  In this part one of a series of papers, we introduce a new version of quantum
covering and super groups with no isotropic odd simple root, which is suitable
for the studies of integrable modules, integral forms and bar-involution. A
quantum covering group involves a quantum parameter q and a sign parameter pi
squaring to 1, and it specializes to a quantum supergroup when pi=-1. Following
Lusztig, we formulate and establish various structural results of the quantum
covering groups, including bilinear form, quasi-R-matrix, Casimir, character
formulas for integrable modules, and higher Serre relations.
