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The original Galactus Trilogy as told in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s “Fantastic Four” #48-50 remains one of the most influential stories of the Marvel Universe. Though told in three simple issues, it was the first Marvel superhero tale with apocalyptic stakes. Galactus, intent on devouring Earth, is portrayed more so as a force of nature than a mustache-twirling super-villain. Then there’s his herald, the Silver Surfer, who is touched by humanity and turns against his master.
Galactus exiles the rebellious Surfer from his service at the end of the trilogy. Still, in stories told since, Galactus will usually have a less powerful, human-sized herald in his service to replace the Surfer. Most infamously, “Marvel Tales” #137 featured an alternate reality where Spider-Man’s Aunt May becomes the herald of Galactus (“Golden Oldie”). In the end, she convinces Galactus to switch from an all-planet diet to pastries.
Recently, Marvel has been pairing up similarly unexpected characters with Galactus, in a meta-series labeled “What If… Galactus Transformed X.” Some stories so far include:
The fifth and final one, which Marvel has shared an exclusive preview of with /Film, is “What If…? Galactus Transformed Spider-Gwen?” #1 by Kalinda Vasquez and Daniel Picciotto. The issue synopsis reads:
“After coming to the aid of a wounded herald of Galactus, SPIDER-GWEN is empowered and enlisted in the service of the World-Devourer! But despite her new role surveying the galaxy, Gwen can’t help her heroic streak. So when she encounters a world reminiscent of her home, will she ally with its alien residents and attempt to battle one of the cosmos’ greatest forces?!”
The covers, all drawn by Ron Lim, feature Galactus in the background staring at his transformed herald. Check out Spider-Gwen’s new Power Cosmic-infused costume below.
Marvel Comics
Meet Spider-Gwen, herald of Galactus
Spider-Gwen herself is basically a “What If…?” concept that stuck around. She is of course based on Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker’s first serious girlfriend who died back in 1973, murdered by the Green Goblin in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #121. Gwen’s death was so impactful that she stayed dead, a huge rarity in superhero comics; the 1994 “Spider-Man” cartoon left Gwen out altogether because the show’s creators thought they couldn’t put a character destined to die in a children’s show.
“Spider-Gwen” presupposes a version of events when Gwen Stacy got spider-powers and Peter Parker died tragically instead. The character became especially popular thanks to the animated “Spider-Verse” films, where Hailee Steinfeld’s Spider-Gwen is just as much a protagonist as Miles Morales (Shameik Moore).
Gwen (known properly as Ghost Spider) is a multiverse-hopping superhero, which is how she runs into Galactus. You see, his current herald Stardust has rebelled, refusing to let Galactus destroy her own world and people. To stave him off, Gwen volunteers herself as Galactus’ replacement herald. Galactus can feel all the power running through her, so he accepts and grants Gwen the Power Cosmic.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
The preview ends there, but Lim’s cover above shows how the metamorphosis will change Gwen’s costume.
This sequence of events is a homage to the Silver Surfer’s own origin. In 1968, Stan Lee and artist John Buscema collaborated on a solo “Silver Surfer” series. The debut issue expanded on his origin, revealing the Surfer was once a man named Norrin Radd from planet Zenn-La. Then Galactus came to destroy his world, so Norrin asked to become his herald. In that role, he’d find Galactus other worlds to consume so he would spare Zenn-La, and so became the Silver Surfer.
Gwen is making the same bargain, but it’s hard to believe she’d direct her new master to inhabited worlds, ripe for taking. How will she wrangle out of this sticky situation? Wait and see.
“What If…? Galactus Transformed Spider-Gwen?” #1 is scheduled for print and digital release on January 29, 2025.