Silver Surfer by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (1978)

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1978, book, Fireside, Jack Kirby, paperback, Silver Surfer, Silver Surfer graphic novel, Simon & Schuster, Stan Lee

The 1978 version of the Silver Surfer by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby stands apart from the rest of the characters and history of Marvel Comics. It does not have the obligatory cameo appearance by Spider-man, and it does not cross-over with the Avengers. In fact, it re-tells the first Silver Surfer story: the Surfer rebels against Galactus so that Galactus will spare Earth. But here, we have no Fantastic Four, no Watcher, nothing from the first time Lee & Kirby spun this yarn. Instead we have a love story, featuring a previously unseen female counterpart for the Surfer.

Honestly, we did not care for the story. The love story felt contrived for maximum pathos without really mattering at all, and the additional “average person” characters trotted on stage seemed generic or bland. Reading a different version about a Surfer scenario we already knew backwards and forwards felt almost like a waste of time.

So why did this book get made? If we had to guess, Marvel hoped to pick up a more adult audience for the comic book. Notice that Fireside, apparently a Simon & Schuster company, published this “ultimate cosmic experience” — not Marvel. This book seems aimed at a general audience, not your die-hard Marvelite. Stan and Jack stripped off all the superhero stuff from the original Surfer tale and turned it into a science-fiction “movie” that adults could get into but also share with their kids. As such, we can appreciate this book as an example of early efforts Marvel made to penetrate mainstream culture by expanding into more media and adapting their intellectual property to the new media. And just look at them now.

Anyway, regular visitors to Mars Will Send No More will understand we bought this book for exactly one reason: the stunning jack Kirby artwork. So why don’t we have a look inside and blow our minds together?

Collector’s Guide: You can often find Simon & Schuster’s original Silver Surfer printings from 1978 in stock in both paperback and hardcover.

Dr. Doom Steals the Power Cosmic!

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Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four, Jack Kirby, Kirby Krackle, power cosmic, Silver Surfer, Stan Lee

Dr. Doom, you ruthless bastard. You parasite. You… Wait. Did you really siphon the Power Cosmic from the Silver Surfer in a wicked splash of Kirby Krackle?! Doom, you’re alright after all.

Also in this issue: an early splash page where Jack Kirby rocks his modern art style in the disguise of fantastic machinery!

Collector’s Guide: From Fantastic Four #57; Marvel, 1968. Part One of Four.

Iain’s Silver Surfer Painting

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art, Fantastic Four, Iain Carstairs, Jack Kirby, painting, Silver Surfer

Artist Iain Carstairs guest-authored a series here on Jack Kirby entitled Persistence of Spiritual Vision. We had discussed our mutual Kirby interest and the idea of painting using aspects of Kirby’s style. While I ran off to put Kirby Krackle on everything, Iain created this enlargement of a panel from the Fantastic Four.  
Here is a detail.

At the time, I was working on a mini-comic about dinosaurs in space. So, I was thrilled to find this additional sketch on the back of the canvas, clearly inspired by Kirby’s Devil Dinosaur.

Silver Surfer: Communion – Gallery 2

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Communion, Dan Chariton, Lan Medina, Revelation, Silver Surfer, Silver Surfer volume three, Stacy Weiss

We’ve been fans of the Silver Surfer for a long time. But not since the days of Stan Lee and John Buscema has a Silver Surfer series captured us with such a marvelous union of art and story as Silver Surfer Vol. 3. In its fourteen issues, we get two related stories: Communion and Revelation. The surfer collects a handful of children from Earth, including the central character, Ellie. Ellie is autistic. Her relationship with her mother forms the central emotional context of the tales. But why is the Surfer abducting kids?

If you’ve ever read a Marvel comic before, you can guess it has to do with either A) the destruction of Earth, B) the destruction of all life as we know it, or C) the destruction of the entire universe. We’ll let you guess which one it is!

In the meantime, check out these stunning splash and double-splash pages from Communion! Written by Stacy Weiss & Dan Chariton; Pencils by Lan Medina.

Collector’s Guide: From Silver Surfer Vol. 3; Marvel, 2003. Reprinted in Silver Surfer: Communion TPB.

The Origin of the Silver Surfer by Stan Lee and John Buscema!

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Fantasy Masterpieces, first issue, Galactus, John Buscema, Norrin Radd, origin, Silver Surfer, Silver Surfer Omnibus, Stan Lee, Zenn-La

The story of Norrin Radd’s abandoning a life of luxurious complacency to wield the power cosmic remains our favorite Origin of all time. If you ever have a chance to be the herald of Galactus, don’t think about it — just do it! We’ll see you in the spaceways.

Dig this slightly abridged version of Silver Surfer #1. We kept in all the origin parts, don’t worry! A nicely recolored version from one of the more recent reprints, it truly does justice to the all-powerful artwork of John Buscema.

Collector’s Guide: If you need a copy of Silver Surfer #1 for yourself — and believe us, you do — then here is a list of every time Marvel has printed it. Have fun shopping!

– From Silver Surfer #1; Marvel Comics, September 1968.
– Reprinted in Fantasy Masterpieces Vol. 2, #1; 1979.
– Reprinted in the Silver Surfer Omnibus Vol. 1
– Reprinted in the HardCover Silver Surfer Masterworks #1, a 2003 Paperback version, and a 2010 Paperback.
– Reprinted in black and white in Essential Silver Surfer, Vol. 1, Edition 1 and in Edition 2.

Man-Thing Meets Silver Surfer in Strange Tales!

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Christie Scheele, first issue, JM DeMatteis, Liam Sharp, Man-Thing, Silver Surfer, Strange Tales

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here he is, Marvel’s mucky monstrosity in some of our favorite swamp stories. We bet you never knew injecting yourself with chemical mutagens and fatally wrecking your car would be so much fun!

Today’s Man-Thing Memoir is so trippy we don’t even know what to say. Man-Thing and Silver Surfer team up to save the universe in a hail of really beautiful, twisted artwork by Liam Sharp and colorist supreme Christie Scheele.

Collector’s Guide: From Strange Tales #1; Marvel, 1998.

Silver Surfer: Communion – Gallery 1

Tags

Communion, Dan Chariton, Lan Medina, Revelation, Silver Surfer, Silver Surfer volume three, Stacy Weiss

We’ve been fans of the Silver Surfer for a long time. Not since the days of Stan Lee and John Buscema has a Silver Surfer series captured us with such a marvelous union of art and story as Silver Surfer Vol. 3. In its fourteen issues, we get two related stories: Communion and Revelation. The surfer collects a handful of children from Earth, including the central character, Ellie. Ellie is autistic. Her relationship with her mother forms the central emotional context of the tales. But why is the Surfer abducting kids?

If you’ve ever read a Marvel comic before, you can guess it has to do with either A) the destruction of Earth, B) the destruction of all life as we know it, or C) the destruction of the entire universe. We’ll let you guess which one it is!

In the meantime, check out these stunning splash and double-splash pages from Communion! Written by Stacy Weiss & Dan Chariton; Pencils by Lan Medina.

Collector’s Guide: From Silver Surfer Vol. 3; Marvel, 2003. Reprinted in Silver Surfer: Communion TPB.

Silver Surfer #3: The Power and the Prize!

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Essential Silver Surfer, Fantasy Masterpieces, John Buscema, Mephisto, Power and the Prize, Silver Surfer, Silver Surfer 3, Silver Surfer Masterworks, Silver Surfer Omnibus, Stan Lee

We recently tuned into a podcast at Stash My Comics to hear Paul “Longbox Graveyard” O’Connor review one of our favorite comics: Silver Surfer Vol. 1, #3. Paul extolls the virtues of Silver Surfer in his review. He also points out that the Surfer’s series lost its direction after the first few incredible issues. An interview with John Buscema in Jack Kirby Collector #18 confirms that Stan Lee knew this. John recalled, “Many years later, Stan told me at lunch one day, ‘John, I just didn’t know what the hell to do with the damn thing. I didn’t know what direction we were going.'”

Read the whole Buscema interview at TwoMorrows Publishing. It also includes Buscema’s recollections on copying layouts from Kirby’s panels, and Stan’s furious deconstruction of Buscema’s masterful work on Silver Surfer #4. (Later, Stan would tell John it was the greatest thing they ever did!)

