Beta Ray Bill
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Beta Ray Bill is a
fictional superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. Debuting in the
Bronze Age of Comic Books The Bronze Age of Comic Books is an informal name for a period in the history of American superhero American comic book, comic books usually said to run from 1970 to 1985. It follows the Silver Age of Comic Books and is followed by the Modern Ag ...
, the character was initially intended to be a surprise; an apparent monster who unexpectedly turns out to be a great hero. As such, Bill is the first being outside the
Marvel Universe The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of ...
's
Norse pantheon In Germanic paganism, the indigenous religion of the ancient Germanic peoples who inhabited Germanic Europe, there were a number of different gods and goddesses. Germanic deities are attested from numerous sources, including works of literature, ...
to be introduced as being worthy to wield Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. After an initial rivalry for possession of the weapon, the alien warrior was granted a
war hammer A war hammer (French: ''martel-de-fer'', "iron hammer") is a weapon that was used by both foot soldiers and cavalry. It is a very old weapon and gave its name, owing to its constant use, to Judah Maccabee, a 2nd-century BC Jewish rebel, and to Cha ...
of his own, called Stormbreaker, and the two reconciled as staunch allies, going on to fight side by side. Beta Ray Bill has been featured in other Marvel-endorsed products, such as
animated television series An animated series is a set of Animation, animated works with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes should typically share the same main characters, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can ...
,
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s, and merchandise.


Publication history

Beta Ray Bill debuted in ''
The Mighty Thor Thor Odinson is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is based on the Norse mythological god of the same name, the Asgardian god of thunder whose enchanted hammer Mjolnir enables h ...
'' #337 (November 1983), being established as an
alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
of the Korbinite race. Bill was created by
Walt Simonson Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' ''Thor'' from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. He is also known for the creator-owned w ...
as a new concept for the title ''Thor''. Simonson said, During a "Thor Spotlight" panel at the Baltimore Comic Con, August 28, 2010, Simonson further stated: The character's introduction continued in ''Thor'' vol. 1 #338–340. He continued to make appearances in ''Thor'' sporadically. He appeared in the ''
Maximum Security Maximum Security may refer to: * Supermax, "control-unit" prisons, or units within prisons * Maximum Security (comics), a comic book miniseries published by Marvel Comics * ''Maximum Security'' (Tony MacAlpine album), 1987 * ''Maximum Security'' ...
'' crossover in January 2001 and the ''
Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...
'' crossover in 2008. He starred in the six-issue miniseries ''Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill'' and its two follow-ups, the one-shot ''Beta Ray Bill: The Green of Eden'' and three-issue ''Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter''. A ''Beta Ray Bill'' mini-series was published in 2021 with a confrontation with
Fin Fang Foom Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an extraterrestrial creature resembling a dragon. The character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #89 (cover ...
.


