Silver Surfer

This article is about the comic book character. For other uses, see Silver Surfer (disambiguation).

Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer #1 (Aug. 1968). Cover art by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966)
In-story information
Alter ego	Norrin Radd
Team affiliations	Heralds of Galactus United Front The Defenders The Order Star Masters God Squad Annihilators
Abilities	Endowed with the Power Cosmic

Part of the collection on
Cosmic Marvel
Major Characters Adam Warlock Captain Marvel Nova · Quasar Rom the Spaceknight Silver Surfer Star-Lord · Thanos
Groups Cosmic entities Elders of the Universe Guardians of the Galaxy Imperial Guard Inhumans
Major species Badoon · Brood Celestials  · Kree  · Shi'ar  · Kymellian · Skrulls · Watchers
v · d · e

The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966), the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy".^[1][2]

Originally, Norrin Radd, a young astronomer of the planet Zenn-La, made a bargain with the cosmic entity Galactus, pledging to serve as his herald in order to save his homeworld from destruction. Imbued in return with a tiny portion of Galactus' Power Cosmic,^[3] Radd acquired great powers and a new version of his original appearance. Galactus also created for Radd a surfboard-like craft — modeled after a childhood fantasy of his — on which he would travel at speeds beyond that of light. Known from then on as the Silver Surfer, Radd began to roam the cosmos searching for new planets for Galactus to consume. When his travels finally took him to Earth, the Surfer came face-to-face with the Fantastic Four, a team of powerful superheroes that helped him to rediscover his nobility of spirit. Betraying Galactus, the Surfer saved Earth but was punished in return by being exiled there.^[4] In 2011 IGN ranked Silver Surfer was ranked 41st in the "Top 100 comic heroes".

Publication history

Early appearances

The Silver Surfer debuted as an unplanned addition to the superhero-team comic Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966). The comic's writer-editor, Stan Lee, and its penciller and co-plotter, Jack Kirby, had by the mid-1960s developed a collaborative technique known as the "Marvel Method": the two would discuss story ideas, Kirby would work from a brief synopsis to draw the individual scenes and plot details, and Lee would finally add the dialog and captions. When Kirby turned in his pencil art for the story, he included a new character he and Lee had not discussed.^[5] As Lee recalled in 1995, "There, in the middle of the story we had so carefully worked out, was a nut on some sort of flying surfboard".^[6] He later expanded on this, recalling, "I thought, 'Jack, this time you've gone too far'".^[7] Kirby explained that the story's agreed-upon antagonist, a god-like cosmic predator of planets named Galactus, should have some sort of herald, and that he created the surfboard "because I'm tired of drawing spaceships!"^[8] Taken by the noble features of the new character, who turned on his master to help defend Earth, Lee overcame his initial skepticism and began adding characterization. The Silver Surfer soon became a key part of the unfolding story.^[5]

Following the Surfer's debut, Lee and Kirby brought him back as a recurring guest in Fantastic Four #55-61, 72, and 74-77 (ranging Oct. 1966 - Aug. 1968). The character made his solo debut in the backup story of Fantastic Four Annual #5 (Nov. 1967).

The following year, Lee launched the solo title The Silver Surfer. John Buscema was penciller for the first 17 issues of the series, with Kirby returning for the 18th and final issue. The first seven issues, which included anthological "Tales of the Watcher" backup stories, were 72-page (with advertising), 25-cent "giants", as opposed to the typical 36-page, 12-cent comics of the time. Thematically, the stories dealt with the Surfer's exile on Earth and the inhumanity of man as observed by this noble yet fallen hero. Though short-lived, the series became known as one of Lee's most thoughtful and introspective works.^[9]

Following his series' cancellation, the Surfer made sporadic appearances as a guest star or antagonist in such comic books as Thor, The Defenders, and Fantastic Four. Lee remained partial to the Surfer, and with Kirby collaborated on a seminal 1978 graphic novel starring the character.

Subsequent series

After a 1982 one-shot by writer-artist John Byrne, the Surfer appeared in his second solo, ongoing title in 1987. Here he escaped the confines of Earth and left for the spaceways. Originally written by Steve Englehart and illustrated by Marshall Rogers, the series would later be written by Jim Starlin and illustrated by Ron Lim. Starlin in turn would be succeeded by Ron Marz, with George Pérez and J. M. DeMatteis also having brief writing stints. Additional artists included Tom Grindberg, Ron Garney, and Jon J. Muth, as well as periodic guest spots by the aforementioned John Buscema. Although the title experienced great initial success, and continued to be buoyed by tie-ins to "The Infinity Gauntlet" and other company crossovers, this second ongoing series was canceled in 1998 after 146 issues. It was followed in 1999 by the two issue miniseries, Silver Surfer: Loftier Than Mortals.

The Silver Surfer: Parable, scripted by Lee and drawn by Moebius, was serialized in two parts in 1988 and 1989. Because of inconsistencies with other stories, it has been argued^{[by whom?]} that these stories actually feature an alternate Silver Surfer from a parallel Earth.^[10] The miniseries by Lee and Moebius won the Eisner Award for best finite/limited series in 1989.

2000s

A new ongoing Silver Surfer series began in 2003, focusing on the character's alien nature and messianic allegory. It lasted 14 issues. The Surfer later appeared in an issue of Cable & Deadpool and has twice been reunited with the superhero group the Defenders. In 2006-2007, he starred in the four-issue miniseries Annihilation: Silver Surfer and co-starred in the miniseries Heralds of Galactus, both part of the Annihilation fictional crossover.

