Gabriel Lan (Earth-616)

Air-Walker
Name	Gabriel Lan
Current Alias	Air-Walker
Affiliation and Relationships
Affiliation	Former member of Nova Corps, Heralds of Galactus
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	6′2″ (1.88 m)
Weight	240 lbs (108.86 kg)
Eyes	Irises: Black
Hair	Black
Unusual Features	Large flaming wings on his back
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Xandarian transformed into Air-Walker by Galactus
Living Status	Deceased
Reality	Earth-616
Place of Birth	Xandar, Tranta System, Andromeda Galaxy
Place of Death	Interstellar space between Segar and Jan SEC system, Milky Way galaxy
Personal Information
Identity	Secret
Citizenship	Xandarian
Occupation	Former starship captain, Herald of Galactus
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio, Keith Pollard
First	Thor #306 (January, 1981)
First	Thor #306 (January, 1981)
Death	Thor #306 (January, 1981)
Death	Thor #306 (January, 1981)

Gabriel Lan was a Nova Centurion who became Galactus' next Herald, the Air-Walker, after the Silver Surfer. He was good friends with Pyreus Kril (who would later become the Firelord, the Herald after Gabriel). Galactus was fond of Gabriel, and after Gabriel had died defending Galactus, the Devourer attempted to bring him back as a robot.

History

Nova Corps

Meeting Pyreus Kril at the Xandarian Space Academy

Gabriel Lan was Xandar's most decorated war hero of his time and a Centurion of the Nova Corps. He personally requested to command the Way-Opener, Xandar's oldest, smallest, and most-repaired ship in Xandar's fleet.

Befriending Pyreus Kril

Before leaving on his first mission on the Way-Opener, Gabriel met and bonded with Pyreus Kril, a young cadet in the Xandarian Space Academy. Lan agreed to accept the young Kril into his small crew, and they journeyed across the stars together, going on many adventures. Pyreus Kril eventually became Gabriel Lan's first officer and his close friend.

Herald of Galactus

Three years later, the Way-Opener explorer ship was tasked to probe the fringes of the Andromeda Galaxy and encountered an enormous, unknown ship. A teleportation beam took Gabriel from the bridge of the Way-Opener and brought him aboard the spherical ship into the presence of Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. Galactus announced that he was looking for a new herald to replace the defective Silver Surfer, and having scanned Lan's mind, deemed him an appropriate candidate. Hearing Galactus' offer of vast power and unlimited travel, Lan readily accepted and was transformed by a tiny fraction of Galactus' cosmic might into the Air-Walker, the next of Galactus' great heralds.

Accepting the Power Cosmic as the Air-Walker

Voluntarily putting all thoughts of his previous life behind, the Air-Walker served Galactus faithfully for years, seeking out new worlds to suit his master's appetites. He came to befriend Galactus, and would pass long hours listening to Galactus' tales of the wonders and mysteries of the universe.

Galactus creating a robot of the fallen Air-Walker

One day, after Lan found a new world for Galactus to drain and was returning to Galactus' ship to tell him of it, the Air-Walker saw a fleet of warships in battle formation approaching. The ships contained members of the Ovoids, a highly advanced civilization who feared Galactus' presence so close to their star system. The Air-Walker launched an attack on the Ovoid fleet and was struck down by Ovoidian weaponry designed to slay Galactus himself. Because Galactus was so weak from hunger, he was unable to retaliate with full force and decided to retreat from that space sector. His power still at a low ebb, Galactus could not afford to give up any of his personal energy to resuscitate the dying spark of life in his faithful herald. However, once his energies were renewed, Galactus transferred the consciousness of his herald, who laid down his life for him, to a perfect robotic replica.

Unaware of Gabriel Lan's fate, Pyreus Kril took command of the Way-Opener and hunted down Galactus. However, when he found the World Devourer, Gabriel was already dead and Galactus needed a new Herald. In exchange for learning Gabriel's fate, Pyreus became his replacement, the Firelord.

Attributes

Power Grid

Powers

Power Cosmic: The original Air-Walker possessed the vast cosmic power that Galactus granted to all of his heralds upon their initiation: the Power Cosmic. His body was restructured to be a living battery of cosmic energy, the Air-Walker could utilize cosmic power for a variety of effects.

• Energy Manipulation: Air-Walker could manipulate cosmic energies and convert it into heat, concussive force, magnetism, electricity, etc. He manifested a set of crimson and gold wings from his back.
• Matter Manipulation: The Air-Walker could also use cosmic energy to rearrange molecules, although he never became as adept at it as the Silver Surfer.
• Superhuman Strength: The cosmic energy augmented his strength to incalculable levels.
• Superhuman Stamina: He could use his cosmic power to peak capacity for several earth months without resting before fatigue or the need to dream began to impair his function.
• Superhuman Durability: The Power Cosmic enhanced his durability and made him almost totally indestructible. It took a force greater than the cosmic force invested in his creation by Galactus to kill him.
• Self Sustenance: Air-Walker did not need to eat or breathe since he absorbed life maintaining cosmic energies through his cells. His skin was treated to be immune to virtually all the conventional rigors of space.
• Weather Manipulation: Air-Walker could manipulate weather to create rain, fog, hurricanes, storms and tidal waves.
• Flight: The Air-Walker could fly through space at hyperlight velocities. While moving through planetary atmospheres, he would curtail his speed so as not to cause catastrophic side effects. The Air-Walker did not employ such conveyances as the Silver Surfer's surfboard or Firelord's baton in order to travel; he traveled and navigated by his own power.

Abilities

Gabriel as a Nova Centurion

• Skilled Fighter: As a former Nova Centurion, Gabriel was skilled in combat and he was a famed Xandarian hero before becoming Galactus' Herald.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Formerly, the equipment of a Nova Centurion. After becoming the Air-Walker, Gabriel possessed the "Horn of Galactus," a golden trumpet-like device that could summon Galactus across any distance.

Weapons

Bow of Gabriel

Transportation

Formerly the Way-Opener. Warp speed travel under his own power.

Notes

• The robot was introduced first. The original Gabriel was added later alongside Firelord's origin.

Trivia

• Galactus has associated four of his Heralds with the four elements: the Silver Surfer with water, the Air-Walker with air, Firelord with fire, and Terrax the Tamer with earth.

See Also

• 4 appearance(s) of Gabriel Lan (Earth-616)
• 13 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Gabriel Lan (Earth-616)
• 3 minor appearance(s) of Gabriel Lan (Earth-616)
• 5 mention(s) of Gabriel Lan (Earth-616)
• 1 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Gabriel Lan (Earth-616)
• 16 image(s) of Gabriel Lan (Earth-616)
• 4 item(s) used/owned by Gabriel Lan (Earth-616)