Galactus eats planets, but he needs a herald working for him to find the right planets for him to target, actively seeking worlds rich in life-energy that have the nutrients that the World Devourer needs to survive. The first herald introduced in Marvel Comics was the Silver Surfer, who debuted in Fantastic Four #48, the first issue in “The Galactus Trilogy” that introduced Galactus to the world. Jack Kirby introduced the Silver Surfer without writer Stan Lee’s knowledge, believing that a being like Galactus needed a herald to lead him throughout the universe. Since that time, several other heralds have shown up, and while none were as iconic as the Silver Surfer, they all served their own levels of importance.
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Here is a look at the most important heralds of Galactus in Marvel Comics history.
10) Praeter
Praeter is lesser-known, but that is because he didn’t do anything as Galactus’s herald on the page. His story was told from the days before he took on the role. Praeter is a human pastor named Mike from Broxton, Oklahoma, where Asgard was reformed after Ragnarok. He was there to try to help mend fences between humans and Asgardians, but he played a huge role during the Asgardian and Galactus conflict over the Seed in Yggdrasil. Silver Surfer suggested that Mike replace him as Galactus’s herald, and he accepted. What makes him special is that he said he planned to use human ethical concerns when choosing planets for Galactus to target.
9) Red Shift
Red Shift is an alien of unknown origin who debuted in Galactus: The Devourer (1999) by Louise Simonson, Jon J. Muth, and John Buscema. The Power Cosmic awarded Red Shift the ability to open dimensional rifts and portals across vast distances and send things through them. To do this, he uses two swords that can cut holes in space, and this aids him and Galactus in reaching destinations at a greater speed. He later appeared as one of the heralds who worked as part of the United Front in the Annihilation Wave. His importance in that battle was essential, but he died during the Annihilation Wave, lessening his impact.
8) The Fallen One
The Fallen One was Galactus’s first-ever herald, something that was added to the World Devourer’s story retroactively. He debuted in Thanos #11 (2004) by Keith Giffen and Ron Lim. Unlike later heralds whom Galactus shared the Power Cosmic with, the Fallen One was empowered by dark energy. These powers included the abilities of matter manipulation, electromagnetic spectrum control, super-strength, and dark matter projection. However, unlike later heralds, the Fallen One grew corrupted, and Galactus cast him out after the herald tried to kill his master more than once. Later, the Fallen One became one of Thanos’s heralds. Galactus’s ancient enemies, Aegis and Tenebrous, killed the Fallen One during the Annihilation: Silver Surfer lead-in.
7) Morg the Executioner
Morg the Executioner is a brutal alien that Galactus chose to replace Frankie Raye (Nova) after Galactus learned Frankie began hiding inhabited planets from him. Morg is one of the few heralds who showed no fear of Galactus from the start, and he showed defiant respect instead. However, this led to conflict between the two as Galactus believed this to be resistance to his command. Morg’s main weapon of choice was the Double-Bladed Battle Axe containing the Power Cosmic. He became immediately hated when he killed Frankie and then damaged the Air-Walker, another former herald. Since Galactus did not authorize this, he became the most violent herald in Marvel Comics history.
6) Stardust
Stardust was a being of pure energy from the Ethereal race. When Galactus chose Stardust to be his herald and gave her the Power Cosmic, she gained high-end strength, durability, and energy manipulation. What makes her so important is that she wanted everyone on the planets that Galactus consumed to die. Stardust would actively go after anyone who escaped the planet and kill them. However, she soon became heroic when she fought against the Annihilation Wave with Firebrand and Red Shift, and Galactus rewarded her with the offer to be a second herald.
5) Air-Walker (Gabriel Lan)
Air-Walker was Gabriel Lan, a Nova Centurion of Xandar. He took the Silver Surfer’s place when Galactus stranded the Surfer on Earth after his battles with the Fantastic Four. He was also close friends with Pyreus Kril, who later became the herald known as Firelord. He and Galactus became close during his time as his herald, and when Air-Walker died in service to Galactus, the World Devourer kept it a secret for a time. He remains very culturally relevant, though, and he ended up being later resurrected as part of the herald war against Morg.
4) Firelord (Pyreus Kril)
Firelord was another Nova Centurion, and he agreed to replace Air-Walker after Galactus finally revealed that his former herald had died. It was a personal moment for Galactus, who openly felt sadness at the loss of the previous herald, and it made Firelord one of his most loyal heralds. Firelord’s Power Cosmic abilities include flame manipulation, flight, super-strength, durability, and a flame-tipped staff. Galactus respected Firelord so much that when his herald asked to be released from his service, the World Devourer agreed to it without any added stipulations. This also led to one of Spider-Man’s most iconic moments when he beat Firelord in a fight on Earth. He returned during Annihilation to fight alongside Galactus.
3) Terrax the Tamer
Terrax the Tamer made his debut in Fantastic Four #211 (1979) from the creative team of Marv Wolfman and John Byrne. Galactus chose him as his next herald, but he asked the Fantastic Four to help humble the violent alien in exchange for helping them fight the Sphinx. When the Fantastic Four beat him and showed his weakness, Galactus awarded him the Power Cosmic, which gave him cosmic-powered earth control, a Cosmic Axe, and space-survival. However, the defeat had the effect of making him more brutal, driven by ambition and fear. He found more worlds for Galactus during his short time in Marvel Comics than any previous herald, but when he tried to overthrow Galactus, he was stripped of all his powers, showing the consequences of betrayal.
2) Nova (Frankie Raye)
Nova is a human named Frankie Raye, a character introduced in Fantastic Four comics as Johnny Storm’s girlfriend. At that time, she developed powers similar to Johnny’s, as she could turn into flames and helped the Fantastic Four on several occasions. After Terrax betrayed Galactus and ended up depowered, Frankie agreed to become Galactus’s new herald to spare Earth and to indulge in her own desire for freedom on a cosmic scale. She was the herald who led Galactus to the Skrull throneworld and caused the fall of the entire empire. She developed a conscience again and wanted to be freed, leading to Galactus choosing Morg as her replacement and indirectly causing her death as Morg murdered her.
1) Silver Surfer
The most important Galactus herald in Marvel Comics history is the Silver Surfer. He was the first herald ever introduced in comics in Fantastic Four #48 (1966). He even showed up before Galactus made his first appearance (although Galactus did show up on the last page of that issue). He was also the conscience behind Galactus’s choices on worlds to consume. Galactus punished the Silver Surfer for betraying him and siding with the Fantastic Four, banishing and stranding him on Earth. Before this, the Surfer initially served Galactus for nearly a century, with Galactus suppressing his memories and conscience to keep him on mission. The Silver Surfer is the longest-tenured and most culturally iconic herald, headlining his own solo titles, cosmic events, and most adaptations of Galactus stories.
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