Fictional character biography


1980s

Spy organization
S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...
detected an
alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
fleet passing through Earth's galaxy, with Director
Nick Fury Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
asking Thor to investigate. When Thor finds the advanced ship, it scans Thor and perceives him to be a threat. Unable to stop Thor, the sentient ship—called ''Skuttlebutt''—revives Beta Ray Bill, who is in
suspended animation Suspended animation is the temporary (short- or long-term) slowing or stopping of biological function so that physiological capabilities are preserved. It may be either hypometabolic or ametabolic in nature. It may be induced by either endogen ...
. Bill battles Thor to a standstill, until the ship reaches the Solar system, where one of the mystical enchantments of Thor's hammer Mjolnir comes into effect, which means that Thor will revert to his mortal persona of Donald Blake if separated from the hammer for more than 60 seconds. When that happens, Blake is knocked unconscious by Bill, who examines Blake's cane (Mjolnir's "shell" when Thor is in Blake's form) and, upon striking the cane, received Thor's power and a variant of his costume. Once ''Skuttlebutt'' arrives on Earth, Bill easily defeats an approaching S.H.I.E.L.D. team and is then transported to Asgard by the King of the Norse gods,
Odin Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...
, who mistakes Bill for Thor. After some initial confusion, Odin returns Thor to Asgard, and Bill's origin is revealed. Bill's race, the Korbinites, were almost rendered
extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
when their galaxy exploded. The remnants of the Korbinite race fled in a fleet of warships, guarded by a
sentient Sentience is the capacity to experience feelings and sensations. The word was first coined by philosophers in the 1630s for the concept of an ability to feel, derived from Latin '' sentientem'' (a feeling), to distinguish it from the ability to ...
ship called ''Skuttlebutt'' and a dedicated champion, Beta Ray Bill. Via Korbinite science, Bill was physically augmented and given the attributes of an
indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
wild beast (a process that killed all of Bill's predecessors). ''Skuttlebutt'' attacked Thor because the ship recognized the Asgardian magic as similar to that of the previous global threat, and assumed the Korbinites were being threatened once again. On discovering that Bill was worthy enough to lift Mjolnir, Odin proposes a battle to the death in the fiery Asgardian realm of Skartheim to decide who will wield the hammer. Bill and Thor render each other
unconscious Unconscious may refer to: Physiology * Unconsciousness, the lack of consciousness or responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli Psychology * Unconscious mind, the mind operating well outside the attention of the conscious mind a ...
. Bill's resistance to heat allows him to recover first, however, and he is deemed the winner—but he also saves Thor from falling into lava, believing he is too worthy an opponent to die, but he feels he needs the hammer to protect his people. After Bill reconsiders his claim to the hammer, Odin orders the making of a new hammer for Bill: Stormbreaker, equal in power to Mjolnir and created from the same metal and by the same dwarfs led by
Eitri In Norse mythology, Eitri (Old Norse: ; or Sindri) is a dwarf and the brother of Brokkr. According to ''Skáldskaparmál'', when Loki had Sif's hair, Freyr's ship Skidbladnir and Odin's spear Gungnir fashioned by the Sons of Ivaldi, he bet his ...
. Odin also transfers an enchantment from Mjolnir to Stormbreaker, so that Bill can return to his original Korbinite form by striking Stormbreaker upon the ground—and Thor can no longer become Donald Blake. After learning that the mishap that killed most of Bill's people was caused by the fire demon Surtur, one of Asgard's most powerful enemies, Bill agrees to join the Asgardians in a war to stop Surtur and his armies.''Thor'' #337–340 (November 1983 – February 1984) Bill leads many of Earth's heroes against Surtur's forces on Earth while Thor, Odin, and Thor's adopted brother
Loki Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
confront Surtur in Asgard. Surtur is eventually defeated, but apparently kills Odin when they both fall through a mystic portal. Bill remains on Earth, aiding the
spaceknight Rom the Space Knight is a superhero, originally a toy and then a magazine lead. Rom was created by Scott Dankman, Richard C. Levy, and Bryan L. McCoy for Parker Brothers and is now a Hasbro asset. After the toy was licensed to Marvel Comics, Rom ...
Rom Rom, or ROM may refer to: Biomechanics and medicine * Risk of mortality, a medical classification to estimate the likelihood of death for a patient * Rupture of membranes, a term used during pregnancy to describe a rupture of the amniotic sac * R ...
against the threat of the alien
Dire Wraith The Dire Wraiths are a fictional extraterrestrial species appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing. The Dire Wraiths are the main opponents of Rom the Spaceknight. Publication history The Dire Wraiths first ...
s and foes such as
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
opponent
Titanium Man The Titanium Man is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original Titanium Man first appeared in ''Tales of Suspense'' #68 (September 1965) and was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck. Ficti ...
. Forming an attachment with the Asgardian goddess
Sif In Norse mythology, Sif (Old Norse: ) is a golden-haired goddess associated with earth. Sif is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century ...
, Bill aids Thor against the Dark Elf
Kurse Kaecilius Elloe Kaifi Kala Jennifer Kale Noble Kale Kaluu Kamikaze Kamran Kamran is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by G. Willow Wilson and Takeshi Miyazawa and fi ...
in a two-part storyline before returning to his people.


1990s

Bill remains a staunch ally of Thor and Asgard before featuring in a storyline involving a creation of Galactus,
Tyrant A tyrant (), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to rep ...
. Bill also features in the storyline "Blood and Thunder", attempting, alongside
Adam Warlock Adam Warlock (also known as simply Warlock) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character would first appear in '' Fantastic Four'' #66–67 (cover-dates September 1967 and October 1967) c ...
,
Thanos Thanos is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin, and first appeared in '' The Invincible Iron Man'' #55 ( cover date February 1973). An Eternal– Deviant w ...
and others, to deal with the "warrior madness" of Thor through which he is trying to destroy the universe, although at one point he is struck with enough force to destroy a planet. Together with Thor, Bill joins with other versions of the Thunder God in the ''Thor Corps'' against the entity Demonstaff. and has several cosmic adventures.


2000s

Bill also participates in a battle between the heroes of Earth and several alien races such as the
Kree The Kree, briefly known as the Ruul, are a fictional scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic list of fictional extraterrestrials, alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are native to the p ...
,
Shi'ar The Shi'ar ( ) are a fictional species of aliens appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shi'ar Empire (or Imperium), is a vast collection of alien species, cultures, and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empi ...
, and Z'Nox. and after several adventures with Thor guest starring in the final storyline, when Thor—determined to end the perpetual cycle of death and rebirth the Asgardians are trapped in—brings about
Ragnarök In Norse mythology, (; non, Ragnarǫk) is a series of events, including a great battle, foretelling the death of numerous great figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), natural disasters, and the submers ...
(in
Norse mythology Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...
this event means the end of Asgard and its gods, as they die in battle against the armies of evil). Although Bill attempts to aid the Asgardians, Thor teleports Bill away as it is not his destiny to die in Ragnarök. Bill visits his people's new homeworld, where he is attacked by his insane predecessor, ''Alpha Ray'', defeating him just as the cosmic entity
Galactus Galactus () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Formerly a mortal man, Galactus is a cosmic entity who consumes planets to sustain his life force, and serves a functional role in the upkeep of ...
and his herald Stardust arrive. Despite Bill's efforts, Galactus consumes the world and almost kills him, with Bill drifting in space until recovered by ''Skuttlebutt''. After finding an orb containing the
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
s of many of the Korbinites, Bill revisits a desolate Asgard, and joins forces with Stardust to battle a new demonic menace named ''Asteroth''. Although victorious, Bill is mortally wounded, and while near death is healed by an unknown entity that also claims the remaining souls in the orb. Placed in the recently deceased body of a
war veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular job, occupation or Craft, field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military vete ...
named ''Simon Walters'' (a reference to his creator, Walt Simonson) on Earth, Bill has a brief encounter with the villain ''Boar'' and the hero
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
. Bill eventually finds and joins
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
superhero team ''
Omega Flight Omega Flight is the name used by four teams of fictional characters with superpowers appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Omega Flight is one of the few Canadian teams published by an American comic book company. Omega Fl ...
'' against the supervillain team the Wrecking Crew, who release the
supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
Great Beasts Alpha Flight is a fictional team of Canadian superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters premiered in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #120 (April 1979), and were created to serve as part of the X-Men member Wolv ...
. The battle ends with Bill and the Beasts trapped in an alternate dimension. During the ''
Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...
'' storyline, Bill is wounded and captured by the alien
Skrull The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Skrulls first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They originated fro ...
s, who bestow his hammer Stormbreaker on a warrior
Super-Skrull The Super-Skrull (Kl'rt) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, generally as an enemy of the Fantastic Four, the powers of whom he possessed. The character, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, first appeared ...
called the ''Godkiller''. Thor rescues Bill, although Loki starts a rumor that Bill may be a Skrull, causing some Asgardians to go against him despite Balder telling them to stop. Thor throws Mjolnir at Bill, who catches it, proving he really is Bill. After being nursed back to health, the character retrieves his hammer. Although the Godkiller defeats him, with Thor's help, he tricks the Godkiller, causing Asgard to fall onto it, killing the Skrull. Thor and Bill then raise the city again. Bill decides to hunt the cosmic entity
Galactus Galactus () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Formerly a mortal man, Galactus is a cosmic entity who consumes planets to sustain his life force, and serves a functional role in the upkeep of ...
, to avenge the destruction of the Korbinites' second homeworld, and the seeming eradication of his species. After a brief confrontation with the herald, Stardust, Bill is intercepted by the
Silver Surfer The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
, who is puzzled by the Korbinite's apparently futile quest to destroy Galactus. During a brief battle, Bill explains that while he understands he cannot hope to destroy Galactus with his power alone, he intends to destroy Galactus by annihilating any and all worlds Galactus seeks to feed from, thus starving him to death. The character's obsession with stopping Galactus eventually results in him being unable to lift his own enchanted weapon, an object that can only be wielded by the worthy. Equipped with alien weapons, Bill finds Galactus but discovers the entity already under attack by another race. In a moment of conscience, Bill saves Galactus. The grateful entity rewards Bill by creating a Korbinite mate for him, with Bill also regaining the ability to wield Stormbreaker.


2010s

When the universe is invaded during ''
The Thanos Imperative ''The Thanos Imperative'' is a six-issue comic book limited series published in 2010 by Marvel Comics. It was written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and was bookended by two one-shot comics, ''Ignition'' and ''Devastation''. The story focuses on t ...
'' storyline, Beta Ray Bill joins Cosmo's select group to travel across the Fault and into the Cancerverse. Bill is recruited by
Cosmo Cosmo may refer to: Business and media * Cosmopolitan (magazine), ''Cosmopolitan'' (magazine), a magazine for women, sometimes referred to as "Cosmo" * ''Cosmo's Cosmic Adventure'', a 1992 video game * Cosmo On-Line, a Brazilian generic Intern ...
to join the Annihilators, a new super-group intended to replace the fallen
Guardians of the Galaxy The Guardians of the Galaxy is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It may more specifically refer to: Comic book teams * Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team), the original 31st-century team fr ...
. The Annihilators defend Galador from the
Dire Wraith The Dire Wraiths are a fictional extraterrestrial species appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing. The Dire Wraiths are the main opponents of Rom the Spaceknight. Publication history The Dire Wraiths first ...
s, resulting in a peace between the two groups who have been at war for generations. Later, when trying to end a conflict between warring factions of the
Universal Church of Truth The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features. Places Certain places fe ...
, the Annihilators are transported to a Church base on Earth and come into conflict with the Avengers. During the "
Death of the Inhumans Death of the Inhumans is a 2018 American comic book story arc published by Marvel Comics. Publication history "Death of the Inhumans" was announced on March 28, 2018, as a project by Donny Cates and Ariel Olivetti scheduled to be released starti ...
" miniseries, Medusa and the surviving Inhuman Royal Family members ask for Beta Ray Bill to help to confront the Kree and their Super-Inhuman Vox as well as rescuing Black Bolt from them. Beta Ray Bill agreed to help them. When they reach the location where Black Bolt is being attacked by Vox, Beta Ray Bill helps Black Bolt, and takes down Vox, who is revealed to be a brainwashed Maximus. He and the Inhuman Royal Family witness something on the Vox costume teleport Crystal away while also killing Maximus. When Thor became unworthy of Mjolnir after Nick Fury whispered a secret to him, Thor spent months drinking and fighting to avoid thinking about his loss. Bill eventually came to visit Thor- now calling himself 'Odinson'- and offered his old friend Stormbreaker instead, only for Odinson and Bill to be captured by the Collector as they examined the remains of Asgard where the hammer of an alternate version of Thor had recently crashed. Although the Collector tried to force Odinson to help him find some means of bypassing the worthiness enchantment so that he could lift the hammer himself, Odinson eventually escaped and used the hammer's power to return Asgard to its original place. Once free, Odinson told Bill that the secret Fury had shared with him was "Gorr was right", a reference to Thor's old foe
Gorr the God Butcher Gorr the God Butcher is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic, Gorr first appeared in '' Thor: God of Thunder'' #1 (January 2013). Gorr The God Butcher has been descri ...
who believed that all gods brought nothing but pain and suffering to the universe. However, Bill assured Odinson that, regardless of his ability to wield Mjolnir, even if the gods were not worthy, Odinson proved himself to be a hero as he continued to fight for humanity even when officially unworthy.


Powers and abilities

Beta Ray Bill's life force and consciousness were transferred by scientists of his race into the body of an alien carnivorous equine-like beast that had been bionically restructured into a cyborg. Courtesy of highly advanced genetic engineering and cyborg implants, Beta Ray Bill possesses vast superhuman strength, speed, stamina and durability, and a highly extended lifespan. Beta Ray Bill is also a superior hand-to-hand combatant. His combat prowess is such that he was able to fight
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...
, noted as one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the Marvel Universe, to a standstill. Beta Ray Bill's weapon, Stormbreaker, also has the same properties as Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, and includes the ability to transform into a cane when struck upon the ground and return Bill to his unaltered Korbinite form. Beta Ray Bill has a partner in the form of a Korbanite sentient warship named Skuttlebutt. The same technology that transferred Bill's consciousness into his cyborg body, was also used to transfer an unknown Korbanite's consciousness into a large combat cruiser retrofitted with medical, cargo, and humanitarian equipment and facilities to accommodate the attempt to transport Bill's people off planet to avoid the incoming attack by Galactus. Loyal Skuttlebutt often uses his medical facilities to repair Bill's tissue and implants from damage after battles.


In other media


Television

* Beta Ray Bill appears in the ''
Silver Surfer The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
'' episode "Innervisions", voiced by
Karl Pruner Karl Pruner is a Canadian actor whose most notable work is in portraying Canadian Prime Minister John Turner in the 2002 mini-series '' Trudeau''. Career Amongst his other work, he did voice acting as Beta Ray Bill in the short-lived animated ...
. This version and his species share a group dream using a special "dream weaver" from Zenn-La. When the
Silver Surfer The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
comes to alert them of
Thanos Thanos is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin, and first appeared in '' The Invincible Iron Man'' #55 ( cover date February 1973). An Eternal– Deviant w ...
, he convinces Bill to end the group dream and save the planet by using the dream weaver's power to trick Thanos into believing he succeeded in destroying the planet. * Beta Ray Bill appeared in ''
The Super Hero Squad Show ''The Super Hero Squad Show'' is an American superhero animated series produced by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the Avengers, the X-Men, and various other characters o ...
'' episode "The Ballad of Beta Ray Bill! (Six Against Infinity, Part 1)", voiced by
Pat Fraley Patrick Howard Fraley (born February 18, 1949) is an American voice actor and voice-over teacher, known as the voice of Krang, Casey Jones, Baxter Stockman and numerous other characters in the 1987 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' animated tele ...
. After the Korbinites were enslaved by the
Stranger A stranger is a person who is unknown to another person or group. Because of this unknown status, a stranger may be perceived as a threat until their identity and character can be ascertained. Different classes of strangers have been identified ...
, Bill took refuge in the ''Skuttlebutt'' space station, working as its janitor ever since. When
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...
ends up on the ''Skuttlebutt'' following a battle with the Dark Surfer and the Stranger finds them, Bill helps Thor defeat the Stranger and free his people using Mjolnir. Following the battle, Mjolnir transforms Bill's toilet brush into a hammer he eventually dubs "Stormbreaker" and Bill works with his people to help Thor get back to Earth. * Beta Ray Bill appeared in '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'' episode "The Ballad of Beta Ray Bill", voiced by
Steve Blum Steven Jay Blum (; born April 29, 1960) is an American voice actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, his most well-known roles include Spike Spiegel from the anime series '' Cowboy Bebop'', Garazeb Orrelios from the animated series ''St ...
. After Surtur destroys the Korbinites' homeworld, the survivors genetically modify Bill before going into hibernation on the ''Skuttlebutt'' starship, with Bill serving as their protector while he searches for a new world for them. When Surtur's fire demons attack the ''Skuttlebutt'', Thor intervenes. However, Bill initially mistakes him for a threat and wields Mjolnir against him, only to be teleported to
Asgard In Nordic mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: ''Ásgarðr'' ; "enclosure of the Æsir") is a location associated with the gods. It appears in a multitude of Old Norse sagas and mythological texts. It is described as the fortified home of the Æsir ...
by
Odin Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...
, who was trying to bring Thor back. Bill attacks all of the Asgardians present until Odin subdues him. Realizing his mistake, Bill reveals his plight to the Asgardians and travels with Thor and
Sif In Norse mythology, Sif (Old Norse: ) is a golden-haired goddess associated with earth. Sif is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century ...
to see
Eitri In Norse mythology, Eitri (Old Norse: ; or Sindri) is a dwarf and the brother of Brokkr. According to ''Skáldskaparmál'', when Loki had Sif's hair, Freyr's ship Skidbladnir and Odin's spear Gungnir fashioned by the Sons of Ivaldi, he bet his ...
for help. Following this, Bill receives Stormbreaker and joins Thor and Sif in fighting off the remaining fire demons and the Enchantress. Once the ''Skuttlebutt'' is safe, Bill departs to continue his mission, promising to help Thor battle Surtur.


Film

* Beta Ray Bill appears in ''
Planet Hulk "Planet Hulk" is a Marvel Comics storyline that ran primarily through issues of ''The Incredible Hulk'' starting in 2006. Written by Greg Pak, it dealt with the Marvel heroes' decision to send the Hulk away, his acclimation to and conquest of the ...
'', voiced by Paul Dobson. Having been previously captured and brainwashed by the Red King, Bill is forced to fight the Red King's gladiators until
Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
destroys the mind control disk and nearly kills Bill while his guard was down. Bill later saves Hulk and the gladiators, freeing them of their control disks and offering to bring Hulk back to Earth, though Hulk declines. * Beta Ray Bill was included in an early version of the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
film '' Thor: Ragnarok'', though he ultimately did not make an appearance. Producer
Kevin Feige Kevin Feige ( ; born June 2, 1973) is an American film and television producer who has been the president of Marvel Studios and the primary producer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise since 2007. The films he has produced have a combin ...
said, "it was so quick... and it just didn’t do it justice. And the feeling is, if you can’t do it justice, do it later".


Video games

* Beta Ray Bill appears as an alternate costume for Thor in a '' Marvel: Ultimate Alliance'' and '' Marvel Heroes''. * Beta Ray Bill appears as DLC in ''
Lego Marvel Super Heroes ''Lego Marvel Super Heroes'' is a 2013 Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft W ...
'', voiced by
Steven Blum Steven Jay Blum (; born April 29, 1960) is an American voice actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, his most well-known roles include Spike Spiegel from the anime series '' Cowboy Bebop'', Garazeb Orrelios from the animated series ''St ...
. * Beta Ray Bill appears in ''Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon''. * Beta Ray Bill appears as a playable character in '' Marvel: Avengers Alliance''. * Beta Ray Bill appears as a playable character in ''
Lego Marvel's Avengers ''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, ...
'', again voiced by
Steven Blum Steven Jay Blum (; born April 29, 1960) is an American voice actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, his most well-known roles include Spike Spiegel from the anime series '' Cowboy Bebop'', Garazeb Orrelios from the animated series ''St ...
. * Beta Ray Bill appears as a playable character in '' Marvel: Future Fight''.


Merchandise

* The character received a 6-inch figure in the
Marvel Legends Marvel Legends is an action figure line based on the characters of Marvel Comics, initially produced by Toy Biz, then by Hasbro. This line is in the scale, with spin-off lines in the , , and scale. The line initially began as a spin-off of ...
toy line in 2006. * The
Classic Marvel Figurine Collection The Classic Marvel Figurine Collection is a magazine series published by Eaglemoss Publications from 2005 to 2012, through which consumers can collect hand-painted lead figurines of the Marvel Comics characters. The figurines are produced at a 1:21 ...
issued a 96mm Beta Ray Bill statue as number 140. * A
Minimate Minimates are a block-styled miniature action figure originally created by Art Asylum in 2002 and now released by Diamond Select Toys. The basic Minimate figure design has a tall body that resembles an extremely simplified human form with 14 point ...
version of Bill was released in November 2011. One version was released with an "Armored Thor" (based on the
Walt Simonson Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' ''Thor'' from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. He is also known for the creator-owned w ...
run), while another was released in a "Stormbreaker" box-set with figures of Thor,
Sif In Norse mythology, Sif (Old Norse: ) is a golden-haired goddess associated with earth. Sif is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'', compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the ''Prose Edda'', written in the 13th century ...
and
Loki Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
, all based on Simonson's art. * Beta Ray Bill was released as part of the
Marvel Universe The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of ...
3 3/4 inch toyline in 2012. * Beta Ray Bill is a playable character in the "Critical Mass" and "Galactic Guardians" sets of Marvel
HeroClix HeroClix is a collectible miniatures game that uses the Clix system that centers on the world of superhero comic books, especially the DC Comics and Marvel universes like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, ...
. * Beta Ray Bill was released as part of the 2019
Marvel Legends Marvel Legends is an action figure line based on the characters of Marvel Comics, initially produced by Toy Biz, then by Hasbro. This line is in the scale, with spin-off lines in the , , and scale. The line initially began as a spin-off of ...
toy line for Endgame Wave 2, Smirking Hulk BAF. * Beta Ray Bill was released as a
Funko Funko Inc. is an American company that manufactures licensed and limited pop culture collectibles, best known for its licensed vinyl figurines and bobbleheads. In addition, the company produces licensed plush, action figures, apparel, accessories ...
pop in 2020, under the Marvel 80th Anniversary series.


Collected editions


References


External links

*
AlphaFlight.net - Alphanex Entry on Beta Ray Bill

Beta Ray Bill
at the Marvel Database Project * {{Marvel Cosmic Characters created by Walt Simonson Comics characters introduced in 1983 Fictional characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Fictional hammer fighters Guardians of the Galaxy characters Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds Marvel Comics characters who use magic Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics cyborgs Marvel Comics extraterrestrial superheroes Thor (Marvel Comics)