Shalla-Bal

Last updated
Shalla-Bal
Shalla-Bal.jpg
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance The Silver Surfer #1 (August 1968)
Created by
In-story information
Species Zenn-Lavian
Notable aliasesHelena

Shalla-Bal is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, the immortal Empress of Zenn-La and the lover of Norrin Radd, the Silver Surfer, who becomes the Herald of Galactus in exchange for his planet being spared, separating the lovers for eternity.

Contents

Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer will make her live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), played by Julia Garner.

Publication history

The character first appeared in The Silver Surfer #1 (August 1968), created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema. [1]

Shalla-Bal is depicted as the love interest of Norrin Radd. [2]

In a 1975 storyline in Fantastic Four , Shalla-Bal was trapped in the form of a Latverian peasant girl named Helena by Mephisto, and marrying Doctor Doom, until a 1982 Silver Surfer one-shot he discovers this deception and frees her from Mephisto's trap. [3]

In the 2016 Silver Surfer series, Shalla-Bal begins a campaign to spread the culture of Zenn La across the universe as the Keeper of the Great Truth, and in the conclusion of the series Silver Surfer is forced to erase their culture from existence so that even they could not remember it. [4]

Fictional character biography

Shalla-Bal is the Empress of her utopian planet, Zenn-La (in the Deneb System, Milky Way Galaxy), and is the lover of Norrin Radd. When the planet-eating Galactus comes to their planet, Norrin Radd volunteers to become his herald in exchange for sparing Zenn-La. Norrin Radd is given the Power Cosmic and becomes the Silver Surfer, thus separating him from Shalla-Bal for a long time. [lower-alpha 1]

Eventually, the Silver Surfer rebells against Galactus, who traps him on the planet Earth as punishment by putting up an energy barrier that the Silver Surfer cannot get through. The demon Mephisto who desires to defeat the Surfer and steal his noble soul, senses the anguish of this separation within him, and uses Shalla-Bal as a pawn in his conflict with the Surfer. [5] As part of a conspiracy, Mephisto replaces the consciousness of Shalla-Bal so that she believes herself to be a regular citizen of Latveria named Helena, and Doctor Doom organizes a false marriage celebration with her to make the Surfer fight the Fantastic Four. [6]

Meanwhile, Galactus consumes the life energies and ecosphere of Zenn-La because of Silver Surfer's betrayal, but spares the lives of its people by warning them of his coming beforehand, allowing them to return to the lifeless husk afterwards. When Mister Fantastic frees the Surfer from his imprisonment, he returns to Zenn-La to find it in this state and learns that Shalla-Bal was abducted by Mephisto. The Surfer understands the conspiracy and returns to Latveria to find Shalla-Bal, imprisoning himself once again on Earth. The Surfer bestows a portion of his Power Cosmic to Shalla-Bal while Mephisto is sending her back to her planet and she is able to use this power to restore the life on Zenn-La. [7] Shalla-Bal is thus accepted as an Empress by her people. [8] However the responsibilities of her office make Shalla-Bal refuse marriage with the Surfer when he eventually breaks free from Earth for good, and he tells her that their romance is over. [9] She is later held hostage by the Elders, but is rescued by the Silver Surfer. [10]

Shalla-Bal later meets the Kree leader Nenora. [11] Shalla asks the Surfer to protect Zenn-La from the Obliterator. [12] Shalla allies with the Skrull Empress S'byll against the Kree, after which the Cotati inform her that Nenora is a disguised Skrull. Shalla is captured by Nenora's Kree Sentry, but freed by the Cotati. She tells S'byll and the Surfer about Nenora's true nature, and is returned to Zenn-La by the Silver Surfer. [13]

Shalla-Bal is later taken captive by the Enslavers, and is then reunited with the Surfer. [14] Shalla is seen in flashback telling Norrin Radd about his father's suicide. [15] She is seen in flashback again at her first meeting with Norrin when they are children. [16] Shalla-Bal is later abducted with the planet Zenn-La by the Great One. Shalla is briefly reunited with the Silver Surfer, but disintegrates along with the Great One's pocket universe. [17] The Silver Surfer later returns her to life after her soul was imprisoned by Mephisto. [18]

After years of rejection, Shalla-Bal once became romantically involved with Fennan Radd, a man who claimed to be the Silver Surfer's half-brother by his father. Fennan claimed to have been born after Norrin's mother Elmar committed suicide. [19]

Powers and abilities

As a member of the race of aliens known as Zenn-Lavians, Shalla-Bal has an extraordinarily long life span. Hence, Shalla-Bal has lived for centuries although she is still physically a young woman.

