Wednesday 17 December 2008

THE ESSENTIAL SILVER SURFER VOLUME ONE

The essential Silver Surfer Volume one
Marvel Comics
£9.99

I like the Marvel Essential series - collecting together early strips in the correct order in graphic novel format. I've purchased a number of these books and couldn't resist picking up the adventures of the cosmic sentinel of the spaceways when I saw it looking down at me in my local Borders store.

You know, Heaven's got to be something like Borders. Only with more extensive back lists and better informed staff. And the complete absence of any Katie Price titles. Oh and not to mention a western section as big as Texas.



Nuff said - back to the book in question.

This collects Silver Surfer 1-18, as well as Fantastic Four annual 5. There are no original publication dates given for the stories but the character is copyrighted 1967 and I think these tales would have gone from 1967 - 1970.

The origin story is here and many Marvel characters make guest appearances - The Hulk, Spiderman, The Fantastic Four, The Inhumans. The strips are reproduced in grainy black and white but we're used to reading them that way in the UK. In my day all the Marvel UK reprints were in black and white as was usual for most British comics.

The Silver Surfer's stories here come from the fertile imagination of Stan Lee with art from John Buscema and Jack Kirby. The character being an outcast from his home planet of Zenn-la, forced to wander the ever changing galaxy, made for some mind boggling stories which, to my mind, were always more interesting than the standard superhero books.


This is well worth adding to any comic fan's library.

8 comments:

David Cranmer said...

This is going to sound blasphemous but I never liked The Silver Surfer. However, these essential collections are nice and I have several of them.

Anonymous said...

I love all my Essentials and DC Showcases - Jonah Hex, Moon Knight, Tomb Of Dracula, Sgt Rock, The War Time Forgot

Charles Gramlich said...

I've considered this one. I saw it the other day. I'll probably get it if it has the Galactus stuff.

David never liked the Silver Surfer? Dude!

msg said...

Hello ARCHAVIST

Thank you again by your kind answer.
If you do not mind ,I forgot one important thing. According your profile ,you are 354 years(?) old. Years or not,centuries,for example,I am much older.I have the earth age(it is here a case for a new idea for a new book). And it is so,because the Lavoisier principle is vigorating yet. In the Mother Nature nothig is lost.... The reality is the form. My tiles,so to speak,N,Ca,Mg,Fe,etc.,etc..are the same as at the time of Big Bang,or other theory.
I have,so,the earth age,and I am glad for being so.In the future,after this form,I should like to be in a flower,in a tree... Well,it is better to stop.
Excuse me by this play. Must be the result of your kindness.
Goos health and good work.

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

I think I'd like to be a bra next time around.

Anonymous said...

Hello ARCHAVIST

I am here,again,with your kindness,your welcome,your bra.
First,I consulted The Oxford Universal Dictionary,1967 reprint,and zero. Then, I consulted the web(AskOxford...),and here, yes,white on the black. One revelation.
What idea! From a writer,a Wales writer? I do not believe.
Kidness,welcome,bra,what a"bouquet",like the first that Chris received.
Thanks,for the surprise,and I do not believe in guardian angels.
Until another time,with your kind permission.

David Cranmer said...

Charles, I am ashamed. I have no excuse...

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

David - I never liked the Surfer when I was a kid, prefering the bang, bash, wow of things like Spiderman but when I got older I really dug the character.

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