Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Death of the Silver Surfer #2
Marvel teases both the death of Norrin Radd and the rise of a newSilver Surferas the world turns against Galactus' most famous Herald. With Galactus out of the question, Norrin Radd tries to live a peaceful life on Earth, but humans have other plans for him. As Norrin is harassed by regular people in his daily life,the Bureau of Alien Neutralization prepares to kill the Silver Surfer, who’s regarded as the most powerful alien being on Earth.
InDeath of the Silver Surfer#2, the BAN travels toGalactus' dormant bodyto steal some of his cosmic energy, thus awakening the Devourer of Worlds. Meanwhile, the Silver Surfer finds himself saving Skaar from an attack by a BAN agent, Major Kelly Koh. While this may seem unrelated, it could be the first hint at Norrin Radd’s successor.
Following the promise of its title,Death of the Silver Surfertakes the first steps towards Norrin Radd’s death and the possible arrival of a new Herald of Galactus, who may already have showed her potential.
Major Kelly Koh Has Tapped Into The Old Power
Death of the Silver Surfer#2; Written by Greg Pak; Art by Sumit Kumar and Frank D’Armata; Letters by Joe Sabino
While hunting down the Earth’s second most powerful alien, Skaar, Major Koh accidentally taps into the hero’s Old Power. In Marvel lore, the Old Power is an artificial replica ofthe Power Cosmic that gives the Silver Surfer his abilities.Beyond connecting to Skaar’s memories, the Old Power doesn’t seem to enhance Major Koh, but it may already have prepared her body for a massive upgrade in the near future.
Given that the Bureau of Alien Neutralization seems to have awakened Galactus, it’s possible that Norrin Radd will sacrifice his life to save the Earth from the Devourer of Worlds, who may choose Major Koh as his new Herald to aid him in getting rid of Norrin. Otherwise, the BAN may find a way to exploit Koh’s link to the Old Power and transform her into a human-made Silver Surfer. Either way,Major Koh is a strong candidate for the Silver Surfer title.
Marvel May Replace Norrin Radd In Time For Shalla-Bal’s MCU Debut
Marvel Comics' MCU Synergy Isn’t Always One-To-One
Marvel is killing off Norrin Radd right as the Fantastic Four are making their MCU debut inThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, which introduces Julia Garner’s female Silver Surfer, Shalla-Bal.Norrin Radd has a long history with Shalla-Bal, who’s traditionally his romantic partner from Zenn-La and the Silver Surfer in one of Marvel’s many alternate universes. However,Marvel Comics may not be replacing Norrin with Shalla to replicate the MCU, but instead adding a new wielder of the Silver Surfer title.
Marvel Comics frequently takes inspiration from the MCU while offering original twists. For example, after Ms. Marvel’s controversial MCU power change, Marvel has given Kamala Khan hard-light abilities.The Vision and The Scarlet Witch #1brings back White Vision, inspired byWandaVisionand the upcomingVision Quest. More recently, Marvel revealed a Thunderbolts team that quickly became the New Avengers, led by Bucky Barnes. To synergize with the MCU, Marvel Comics might introduce a brand-new, femaleSilver Surfer.