Shalla-Bal was once able to restore life to Zenn-La's ecosphere due to a fragment of the Silver Surfer's power cosmic that he placed within her. Apparently, she can still cause plant life to grow wherever she walks.

Other versions

Earth X

In the Earth X reality, Franklin Richards as the new Galactus bestowed on Shalla-Bal the same powers as Silver Surfer enabling her to be with Silver Surfer as the second Silver Surfer. She died in battle against the Celestials leaving Silver Surfer devastated. [20]

After Silver Surfer sacrificed his life so that Mar-Vell can wield the Power Cosmic, he was reunited with Shalla-Bal in the Realm of the Dead. [21]

What If

Shalla-Bal was featured in different What If stories:

In other media

Television

Film

Guitarist Joe Satriani recorded an instrumental rock song named "Back to Shalla-Bal" on his 1989 album Flying in a Blue Dream .

Australian rock group Swoop recorded a song named "Shalla Bal (Ballad(e) of the Silver Surfer)" on their 1995 album The Woxo Principle .

Notes

  1. As recounted in Silver Surfer #1.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galactus</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Galactus is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Formerly a mortal man, he is a cosmic entity who consumes planets to sustain his life force, and serves a functional role in the upkeep of the primary Marvel continuity. He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #48.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infinity Gems</span> Fictional cosmic items with the power to grant a user an ability/abilities

The Infinity Gems are six fictional gems appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, named after and embodying various aspects of existence. The gems can grant whoever wields them various powers in accordance to the aspect of existence they represent, and have the potential of turning the wielder into a god-like being when the main six are held together. Thus, they are among the most powerful and sought-after items in the Marvel Universe; playing important roles in several storylines, in which they were wielded by characters such as Thanos and Adam Warlock. Some of these stories depict additional Infinity Gems or similar objects. Although, the Infinity Gems altogether give its user nigh-omnipotence, the Gems only function on the universe they belong to and not on alternate realities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kree</span> Aliens in the Marvel Universe

The Kree, briefly known as the Ruul, are an alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud, and have a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skrull</span> Fictional extraterrestrial race

The Skrulls are a race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They originated from the planet Skrullos and their empire is located in the Andromeda Galaxy. Their infiltration of Earth was a major event in the Marvel Comics universe as shown in the crossover event Secret Invasion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thanos</span> Supervillain appearing in Marvel Comics

Thanos is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-artist Jim Starlin, the character first appeared in The Invincible Iron Man #55. An Eternal–Deviant warlord from the moon Titan, Thanos is regarded as one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. He has clashed with many heroes including the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pip the Troll</span> Fictional character from Marvel Comics

Pip the Troll is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<i>The Infinity Crusade</i> 1993 Starlin-Lim comic book series

The Infinity Crusade is a six-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 1993. The series was written by Jim Starlin and penciled by Ron Lim, Ian Laughlin, Al Milgrom and Jack Morelli and also the third and final chapter of the Infinity Saga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elders of the Universe</span> Fictional comic book supervillains

The Elders of the Universe are a group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Collector was the first Elder to appear, and featured in The Avengers #28, but the idea that he was a member of a group known as the Elders was not introduced until The Avengers #174.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mephisto (Marvel Comics)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Mephisto is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Silver Surfer #3, and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema and based on Mephistopheles: a demon character from the Faust legend, who has sometimes been referred to as Mephisto. Introduced as a recurring adversary of the Silver Surfer and Ghost Rider, Mephisto has also endured as one of Spider-Man's most prominent adversaries, being responsible for Norman and Harry Osborn's respective transformations into the Green Goblin and Kindred; and for the superhero's loss of his marriage to Mary Jane Watson, considering their future daughter Spider-Girl his archenemy. Mephisto has often come into conflict with Doctor Strange, Doctor Doom, Scarlet Witch and other heroes of the Marvel Universe, being responsible both for the creation of the Cosmic Ghost Rider and the descents of Phil Coulson and Otto Octavius into villainy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super-Skrull</span> Fictional character in Marvel Comics

The Super-Skrull (Kl'rt) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, generally as an enemy of the Fantastic Four, whose collective powers he possesses. The character, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, first appeared in Fantastic Four #18, and has been depicted as both a supervillain and an antihero. The character has also appeared on television and in video games and novels.

