Red Shift (comics)

Red Shift is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe and was a herald of Galactus. He first appeared in Galactus: The Devourer (1999).

Fictional character biography

Nothing is known about Red Shift's past before he became the Herald of Galactus. At some point, Galactus became addicted to the consumption of intelligent life. It is unclear whether this occurred before or after Red Shift is empowered as a herald, but Red Shift cooperates fully with Galactus's plans. In time, Red Shift attempts to lead Galactus to Earth. He starts by attacking the Silver Surfer, who battles Red Shift for a short while before recognizing that he possesses the Power Cosmic as one of Galactus's Heralds. He opens a portal to trap the Surfer in a black hole but was himself trapped when the Surfer destroys one of his swords and confiscated the other.

Annihilation

Red Shift joins the other Heralds of Galactus, who are hunted by the forces of Annihilus's Annihilation Wave. He works with many other heroes, such as Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Cerise and Star-Lord. They lead legions of Kree and other soldiers in a months long stalemate against the Wave. All, Red Shift included, take their orders from Nova. While Red Shift and fellow herald Stardust are not fully effective against the forces of the Wave, they are able to keep the airspace clear. The battle against the Annihilation Wave comes to a head at a small planet base.

Thanos, a despot who has allied himself with the Wave, gives them the use of teleportation technology. The base is swiftly overwhelmed. While the last of the survivors leave, Red Shift and Stardust attempt to hold back a planet-devastating wave generated by Thanos' imprisonment of Galactus. Both are feared lost to the energy.^[1]

It is then revealed that Stardust, being of a race composed entirely of energy, is able to reintegrate himself following his disintegration. Stardust surmises that Red Shift, not being made of energy, did not survive.^[2]

Powers and abilities

Like past heralds, Galactus granted Red Shift the Power Cosmic, which allowed him to survive and travel through space, as well as super strength and a number of other abilities. He wielded two swords that could cut holes in space to act as portals to other places. Red Shift was able to open these portals offensively to redirect comets and send foes into black holes.

Red Shift bears a resemblance to Beta Ray Bill, but without verification this can be taken as artistic license instead of an indication that he is of the same race. About this the artist Jon J. Muth says: "Beta Ray Bill is a great character, but he had nothing to do with my original character sketches for Red Shift. By the time John Buscema drew Red Shift in the Galactus mini-series, he had changed a lot."

Footnotes

External links

• Red Shift at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe