Fanastic Four: First Foes - Shalla Bal
Written by Charles Soule
Art by Mark Buckingham
Colors by Alex SInclair
Letters by VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Art by Phil Noto
“Fantastic Science” by Ryan North and Phil Noto
Comic tie-ins, especially ones for films and TV shows, can be very hit or miss. There have been some really good ones over the years (looking at you, Buffy: the Vampire Slayer), or there could be ones that just really don’t hit the mark (How unfortunate for those Ghost Whisperer tie-ins). This book, though, I don’t think I can effectively put in either category. Why? The best way to describe this issue would be that it is the most “ok” comic. Let’s get into it. Spoiler Warning Now In Effect for Fantastic Four: First Foes - Shalla Bal!
War and Peace
Fantastic Four: First Foes - Shalla Bal was a cool book, but it was one that I’m not sure needed to be made. The premise of this issue is that it takes a look at an earlier time in the life of Shalla Bal after she was made into the Silver Surfer, a herald of Galactus, and how she makes decisions that help her live with her choice. There were some moments in this issue that I actually really liked, but I thought the rest of it was bogged down with a sort of generic plot and too many moments where I felt like I was going through the motions.
Before we continue, for those out there who aren’t super into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) or just haven’t gotten around to seeing Fantastic Four: First Steps, Shalla Bal is the MCU’s replacement for the more well-known Norrin Radd. In the comics, Norrin and Shalla are lovers, but in this version of the character, there is no connection whatsoever, and Shalla becomes the Silver Surfer to save her planet rather than Norrin.
The issue opens with Shalla Bal talking to her daughter and trying to comfort her despite being away from her in deep space. This scene might’ve been my overall favorite one in the entire book, and it comes within just the first few pages. There’s this sense of melancholy as the Silver Surfer reaches out to touch her child, even though she can’t feel her at all. It’s clear that this was a tough decision for her, and even though she promises her daughter she will try to come see her, she knows in her heart that it’s going to be a very long time.
I would have preferred that the rest of this issue follow a similar thread. Taking a look at everything she left behind and more about her as a person. Now I’m not naive here; especially with a tie-in issue, there’s only so much you can dive into without having to worry about what the film or TV show it's based on down the line might do with the character. In terms of sticking within the confines I’m sure they were given, the creative team did a great job, but I wonder what this creative team would’ve been able to do if all the shackles were off.
The rest of the issue is essentially one giant battle on this planet called Polaris that the Silver Surfer is doing her best to end. These two alien races are in the midst of destroying each other but Shalla Bal has other ideas. She takes shots from both sides as she tries to bring the conflict to a close, and after essentially being shot with the equivalent of nuclear weapons, she absorbs the radiation, and both sides stand down. She tries to comfort a mother and daughter in the planet’s final moments, saying that she just wanted them to experience a moment of peace before the end; before Galactus chows down. The issue ends as Shalla Bal leaves Polaris and Galactus his planet-sized dinner.
More Thoughts on the Issue
Now I want to say there are some narrative points in this book that do stand out, and I want to bring attention to those. Like I said, I don’t think this is a bad issue by any means, and it still had some parts that offered a nice insight into the character of Shalla Bal. When we join Silver Surfer’s mission on the planet, and while she’s still working towards the goal of peace, she responds to the aliens’ war cries with a great quote:
“I offer peace. Peace is a path. It leads forward. You respond with war. War is a circle. A road... with no end. Violence. Death. Until nothing is left. ”
A second moment that I loved, mainly because it shows the insane power possessed by the Surfer, is the moment I mentioned above where she absorbs this immense amount of power from the massive weapons that were unleashed upon her. Rather than dying as the alien race had hoped for, Silver Surfer absorbs all the power from the weapons and takes it within herself. She took the best shot the planet had, and it was like nothing had ever happened. The art during this section, with a special shoutout to Mark Buckingham and Alex Sinclair, looks fantastic and is my favorite moment from the issue art-wise. It’s quite frankly, badass to see Silver Surfer fly into the middle of these weapons of destruction and absorb everything they've got.
This moment also establishes how powerful the character is, not just because of the cosmic powers granted to her, but because of her conviction. She could’ve let those weapons take out a lot of the population as the planet awaited Galactus to come for his entreé but she didn’t want that to happen. She wanted to give that planet and everyone on it, no matter what side of the war they were on, a chance at some moments of peace. No matter how brief that might be. The years may have gone by, and she might be a very different person than she was, but she still has good in her heart. A fact that we see in Fantastic Four: First Steps, when she helps the Earth out at the end of the film.
A Short Story, Conclusion, and Rating
There is a short story at the end of this book written by Ryan North with art by Phil Noto. It’s only two pages, but just like everything North has written recently, it was really fun. I won’t spoil this short story too much, but it’s a humorous take on Reed Richards trying to teach us all something while simultaneously breaking the fourth wall. Noto does a great job with just the few panels he’s given. It’s great to see Pedro Pascal in comic form, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Thing was a personal favorite of mine from the film. Looking forward to seeing a lot more of these two and their team in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. I honestly wish we could get a whole issue in the vein of “Fantastic Science” as I think that would be much more engaging than just one-shots that feel like they don’t add too much to the story they’re based on.
If you enjoyed 2025’s Fantastic Four: First Steps and wanted to dive a little deeper into the MCU’s version of Silver Surfer, this book is for you. If you weren't into First Steps or were not that interested in this version of the Silver Surfer, then I wouldn’t recommend this one. While not a bad comic by any means, Fantastic Four: First Foes - Shalla Bal is a tie-in that doesn’t hit great heights and ultimately wasn’t my cup of tea.
RATING: 6/10