Shalla-Bal is a legacy character in Silver Surfer lore. She first appeared in Silver Surfer #1 back in 1968 as Norrin Radd's (the original Silver Surfer's) love interest on their homeworld of Zenn-La (where she also happens to rule as Empress). Like most unpowered (yet powerful) female love interests (ie Lois Lane, Mary Jane Watson, Carol Ferris, Pepper Potts, Betty Ross, etc), Shalla has occasionally adopted the abilities and identity of her titular male counterpart. In Shalla's case, this has almost always happened in alternate-universe scenarios or issues of What If. Over the years, she has wielded the Infinity Gauntlet and become (at least) two different Heralds of Galactus. Her specific incarnation as Silver Surfer was in the Earth-X storyline from 2000. Shalla's surprise appearance in the Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer was very exciting for me, but her prescence is also a bit of a potential clue to the plot of the film (don't Google her before the movie if you don't want spoilers). Let's check out Silver Surfer below!
This figure is stunning. Oftentimes, solid-color characters can look flat. Especially metallic ones. But this Shalla-Bal figure is cast in a semi-translucent silver plastic (with a wavy quality to the silver) and then she is covered with both pewter and gold washes.
The overall effect is pretty amazing.
I know this face is meant to represent the actor Julia Garner (who I loved as Anna Delvey in Inventing Anna),
but all I can see is Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Shalla comes with her surfboard, a power effect surfboard stand, and five hands (including a new mold (I believe) of a cupped palm to hold the surfboard - I've never seen this one before).
This pic below is using the cupped-palm hand. Poses like this would be impossible without the new hand.
And here's a fun image of Shalla-Bal as Starglow.
Shalla-Bal's body is composed of a semi-translucent plastic. I think this is more of a side-effect of casting in a deep metallic plastic (as opposed to a surface-painted effect) rather than an intentional design choice.
This photo was technically a mistake, but I like it anyway.
Time for some Group and Comparison Pics!
Here is Shalla-Bal with my other Legends Lady Herald, Nova.
And here are all my Silver ladies. You must be monochromatic (eyes are an exception) to be in this exclusive club. Marvel Legends Jocasta (2020), DCUC Platinum (2012), Marvel Legends Silver Surfer (2025), and DC Direct's Engineer (2002).
Cheers!
This is a must have.
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