Gruenwald had long told his wife he wanted his ashes to be a part of his work. A well-known practical joker, many believed the news of his death was a prank-he had been cartwheeling in the writers’ room just a month before. Sadly, Gruenwald died of heart failure in 1996. These books take a look at the inner workings of superheroes in “real world” settings where corruption and consequences are the focus. The Squadron Supreme received a 12-issue mini-series and is considered a precursor to highly popular deconstructionist superhero parables like Watchmen, Kingdom Come, and The Boys. These heroes united to build a utopia on their planet-a plan that would eventually go awry. The Squadron’s characters had been around, but Gruenwald decided to focus on a new set of the heroes in an alternate reality. While Gruenwald knew all the details of the established teams and characters of Marvel, he is most recognized for his work on a new team of heroes known as the Squadron Supreme. The publisher even opened up a challenge for readers to stump Gruenwald, but had to discontinue it when it became clear nobody could beat him. As a keeper of continuity and a leader of creative teams, Gruenwald had a knack for remembering every bit of minutia about Marvel Comics.
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