This shipped today...
But how does it compare to the Epic Collection "Freedom"?
The Epic Collection contains...
- "The Answer" from Epic Illustrated #1
- Silver Surfer (one-shot, 1982)
- Silver Surfer (1987) #1-14
- Super-Villain Classics (Galactus) #1
- Marvel Fanfare #51
That's a good collection. But the omnibus contains everything from the Epic Collection, plus...
- Silver Surfer (1987) #15-33
- Silver Surfer Annual #1-2
- Silver Surfer: Parable (1988) #1-2 (Stan Lee & Moebius)
- Silver Surfer: Judgement Day (1988 graphic novel by Stan Lee & John Buscema)
- Silver Surfer: The Enslavers (1990 graphic novel by Stan Lee & Keith Pollard)
- Fantastic Four #325
- A story from Marvel Comics Presents #1
- ...plus a ton of pin-ups and extra features.
Now... when is Marvel going to reprint the 1978 Silver Surfer graphic novel by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby?
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In 2025 I find myself torn between reading old favorites (which I have read many, many times), and collections of newer favorites (which I may not have read since their initial release in periodical format) from those expensive collections I drop so much money on. (I really must get started on those if I want to get my money's worth out of them because I have only a limited amount of time left on this Earth.) Case in point: Return to the Spaceways omnibus. I always like to "read up" to the volume in question, but that can be time-consuming. Then it occurred to me: I don't have to read every Silver Surfer appearance leading up to it (although I could if I so chose), only select ones. Silver Surfer (1968) #1-18 is one of those "old favorites which I have read many, many times." I don't remember exactly the last time I read it, but I know that it's been at least 15 years. So I decided to start there. I just finished #18, but I am relectant to slow my roll by posting about each and every issue, but here is a summary:
#1-7 - double-size
#18 - Jack Kirby
Silver Surfer #18 ended with the Surfer vowing to become the enemy of all mankind.
Jack Kirby introduced the Silver Surfer in the pages of Fantastic Four #48, then Stan Lee pretty much took him over, developing the character in a direction other than Kirby originally intended. Kirby's original intention was for the Surfer to have been a tabula rasa created by Galactus, who would come to learn about humanity from living among us; the Zenn-La/Norrin Radd origin was Stan Lee's idea. As developed by Stan Lee and John Buscema, the Surfer became a leaner, less muscular character who used his cosmic powers less often, but tended to moralise about violence and alienation a lot.
I don't know what, exactly, prompted Lee to turn the series over to Kirby for its final issue, whether it was due to decreasing sales or a desire to placate the increasingly dissatisfied Kirby or what, but Kirby's new direction was never developed or follow up on. He bopped around the MU for a while (including, noteably, a stint with the early Defenders), but Lee took a proprietary stance toward the Surfer, and guarded his appearances by any writer other than himself jealously. When Len Wein became writer of the Fantastic Four, he lobbied Roy Thomas and Stan Lee for permission to use the Surfer in Giant-Size FF #4, and that permission was granted. (The story actually appeared in FF #155-157 for reasons we need not go into here.) When Wein was promated to editor of all Marvel's color comics (after just a few weeks on staff!), Roy Thomas stepped in to write #156-157.
FANTASTIC FOUR #155-157:
The reason I skipped straight to this one is because the Silver Surfer first appears, rushing on scene as if from Silver Surfer #18, with the intention of killing the Fantastic Four. Actually, he has come from Latveria, where he has found who he believes to be Shalla Bal, suffering from amnesia, and "married" to Dr. Doom. Doom promises to restore her memory and free her, if only the Silver Surfer will kill the FF for him. He agrees, but actually conspires with his erstwhile victims to turn the tables on Doom. As it happens, Doom admits that "Shalla Bal" is actually a young Latverian woman who bears a striking resemblance to Norrin Radd's long-lost love, whom Doom hypnotized. BUT THEN! On the last three pages it is revealed that the behind-the-scenes manipulator is Mephisto, and "Helena" is the real Shalla Bal! Instead of sending her back to Zenn-La at the end of Silver Surfer #17, instead he sent her to Latveria where he engineered the whole scenario just to mess with the Surfer's mind. the story ends with Shalla Bal, still believing herself to be Helena, staying behind in Latveria.
There are multiple reasons why I like this story so much. First, it's a follow-up to perhaps my very favorite Fantastic Four story, #57-60; second, it features the Surfer's arch enemy in a surprise role; third, it progresses the Silver Surfer/Shalla Bal dynamic; and fourth: Roy thomas, Len Wein, Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott. The story is built around a metaphorical game of chess, from opening gambit, through middle game, to endgame. And if you've ever wondered about the title of the last chapter, "zugzwang" means "the unfortunate compulsion to move" -- when a player must yield an advantageous position because he can't skip a move.
To me the original Kirby concept for the Surfer as portrayed in the FF was the way to go - a being with incredible power who is emotionally still a child. I didn't find Stan's philosophizing, angst ridden version particularly interesting. And apparently neither did Kirby.
SILVER SURFER (1982):
Next up on my list is the 48 page one-shot from 1982 by John Byrne (plot/pencils), Stan Lee (script) and Tom Palmer (inks/colors). It recaps the Surfer's origin, then recaps FF #48-50, then goes right ot the Surfer's latest failed attempt to breach the barrier. After that, Mr. Fantastic approaches the Surfer with a solution that can be utilized only once; if he should ever return to Earth after being freed, he will once again be stuck forever. The plan works and the surfer return to Zenn-La only to find it devastated. Apparently, at some point after Galactus was betrayed by his herald, he returned to Zenn-La to sate his hunger (which is fine, but we have seen life on Zenn-La as normal as recently as Silver Surfer #16). Anddar Bal, Shalla Bal's father, reveals that his daughter was taken from Zenn-La by Mephisto (again, SS #16), and the Surfer realizes that the woman he encountered in Latveria (in FF #155-157) must have been the real Shalla Bal after all.
Deciding it is better to be trapped on Earth with his one true love than to have the freedom of the spaceways without her, he returns to Earth. Mephisto is really playing the long game here; what he set up in SIlver Surfer #17 (1970) does not pay off until now (1982). But just as the surfer confronts Mephisto, he sends Shalla Bal back to Zenn La! the surfer pursues her, but cannot pass the barrier, so he infuses her with a burst of Cosmic Power which allows her to restore Zenn-La to life.
This story inspired me to write the one-and-only story submission I ever sent to Marvel. At the time, I did not realize that Stan Lee maintained, for the most part, a propriatory "hands off" policy as far as the Surfer was concerned; I only knew that the surfer was one of my favorite characters and didn't appeared all that often. Given that, it seemed a shame to me that the Silver surfer should be stuck on Earth if Marvel wasn't going to use him all that much, anyway. Mini-series were just becoming popular around that time, and one of the stipulations Marvel had concerning tham is that the main character(s) must go through some sort of change or life-altering event throughout the course of the series. To that end, I submitted a plot for a four-issue limited series in which the Silver Surfer would gain freedom from his exile at last.
I don't remember much about it, but it concerned Silver Surfer seeking Reed Richards' help to use Dr. Doom's time machine in order to send him to the past, before the barrier existed. To his surprise, the barrier existed in the past as well. After returning to the present, with the help of Dr. Strange, they determine that the "barrier" is not physical at all, but exists only within the Surfer's mind. Carl Potts was submissions editor at the time, and he explained to me that Stan Lee reserved use of the Surfer pretty much for himself. (I wish I still had that rejection letter, but I haven't seen it for years... decades.) Not too much longer after that, Lee did allow Steve Englehart to write such a story, which was (needless to say) far, far better than mine would have been.
I'm going to take a break from this discussion for a while in order to read Fantastic Four #242-244...
...and "The Last Galactus Story"...
...neither of which have anything to do with the Silver Surfer, but that's what I'm in the mood to read right now.
Next up, before I delve into the 1987 ongoing series, is a "trilogy" of stories illustrated by John Buscema: "The Answer" (sctript by Stan Lee), Marvel Fanfare #51 (with Steve Englehart), and the Judgment Day graphic novel (also in collaboration with Stan Lee).
"The Answer" is a little eight-page epic (no pun intended) from 1980 which helped launched Epic Illustrated magazine.
Marvel Fanfare #51 features an out-of-continuity tale featuring Mantis and her son. (See "Celestial Quest" discussion for further details.)
Judgment Day is illustrated in full-page panels and features Nova (and Mephisto).
This brings up up to the launch of the 1987 ongoing series. Here is what writer series Steve Englehart has to say about the first 20 issues.
STEVE ENGLEHART ON #1-20:
"Like the other series of this time at Marvel, such as FANTASTIC FOUR, SILVER SURFER goes through three phases.
"It began when Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter asked me to do a SURFER book. I was pleased to be asked, but remembered that the character had been reserved for Editor Emeritus Stan Lee. Jim was clear in his response: the current Powers That Be had decided the Surfer could make the company money, and should.
"So, if I were going to do the Surfer, I wanted to get him off Earth. He had been trapped here, denied the vastness of space, since his first epic in FF #48-50, and I felt that situation had long outlived its interest. For one thing, despite everyone's affection for the character and some good people giving it their all, he had never sold. The Surfer seemed like he ought to be great, but he wasn't. Nevertheless, I was told he had to stay on Earth.
"So I wrote a #1 issue, and plotted two more, under that restriction. But I kept bugging Jim, and all of a sudden, for whatever reason, I got my way. The Surfer could fly free. That first issue was shelved and I started over with a new #1. That "earthbound" first issue later appeared as an "imaginary story" in MARVEL FANFARE.
"But we were off to the races at last. I got the Surfer into the grandeur of space, and for the first time ever, he sold.
"I also got him a woman who was equipped to share his life. In the earthbound #1, and then alternatively in the spaceborne #3, he met Mantis, the Celestial Madonna. He met all the great beings of the Marvel Universe, and I mean Universe. Galactus, Eternity, the Elders, the In-Betweener, the Supreme Intelligence, the Soul Gems... The Silver Surfer was finally where he belonged!"
SILVER SURFER (1987) #1-20:
When I first decided to follow Steve Englehart's lead and discuss this series as he had broken it down, I thought I would be able to dash off the first 20 issues with a line or two each. But I had forgotten how densely plotted this series is. It would be impossible not to dedicate a short paragraph at least to each issue. I apologise in advance for the length of this post.