But the answer was right in front of Stan the whole time: Get the “Sentinel of the Spaceways” back into outer space where he belonged! It wasn’t until 1987, nearly twenty years after this landmark issue, that Steve Englehart worked out the solution to give the Surfer direction once again. In Silver Surfer Vol. 2, #1, Englehart and Marshall Rogers got the Surfer past the barrier of Galactus for good.

Astute collectors will find that the original pages 6, 7, 26, and 30 are missing from the Fantasy Masterpieces reprint. The missing pages include this awesome splash page of demonic lovelies.

Despite losing direction, Stan Lee and John Buscema would unite once more for one of Marvel’s greatest visual accomplishments: The Silver Surfer graphic novel, Judgment Day. Judgment Day (also available in paperback) features splash panel after splash panel of glorious Buscema artwork. It pits the Silver Surfer against Mephisto once again. And, just to top the hellfire-and-brimstone extravaganza of Silver Surfer #3, this time Galactus gets involved! Satan versus the Big G? We’re there! You can read a fun review on Take Back What You Said About Thor.

Collector’s Guide: If you need a copy of Silver Surfer #3 for yourself — and believe us, you do — then here is a list of every time Marvel has printed it. Have fun shopping!

– From Silver Surfer #3; Marvel Comics, September 1968.
– Reprinted in Fantasy Masterpieces Vol. 2, #3; 1979. (missing 4 original pages)
– Reprinted in the Silver Surfer Omnibus Vol. 1
– Reprinted in the HardCover Silver Surfer Masterworks #1, a 2003 Paperback version, and a 2010 Paperback.
– Reprinted in black and white in Essential Silver Surfer, Vol. 1, Edition 1 and in Edition 2.

Not Brand Echh First Issue: The Silver Burper!

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Dr. Doom, Fantastic Four, first issue, Jack Kirby, Not Brand Echh, Silver Burper, Silver Surfer, Stan Lee

Earlier today, we posted the one Jack Kirby issue from Silver Surfer Volume 1. It’s packed with ethos, pathos, and every other -thos you can imagine. But Stan Lee & Jack Kirby weren’t always such serious guys! They liked a good laugh as much as a cosmic drama. Silver Surfer, Dr. Doom, and the Fantastic Four lighten up a bit in this demented story from the first issue of Not Brand Echh: The Silver Burper!

Collector’s Guide: From Not Brand Echh #1; Marvel, 1967.

What New and Savage Madness Is This?!

Tags

Essential Silver Surfer, Herb Trimpe, Inhumans, Jack Kirby, Silver Surfer, Stan Lee

Collector’s Guide: From Silver Surfer Vol. 1, #18: To Smash The Inhumans! Reprinted in the Essential Silver Surfer #1 in black and white.

Jack Kirby‘s only artwork on this series. Stan Lee script + Herb Trimpe inks; Marvel Comics, 1970.

And the Humans of Earth Will Then Be Spared!

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Fantastic Four, Jack Kirby, Marvel's Greatest Comics, Microverse, Psycho Man, Shall Earth Endure, Silver Surfer

“Shall Earth Endure?” wraps up the story from the previous two issues, “When Calls Galactus” and “Worlds Within Worlds“. Jack Kirby’s artwork by this issue has evolved lightyears from the first Fantastic Four story. He pours on the freaky machinery and cityscapes that look more like modern art than anything else, abstracting the material world into the Kirby super-cosmic vision that became his hallmark. See what happens when your body is reduced to basic electrons and transmitted to the halls of… The Psycho Man!

Collector’s Guide: originally from Fantastic Four #75 and reprinted in Marvel’s Greatest Comics #58.

You might also be interested in viewing our complete Galactus Gallery, just the Origin of Galactus, or our extensive Jack Kirby Gallery. Enjoy!

Worlds Within Worlds!

Tags

Fantastic Four, Galactus, Jack Kirby, Marvel's Greatest Comics, Microverse, Silver Surfer, Worlds Within Worlds

It looks like we spoke too soon about Galactus’ pants yesterday. In “Worlds Within Worlds,” the second part of the story beginning in “When Calls Galactus”, an otherwise stunning Jack Kirby splash panel reveals… The Knobby Knees of the NecroCosmos! NNNNOOOO!!!!

Also, the Silver Surfer descends into the Microverse to hide from his former master’s kneecaps, while the Fantastic Four get a cosmic smackdown!

Collector’s Guide: From Fantastic Four #75. Reprinted in Marvel’s Greatest Comics #57.

You may also be interested in viewing our complete Galactus Gallery, just the Origin of Galactus, or our extensive Jack Kirby Gallery. Enjoy!

The Most Supremely Destructive Figure in the Known Universe!

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Fantastic Four, Galactus, Jack Kirby, Marvel's Greatest Comics, Silver Surfer, When Calls Galactus

“When Calls Galactus!” brought the big G back to planet earth for round two. This time, Galactus put on pants instead of shorts, and his cosmic tailor get rid of the goofy G on his chest. Plus, Jack Kirby’s “Kirby Krackle” of cosmic energy had proven a big hit with fans. The King obligingly poured on the krackle in a wave that never really stopped, making it one of his signature art devices from here on out.

Collector’s Guide: From Fantastic Four #74. Reprinted in Marvel’s Greatest Comics #56.

You might also like our complete Galactus Gallery, just the Origin of Galactus, or our extensive Jack Kirby Gallery. Enjoy!

Time Has Little Meaning to an Exile from the Stars!

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Fantastic Four, Jack Kirby, Marvel's Greatest Comics, Silver Surfer

One of our favorite splash panel depictions of the Silver Surfer by Jack Kirby. Appears in Marvel’s Greatest Comics #42.

Jim Lee’s Galactus!

Tags

Galactus, Jim Lee, Silver Surfer

Dig the Jim Lee version of Jack Kirby’s cosmic characters Galactus and the Silver Surfer! You might also be interested in viewing our complete Galactus Gallery, just the Origin of Galactus, or our extensive Jack Kirby Gallery. Enjoy!

For Eight Days He Rides the Cosmic Tides!

Tags

Esad Ribic, J Michael Straczynski, Requiem, Silver Surfer, Silver Surfer Requiem

Requiem is a gorgeously painted tale of the Silver Surfer’s last days. Along the way, he visits old friends, gets a super awesome globe that shows what a difference he made in the course of human affairs, and stops a centuries-old galactic war. Nice way to go out, Surfer!

Here are just a few pages of set-up from one of the four issues. Yeah, these awesome space scenes are just set up! We love the Surfer’s solution to the madness of war — but you’ll have to get the Silver Surfer Requiem Hardcover to read all about it! Or, try the single issues and the TPB.

Esad Ribic really brings the Straczynski script to life. We’ve seen some other work by Esad Ribic but nothing like this.

Speaking of awesome takes on the Silver Surfer, we love this cover to Ultimate Extinction. It’s a fresh take on the “Silver Surfer as avatar of Galactus” concept. MyComicShop usually carries all five issues of Ultimate Extinction for about a buck a piece. We keep hoping Marvel will help us nerd out completely and put out an omnibus with Ultimate Extinction, Ultimate Nightmare, and Ultimate Secret. That was one excellent tale of the (almost) end of the world!

You might also be interested in viewing our complete Galactus Gallery, just the Origin of Galactus, or our extensive Jack Kirby Gallery. Enjoy!

Let Mankind Beware!

Tags

Essential Silver Surfer, Jack Kirby, Silver Surfer

The original Silver Surfer series from 1968 ended with this cataclysmic declaration by the Surfer that he was fed up with moping around and being Mr. Nice Guy to the humans! Jack Kirby, the man who created the Silver Surfer, drew the final issue: a senseless battle against the Inhumans drenched in Kirby Krackle, techno-gadgets galore, and lots of referring to one’s self in the third person!

This black and white art comes from The Essential Silver Surfer TPB by Marvel Comics. Considering it would cost you a grand or two to get the original issues in NM or VF condition, the moderately priced Essentials is a steal of a deal! If edition one is out of stock, try the second edition.