Silver Surfer (comic book)

*Silver Surfer*
Silver Surfer
	Cover of the Silver Surfer #1 (August 1968). Art by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Format	List vol. 1 ongoing series; vol. 2 one-shot; vol. 3 ongoing series; vol. 4 limited series; vol. 5 ongoing series; vol. 6 limited series; vol. 7 ongoing series; vol. 8 (announced) ongoing series;
Genre	Science fiction, superhero;
Publication date	List vol. 1 August 1968 - September 1970; vol. 2 June 1982; vol. 3 July 1987 - November 1998; vol. 4 December 1988 - January 1989; vol. 5 September 2003 - December 2004 ; vol. 6 April 2011 - August 2011; vol. 7 May 2014 - December 2015; vol. 8 (announced) January 2016;
No. of issues	List vol. 1 18; vol. 2 1; vol. 3 147 (#1-146 and #-1) and 8 Annuals; vol. 4 2; vol. 5 14; vol. 6 5; vol. 7 15; vol. 8 (announced);
Main character(s)	Silver Surfer; Galactus
Collected editions
Silver Surfer Omnibus	ISBN 0-7851-2753-4

Silver Surfer is the title of several series of comic books published by Marvel Comics featuring the Silver Surfer.

Publication history

The first series was published beginning in 1968^[1] and was written by Stan Lee with art by John Buscema (#1-17)^[2]^[3] and Jack Kirby (#18). Villains introduced in the series include Mephisto in issue #3 (December 1968)^[4] and the Ghost in issue #8 (September 1969).^[5] Spider-Man guest-starred in issue #14 (March 1970).^[6]

The Silver Surfer : The Ultimate Cosmic Experience by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Joe Sinnott was published in September 1978 as part of the Marvel Fireside Books series and is considered to be one of the first true "graphic novels."^[7]

In 1982 Marvel published a Silver Surfer one-shot by Stan Lee, John Byrne, and Tom Palmer.^[8]

The third volume series ran from 1987 to 1999 for 146 regular issues, a -1 issue and 9 annuals, making it the longest running volume of Silver Surfer. This volume is sometimes referred to as the second Silver Surfer volume, but, according to indicia found inside the comics, the 1982 one-shot was designated "Volume 2" and Marvel therefore designated the second series, beginning in 1987, as "Volume 3."^[9]

The fourth series was a 1988 two-issue out-of-continuity mini-series from Stan Lee and Moebius through Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, later collected under the title Silver Surfer: Parable.^[10]^[11]

The fifth series started in 2004 and was written by Dan Chariton and Stacy Weiss, lasting 14 issues.^[12]

The sixth series was a five-part miniseries published in 2011, written by Greg Pak with art by Stephen Segovia.^[13]

The seventh series, written by Dan Slott and drawn by Mike Allred began in May 2014,^[14] lasting 15 issues.^[15]

Marvel Entertainment has announced that the character is going to appear in an "All-New, All-Different" ongoing series (vol. 8) from the same creative team, beginning in January 2016.^[16]

Writers

Volume 1

Stan Lee wrote all 18 issues of Silver Surfer, vol. 1 beginning in 1968. He later wrote many of the character's subsequent appearances, including the first Silver Surfer graphic novel in 1978 (published by Simon & Schuster).

Volume 2

The Silver Surfer one-shot released in 1982 was plotted and penciled by John Byrne and scripted by Stan Lee.^[17]

Volume 3

Writers for Silver Surfer vol. 3 include:

Issues	Story Writer
#1–31	Steve Englehart
#32–33	Jim Valentino
#34–48, 50	Jim Starlin
#49, 51–102	Ron Marz
#103, 124-125, 146	Glenn Greenberg
#104–110	Mike Lackey
#111–123	George Pérez
#126–145, -1	J. M. DeMatteis

Volume 4

Stan Lee returned to the character for both issues of volume 4 published through Marvel's Epic Comics imprint beginning in 1988.

Volume 5

Dan Chariton and Stacy Weiss wrote all 14 issues of Silver Surfer volume 5, published from 2004-2005.

Volume 6

Greg Pak wrote volume 6, consisting of a five-issue miniseries released in 2011.

Volumes 7 - 8

Dan Slott wrote all 15 issues of volume 7 (May 2014 - December 2015)^[14] and is authoring the 8th ongoing series (2016).

Artists

Marshall Rogers was the first to pencil Silver Surfer vol. 3 in 1987, then to be replaced by Ron Lim. Tom Grindberg took over from Lim and was later replaced by Scot Eaton. Ron Garney produced the artwork for several issues after that until issue #130, after which various artists illustrated the series. Guest artists before issue #130 include Joe Rubinstein, Joe Phillips, Bart Sears, and John Buscema.

Bibliography

Original graphic novels

The Silver Surfer has starred in four original graphic novels:

The Silver Surfer : The Ultimate Cosmic Experience 114 pages, September 1978, Fireside Books, ISBN 978-0-671-22821-7
Silver Surfer: Judgment Day 64 pages, June 1988, ISBN 978-0-87135-427-3
Silver Surfer: The Enslavers 64 pages, May 1990, ISBN 978-0-87135-617-8
Silver Surfer: Homecoming 64 pages, November 1991, ISBN 978-0-87135-855-4

Additional series

The Silver Surfer has also headlined or co-headlined the following series:

Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1-4 (2006)
Captain Universe / Silver Surfer one-shot (2006)
Silver Surfer: Dangerous Artifacts one-shot (1996)
Silver Surfer vs. Dracula one-shot (1993, reprint issue)
Silver Surfer: In Thy Name #1-4 (2007)
Silver Surfer: Loftier Than Mortals #1-2 (1999)
Silver Surfer: Requiem #1-4 (2007)
Silver Surfer / Warlock: Resurrection #1-4 (1994)
Stan Lee Meets the Silver Surfer one-shot (2007)

Intercompany crossovers

Marvel has featured the Silver Surfer alongside characters from other companies in the following crossovers:

Green Lantern / Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances (DC Comics / Marvel Comics, 1995)
Rune / Silver Surfer one-shot (Malibu Comics / Marvel Comics, 1995)
Silver Surfer / Superman one-shot (Marvel Comics / DC Comics, 1996)
Silver Surfer / Weapon Zero one-shot (Marvel Comics / Top Cow Productions, 1997)
Silver Surfer / Witchblade #1/2 (Marvel Comics / Top Cow Productions / Wizard Magazine, 1997)
Weapon Zero / Silver Surfer one-shot (Top Cow Productions / Marvel Comics, 1997)

Collected editions

The character's various series have been collected into the following books:

Son of Origins of Marvel Comics includes Silver Surfer #1, 249 pages, softcover, October 1975, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0671221669
Bring on the Bad Guys: Origins of the Marvel Comics Villains includes Silver Surfer #3, 253 pages, softcover, October 1976, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0671223557
Marvel's Greatest Superhero Battles includes Silver Surfer #4, 253 pages, softcover, November 1978, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0671243913
Essential Silver Surfer (b/w)
- Volume 1 collects Silver Surfer #1-18 and Fantastic Four Annual #5, 528 pages, softcover, Februar 1998, ISBN 0-7851-2008-4
- Volume 2 collects Silver Surfer vol. 2 #1, Silver Surfer vol. 3 #1-18, Silver Surfer Annual #1, and Marvel Fanfare #51, 600 pages, softcover, June 2007, ISBN 978-0-7851-2700-0
Marvel Masterworks: The Silver Surfer
- Volume 1 collects Silver Surfer #1-6 and Fantastic Four Annual #5, 272 pages, hardcover, June 2003, ISBN 978-0-7851-1187-0
- Volume 2 collects Silver Surfer #7-18, 280 pages, hardcover, August 2003, ISBN 978-0-7851-1177-1
Silver Surfer Omnibus collects Silver Surfer #1-18, Fantastic Four Annual #5, and Not Brand Echh #13, 576 pages, hardcover, June 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2753-4
Silver Surfer Epic Collection
- Volume 1: When Calls Galactus collects Fantastic Four #48-50, #55, #57-60, #72, #74-77; material from Tales to Astonish #92-93, Fantastic Four #56, #61, Fantastic Four Annual #5, 320 pages, softcover, December 2014, ISBN 978-0785190028
- Volume 3: Freedom collects Silver Surfer vol. 2 #1, Silver Surfer vol. 3 #1-14, Super-Villain Classic #1; material from Epic Illustrated #1 and Marvel Fanfare #51, 488 pages, softcover, December 2015, ISBN 978-0785199038
The Definitive Silver Surfer collects Silver Surfer #1, Silver Surfer vol. 2 #1, Silver Surfer vol. 4 #1-2, Fantastic Four #48-50, Tales to Astonish #92-93 and The Tomb of Dracula #50, 260 pages, softcover, August 2007, Panini Comics, ISBN 1-905239-67-X
Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos includes Silver Surfer vol. 3 #34-38, 224 pages, softcover, April 2006, ISBN 0-7851-2046-7, hardcover, August 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4478-1
Thor: Blood and Thunder includes Silver Surfer vol. 3 #86–88, 336 pages, softcover, July 2011, ISBN 978-0-7851-5094-7
Silver Surfer: Parable collects Silver Surfer vol. 4 #1-2, 72 pages, hardcover, December 1988, ISBN 0-87135-491-8, softcover, 1998, ISBN 0-7851-0656-1
- Silver Surfer: Parable collects Silver Surfer vol. 4 #1-2 and Silver Surfer: The Enslavers graphic novel, 168 pages, hardcover, May 2012, ISBN 978-0-7851-6209-4
Silver Surfer: Communion collects Silver Surfer vol. 5 #1-6, 136 pages, softcover, June 2004, ISBN 0-7851-1319-3
Silver Surfer: Requiem collects Silver Surfer: Requiem #1-4, 104 pages, hardcover, December 2007, ISBN 978-0-7851-2848-9, softcover, July 2008, ISBN 978-0-7851-1796-4
Silver Surfer: In Thy Name collects Silver Surfer: In Thy Name #1-4, 96 pages, softcover, June 2008, ISBN 978-0-7851-2749-9
Silver Surfer: Devolution collects Silver Surfer vol. 6 #1-5, 200 pages, softcover, September 2011, ISBN 978-0-7851-5665-9
Silver Surfer vol. 1: New Dawn collects Silver Surfer vol. 7 #1-5 and material from All-New Marvel Now Point One, 128 pages, softcover, November 2014, ISBN 978-0785188780
Silver Surfer vol. 2: Worlds Apart collects Silver Surfer vol. 7 #6-10, 120 pages, softcover, June 2015, ISBN 978-0785188797
Silver Surfer vol. 3: Last Days collects Silver Surfer vol. 7 #11-15, 120 pages, softcover, November 2015, ISBN 978-0785197379

Awards

1989:^[18]
- Won "Best Finite Series" Eisner Award
- Nominated for "Best Graphic Album" Eisner Award

References

^ Silver Surfer at the Grand Comics Database
^ DeFalco, Tom; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2008). "1960s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. Dorling Kindersley. p. 131. ISBN 978-0756641238. When Stan Lee was told to expand the Marvel line, he immediately gave the Surfer his own title...Since Jack Kirby had more than enough assignments, Lee assigned John Buscema the task of illustrating the new book. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Daniels, Les (1991). Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics. Harry N. Abrams. p. 139. ISBN 9780810938212. Beautifully drawn by John Buscema, this comic book represented an attempt to upgrade the medium with a serious character of whom Lee had grown very fond.
^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 133: "Created by editor Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, Mephisto hated the Surfer the moment he became aware of him."
^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 137: "Roughly based on the Flying Dutchman legend of a ghost ship that can never go home, Stan Lee and artist John Buscema introduced a character they simply called the Ghost."
^ Manning, Matthew K.; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2012). "1970s". Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. Dorling Kindersley. p. 53. ISBN 978-0756692360. The Silver Surfer paid a visit to New York City in this Stan Lee/John Buscema tale. Like most first encounters in the Marvel Universe, the Surfer's introduction to the web-head didn't go too smoothly. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Sanderson, Peter "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 187: "[In 1978], Simon & Schuster's Fireside Books published a paperback book titled The Silver Surfer by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...This book was later recognized as Marvel's first true graphic novel."
^ Silver Surfer vol. 2' at the Grand Comics Database
^ Silver Surfer vol. 3' at the Grand Comics Database
^ Daniels p. 225: "Stan Lee, who continues to write stories featuring the idealistic Silver Surfer, collaborated with the renowned French artist 'Moebius' (Jean Giraud) on this 1988 graphic novel."
^ Silver Surfer vol. 4' at the Grand Comics Database
^ Silver Surfer vol. 5' at the Grand Comics Database
^ Silver Surfer vol. 6' at the Grand Comics Database
^ ^a ^b Rogers, Vaneta (October 13, 2013). "NYCC 2013: Dan Slott Crams 'Kirby Cool' Concepts Into New Silver Surfer Series". Newsarama. Archived from the original on October 27, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Silver Surfer vol. 7' at the Grand Comics Database
^ Collinson, Gary (September 30, 2015). "NYCC 2013: Marvel announces 'All-New, All-Different' Silver Surfer". Flickeringmyth.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Catron, Michael (August 1981). "Silver Surfer Special Set". Amazing Heroes (3). Fantagraphics Books: 17.
^ "1989 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

External links

Silver Surfer at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
Silver Surfer vol. 2 at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
Silver Surfer vol. 3 at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
Silver Surfer vol. 4 at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
Silver Surfer vol. 5 at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)

[1] Silver Surfer at the Grand Comics Database

[2] DeFalco, Tom; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2008). "1960s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. Dorling Kindersley. p. 131. ISBN 978-0756641238. When Stan Lee was told to expand the Marvel line, he immediately gave the Surfer his own title...Since Jack Kirby had more than enough assignments, Lee assigned John Buscema the task of illustrating the new book. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[3] Daniels, Les (1991). Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics. Harry N. Abrams. p. 139. ISBN 9780810938212. Beautifully drawn by John Buscema, this comic book represented an attempt to upgrade the medium with a serious character of whom Lee had grown very fond.

[4] DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 133: "Created by editor Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, Mephisto hated the Surfer the moment he became aware of him."

[5] DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 137: "Roughly based on the Flying Dutchman legend of a ghost ship that can never go home, Stan Lee and artist John Buscema introduced a character they simply called the Ghost."

[6] Manning, Matthew K.; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2012). "1970s". Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. Dorling Kindersley. p. 53. ISBN 978-0756692360. The Silver Surfer paid a visit to New York City in this Stan Lee/John Buscema tale. Like most first encounters in the Marvel Universe, the Surfer's introduction to the web-head didn't go too smoothly. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[7] Sanderson, Peter "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 187: "[In 1978], Simon & Schuster's Fireside Books published a paperback book titled The Silver Surfer by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...This book was later recognized as Marvel's first true graphic novel."

[8] Silver Surfer vol. 2' at the Grand Comics Database

[9] Silver Surfer vol. 3' at the Grand Comics Database

[10] Daniels p. 225: "Stan Lee, who continues to write stories featuring the idealistic Silver Surfer, collaborated with the renowned French artist 'Moebius' (Jean Giraud) on this 1988 graphic novel."

[11] Silver Surfer vol. 4' at the Grand Comics Database

[12] Silver Surfer vol. 5' at the Grand Comics Database

[13] Silver Surfer vol. 6' at the Grand Comics Database

[Rogers-14] Rogers, Vaneta (October 13, 2013). "NYCC 2013: Dan Slott Crams 'Kirby Cool' Concepts Into New Silver Surfer Series". Newsarama. Archived from the original on October 27, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[15] Silver Surfer vol. 7' at the Grand Comics Database

[16] Collinson, Gary (September 30, 2015). "NYCC 2013: Marvel announces 'All-New, All-Different' Silver Surfer". Flickeringmyth.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[17] Catron, Michael (August 1981). "Silver Surfer Special Set". Amazing Heroes (3). Fantagraphics Books: 17.

[18] "1989 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

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