#1: The Surfer learns from an Elder of the Universe (Champion) that the Skrulls are holding Nova hostage in order to force Galactus to wipe out the Kree. It is Ben Grimm, the Thing, who figures out a way from the Surfer to cross the barrier. As soon as he does, he confronts Galactus and offers his services to free Nova if Galactus will forgive him for his betrayal. Galactus agrees and the Surfer rescues Nova.
#2. The Surfer returns to Zenn-La (fourth planet from the star Deneb, in the constellation Cygnus, BTW) to find Shalla Bal Empress. When the Skrulls lost their shape-changing abilities recently, it rekindled the Kree/Skrull War. The Skrullian Ambassador to the Emperor (one of them, anyway), petitions Zenn-La to ally itself with their empire, but the Empress wishes to remain neutral. The protection of the Silver Surfer keeps the Skrulls from taking further action, but Shalla Bal's duties keep her from having any kind of romantic relationship, and the Surfer heads out into the stars once more.
#3. Between issues, the Surfer appeared in a pair of Avengers annuals (West Coast #2 and East Coast #16). The Kree directly enter the conflict with the Skrulls, but are not yet aware that the latter have lost their shape-shifting abilities. The Elders of the Universe (all seven of them, but Runner in particular this issue) become involved in the Surfer's affairs. The Silver Surfer is defeated by Runner, but rescued by...
#4. Following her full-page panel cameo at the end of last issue, this issue reintroduces Mantis to the Marvel Universe. (There's nothing here that really eliminates Marvel Fanfare #51 from continuity that a simple tweak of dialogue couln't fix.) The Kree Supreme Intelligence learns that the Skrulls have lost their shape-changing ability. Jack Kirby's Celestials arrive on the Skrull homeworld (one of them, anyway). The Surfer and Mantis crash a meeting of the Elders of the Universe, all 11 of them. Some new ones are revealed, and they learn that the Elders plan to destroy Galactus.
#5. The Elder Obliterator pursues the Surfer and Mantis into space, but the Surfer manages to trick him and they escape. The Skrull world Tarkar must be the Skrulls' true homeworld because that's where the Celestials have appeared. As on Earth, the Celestials conducted genetic experiments millennia ago creating two offshoot races, but unlike Earth, it was the "deviant" race, the Skrulls, which survived by wiping out the other two. In addition, the shape-changing Dire Wraths are an off-shoot of the Skrullian race. [This was all news to me in 1987, but I have since learnd that this backstory was established in Rom.] The Obliterator catches up with Surfer and Mantis on Gullish-Yar, a planet teeming with vegetition. She takes the lead in battle this time, but the Elder kills her. Back on Tarkar, the Kree send a spy to infiltrate the Skrulls in a mission that closely mimicks Mar-Vell's on Earth (see Marvel Super Heroes #12). He is captured and the Skrulls learn that the Kree know of the loss of their shape-shifting abilities. With this bit of intelligence (and the threat of the Celestials looming), Emperor Kylor officially launches the Second Kree/Skrull War. The Surfer outsmarts Obliterator, then learns that Mantis transferred her consciousness into another organically grown body.
#6. This issue introduces the three-member panel of "Controllers" who report directly to the Kree Supremem Intelligence: Phae-Dor (head of the science council, Nenora (a woman), and Tus-Cat (a pink). [Actually, Phae-Dor is from the old Captain Marvel series.] Intelligence suggets that the Skrulls are going to attack Sandomar II, but there is no way the outpost world can mount a defense. So the plan is to evacuate the planet, and rig it to explode as soon as the Skrull fleet gets within range. We also meet (on the Skrull side), Ripah (second in command to Emperor Kylor), and Aptak (third in command, a male officer stuck in the body of a Waziliah female).
On Gullish-Yar, Obliterator relates his own origin, but also the origin of, well... life, the universe and everything. The Elders are to meet next on Earth (which is not as big of a coincidence as it seems, since they are out to kill Galactus and Earth is the one planet the Big "G" has pledged not to destroy). The Surfer and Mantis become a romantic couple. Just then, Shalla Bal contacts the Surfer (by virtue of the cosmic power he once imbued her with that allowed her to save Zenn-La and become Empress). The Kree fleet is on the move, and she calls on him to provide the protection he vowed in #2 he would. He returns to Zenn-La and leaves Mantis on Gullish-Yar to use her plant-power to transfer her consciousness to Earth.
The Skrull fleet approaches Sandomar II... then pulls away at the last minute! Obviously they had been informed of the Kree plans to obliterate them along with the planet. Emperor Kylor is contacted by Yorak, one of four other claimants to the Skrull throne. At the Kree strategic headquarters, the Supreme Intelligence confronts the three Controllers, the only ones, other than himself, who knew of the attack plans. He announces he has deduced who the spy is... then kills Nullet, the little monkey-like simian-tech who maintains his own systems. But either he made a mistake or there are two Skrull spies, because Nenora is the one who has been secretly reporting to Emeropr Kylor.
