ALPHA RAY

Real Name: Alpha Ray

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Korbinite) robot

Occupation: Warrior

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Asgardians, Asteroth, Beta Ray Bill, Galactus, Korbinite people, Nova (Frankie Raye), Praeter (Pastor Mike), Rider (Frank Castle) of alternate Earth, Silver Surfer, Stardust, Thor (Odinson)

Enemies: Formerly Beta Ray Bill

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Currently unknown;
    formerly New Korbin

First Appearance: Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill#1 (March, 2005)

 

 

 

Powers/Abilities: Alpha Ray is a biomechanical creature (cyborg?), though he has apparently been lobotomized or otherwise treated so that he only follows orders. He can speak, but he cannot be swayed from his programming by speech. Alpha Ray is superhumanly strong (Class 50-100) and durable; he is tough enough to go toe-to-toe with Beta Ray Bill, though Bill was not fighting with his full effort, and even then Alpha Ray began to overheat and would presumably have dysfunctioned in short order. When powered by Galactus he would presumably be much less likely to breakdown. He can survive in a vacuum and fly at great speed (presumably sub-light).

History:
(All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#2: Beta Ray Bill / Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill#1 (fb) - BTS) - Following the destruction of their galaxy by the fire demon Surtur, the Korbinites decided to create a guardian to protect them. Their Sheo-'re (scientists) created the automaton Alpha Ray, a biomechanical creature that ultimately proved too unstable, both in body and mind. The Sheo-'re subdued Alpha Ray and placed its body within the first Meta-Orb, which preserved it.
    Believing they needed a protector with a soul, the Korbinite scientists then transformed a Korbinite, Bill, into Beta Ray Bill.

(Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill#1) - Years later, Galactus (or Ashta as the Korbinites knew him) attacked New Korbin, and -- with Beta Ray Bill away at the time -- the priests recommended reactivating Alpha Ray. Their military general opposed this, recalling Alpha Ray's dangerous flaws, but when Galactus wiped out their entire fleet, he conceded. Beta Ray Bill returned soon after, but the priests, jealous of Beta Ray Bill because some of the Korbinites had begun worshipping him, reprogrammed Alpha Ray to kill Bill. As Bill prepared to assault Galactus, Alpha Ray slammed into Bill from behind, ignoring Bill's efforts to persuade him to unite against the threat to their people. Within a short time, however, Alpha Ray began to overheat. Nonetheless, he delayed Bill sufficiently for Galactus to blast them both. Alpha Ray was incapacitated, though Bill rallied and attacked Galactus. Bill was easily defeated by Galactus, who then consumed the Korbinite fleet.

(Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill#2) - Stardust gained Galactus' permission to hunt down and exterminate the remainder of the Korbinite fleet to destroy all remnants of their civilization to serve as an example of those who would resist Galactus. As he easily overpowered all he found, he came across the inert Alpha Ray. Stardust brought Alpha Ray back to Galactus to slay him in Galactus' presence, but Galactus instructed him to stay his hand as Alpha Ray had fought against Beta Ray Bill, who had attacked Galactus and even cracked his armor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill#4) - After Stardust had unwittingly unleashed the extradimensional demon Ashteroth in an effort to stop Beta Ray Bill, Galactus imbued Alpha Ray with power and sent him to assist Stardust and Bill against Ashteroth. Meanwhile, Stardust desperately opened a black hole behind Asteroth, but she resisted its gravity well and instead redirected it at Stardust and Bill, who were pulled into the event horizon towards certain death.

(Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill#5) - Stardust and Bill drifted into Asteroth, who attacked them both. They fought her, trying to trap her in the event horizon, at which point she sensed the approach of Alpha Ray, empowered by Galactus to oppose her. Stardust blasted Asteroth, distracting her, and then Alpha Ray slammed into her, knocking her close enough to the black hole that they were both pulled into it. Stardust was apparently pulled into the black hole as well, while Bill had been knocked away from it by Alpha Ray's impact. The Black Hole then closed.

SECRET WARS III HAPPENED

(Thor X#1 (fb) - BTS) - After Galactus fell on Asgard to ask for help against the Black Winter (the end of the universe), Thor sent out his ravens to gather Galactus' heralds.

(Thor X#1) - Thor gathered Galactus' currently active heralds (Alpha Ray, Nova, Praeter, Rider/Frank Castle, Stardust), in Asgard to ask them what they knew about this star plague known as Black Winter. Silver Surfer arrived late to reveal all he knew and how he could lead Galactus to five planets that would give him enough power to face the Black Winter. He later accompanied Thor, the other herald and an army of Asgardians to offer Galactus an alliance. Silver Surfer offered Galactus to become his herald again, but Galactus instead chose Thor.

Comments: Created by Michael Avon Oeming, Dan Berman, and Andrea Divito.

Profile by Snood. Update by Markus Raymond (Thor).

CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to:

images: (without ads)
Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill#1, p11, panel 1 (launched)
        p12, panel 3 (vs. Bill)
    #5, p3, panel 1 (flying toward panel)

Appearances:
Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill#1-5 (March-July 2005) - Michael Avon Oeming & Dan Berman (writers), Andrea Divito (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#2: Beta Ray Bill profile (February, 2006) - by Michael Hoskin
Thor X#1 (March, 2020) - Donny Cates (writer), Nic Klein (artist), Wil Moss (editor)

First Posted: 04/22/2006
Last updated: 11/23/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters