Frankie Raye
Encyclopedia
Nova is a fictional character
that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics
. The character first appeared as Frankie Raye in Fantastic Four #164 (Nov. 1975), and as Nova in Fantastic Four #244 (July 1982).
as an interpreter. She met Johnny Storm
and became his girlfriend, despite her fear of fire. Her fear was eventually explained to be the result of a mental block induced by her stepfather, Phineas Horton
, after she was accidentally doused with the chemicals which caused the android original Human Torch (his creation) to burst into flame, in an attempt to prevent her using the Torch-like powers granted to her by the accident.
After breaking through the block, she regained her full memory and discovered her previously repressed superhuman powers, and became the third person to take the name the Human Torch. She aided the Fantastic Four
for a short time, until she volunteered to become the new herald of Galactus
. She took the name "Nova". Having previously demonstrated what the Fantastic Four deemed an alarming willingness to kill opponents, she claimed to have no compunction about leading him to sentient populated planets and proved that when she led the Devourer of Worlds to the Skrull
home-world to consume it. Nova later attended the trial of Reed Richards
by the Shi'ar
Empire. When Richard Rider resumed his Nova identity alongside the New Warriors
, he was briefly called "Kid Nova" to distinguish him from Raye.
Nova was later rescued from Skrull imprisonment by the Silver Surfer
, whom she met for the first time. She then battled the Elders of the Universe
. Galactus sent her to locate one of the Elders, the Contemplator
, and she was joined in this quest by the Silver Surfer. They journeyed to the Coal Sack Nebula where they were captured by Captain Reptyl
. After battling Captain Reptyl, Nova battled Ronan the Accuser
. This was followed by a clash with a Skrull duplicate of the Silver Surfer and a romantic flirtation with the real Silver Surfer. Nova and Galactus battled the In-Betweener
. Nova then turned her romantic interests toward Firelord.
Nova later encountered an injured Elan. She battled the second Star-Stalker
, and then met the Power Pack
. A stimulator device temporarily rendered her evil, until she was subdued by Reed and Franklin Richards
, and Power Pack.
Frankie Raye was ultimately killed by the alien Morg
, who had replaced her as Galactus' herald. The demon Mephisto
later made it appear that she had returned from the dead in a failed bid to steal the soul of the Silver Surfer
.
In the weekly mini-series Heralds, a character named Frances appears. After stabbing a customer at the diner where she works following a disruption from space that led to the destruction of a S.W.O.R.D.
facility and the release of many cloned scientists and prehistoric life forms, Frances speed off in a car where she meets a clone of Phineas Horton. After crashing the car while attempting to miss him, Frances looks up at Horton and says "Father?" while the Horton clone greets her with, "Hello Frankie." As the series continues, female superheroes Emma Frost
, Hellcat, Monica Rambeau
, She-Hulk
and Valkyrie find her and after a brief discussion where they speculate that she could be a returned Frankie Raye, which she denies, claiming her name is Frances, they agree to take her to the Baxter Building
. At the same time, a fully flamed Nova arrives in New York, causing Johnny Storm's powers to activate automatically.
Her powers were later enhanced exponentially by the infusion of cosmic energies by the world-devourer Galactus. She gained metahuman strength, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes. She had the ability to manipulate cosmic energy in the form of stellar fire, and which allowed her to project any form of energy possessed by a star, including heat, light, gravity, radio waves and charged particles. She also had the ability to project streams of stellar fire for distances in the hundreds of miles, and to mentally control the flame she projects (for instance, to maintain a sustained ring around a person or object at a fixed distance). She also has the ability to fly at superluminal speeds through intergalactic space and traverse hyper-space. Finally, she possessed near-total physical invulnerability, as was evident when she was once punched by Phoenix III
with such force that it launched her from Earth and slammed her into the moon's surface, forming an impact crater in the process. She later expressed amazement that she was able to even survive such a blow, let alone withstand it completely uninjured. Nova's entire body, particularly her head, is plumed with cosmic energy resembling flames.
Frankie Raye was fluent in more than one language besides English.
produced a serialized story titled "The Last Galactus Story", which appeared in anthology
comics-magazine Epic Illustrated
#26-34 (Oct. 1984 - Feb. 1986), and detailed an all-new adventure for the character. The magazine published the first nine serialized installments of a what was to be a 10-part tale. Each ran six pages, with the exception of part eight, which ran 12 pages. The magazine was cancelled as of February 1986, leaving the last chapter unpublished and the story unfinished. According to notes at Byrne's website, the conclusion of the story would see a dying Galactus releasing his power causing a new Big Bang
and transforming his herald Nova into the Galactus for the new universe.
During the Fantastic Four's fight with Abraxas
, they were briefly allied with an alternate version of Nova. It was revealed at the conclusion that she was actually allied with Abraxas after her Galactus destroyed Earth even after accepting her as his herald. Nova transferred her anger for her failure to the Fantastic Four of the Earth-616 universe in the absence of her own. Abraxas subsequently drew in an army of Novas who had experienced similar traumas to keep the Fantastic Four occupied while he acquired the Ultimate Nullifier, the resulting army of Novas requiring the assistance of an army of alternate Avengers
just to keep them occupied.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The character first appeared as Frankie Raye in Fantastic Four #164 (Nov. 1975), and as Nova in Fantastic Four #244 (July 1982).
Fictional character biography
Frankie Raye worked for the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
as an interpreter. She met Johnny Storm
Human Torch
The Human Torch is a fictional character and superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he is a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four, debuting in The Fantastic Four #1...
and became his girlfriend, despite her fear of fire. Her fear was eventually explained to be the result of a mental block induced by her stepfather, Phineas Horton
Phineas Horton
Professor Phineas T. Horton is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, and was the creator of the original Human Torch.-Publication history:Phineas T...
, after she was accidentally doused with the chemicals which caused the android original Human Torch (his creation) to burst into flame, in an attempt to prevent her using the Torch-like powers granted to her by the accident.
After breaking through the block, she regained her full memory and discovered her previously repressed superhuman powers, and became the third person to take the name the Human Torch. She aided the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
for a short time, until she volunteered to become the new herald of Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
. She took the name "Nova". Having previously demonstrated what the Fantastic Four deemed an alarming willingness to kill opponents, she claimed to have no compunction about leading him to sentient populated planets and proved that when she led the Devourer of Worlds to the Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
home-world to consume it. Nova later attended the trial of Reed Richards
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
by the Shi'ar
Shi'ar
The Shi'ar are a fictional species of aliens in the Marvel Comics universe. The Shi'ar Empire also called the Aerie, is a vast collection of alien species, cultures and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empires, and alongside them, is one of the three main alien empires...
Empire. When Richard Rider resumed his Nova identity alongside the New Warriors
New Warriors
The New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
, he was briefly called "Kid Nova" to distinguish him from Raye.
Nova was later rescued from Skrull imprisonment by the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
, whom she met for the first time. She then battled the Elders of the Universe
Elders of the Universe
The Elders of the Universe are a group of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Collector was the first Elder to appear, and featured in Avengers #28...
. Galactus sent her to locate one of the Elders, the Contemplator
Contemplator
The Contemplator is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is one of the Elders of the Universe, and first appeared in Marvel Treasury Special #1 .-Fictional character biography:...
, and she was joined in this quest by the Silver Surfer. They journeyed to the Coal Sack Nebula where they were captured by Captain Reptyl
Reptyl
Reptyl is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:Cap'n Reptyl was born on an unnamed alien planet in the Coal Sack Nebula. He later became the leader of a band of space pirates. He sheltered a Skrull posing as the Contemplator from Galactus's vengeance. Reptyl...
. After battling Captain Reptyl, Nova battled Ronan the Accuser
Ronan the Accuser
Ronan the Accuser is a fictional character that has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel Comics. A member of the alien race the Kree, he exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe. Ronan first appeared in Fantastic Four #65 , and was created by Stan...
. This was followed by a clash with a Skrull duplicate of the Silver Surfer and a romantic flirtation with the real Silver Surfer. Nova and Galactus battled the In-Betweener
In-Betweener
The In-Betweener is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Warlock #10 The In-Betweener is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Warlock #10 The...
. Nova then turned her romantic interests toward Firelord.
Nova later encountered an injured Elan. She battled the second Star-Stalker
Star Stalker (comics)
Star-Stalker is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:The Star-Stalker was a mutant Vorm who destroyed planets by absorbing energy in the form of ions ....
, and then met the Power Pack
Power Pack
Power Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
. A stimulator device temporarily rendered her evil, until she was subdued by Reed and Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in Fantastic Four.Franklin is an Omega-Level mutant with vast psionic and reality-manipulating powers...
, and Power Pack.
Frankie Raye was ultimately killed by the alien Morg
Morg
Morg is a fictional supervillain published by Marvel Comics universe, appearing as a herald of Galactus. Created by Ron Lim and Ron Marz, he first appeared in Silver Surfer vol. 3, #70 .-Origin:...
, who had replaced her as Galactus' herald. The demon Mephisto
Mephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...
later made it appear that she had returned from the dead in a failed bid to steal the soul of the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
.
In the weekly mini-series Heralds, a character named Frances appears. After stabbing a customer at the diner where she works following a disruption from space that led to the destruction of a S.W.O.R.D.
S.W.O.R.D. (comics)
S.W.O.R.D. is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agency in the . Its purpose is to deal with extraterrestrial threats to world security.-Publication history:...
facility and the release of many cloned scientists and prehistoric life forms, Frances speed off in a car where she meets a clone of Phineas Horton. After crashing the car while attempting to miss him, Frances looks up at Horton and says "Father?" while the Horton clone greets her with, "Hello Frankie." As the series continues, female superheroes Emma Frost
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
, Hellcat, Monica Rambeau
Monica Rambeau
Monica Rambeau is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe. Initially known as Captain Marvel, the character became a leader of the Avengers...
, She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
and Valkyrie find her and after a brief discussion where they speculate that she could be a returned Frankie Raye, which she denies, claiming her name is Frances, they agree to take her to the Baxter Building
Baxter Building
The Baxter Building is a fictitious 35-story office building in Manhattan whose five upper floors house the Fantastic Four's headquarters in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
. At the same time, a fully flamed Nova arrives in New York, causing Johnny Storm's powers to activate automatically.
Powers and abilities
Nova originally gained her superhuman powers as the result of a mutagenic reaction to an exposure to unknown chemicals. Originally, she had powers similar to that of the Human Torch: flame generation, projection, and flight.Her powers were later enhanced exponentially by the infusion of cosmic energies by the world-devourer Galactus. She gained metahuman strength, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes. She had the ability to manipulate cosmic energy in the form of stellar fire, and which allowed her to project any form of energy possessed by a star, including heat, light, gravity, radio waves and charged particles. She also had the ability to project streams of stellar fire for distances in the hundreds of miles, and to mentally control the flame she projects (for instance, to maintain a sustained ring around a person or object at a fixed distance). She also has the ability to fly at superluminal speeds through intergalactic space and traverse hyper-space. Finally, she possessed near-total physical invulnerability, as was evident when she was once punched by Phoenix III
Rachel Summers
Rachel Anne Summers is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne for Marvel Comics....
with such force that it launched her from Earth and slammed her into the moon's surface, forming an impact crater in the process. She later expressed amazement that she was able to even survive such a blow, let alone withstand it completely uninjured. Nova's entire body, particularly her head, is plumed with cosmic energy resembling flames.
Frankie Raye was fluent in more than one language besides English.
Other versions
Writer-penciler John Byrne and inker Terry AustinTerry Austin (comics)
Terry Austin is an American comic book artist, working primarily as an inker. He is best known for his work embellishing John Byrne's pencils on The Uncanny X-Men from 1977–1981.-Early life and career:...
produced a serialized story titled "The Last Galactus Story", which appeared in anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
comics-magazine Epic Illustrated
Epic Illustrated
Epic Illustrated was a comics anthology in magazine format published in the United States by Marvel Comics. The series lasted for 34 issues, from Spring 1980 to February 1986....
#26-34 (Oct. 1984 - Feb. 1986), and detailed an all-new adventure for the character. The magazine published the first nine serialized installments of a what was to be a 10-part tale. Each ran six pages, with the exception of part eight, which ran 12 pages. The magazine was cancelled as of February 1986, leaving the last chapter unpublished and the story unfinished. According to notes at Byrne's website, the conclusion of the story would see a dying Galactus releasing his power causing a new Big Bang
Big Bang
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model that explains the early development of the Universe. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe was once in an extremely hot and dense state which expanded rapidly. This rapid expansion caused the young Universe to cool and resulted in...
and transforming his herald Nova into the Galactus for the new universe.
During the Fantastic Four's fight with Abraxas
Abraxas (comics)
Abraxas, sometimes called the Dark Man, is a fictional cosmic entity in the Marvel Multiverse. He first appeared in Fantastic Four 2001...
, they were briefly allied with an alternate version of Nova. It was revealed at the conclusion that she was actually allied with Abraxas after her Galactus destroyed Earth even after accepting her as his herald. Nova transferred her anger for her failure to the Fantastic Four of the Earth-616 universe in the absence of her own. Abraxas subsequently drew in an army of Novas who had experienced similar traumas to keep the Fantastic Four occupied while he acquired the Ultimate Nullifier, the resulting army of Novas requiring the assistance of an army of alternate Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
just to keep them occupied.
Television
- Nova appeared in the Fantastic Four episode "When Calls Galactus" voiced by Leeza Miller McGee. Like the comics, she ends up getting her powers when she accidentally got doused in the chemicals that gave the android Human Torch his powers.
- Nova appears in the Silver SurferSilver Surfer (TV series)Silver Surfer, also known as Silver Surfer: The Animated Series, is an animated television series based on the Marvel Comics superhero which aired on the Fox Kids Network in 1998.-Overview:...
TV series voiced by Tara Rosling. In this version she's given her powers by Galactus when he chooses her as his herald in place of the Silver Surfer. She also mentions that her name is Frankie Raye. - Frankie Raye appears in the Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes episode "Zoned Out".
Film
- Frankie Raye appears in the feature filmFeature filmIn the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a 2007 American superhero film, and the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Both films are based on the Fantastic Four comic book and were directed by Tim Story...
portrayed by Beau GarrettBeau GarrettBeau Jesse Garrett is an American actress and model.-Career:She was first hired by GUESS in the late 1990s. She is currently a spokesmodel for Revlon cosmetics, along with Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Connelly and Jessica Alba, and has also modeled for Double D Ranch and CosmoGirl...
. In this version, the character is a US Army Captain.
External links
- Frankie Raye