#7. The Surfer stops the Kree from its encroachment onto Zenn-La. Then he confronts Shalla Ball and officially breaks up with her. After that, he heads off to Kree-Lar to confront the Supreme Intelligence face-to-face. Meanwhile, Mantis has arrived on Earth and begins to eavesdrop on the conclave of Elders. All of them are there except Ego (obviously), Obliterator (defeated by the Surfer) and Contemplator (searching for one of the the Power Gems). [At this point, the Power Gems are still referred to collectively as "Soul Gems," but I am going to continue to refer to them as Power Gems for the purposes of this discussion.] Mantis learns the Elders' motive for their attept to kill Galactus: they believe that his death will trigger the end of the universe and that they will emerge into the new universe as "Galacti."
To this end, they have been gathering the Power Gems since they were dispersed across hyperspace at the end of Avengers Annual #7. The history of all the gems is recounted, and the Elders have acquired all of them except one, the one the Contemplator is seeking. They become aware of Mantis spying on them and capture her, but she is able to get a telepathic plea for help off to the Surfer. Speaking of whjom, by this time the Surfer has arrived on Kree-Lar and is meeting with the Supreme Intelligence in person. The Surfer requests that Zenn-La be left out of the Kree/Skrull conflict, to which Supremor readily agrees. But then he throws Earth into the mix, and not only does Supremor refuse, but he absorbs the Surfer's soul. It is the Kree Supreme Intelligence who has posession of the missing gem! The Contemplator is then revealed to be waiting in the wings, having been there in the first place to negotiate for it.
NOTE: I'm not certain which specific "Soul Gem" the Supreme Intelligence has, but it has been well-established, including in this issue, that the Gardner is in posession of the actual Soul Gem once worn by Adam Warlock.
#8. When the Kree race was first introduded, they were white-skinned. Later, they were retconned to be blue-skinned, and the white-skinned ones (such as Captain Mar-Vell) were explained to be of a different race. For eons, the Supreme Intelligence was composed entirely of minds of the dominent blue-skinned race, but recently (after it was revealed that the Kree race was at a genetic dead end), Superemor began incorporating minds of "pink-skins." These blue and pink are not assimilating, which is why Supremor needs the power gem (which I am going to assume if the "Mind Gem") in the first place: to maintain balance between the two factions. Meanwhile, the Surfer is living a dream-like existence within Supremeor's mind, but unassimilated.
Nenora's contact within the Skrull Empire is Aptak. They used to be lovers until Aptak was stuck in the body of a Waziliah female. while Nenora reports to Aptak, the Contemplator continues to bargain with Supremor for the Mind Gem. The Contemplator contacts the Surfer within Supremor's mind and confirms that the Surfer is still "free," but the Supreme Intelligence refuses to reliquish the Gem lest he go mad. From within the unreality of Supremor's mind, the Surfer is able to make contact with his board, which is still in the real world. It enters through the Gem in Supremor's brow, and the Surfer is able to ride it out the same way, snatching the Mind Gem itself on his way out, shattering Supremor's sanity.
Shalla Bal is in empathic touch with all the plants on Zenn-La. They seem to whisper to her "Mantis." Shalla Bal tries to contact Mantis telepthically, but instead she summons one of the Elders of the Universe, the Gardener.
#9. The Elders of the Universe hold Mantis and Shalla Bal hostage in the Cone Nebula. with the Supreme Intelligence incapacitated, Nenora, the Chief Coordinator of the Kree Empire but also a Skrull spy, assumes control. The Surfer relinquishes the Gem for the women's lives, but the Grandmaster has cheated, rigging the enery sphere in which they are contained to speed away and explode. Due to writer's fiat, the Surfer can save only one. He reaches for Mantis, but accidentally saves Shalla Bal by mistake. By this time, the Elders have faked one of Nova's flares, signalling Galactus, but it draws the attention of the real Nova as well. the Elders use the combined power of the six Infinity Gems to attack Galactus, and Nova is helpless to stop them. The Surfer arrives and instructs Nova how they can use their combined power to cause a nearby sun to go nova, then collapse into a black hole. The resultant black hole catches not only the Elders, but Surfer and Nova, too. But the process has also rejuvenated Galactus, who uses his power to shut down the black hole and save the Elders and his heralds.
#10. Galactus saves five of the elders plus Nova and the Surfer from the black hole. Galactus then devours the remaining Elders. Three were lost in the black hole; the Obliterator has been rendered impotent by the Silver Surfer back in #6; the Contemplator was in his astral form, so he is still roaming free. (And Galactus doesn't mention him, but Ego Prime is still out there, too.) Galactus assigns Nova to find the Contemplator and bring him to him. He requests that the Silver Surfer accompany her. The Surfer is more experienced than Nova, but could Galactus have something resembling human feelings for Nova? The Surfer mourns the death of Mantis. He has no reason to comply, but says he will if Galactus add Zenn-La to the list of planets Galactus pledges not to consume. Galactus agrees. Nova resents the Surfer's prescence. The Surfer suspects something's up, so he and Nova hang behind after they pretend to depart to "spy" on Galactus. Eternity appears and reveals that he has manipulated virtually every major event in this series so far. Witnessing this meeting has humbled Nova, and she accompanies the Surfer with no further protest.
The Skrull spy Aptak meets with the Skrull spy Nenora on Kree-Lar. They profess their continued love for each other despite the fact that Aptak is stuck in a female body. But apparently Nenora loves the idea of being ruler of the Skrull Empire more, because she poisons Aptak's wine and he dies at her feet. Elsewhere, Galactus experiences "cosmic indigestion" from the Elders he consumed. Death looks on, foreshadowing events to come.
#11. (Joe Staton guest artist.) The Surfer and Nova visit Kree-Lar in search of the Contemplator. Nenora accedes the the Surfer request that Zenn-La and Earth be left out of their war with the Skrulls, then tells them that the Contemplator may be found in the vicinity of the Coalsack, a sort of Sargasso Sea of space. Once there, they are attacked by pirates, who then disappear into the Coalsack. The Surfer and Nova make their way to a space station, where they learn of a big party. The Surfer and Nova couldn't be more different. whereas she is reckless and inexperienced, he is the opposite, but their differences run deeper than that. Elsewhere, the "Silver Surfer" destroys a Kree outpost. Later, at the party, the surfer and Nova dance, and begin to loosen up toward one another. Suddenly they are ambushed by Cap'n Reptyl.
#12. Cap'n Reptyl has attached the surfer and Nova to the drive units of two of his ships and is using them for power. A plant eavesdrops on a conversation between the Contemplator and Cap'n Reptyl, then telepathivally reports back to the Cotati on Hala (the original homeworld of the both the Cotati and the Kree). The Cotati join the conflict on the side of the SIlver Surfer because he was an ally of Mantis, the mother of their messiah. Back in the Coalsack, Clumsy Foulup (one of Reptyl's crew) eats a leafy vegatable and beomes mind-controlled byt the Cotati. Nova has visions of the false Surfer and that Nenora is actually a Skrull just before being freed by Clumsy. Reptyl jettisons the Surfer in order to avoid destruction by Nova, then flees into the Coalsack. Reptyl then, quite unexpectedly, turns on the Contemplator, first biting him in the neck, then eating him.
#13. (Joe Staton again.) Ronan thwarts an assassination attempt against Supreme Leader Nenora. ("Supremor" was the Supreme Intelligence's title, but because Nenora is not immortal, she has taken the title "Supreme Leader.") Ronan then markes suggestive advances toward his empress, but she rebuffs him and sends him on a mission to execute the Silver surfer becaue "he" has broken their treaty. Then she reports to Skrull Emperor Kylor. She is seemingly still working on his behalf, and has sabotaged the defenses of the Kree fleet sent out to engage his forces.
Meanwhile, the Surfer and Nova discover the Contemplator's head floating in the Coalsack. (Since the defeat of the Elders by Galactus and Eternity, they are no longer barred from Death's realm.) Nova begins referring to the surfer as "Silverado." The Surfer express a desire to find Mantis' son. They come upon a Kree world but are not worried because "Silverado" and Nenora have a treaty. They find the world decimated and Ronan there to "accuse" him. They fight for two wordless pages. Surfer defeats Ronan, but not for good. He and Nova take off to find whoever it is who is impersonating him.
Out in space, Emporer Kylor's forces confidently attack the Kree and are detroyed (because Nenora did not sabotage the Kree ships as she purported to). Now there is no one who knows Nenora is a Skrull spy. On the world Satriani (Get it?), Empress S'byll, another contender for true leader of the Skrulls, gets word of Kylor's defeat. She then sends a flunky on an undisclosed mission to Earth. Meanwhile, elsewhere out in space, the real Silver Surler conronts the doppelgänger Silver Surfer.
#14. (Joe Staton again.) The two Surfers fight for six mostly wordless pages. One of them wins, then spends the next four pages convincing Nova he's the genuine article. Then he attacks her from behind and encases her in a refraction matrix, negating her powers. He is actually a Skrull named Bartak who uses an implant to fake his powers, but don't bother learning his name. His origin goes back to a well-known mistake from Jim Starlin's The Death of Captain Marvel graphic novel. In it, while dying of cancer on the moon Titan, many of the super-heroes from Earth came to visit him, including the Silver Surfer, who was at that time still trapped behind Galactus' barrier.
But there was a Skrull spy there, too. He came disguised as Devil-Slayer because he didn't think the real Devil-Slayer likely to show. But the real Devil-Slayer did show up, forcing Bartak to quickly assume the guise of the Silver Surfer. He later decided to maintain the disguise and make it permanent, which is when he had the implants added. And he was in the form of the Surfer years later when the Skrulls were trapped in whatever form they were in at the time. He reports to Emperor Karza, one of the other four (now three) claimants to the Skrull throne. Suddenly Ronan arrives and, think Bartak is the real Silver Surfer, engages him in battle. It would do no good to explain he's really a Skrull, a mortal enemy of the Kree, so he fights Ronan and is killed. After that, the Surfer and Nova share a kiss.
On Earth, Krat, the Skrull flunky sent there by S'byll last issue, crash lands. He is killed by a trio of hunters, but not before he fires off some sort of flare into space.
Annual #1. (Staton) This annual is part of the "Evolutionary War" series of annuals, the first time Marvel pulled that stunt, IIRC. Silver Surfer and Nova part ways, the Surfer to Earth to find Mantis' son and Nova to rejoin Galactus. As soon as the Surfer arrives he is met by the Super Skrull, who had been presumed dead but has now been revived with his shape-changing powers intact. They talk for two pages then fight for four before being interrupted by the Eternals, who are working on behalf of the High Evolutionary. They want to map the Surfer's genetic code, but he is philosophically opposed to the High Evolutionary and refueses. The Eternals decide to map the Super Skrull's as well, and capture them both. Working together, they manage to escape, and the Surfer holds off the Eternals so that the Super Skrull can return to the Empire and perhaps help his race to regain their shape-changing abilities.
Back-up story #1: Nova: Nova finds Galactus collapsed and near death. He is having an adverse reaction ot the Elders he consumed. He tells Nova that he needs Sue Richards.
Back-up story #2: Mantis: Mantis awakens in her home in Willimantic, CT with no memory of anything that has happened since Giant-Size Avengers #4. she has lost the ability to talk with plants. She decides to contacts her friends in the Avengers, and her story moves into West Coast Avengers.
Pin-ups: The ten pages of pin-up and both of the back-up stories are drawn by the series new regular penciler, Ron Lim.
#15. Nova telepathically contacts the Silver Surfer on Earth, and he collects Reed and Sue Richards at home. They agree to accompany him and change into their FF uniforms. they also take Franklin along. after transversing hyperspace to Galactus' ship, he tells them he needs all six Infinity Gems... you know, the ones that were sucked into a black hole along with three of the elders of the Universe. Leaving Franklin behind with Nova and Galactus. the Silver Surfer takes Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman through theblack hole where they emerge into a "Dr. Strange-like" universe. First they encounter the Posessor. He is being held on a planet by a race of primitives and has become the "Tale-er" (that is, a teller of tales). The Posessor, the Astronomer and the Trader came to the planet some time ago. They discovered that the planet's inhabitants had two of the gems. Having no powers of their own apart from their respective obsessions which made them immotal, they were forced to trade for them. Unfortunately, the former Elders had nothing to trade for them... except the Posessor. After the transaction was complete, the Astronomer and the Trader left to find the remaining four gems.
As soon as they emerged into this universe, Sue's personality began to change into that of Malice, her evil persona. They soon find the other two Elders who are already in posession of all six Infinity Gems. The Elders are planning to use them to return to our universe and refuse to trade... until "Malice" makes them an offer they can't refuse. She makes the Trader's gun invisible, and fires it point pblank into the Silver Surfer's face! Then she trades the Surfer himself for the six gems.
#16. The reason Galactus needed the Invisible Woman specifically is because she can transport the Infinity Gems without touching them, thereby being taken over by them. But now that she is reverting to her Malice personality, her plan is to ditch the Surfer and her husband, use the Gems to return to our universe, and abandon Galactus to die. Just as our universe is governed by the twin forces of Eternity and Death (with Galactus acting as a balancing factor), so too is this universe governed by the twin forces of Lord Chaos and Master Order (with the In-Betweener acting as a balancing factor). It is Mr. Fantastic's belief that his wife is being influenced by Lord Chaos, because he, too, is apparently being affectedd my Master Order. Reed Richards outsmarts the two Elders (or does he?), agreeing to take them back to our universe if they assist restoring Sue to normal. The Surfer and Mr. Fantastic catch up to the Invisible Woman just as she is about to return through the black hole. During the conflict, he accidentally touches one of the gems, the Soul Gem, which posesses him (that is, it attaches itself to his forehead as its new host, it does not absorb his soul). The the true mastermind behind Reed and sue's personality changes reveals himself: the In-Betweener!
#17. As soon as the In-Betweener appears, Reed and Sue come to themselves. From behind a panel emerge the Astromomer, the Trader and the Posessor, who have been in league with the In-Betweener all along. As agreed, he will now transport then through the black hole and kill Galactus. Reed, Sue and the Surfer are to be spared, but left behind in the other universe. Reed Richards has a plan of his own, however. As the Betweener and three Elders emerge into our reality and approach Galactus' ship, Nova releases the Punisher cyborg, but it is no match for the In-Betweener, who then defeats Nova as well, leaving only Franklin between him and Galactus. Franklin thinks he probably could handle the In-Betweener, but he himself shut down his powers until he becomes mature enough to handle them. the In-Betweener then tries, and fails, to kill Galactus. His failure doesn't sit well with the Elders... they had a deal! In otder to shut them up, the In-Between summons Death and forces her to kill them (thus making an enemy of Death). Then he throws Galactus' ship through the black hole. In the other universe, the silver Surfer has summoned Lord Chaos and Master Order for help. They save Galactus from dying by forcing the life essence of the other four Elders out. Then Galactus revives and vows revenge upon the In-Betweener.
#18. This issue is basically one long slugfest between Galactus and the In-Betweener, albeit with lots of stuff going on in the background. The five Infinity Gems ends up in the hands of the five remaining Elders. Franklin dreams of the Ultimate Nullifier and is convinced that he can safely use it to defeat the In-Beteweener. His father forbids him to do so, but he sneaks behind his back to find the Nullifier on Galactus' ship anyway. Luckily, his mother stops him. while all this is going on, the elders are arguing and plotting strategy. The Silver Surfer and Nova hatch a plan. Nova approaches Reed & Sue while the surfer goes to the Elders. Nova escorts the Richards back through the black hole while the Surfer and the Elders fire energy into it. Nova is there to revieve that energy, but the flow is one-sided and throws the In-Betweener off-balance. He is drawn back into his own universe where he is nullified by Lord Chaos and Master Order. Then Lord C. and Master O. expel everyone out of their universe who doesn't belong.
#19. Galactus sends Nova to find a planet for him to eat... or is he separating her from the Silver Surfer? The surfer has to take the Richards back to Earth, anyway, and the Elders iddy off on their oddy knocky. In the Coalsack Nebula, Firelord and Starfox in terrogate Cap'n Reptyl for any intelligence regarding the location of Nebula (Starfox's supposed grand-niece who destroyed Firelord's home planet). Eros tries to use his powers, but they don't work on Reptyl because of his reptillian brain. Firelord bears a grudge against the Silver Surfer, and when his name comes up, Firelord decides to pursue him for a while instead.
Later, after the Surfer has dropped the Richards off on Earth, he tracks Nova down in outer space. The Surfer has rebounded from Shalla Bal to Mantis, and now he is interested in Nova. She is about to summon Galactus to feed on Naja-7, a world containing life. While they argue about it, Firelord attacks the Surfer, while Starfox uses his powers to keep Nova out of the fight be removing all prejudice she might feel toward either one. With all prejudice removed, she finds herself attracked to Firelord (one fire-being to another), and rushes up to kiss him on the lips. Starfox uses his powers to make the Surfer feel okay about it.
#20. By the time the Surfer comes to his senses, he finds himself alone and fumes about it. Elsewhere, after Galactus has fed, he refuses to grant Nova permission to seek out the Surfer and explain. Nova threatens to quit. Galactus threatens to remove her powers. Galactus wins. Elsewhere still, Firelord and Starfox have resumed their search for Nebula. Starfox feels bad about the way he manipulated the emotions of Nova and Surfer and want to go back and explain, but Firelord refuses. I never notices this before, but Steve Englehart drops some pretty big hints that Firelord is gay. Capn' Reptyl gives Clumsy Foulup the responsibility of guarding a weapons cache on a remote planet. A cloaked figure from inside a cave calls out to him, and Clumsy runs away.
In the Calexo system, the second Kree/Skrull war flares. Nenora's fleet is just about to route the forces of Empress S'Byll when they are attacked from behind and destroyed by the Super Skrull. Meanwhile, Nenora herself is meeting personally on Zenn-La with Shalla Bal. Nenora wants to apologize personally to the Silver Surfer for sending Ronan the Accuser after him, when in reality it was the Super Skrull in disguise who destroyed the Kree outpost. Shalla Bal promises to relay the message, but refuses to summon the Surfer on a non-urgent matter. As Nenora takes her leave, a plant seems to whisper "Skrull" to Shalla Bal.
On Earth, Mantis makes a brief appearance on her way from West Coast Avengers #39 to Fantastic Four #323.
ISSUES #21-24:
Next up in the omnibus is an eight-pager from Marvel Comics Presents #1 by Al Milgrom. I can tolerate Milgrom's pencils and I can tolerate his inks, but when he does both plus writes, completist that I am, I'd just as soon prefer that this story had been left out (or relegated to the back pages) as it interrupts the flow. OTOH, it's an interesting prelude to the sequence of stories soon to follow.
#21. This issue penciled and plotted by Marshall Rogers, inked by Dave Cockrum and scripted by Michael Higgens. Obliterator, the Elder of the Universe unseen since #12, tries to kill the Surfer.
STEVE ENGLEHART ON #22-24:
"So there I was, writing the first successful SILVER SURFER ever - when Marvel made its decision to go into reverse.
"First, I was told to go back to the formula which hadn't worked: one issue stories, with a moral, while he pined for his lost girlfriend (who hadn't been his girlfriend since issue 2 of this run).
"Second, I wrote an issue (what would have been #23) with Thanos and Mantis, and was told Thanos was not allowed in SILVER SURFER. [This would have come as news to Jim Starlin, who had created Thanos, eventually followed me on SURFER, and wrote some serious epics with the two then.] That script, which would have teamed the God of Death and the Goddess of Life long before AVENGERS: CELESTIAL QUEST, was simply shelved.
"What can I tell you? Things were bad, and looked like they'd only get worse. But then... (continued)"
#22. Steve Englehart and Ron Lim are back, the writer still using his full name in the credits. Ego, the Elder of the Universe unseen since #5, tries to kill the Surfer.
FF #325: It has been only about a month since I last read Fantastic Four #325 (see "Post-Byrne Fantastc Four" discussion), but from the FF's POV. Now I am reading it from the Surfer's. It is this issue in which the surfer learns that Mantis is still alive, but circumstances preclude them remaining together. By this time Englehart has changed his name in the credits to "S.F.X. Englehart," using the standard abbreviation for simple sound effects.
#23. The "S.F.X. Englehart" byline appears in Silver Surfer for the first time. In this issue he fights a space dragon, a done-in-one morality play.
Annual #2: This is the first chapter of Marvel's second line-wide annuals crossover, "Atlantis Attacks." Of the six back-up features, four of them are written by Steve Englehart. Two are credited to "S.F.X." Englehart, one to "Stainless Steve" Englehart, and one to "John Harkness" (which is the pseudonym he had created for himself to distance himself from work he didn't want to be associated with. the entire annual is emminently skippable.
#24. The Surfer encounters a planet-size computer.
I generally like "done-in-one"stories, but not when they are forced upon the writer, and especially not when the series had been as good as the 20 issues leading up to the dictum. As to the writing, just look at the size of my summaries of issues #21-24 incomparison to those of #1-20.
