out of existence, then back in again.
Quasiman is not a major character, but plays a significant role twice; he is resuscitated by "faith healer" Reverend Leo Barnett, which gains Barnett enough public recognition and sympathy to later be elected President. Later, he is involved in Detective Hannah Davis' investigation of the burning down of the Church, which gets him entangled in uncovering the Card Sharks
conspiracy.
Wild Cards
Wild Cards is a science fiction and superhero anthology series set in a shared universe. The series was created by a group of New Mexico science fiction authors, but it is mostly pulled together and edited by best-selling author George R. R. Martin with assistance by Melinda Snodgrass, also a...
anthology series. He was created by author Arthur Byron Cover
Arthur Byron Cover
Arthur Byron Cover is a science fiction author.Cover attended the Clarion Writer's SF Workshop in New Orleans in 1971, and made his first professional short-story sale to Harlan Ellison's The Last Dangerous Visions...
.
Quasiman is a Joker, a person mutated by the Wild Card virus. He does not remember his past or his real name, or indeed any information prior to his transformation. He is large and powerfully built, but with a hunched back
Hunchback
Hunchback may refer to one of the following.*A derogatory term for a person who has severe kyphosis*The Hunchback of Notre Dame*Hunchback , an arcade and computer game from the 1980s*The Hunchback, a 1914 film featuring Lillian Gish...
and twisted spine. Quasiman is the caretaker of the Church of Jesus Christ, Joker in New York's Jokertown
Jokertown
Jokertown is a fictional neighborhood in the Wild Cards anthology series.In the Wild Cards universe, it is an area of Manhattan. After the Wild Card virus was released over New York in 1946, many Jokers, those deformed by the virus, began to filter into this largely abandoned area, which was nearly...
, having been hired by Father Squid
Father Squid
Father Squid is a fictional priest from the Wild Cards anthology series. He was created by John J. Miller.Father Squid is a Joker, the common term for a person deformed by the alien Wild Card Virus. He has a mass of small tentacles hanging where his nose would be, slick hairless grey skin,...
shortly after the Church opened.
Quasiman has superhuman strength and can teleport
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
, but his powers come with a price; his body is constantly in flux, with molecules moving back and forth in space and time while still staying part of him. Because of this, his mind has difficulty focusing. At times his thoughts are clear and lucid; but those times are few and far between, and never last very long. Usually it is an effort for him just to remember what he was going to do, or if he'd already done it, or if his memories are of the past or future. Occasionally parts of his body will phase out of existence, then back in again.
Quasiman is not a major character, but plays a significant role twice; he is resuscitated by "faith healer" Reverend Leo Barnett, which gains Barnett enough public recognition and sympathy to later be elected President. Later, he is involved in Detective Hannah Davis' investigation of the burning down of the Church, which gets him entangled in uncovering the Card Sharks
Card Sharks (book)
Card Sharks is the thirteenth volume in the Wild Cards shared universe fiction series edited by George R. R. Martin...
conspiracy.