In 2007, the Silver Surfer starred in a four-issue miniseries Silver Surfer: Requiem by writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Esad Ribic. The first issue was released May 30, 2007 to coincide with the character's first movie appearance.^[11][12] Published under the Marvel Knights imprint, Silver Surfer: Requiem portrays the character upon learning that he is dying as the silver shell he is encased in is deteriorating.

This was followed by the miniseries Silver Surfer: In Thy Name,^[13] by writer Simon Spurrier^[14][15] and artist Ten Eng Huat.^[16]

After appearances in the "Planet Hulk" storyline in 2006 and its spin-off series starring the Hulk's son Skaar in 2008, both written by Greg Pak, the Surfer again starred in an eponymous 5-issue mini-series also written by Pak, debuting in February 2011.^[17] He was also a core cast member in The Thanos Imperative (2010), Annihilators (2011),^[18] , Fear Itself: The Deep (2011)^[19] and The Mighty Thor #1–6 (May–September 2011).^[20]

Fictional character biography

Norrin Radd is from the utopian planet Zenn-La, in the Deneb star system of the Milky Way galaxy. He is the son of Jartan and Elmar Radd, and he has a half-brother, Fennan Radd.^[21][22][23] Zenn-La's ancient and significantly advanced civilization has lost the will to strive or explore, leaving the young scholar Norrin Radd restless and yearning for adventure. Facing the destruction of his world by planet-consuming Galactus, Radd bargains with the cosmic being. In return for the safety of Zenn-La and his lover, Shalla-Bal, Radd pledges to seek out planets for the world devourer to consume as his herald. Galactus imbues him with a portion of the Power Cosmic, transforming him into the Silver Surfer.^[24][25] Radd had intended to lead Galactus to uninhabited planets, but Galactus tampers with his soul to prevent this.^[26]

Radd serves Galactus for an unspecified amount of time. Eventually, the Surfer summons his master to Earth. Here the Surfer meets the Fantastic Four and Alicia Masters. Touched by their nobility, he rebels against Galactus, who is eventually driven off. Before he leaves, he confines the Surfer to Earth with an invisible barrier that affects only him.^[27][28]

During his exile, the Surfer fights numerous villains, including Doctor Doom, who wants his power cosmic, and Mephisto, who wants his soul. The Surfer's only ally during these trials is a physicist by the name of Al B. Harper, who eventually sacrifices himself to save the world from the Stranger.^[29]

Banding together with the Hulk and Namor the Sub-Mariner during these wanderings, the Surfer forms the "Titans Three," a group dedicated to battling evil on Earth.^[30] Soon, Doctor Strange joins the group and it becomes "The Defenders." Surfer stays with them for a while, but his overwhelming desire to be free of Earth and his frequent collisions with Galactus' energy-draining barrier eventually drives him to leave the group.

The Surfer finally pierces Galactus' barrier with the aid of Reed Richards and temporarily escapes Earth. He discovers, though, that his homeworld has been ravaged by Galactus and Shalla-Bal has been abducted by Mephisto and taken to Earth. Even though it means trapping himself once more, the Surfer returns to Earth to battle and defeat Mephisto. Before being vanquished, Mephisto sends Shalla-Bal back to Zenn-La, but the Surfer manages to endow her with a portion of his Power Cosmic, which she uses to revitalize the plant life of their ravaged homeworld.^[31]

After the Surfer aids the Fantastic Four against Galactus' latest herald, Terrax,^[32] Surfer finally manages to pierce Galactus' barrier by acting on the Thing's suggestion of trying to pass through on a spaceship instead of via his own power on his surfboard. He also manages to make peace with Galactus by rescuing his current herald, Nova (Frankie Raye), from the Skrulls and encounters the Champion, after which Galactus finally declares the Surfer's long exile ended.^[33] He immediately revisits his homeworld, but Shalla-Bal, in his absence, had become empress of the rejuvenated Zenn-La and hence unable to renew their romance.^[34]

Embroiled in fresh hostilities between the interstellar Kree and Skrull empires, the Surfer also intervenes in a series of plots by the Elders of the Universe, who plan to become supremely powerful by destroying Galactus and the universe with him. The Surfer thwarts this plot with the aid of his new love interest, Mantis, the Earth-born cosmic heroine also known as the "Celestial Madonna".^[35] She seems to die in the process, and although she eventually returns, she never fully renews their romances.^[36] After this loss, a grief-stricken Surfer turns to Nova and romantic feelings begin to develop between them.^[37] The Surfer's influence gradually leads Nova to question the morality of her role as herald to Galactus.^[38] Eventually replaced by the far more ruthless Morg, Nova dies in a conflict between the new herald and the Surfer and the other ex-heralds.^[39]

The Surfer repeatedly battles space-born menaces, the chief of whom is Thanos, who attempts to kill half the life in the universe using the omnipotent Infinity Gauntlet.^[40] Through Thanos, the Surfer learns how Galactus had altered his soul. He convinces Galactus to restore it,^[41] but once Galactus has done so, the Surfer is overcome with grief until he is able to forgive himself.^[42] The Surfer finds interstellar allies in Adam Warlock's Infinity Watch and the "Star Masters" team, and he begins attending occasional Defenders reunions.

The Surfer returns home to Zenn-La to find that the planet has vanished, and learns it was actually destroyed in the 1940s (Earth time) by the entity known as the Other. Zenn-La and its people which the Surfer repeatedly encountered since leaving Galactus' service were actually reproductions, created by Galactus so that the Surfer would have a home to return to.^[43] Losing his capacity for emotion again, the Surfer returns to Earth. He later regains his personality during a time-travel adventure and sharing a romance with Alicia Masters.^[44] The two ultimately part as friends after many adventures together.

Later, the Surfer works with the alien Annunaki race to gather and protect some of Earth's most extraordinarily gifted children.^[45] In the end, one of these children, Ellie Waters, saves Earth from the godlike Marduk entity, preventing the apocalypse and reordering reality as if the Marduk crisis had never happened (though Ellie alone apparently retains her memories of these events).^[45] The Surfer resumes his interstellar wanderings, but promises to be ready to aid his adopted homeworld should Earth ever need him.

During his travels, the Surfer is captured by a portal of the Planet Sakaar Empire. Left weakened and vulnerable by his trip through the portal, the Surfer is subdued and implanted with an obedience disk to ensure he remains loyal to them. Fighting as a gladiator (and believed to be the fabled 'Sakaarson' due to his appearance), the Surfer is finally forced to face the Hulk along with his Warbound. Through teamwork and distraction, the Hulk is eventually able to destroy the Surfer's obedience disk. The Hulk and several other slaves and gladiators are freed when the Surfer uses the Power Cosmic to remove their own obedience disks and give them a way out of the arena, although the Hulk declines the Surfer's offer to take him back to Earth.^[46]

During the Annihilation war, the Silver Surfer again becomes Galactus' herald to help save the universe from the despot Annihilus.^[47] Annihilus captures them^[48] and gives them to Thanos for experimentation. Drax the Destroyer frees the Surfer, who in turn frees Galactus. An enraged Galactus destroys more than half the Annihilation Wave, and Annihilus is defeated.^[49] Later, the Surfer is joined as herald by Stardust, a former herald the Surfer had replaced.^[50][51]

The Surfer leads the world devourer to the populated planet Orbucen, which brings him into conflict with Richard Rider. He delays the planetary destruction to give the inhabitants more time to evacuate. ^[52]

The Silver Surfer returns to Sakaar in a plan to feed Galactus with the unique "Old Power" which he claims would sate his master's hunger for thousands of years, sparing many other inhabited worlds. He is opposed by the Hulk's son Skaar, and is enslaved by an obedience disc. The conflict is ended when Skaar's mother Caiera sacrifices her soul and Old Power as sustenance for Galactus.^[53] Unfortunately, Galactus now seems addicted to the Old Power and has begun searching for other planets containing it to sate himself.^[54]

After an encounter with the High Evolutionary,^[55] the Silver Surfer and Galactus battled Thor and the Asgardians. The battle ended when the Surfer Surfer chose to leave his post as herald and guard an Asgardian artifact. Galactus strips him of his powers and returns him to human form.^[56]

During the Fear Itself storyline, Silver Surfer ends up coming to the aid of Doctor Strange, Namor, Loa, and Lyra in order to liberate New Atlantis from Attuma (in the form of Nerkodd: Breaker of Oceans).^[57]

Powers and abilities

The Silver Surfer wields the Power Cosmic, granting him superhuman strength, stamina, durability, senses and the ability to absorb and manipulate the universe's ambient energy for a variety of effects.^{[citation needed]} The Surfer can navigate through interstellar space,^{[citation needed]} dimensional barriers,^{[citation needed]} and hyperspace, which he can enter to exceed the speed of light when flying on his board,^[58] and has even proven capable of time travel on several occasions, even able to make others time-travel with him.^[59]

The Surfer sustains himself by converting matter into energy; does not require food, water, air, or sleep (although he occasionally enters a sleep-like meditation in order to dream); and can survive within nearly any known natural environment, including deep space, hyperspace, and even within black holes^[60] and stars.^[61] The Surfer can analyze and manipulate matter and energy,^{[citation needed]} and molecularly restructure or animate matter at will such as causing vegetation to grow much quicker,^{[citation needed]} even transmuting elements or creating objects.^{[citation needed]} He can also project energy in various forms for offensive and defensive use, including the erection of force shields,^{[citation needed]} bolts of cosmic force powerful enough to destroy entire planets,^[62][63] and create black holes.^{[citation needed]} He can utilize the Power Cosmic to augment his superhuman strength to indeterminate levels.^[64] The Surfer can heal living organisms, though he cannot raise the dead,^[58] and he has proven capable of revitalizing and evolving organic life on a planet-wide scale.^[65] He can alter the size of himself or of other matter,^{[citation needed]} cast illusions,^[66] create interdimensional portals, ^[66] and phase through solid matter.^[58]

His senses enable him to detect objects and concentrations of energy light years away and to perceive matter and energy in subatomic detail, including life energies of living beings.^[67] The Surfer can even see through time, and with concentration he can achieve limited perception of past and future events in his general vicinity.^[68] He has demonstrated telepathic ability, including mind-reading on occasion,^[69] and has proven to be able to influence human emotion and sensation.^[58]

The Surfer's board is composed of a nearly impervious, cosmically powered silvery material that is similar to his own skin. The board is mentally linked to the Surfer and moves in response to his mental commands even when he is not in physical contact with it.^[70] The board is nearly indestructible, but on those rare occasions when it has been damaged or destroyed, the Surfer has proven able to repair it, or even recreate it, with little effort.^[33] The Surfer can attack opponents remotely by directing the board against them, and the board is capable of absorbing and imprisoning other beings, at least temporarily.^[71]

When Galactus exiled the Surfer to Earth, his means of imprisonment was linked to the board. When the Surfer and the Fantastic Four realized this, the Surfer put it to the test by leaving the board planet-side and entering space in the Four's spacecraft. Once he was free of Earth, the Surfer remotely converted the board to energy, recalled it to him, and reformed it in space.^[33]

Norrin Radd also possesses some knowledge of the advanced alien technology of the planet Zenn-La.