The Ultimate Nullifier is a fictional device of immense power appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The device made its first appearance in Fantastic Four volume 1, issue #50, in which Johnny Storm retrieves it from the home of Galactus to employ against Galactus himself. The Nullifier appears as a small, hand-held metallic device with no apparent functionality. When first introduced in 1966, it was described as the only known weapon in the universe capable of inspiring fear in Galactus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stranger (Marvel Comics)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

The Stranger is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronan the Accuser</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Ronan the Accuser is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #65. In his comic book appearances, Ronan is depicted as the Supreme Accuser of the Kree Empire, the militaristic government of the alien Kree, and commonly serves as an adversary of superhero teams such as the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Initially portrayed as a supervillain, the character would later be presented as a more noble and honorable figure. Ronan has even been married to the Inhuman Crystal, a princess of the Inhuman Royal Family.

<i>The Power Cosmic</i> 1999 studio album by Bal-Sagoth

The Power Cosmic is Bal-Sagoth's fourth album, released in 1999. The album was Bal-Sagoth's first recording for Nuclear Blast.

<i>Fantastic Four</i> (1994 TV series) 1994 animated television series

Fantastic Four, also known as Fantastic Four: The Animated Series, is the third animated television series based on Marvel's comic book series of the same name. Airing began on September 24, 1994, until ending on February 24, 1996. The series ran for two seasons, with 13 episodes per season, making 26 episodes in total.

<i>Silver Surfer</i> (TV series) American animated television series from 1998

Silver Surfer, also known as Silver Surfer: The Animated Series, is a 13-episode animated television series based on the Marvel Comics superhero Silver Surfer, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The series aired for one season on the Fox Kids Network in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psycho-Man</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Psycho-Man is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nova (Frankie Raye)</span> Comics character

Nova is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist George Pérez, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #164.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Surfer</span> Fictional character in Marvel Comics

The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first appeared in the comic book Fantastic Four #48, published in 1966.

"Reckoning War" is an American comic book storyline written by Dan Slott with art by Rachael Stott, Carlos Pacheco and Andrea De Vito published from February to June 2022 by Marvel Comics. This story deals with the Fantastic Four clashing with the Reckoning, a group of aliens derived from a mysterious race called the Prosilicans, who orchestrate multiple alien invasions causing a catastrophic cosmic war, which also features Uatu, Nick Fury, Doctor Doom, the Silver Surfer, the She-Hulk, and the Jack of Hearts.

References

  1. DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 321. ISBN   978-1-4654-7890-0.
  2. Terror, Jude (August 10, 2019). "Sexy Time with Shalla-Bal in Silver Surfer: Black #3 [Preview]". Bleeding Cool . Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  3. Cronin, Brian (November 29, 2018). "Provide Some Answers: Will the Real Shalla-Bal Please Stand Up?". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  4. Lealos, Shawn S. (February 1, 2021). "How Silver Surfer's Wife Returned to Become His Worst Enemy". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  5. Silver Surfer #3. Marvel Comics.
  6. Fantastic Four #155-157. Marvel Comics.
  7. Silver Surfer (vol. 2) #1. Marvel Comics.
  8. Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #2. Marvel Comics.
  9. Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #7. Marvel Comics.
  10. Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #8-9. Marvel Comics.
  11. Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #20. Marvel Comics.
  12. Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #21. Marvel Comics.
  13. Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #25-31. Marvel Comics.
  14. Silver Surfer: The Enslavers. Marvel Comics.
  15. Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #50. Marvel Comics.
  16. Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #57. Marvel Comics.
  17. Silver Surfer: Homecoming. Marvel Comics.
  18. Silver Surfer/Warlock: Resurrection #1-4. Marvel Comics.
  19. Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #101. Marvel COmics.
  20. Earth X #12. Marvel Comics.
  21. Universe X #11. Marvel Comics.
  22. What If #22. Marvel Comics.
  23. What If #34. Marvel Comics.
  24. What If #37. Marvel Comics.
  25. What If #49. Marvel Comics.
  26. Kroll, Justin (April 3, 2024). "'The Fantastic Four': Julia Garner Joins Marvel Studios Movie As A Shalla-Bal Version Of Silver Surfer". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  27. O'Neill, Shane (April 3, 2024). "Who Is Shalla-Bal: The Fantastic Four Movie's Silver Surfer Replacement, Explained". Looper . Retrieved April 3, 2024.