STEVE ENGLEHART ON #25-31:
"After a period of civil war inside Marvel, during which I made clear to the public what was going on, the Editor-in-Chief made me an offer: I could have six months or so to wrap up SILVER SURFER with no interference, but then I'd be gone. Under the circumstances, I took the deal. The title of #25, the first issue under this arrangement, was 'Back from Black?', with the question mark, but it turned out to be so.
"Marvel continued with its plan to end innovation across the line, but they retained some people they'd otherwise have ditched to make it less obvious (Jim Starlin even got to use Thanos). As with THE NEW GUADIANS, I took one for the team - but despite the benefits it conveyed, I can't say I personally enjoyed it all that much.
"When I left, Clumsy Foulup ruled the Kree Empire, and four years later, Marvel was bankrupt."
Now that Steve Englehart is back in the driver's seat (temporarily), I have decided to change my tack. Rather than deal with this next section, #25-31, as a block (as I did with #1-20 and #21-24), I will deal with these next seven issues one at a time so as to avoid another massively long post such as the one from July 31. First of all, I think it's kind of cool that DeFalco let Englehart finsih the story he started his own way, it also sucks that he would be given the boot immediately after. He would later be given a similar opportunity with Mantis [Celestial Quest], but I think that's the last we have seen of Englehart at Marvel.
#25. The Surfer comes upon a space battle between the Skrull and the Badoon. He is approached by the super Skrull for assistance, but is reluctant to get involved in order to maintain his neutrality. The Super Skrull talks him into it, though, and the Badoon are routed. But the Super Skrull (on behalf of Empress S'Byll) has tricked him, by failing to mention that the Badoon had already formally allied themselves with the Kree, and by helping the Skrulls defeat them, the Surfer has effectively chosen sides, breaking his agreement with the Kree not to attack Zenn-La. At that point, the surfer rushes off through hyperspace to defend his home planet.
Elsewhere, Clumsy Foulup is again approached by the cloaked figure who urges him to secretly ally himself with the Kree, reasoning that the human-hating Cap'n Reptyl would eventually side with the reptillian Skrulls and the choice of his own destiny would be taken out of his hands.
By the time the Surfer gets to Zenn-La, it is already surrounded by a Kree fleet, but they were waiting for the Surfer in order to prove how little his protection meant in the first place. (Also, Nenora was also offended by Shalla Bal's treatment of her back in #20.) Ronan attacks and the Surfer defeats him, but the Kree fleet attacks the planet anyway. Just then, the Skrull fleet (which had folowed the Surfer through hyperspace) arrives, and a huge battle ensues. The Skrulls drive off the Kree, then reveal that they have discovered a way for the Super Skrull to restore their trait of genetic transformation, but it cannot be transferred from a male and they need the Surfer's help to transfer the Super Skrull's power to S'Byll using the Eternals' technology from Annual #1.
The process works, but S'Byll is transformed into a formless blob which cannot hold a shape. By then the Kree have regrouped and attack again, but Empress S'Byl herself joins in the fight and forces them to retreat.
#26. S'Byll begins to regain control of her body. The Surfer, Shalla Bal, S'Byll and the Super Skrull make plans. Nenora and one of her generals make plans. Clumsy Foulup sees the face of the claoked figure and screems. The Silver Surfer and Shalla Bal finally get some time alone. Nenora herself leads the entire Kree armada, 12 fleets, against Zenn-La. Shalla Bal is warned once again by the plants: "Skrull." The Surfer attacks the Kree flagship. He and Nenora parlay. She agrees to spare Zenn-La if he agrees never to use it as sancuary. In other words, he must leave Zen-La never to return. He agrees. (The Kree will still hunt him to the death as soon as he is clear.) First he advises Shalla Ball, and she again hears the warning: "Skrull." Clumsy Foulup makes a pact with the Kree.
#27. On the planet Satriani, Empress S'Byll uses her powers like a messiah, restoring shape-shifting powers to every Skrull she touches. Clumsy Foulup reports to Nenora, which the cloaked figure who has been influencing him is revealed to be the Contemplator, whose body was killed by Cap'n Reptyl but whose life force lives on, "hiding within Clumsy's aura." Aboard the space galleon Serpent's Tooth, Cap'n Reptyl observe something flying through space and follows it to Satriani. It is the Stranger, whose intrest in mtation has led him to seek out S'Byll. Once he arrives, Badoon spies are revealed to be in the midst of the Skrulls and a battle ensues. Cap'n Reptyl arrives and is appalled to see suaron pitted against sauron, reptile against reptile. In the confusion, the Stranger kidnaps S'Byll and the Surfer pursues. Reptyl sides with the Skrulls because the Badoon have allied themselves with the humanoid Kree (although they plan to betray them later). Cap'n Reptyl offers to trade his entire crew (which includes human mutants) for the Empress, and the Stranger agrees. He returns the Empress to Satriani and agrees to become a privateer in her service. Elsewhere, Nenora returns Clumsy, now allied against Reptyl, to the moon with the weapnos cache as her secret wepon. On Zenn-La, whenever she thinks of Nenora, the plants whisper "Skrull" and she finally figures out that the Kree Supreme Commander is really a Skrull in disguise.
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