Other versions

Ultimate Silver Surfer

Warren Ellis' Ultimate Galactus Trilogy originally suggested that the Ultimates' ally the Vision was the herald of Galactus, a robotic probe that travels through space warning civilizations of the impending arrival of Gah Lak Tus. In the final miniseries of the trilogy, Ultimate Extinction, silvery humanoids began to appear, sent to trigger mass suicides in order to reduce the population's resistance. Suicide cults founded by the creatures began to appear all across the globe as Gah Lak Tus drew near. These silvery beings had the ability to grow wings; morph into an ovoid; form spikes; or take an intermediary form, gliding on an oval surface. They also demonstrated the ability to manipulate large quantities of energy. All these traits are reminiscent of the Surfer, but their official name is the Silver Men or Silver Wings^{[citation needed]}.

In Ultimate Fantastic Four #42, another Ultimate incarnation of the Silver Surfer appears, called the Silver Searcher. He is teleported to Earth after Reed mistakes him for a star that he is trying to harness. His appearance triggers planet-wide chaos and natural calamities. In #43, Reed comments that Gah Lak Tus seems to have modeled its drones on this surfer, and he gives his name as Norin Radd. The Searcher states that he will summon his "master", who will make the population of the Earth happier than they have ever been.^[72]

In #44, the Surfer's master is revealed to be Zenn-La's ruler, Revka Temerlune Edifex Scyros III, "the king without enemies", who uses mind-control to make the population of Earth worship him (before it takes effect on the Fantastic Four, the Human Torch calls him "Psycho-Man"). It is revealed that the Surfer has been exiled from Zenn-La for destroying the control that Psycho-Man had over Zenn-La, but because of finding Earth for his master to "save" he may return. After Psycho-Man gains domain over Earth, the Silver Surfer, temporarily imprisoned in his own 'memorial' statue, rescues Mr. Fantastic, tells him his story, and asks him to save Earth. The Surfer then helps the Fantastic Four defeat other Surfer-like assassins of Psycho-Man. With the Surfers beaten and the insane Psycho-Man reprogrammed to experience the unthinking happiness he had imposed on others, Silver Surfer wanders the space ways.

In Ultimate X-Men, Jean Grey as Phoenix travels through space and is stopped by what is named as "A Silver Surfer". He informs Phoenix that the Watchers disapprove of the problems her flight across the universe is causing and briefly battles her before asking what she is looking for.^[73]

Exiles

On Earth 552, Norrin Radd had been a great military scientist who accidentally destroyed his own world with his greatest invention. Determined to bring it back to existence, he approached Galactus, Restorer of Worlds, and became his herald in the hope that Galactus would resurrect his world in exchange for his service. However, Galactus had taken an oath to only revive those worlds destroyed by the Blight. An enraged Silver Surfer then turned against his master, destroying those who worshiped him and attempting to kill Galactus himself in order to steal the knowledge of world restoration. This led to the destruction of Earth, the coming of the Exiles, the deaths of the Shi'ar Imperial Elite Guard, and inevitably the Surfer's own destruction at the claws of a cosmically empowered Sabretooth.^[74][75]

Marvel Zombies

The Silver Surfer is a victim of the Marvel Zombies on Earth-2149. Instead of coming to Earth and meeting the Fantastic Four, he is attacked by a horde of zombies. After fighting valiantly, he is killed by the Hulk, and his body is devoured by a few of the zombies (Hulk, Colonel America, Giant-Man, Iron Man, Luke Cage, Wolverine, and Spider-Man). His corpse grants the zombies a portion each of his cosmic powers, which they use to kill all of the other zombie heroes and villains whom they consider "competition" for what's left of the living. Afterwards, Pym creates a machine that concentrates the Cosmic powers they all share to create a massive blast that kills Galactus, at which point they eat him. Now imbued with the power of Galactus himself (and realizing they can now fly and survive in space), they adopt his role, traveling the universe and picking worlds clean of life.^[76]

In Marvel Zombies 3 Silver Surfer makes a cameo when Vanessa Fisk explain to Machine Man and Jocasta the story about the origin of the zombie empire of Kingpin.^{[volume & issue needed]}

MC2

During the finale of Last Planet Standing, the Silver Surfer foils Galactus' plan to create a new Big Bang, merging with Galactus himself in the process to become a new being. Gaining control of Galactus' powers, the new entity undoes the damage done by the old Galactus.^[77]

The Keeper

In the alternate timeline of Earth-691, notably the Guardians of the Galaxy issues #24 and #25 story arc, Norrin Radd was featured as The Keeper. This new version of the Silver Surfer sans his surfboard had Quantum Bands, which augmented his "Power Cosmic" and designated him as the Protector of the Universe, as with other bearers of the Bands before him. He works with the Guardians in an attempt to kill Galactus once and for all, his first attempt with Firelord and Dargo-Thor having failed. Eventually, the Keeper realizes that, with his augmented power, he can supply Galactus with the energy he needs and end the Planet-Eater's consumption of worlds. Eon, cosmic being and creator of the Quantum Bands, reveals that this was the ultimate purpose of the Keeper becoming the Protector of the Universe, and he enters into a symbiotic partnership with Galactus, who accepts the Keeper as an equal; he is last seen leaving with Galactus, riding a silver surfboard once more.

Earth X/Universe X/Paradise X

In issue 11 and 12 of the Earth X series, Black Bolt calls upon Galactus to come destroy the Celestial seed growing within Earth. The Silver Surfer accompanies him along with his love Shalla-Bal, who had now been turned into a silver herald of Galactus as well.

Elseworlds

In Green Lantern/Silver Surfer, the Silver Surfer confronts Cyborg Superman over the destruction of a planet and is met by Parallax. Parallax beats the Cyborg, but the Silver Surfer lets him go and tries to sympathize with Parallax. The two return to Earth to find Kyle Rayner with Thanos, leading them to believe they formed an alliance. Kyle convinces the Surfer to help him stop Parallax and Thanos from destroying the universe and that he was duped into giving Thanos Oa's power. The Surfer was similarly gave most of his power to Parallax to reform the destroyed planet. Kyle channels the power from the two villains into the Silver Surfer, who opens a portal and sucks the two inside.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Carnage Cosmic

In the main Marvel continuity, the Silver Surfer bonds with the Carnage symbiote in two issues of The Amazing Spider-Man, gaining the name "Carnage Cosmic ". He looks like the original Carnage from the Spider-Man comics, but still has the trademark surfboard of the Silver Surfer. In the first issue, the Carnage Symbiote leaves Cletus Kasady, to seek revenge for the destruction of its homeworld the only way it knows how, by using the Surfer as its new host. After the symbiote completes merging to the Surfer, he immediately rampages as a side effect to the two entities conflicting with each other. The Carnage Cosmic then flies off into outer space. Cletus Kasady, "symbiote-less," is taken to the hospital for the immense pain he suffers as a result of the separation (this is revealed to be the result of an advanced case of stomach cancer the symbiote had been guarding him from).^[78] As Carnage Cosmic drifts along in space, the symbiote recants memories from Kasady and itself to Norrin Radd (the Surfer's former self). Radd sees how the symbiote remembers the Surfer summoning his master, Galactus, to the planet to consume it. Then the Surfer is shown memories of Kasady's abusive youth. The Surfer breaks free realizing what he must do. He returns to Earth as the Cosmic Carnage . After a brief roof-top battle with Spider-Man, the mismatched pair searches the city finding Kasady in the hospital, still screaming in pain. Upon immediately seeing Kasady, the symbiote re-bonds with Kasady, but to ensure Carnage will never hurt any one else again, The Surfer encases Carnage in an unbreakable shell of ethereal energy.^[78]

In a What If? storyline, however, the symbiote remained bonded to the Surfer, forcing Spider-Man and the Avengers to battle him until Firestar was able to use her powers to disrupt the symbiote's control over the Surfer. After his powers were used to destroy dozens of New York City blocks and realizing that there was only one way to stop the symbiote, the Silver Surfer flew himself into the sun, seemingly destroying both himself and the creature.^[79]

In other media

Television

The Silver Surfer from the animated series Silver Surfer

• The Surfer's first animated appearance was in "Galactus", an episode of the Hanna-Barbera 1967 Fantastic Four animated series, which closely followed the Marvel comic story.^[80]

• He also made several appearances in the 1994 version of the animated series (that was part of The Marvel Action Hour) voiced by Robin Sachs in the first season, then Edward Albert in the last episode of the second. This series stayed true to the original comic book story, recounting Surfer and Galactus' coming to Earth in a two-part episode as well as Doctor Doom's theft of the Surfer's powers.^[81][82]

• In 1998, the Surfer starred in a solo animated series on Fox, voiced by Paul Essiembre.^[83] Blending cel and computer animation,^{[citation needed]} this series was rendered in the style of Surfer creator Jack Kirby. Further adventures included appearances by many characters from Marvel's "cosmic" stable, including Thanos, Uatu the Watcher, Ego the Living Planet, Mentor, Drax the Destroyer, Pip the Troll, Nebula, and the Kree and Skrull empires. It was canceled after one season of 13 episodes.

• The Silver Surfer comic book also appeared in an episode of Heroes Season 1.^[83]

• Silver Surfer appears in The Super Hero Squad Show voiced by Mikey Kelley.^[84] This version of him has a literal "surfer dude" accent, and is much more kid friendly, but the third episode develops more on his personality. The episode "Invader from the Dark Dimension" reveals that he is a horrible cook (due in large to a lack of taste buds), so much so that even Dr. Doom fears his meals. His teammates have trouble living with him due to his strange personality such as reversing gravity so that everyone can have breakfast upside down on the ceiling. In the episode "The Last Exit Before Doomsday" he makes the first reference to his past working for Galactus, after the appearance of Stardust (another one of Galactus' heralds). In the show, he describes Galactus not as eating planets whole but rather "Taking several bites and chewing thoroughly". In the episode "This Al Dente Earth," Silver Surfer persuades Galactus to spare Earth promising to find planets with non-intelligent life for Galactus to feast upon. Upon leaving the Super Hero Squad, Silver Surfer takes the possession of the Infinity Sword (which he revealed that it can only be wielded by someone who wields the Infinity Gauntlet) and leaves with Galactus to find planets with non-intelligent life. In the episode "Alienating with the Surfer," it is shown that the Infinity Sword is slowly corrupting the Silver Surfer even to the point where he prevented Ronan the Accuser from coming to the aid of the Skrull Homeworld when Galactus plans to consume it. Thor and Scarlet Witch come to Silver Surfer's aid and Silver Surfer traps Ronan the Accuser in a pocket dimension. Silver Surfer then tells Galactus not to eat the Skrull Homeworld and directs him to a section of planets with non-intelligent life. In "Fate of Destiny," Silver Surfer arrives to help the Super Hero Squad fight Thanos. However, he steals the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos, traps him in the Soul Infinity Gem, and becomes Dark Surfer. As the Dark Surfer, he sends the Super Hero Squad into different portals.

Film

Main articles: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Fantastic Four (film series)#Silver Surfer spin-off

The Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

• In the 1983 film Breathless, Jesse Lujack (Richard Gere) is a drifter in Las Vegas, obsessed with the Silver Surfer, the rock and roll music of Jerry Lee Lewis and Monica Poiccard (Valérie Kaprisky), a UCLA architecture undergraduate whom he knows only from a weekend fling in Vegas. The Silver Surfer was the primary inspiration for Lujack's strong sense of love, loyalty, identity, free-spirit, and self-determinism at all costs, even to the point of self-destruction.

• In 1991, Erik Fleming and Steven Robiner, two film students from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, approached Marvel Studios and producer Bernd Eichinger to ask permission to make a short film featuring the Silver Surfer as a proof of concept for the use of CGI in creating a realistic silver coloured human figure.^[85] This short film, completed in 1992, not long after the release of Terminator 2: Judgement Day that featured a similarly rendered character, led to significant interest from major studios in a feature length Silver Surfer project.^[85]

• The Silver Surfer made his film debut in 20th Century Fox's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Doug Jones played the Surfer on set, and a computer simulation enhanced the reflective look of his prosthetics.^[86] Laurence Fishburne provided the character's voice.^[87] The same year, 20th Century Fox hired J. Michael Straczynski to write the screenplay for a spin-off film. Straczynski said his script is a sequel, but will also delve into the Surfer's origins.^[88] In mid-2009, Straczynski expressed doubts that spin-off would be produced.^[89] In this continuity, the Surfer's origins and powers are similar to those of his comic-book incarnation, in that he agrees to become Galactus' herald in return for the safety of his home world and the woman he loved. Also, if the Surfer is separated from his board, he becomes weaker; in addition, the board also serves as a beacon for Galactus.

Video games

• The Silver Surfer video game, developed by Software Creations, Ltd., debuted on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990. The game is notorious for its unforgiving and extremely steep difficulty.^[90] However, the Surfer has also appeared in other video games, often cast as a villain. For example, Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems for the SNES features evil clones of the Silver Surfer as enemies.
• The Silver Surfer makes a cameo in the original Spider-Man video game.^{[citation needed]}

• The Silver Surfer is a bonus character in the game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, voiced by Chris Cox. He can be unlocked by completing all of the simulation disks. He also appears briefly as a non-player ally during the player's visit to the unnamed Skrull homeworld and helps them fight Galactus.

• The Surfer appeared in the video game adaptation of the movie Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, voiced by Brian Bloom, developed by Visual Concepts of 2K Sports. It was released in June 2007 to coincide with the film's release to dismal reviews.^[91]

• The Silver Surfer is also a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Video Game voiced by Mikey Kelley.^[92]

• Mikey Kelley reprises his role of the Silver Surfer, who is a non-playable character and final boss in Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet. He is shown in the possession of the Infinity Sword while guiding Galactus to uninhabited planets when he hears about the Infinity Gems. When Wolverine and Black Widow find the Silver Surfer on the Skrull Homeworld, he reveals that Galactus plans to devour the Skrull Homeworld. While Wolverine and the Black Widow are dealing with Galactus, the Silver Surfer tells the Infinity Sword that they will embrace their own destiny. Moments later, Wolverine brings up the Silver Surfer's odd behavior to Iron Man. Iron Man manages to tell Wolverine that the Silver Surfer is on his way to them and will try to figure out what the Infinity Gems and the Infinity Sword have in common. After Thanos is defeated, the Silver Surfer arrives and grabs the Infinity Gems and Infinity Gauntlet. Iron Man states that the Infinity Sword is the long-lost Ego Infinity Gem as the Silver Surfer combines the Infinity Gauntlet with the power of the Infinity Sword to become an Infinity Warrior referred to as Dark Silver Surfer. Galactus arrives, wanting to know from the Silver Surfer what is for dinner until Dark Silver Surfer makes Galactus disappear. Dark Silver Surfer uses his new powers to convert Earth into his long-lost planet Zenn-La. The Super Hero Squad had to defeat each of the Dark Silver Surfer's clones and Iron Man convinces the Silver Surfer to give up the Infinity Gems. After Earth is restored to normal, Iron Man and the Silver Surfer dump the Infinity Sword, Infinity Gauntlet, and Infinity Gems into the time-space portal.

• The Silver Surfer makes a cameo in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds in Zero's ending.^{[citation needed]}

• The Silver Surfer is a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, both as his standard self and his Dark Surfer alter-ego.

Stamps

The United States Postal Service in November 2007, released a series of $0.41 stamps honoring Marvel comics. One stamp shows the Silver Surfer on his board and another shows the first eponymous issue.^[93] Associated paraphernalia (e.g. first day covers) were also available.

Toys

• The Silver Surfer is the seventh figurine in the Classic Marvel Figurine Collection.
• Hasbro released the Silver Surfer in its Marvel Universe toyline both individually and included with Marvel Masterworks Galactus. A "clear" variant was released with the "dark" variant of Galactus.

Music

The Silver Surfer appears on the cover of the Joe Satriani album Surfing With The Alien, and provided the inspiration for the title track. Additional songs by Satriani were inspired by the Surfer mythos: "Back to Shalla-Bal", on Flying in a Blue Dream; and "The Power Cosmic 2000", a two-part song on Engines of Creation.

The British metal band Bal-Sagoth named their fourth album "The Power Cosmic", and dedicated one song to the Silver Surfer - "The Scourge of the Fourth Celestial Host".^[94]

Reception

The Silver Surfer was ranked as the 47th greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard magazine.^[95] IGN also ranked the Silver Surfer as the 41st greatest comic book hero quoting that "Silver Surfer has the coolest mode of transportation this side of Ghost Rider, but his powers come with a heavy burden."^[96]

Collected editions

According to Marvel Volume Numbers:

• Silver Surfer Volume 1 Omnibus, (Silver Surfer #1–18 and Fantastic Four Annual #5)
• Silver Surfer Volume 2 One Shot (Silver Surfer #1)

Other Silver Surfer Series:

• Essential Silver Surfer, Volume 1, (Silver Surfer #1–18, Fantastic Four Annual #5)
• Essential Silver Surfer, Volume 2, (1982 graphic novel, vol. 2 #1–18, Annual #1, Marvel Fanfare #51)
• Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos, (Silver Surfer, 1987, #34–38 and Thanos Quest #1–2)
• Silver Surfer: Requiem, (Silver Surfer: Requiem #1–4)
• Silver Surfer: In Thy Name, (Silver Surfer: In Thy Name #1–4)
• Marvel Masterworks: Silver Surfer, Volume 1 (Silver Surfer #1–6 and Fantastic Four Annual #5)
• Marvel Masterworks: Silver Surfer, Volume 2 (Silver Surfer #7–18)
• Silver Surfer: Communion, Volume 1 (Silver Surfer, 2003, #1–6)
• Silver Surfer: Devolution (Silver Surfer, 2011, #1-5)

References

1. ^ Thomas, Roy, Stan Lee's Amazing Marvel Universe (Sterling Publishing, New York, 2006), "Moment 29: The Galactus Trilogy", pp. 112-115. ISBN 1-4027-4225-8; ISBN 978-1-4027-4225-5
2. ^ Marvel Spotlight: Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer (2007; no month): "Jack Kirby's The Galactus Trilogy", by Erik Larsen, pp. 10-21 (unnumbered).
3. ^ marvel.com. "Silver Surfer: Marvel Universe". http://www.marvel.com/universe/Silver_Surfer. Retrieved 2007-01-04. 
4. ^ Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966)
5. ^ ^{a b} Markstein, Don. "The Silver Surfer". http://www.toonopedia.com/surfer.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-26. 
6. ^ Lee, Stan. "The Ultimate Silver Surfer (Berkeley Trade, 1995)". http://www.whatsleft.com/reviews/books/SurferExcerpt.html. Retrieved 2007-01-05. 
7. ^ Evanier, Mark. Kirby: King of Comics (Harry N. Abrams, New York, 2008), p. 141
8. ^ Quoted in Lee, The Ultimate Silver Surfer
9. ^ Marvel Comics writer Steve Englehart, for example, in his back-cover text for The Silver Surfer vol. 3, #2 (Aug. 1987), wrote that Buscema and Lee were "pouring their souls into the series".
10. ^ marvunapp.com. "Earth-Moebius entry on the Appendix to the Marvel Universe website (not affiliated with Marvel)". http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/earthmoeb01.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-20. 
11. ^ ign.com. "IGN Preview of Silver Surfer: Requiem #1". IGN. http://comics.ign.com/articles/790/790095p1.html. Retrieved 2007-05-24. 
12. ^ Masters of SciFi - An Interview With Screenwriter J Michael Straczynski, May 30, 2008
13. ^ In the Name of the Silver Surfer I: Aubrey Sitterson, Newsarama, October 17, 2007
14. ^ WW Chicago: Si Spurrier on Silver Surfer: In Thy Name, August 10, 2007, Newsarama
15. ^ Spurrier Talks "The Silver Surfer: In Thy Name", August 10, 2007, Comic Book Resources
16. ^ In the Name of the Silver Surfer: Ten Eng Huat, Newsarama, October 25, 2007
17. ^ SILVER SURFER a 'Dream Come True' for Writer Greg Pak November 17, 2010, Newsarama
18. ^ Abnett Makes Things Dire for 'Annihilators' December 24th, 2010, Comic Book Resources
19. ^ C2E2: Bunn Dives Into "Fear Itself: The Deep" March 20th, 2011, Comic Book Resources
20. ^ Marvel Makes Thor "Might" January 27, 2011, Comic Book Resources
21. ^ Silver Surfer vol 3 #50
22. ^ Silver Surfer vol 3 #56
23. ^ Silver Surfer vol 3 #104
24. ^ Silver Surfer #1 (Aug. 1968)
25. ^ Fantastic Four vol 1 Annual #5
26. ^ Silver Surfer vol 3 #48
27. ^ Fantastic Four #48-50 (March–May 1966)
28. ^ Cronin, Brian (February 19, 2010). "A Year of Cool Comics – Day 50". Comic Book Resources CSBG Archive. http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/02/19/a-year-of-cool-comics-day-50/. Retrieved September 29, 2010. 
29. ^ The Silver Surfer #5 (April 1969)
30. ^ Sub-Mariner #34-35 (Feb.-March 1971)
31. ^ The Silver Surfer vol. 2, #1 (June 1978)
32. ^ Fantastic Four #260 (November 1983)
33. ^ ^{a b c} Silver Surfer vol. 3, #1 (July 1987)
34. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #2 (Aug. 1987)
35. ^ Silver Surfer Vol. 3 #4 (October 1987)
36. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #9 (March 1988)
37. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #14 (Aug 1988)
38. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #51 (July 1991)
39. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #75 (Dec. 1992)
40. ^ Infinity Gauntlet #1 (July 1991)
41. ^ Silver Surfer vol 3 #48 (Feb 1991)
42. ^ Silver Surfer vol 3 #58 (Nov 1991)
43. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #130 (Aug. 1997)
44. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #129 (June 1997)
45. ^ ^{a b} Silver Surfer vol. 4, #1 (March 2004)
46. ^ Greg Pak, The Incredible Hulk #95
47. ^ Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1-4 (June- Sept. 2006)
48. ^ Annihilation #1 (Oct 2006)
49. ^ Annihilation #6 (March 2007)
50. ^ Annihilation: Silver Surfer #4 (Sept 2006)
51. ^ Annihilation: Heralds of Galactus #2 (Feb 2007)
52. ^ Nova Vol 4, #13-15
53. ^ Skaar: Son of Hulk #7-10
54. ^ Son of Hulk #12-13
55. ^ Silver Surfer vol 6 #1-5 (Feb-June 2011)
56. ^ The Might Thor #1-6 (May - Sept 2011)
57. ^ Fear Itself: The Deep #1
58. ^ ^{a b c d} Annihilation: The Nova Corps Files #1 (Oct. 2006)
59. ^ The Silver Surfer #6 (June 1969)
60. ^ Galactus the Devourer #1-6
61. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3 #37 (May 1990)
62. ^ Annihilation: Silver Surfer #4 (July 2006)
63. ^ Silver Surfer Annual #7 (1994)
64. ^ Fantastic Four #55 (Oct. 1966)
65. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3 #104 (May 1995)
66. ^ ^{a b} Silver Surfer vol. 3, #33 (Jan. 1990)
67. ^ The Marvel Encyclopedia (Marvel Comics, 2002)
68. ^ Fantastic Four #260
69. ^ Tales to Astonish #93 (Jul. 1967)
70. ^ The Marvel Encyclopedia #1 October 2002, Marvel Comics
71. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #122 (Nov. 1996)
72. ^ Ultimate Fantastic Four #43 (May 2007)
73. ^ Ultimate X-Men #96 (July 2008)
74. ^ marvel.com. "The Marvel catalog for Exiles #87". http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?book_id=5244. Retrieved 2007-05-10. 
75. ^ marvel.com. "The Marvel catalog for Exiles #88". http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?book_id=5546. Retrieved 2007-05-10. 
76. ^ Marvel Zombies #5 (April 2006)
77. ^ Last Planet Standing #5 (July 2006)
78. ^ ^{a b} The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1 #431
79. ^ What If? vol. 2 #108
80. ^ "Galactus episode of the 1967 Fantastic Four animated series (Silver Surfer's first animated appearance)". http://marvel.toonzone.net/ff1967/episode/galactus/. Retrieved 2007-07-05. 
81. ^ "Coming of Galactus episode on the 1994 Fantastic animated series". http://drg4.wariocompany.com/eFF5.html. Retrieved 2007-03-05. 
82. ^ "Return of Galactus episode on the 1994 Fantastic Four animated series". http://drg4.wariocompany.com/eFF13.html. Retrieved 2007-03-05. 
83. ^ ^{a b} "Internet Movie Database (fan site)". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203268/. Retrieved 2011-10-31. 
84. ^ "Comics Continuum". Comics Continuum. 2009-07-28. http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0907/28/voices.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-26. 
85. ^ ^{a b} Beau Yarbrough (15 March 2000). "Saga of the Silver Surfer (Film): Making of "The Silver Surfer". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=4217. Retrieved 1 March 2011. 
86. ^ Thomas J. McLean (2007-06-21). "Fantastic 4: Weta Gives Rise to the Silver Surfer". VFXWorld. http://www.vfxworld.com/?atype=articles&id=3325&page=1. Retrieved 2007-06-27. 
87. ^ Pamela McClintock (2007-04-18). "Fishburne voices Surfer". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117963368.html?categoryid=13&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-19. 
88. ^ Chris Carle (2007-07-27). "SDCC 07: JMS Sheds Light on Silver Surfer Movie". IGN. http://movies.ign.com/articles/808/808908p1.html. Retrieved 2007-10-07. 
89. ^ "Straczynski Talks Silver Surfer: It Probably Ain't Gonna Happen | BeyondHollywood.com | Asian, Foreign, Horror, and Genre Movie Reviews and News". BeyondHollywood.com. http://www.beyondhollywood.com/straczynski-talks-silver-surfer-it-probably-aint-gonna-happen/. Retrieved 2009-08-30. 
90. ^ mobygames.com. "Silver Surfer for Nintendo Entertainment System". http://www.mobygames.com/game/silver-surfer/. Retrieved 2007-03-05. 
91. ^ IGN. "Preview of the Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer video game". http://wii.ign.com/articles/767/767697p1.html. Retrieved 2007-04-20. 
92. ^ "Marvel Super Hero Squad Video Game Spotlight: Silver Surfer". Marvel.com. 2009-10-14. http://marvel.com/news/vgstories.9606.Super_Hero_Squad_Spotlight~colon~_Silver_Surfer. Retrieved 2010-12-26. 
93. ^ Collectible Marvel Postage Stamps, comicbookmovie.com
94. ^ http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Bal-Sagoth/The_Power_Cosmic/43
95. ^ "Wizard's top 200 characters. External link consists of a forum site summing up the top 200 characters of Wizard Magazine since the real site that contains the list is broken". Wizard magazine.. http://herochat.com/forum/index.php?topic=170859.0. Retrieved May 23, 2011. 
96. ^ "Silver Surfer is number 41". IGN. http://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-heroes/41. Retrieved May 23, 2011. 

External links

• Silver Surfer at the Marvel Universe wiki
• Silver Surfer at the Marvel Database Project
• McDonough, Brian (June 15, 2007). "Fantastic Four: The Mad Birth of the Silver Surfer". Badmouth. http://www.badmouth.net/ff-galactus/. 
• Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer Go Way Back Marvel.com history guide
• The Complete Silver Surfer Appearance List