Silver Surfer Appreciation 2022

[The Cool Thatguy]

Powerfully disappointing and impressively pointless.

This could not have been a bigger waste of paper if it tried.

[Darkshadow]

"It's time for the annual, shuffle the Silver Surfer out there to remind the fans we still LOOOOOVE HIM (we really don't and don't know how to use him). So who's got ideas for this year's mini? No one? At all? Ok then, we will just do nothing and sell it for 5 issues."

*Marz and Lim raise their hands* "Can we sign up for the nothing project?"

[The Cool Thatguy]

"It's time for the annual, shuffle the Silver Surfer out there to remind the fans we still LOOOOOVE HIM (we really don't and don't know how to use him). So who's got ideas for this year's mini? No one? At all? Ok then, we will just do nothing and sell it for 5 issues."

*Marz and Lim raise their hands* "Can we sign up for the nothing project?"

"So a 90s retread? Hmm, might be interesting. Who ya going to use?"

"Jack of Hearts and Tyrant."

"And?"

"And what? Why would we have anyone else?"

"Basic logic?"

[Captain Craig]

The whole series just seemed very anti-climactic.

We all knew it took place during a fixed time, right? There was only so much they likely could do and not upset some other continuity.

Now, I'll counter argue myself: They could've been bold and placed something in the story that was new and thereby setting up something to then pull from for current stories.
As is the speculation going on with the Ben Reilly mini that just wrapped.

I'll say I liked it but it doesn't scream re-read me. I'll be Ebay posting it to try and recoup some of my money.

[Cronus]

We all knew it took place during a fixed time, right? There was only so much they likely could do and not upset some other continuity.

Now, I'll counter argue myself: They could've been bold and placed something in the story that was new and thereby setting up something to then pull from for current stories.
As is the speculation going on with the Ben Reilly mini that just wrapped.

I'll say I liked it but it doesn't scream re-read me. I'll be Ebay posting it to try and recoup some of my money.

I'd say I liked the art... but talk about milking a simple story.

To top it off, the Silver Surfer

spoilers:

drops Tyrant for the win. By ramming his surfboard through his chest. I mean...seriously? THE Tyrant, the same guy who was at one time close to Galactus in power? The same guy who previously, had been thought dead due to the ultimate nullifier? But evidently survived?

end of spoilers. Oy vey...

Powerfully disappointing and impressively pointless.

This could not have been a bigger waste of paper if it tried.

It was just so disappointing.

[Cronus]

If any of you could go back several months and replace Ron Marz in the writing of Rebirth, what would you have done differently?


Bonus: What direction would you take the seemingly directionless Silver Surfer if you wrote an ongoing? What changes (if any) need to happen to put the Surfer back on the map?

[The Cool Thatguy]

We all knew it took place during a fixed time, right? There was only so much they likely could do and not upset some other continuity.

Now, I'll counter argue myself: They could've been bold and placed something in the story that was new and thereby setting up something to then pull from for current stories.
As is the speculation going on with the Ben Reilly mini that just wrapped.

I'll say I liked it but it doesn't scream re-read me. I'll be Ebay posting it to try and recoup some of my money.

Being in a fixed time doesn't preclude them telling a good story. Just sayin'

[Darkshadow]

If any of you could go back several months and replace Ron Marz in the writing of Rebirth, what would you have done differently?


Bonus: What direction would you take the seemingly directionless Silver Surfer if you wrote an ongoing? What changes (if any) need to happen to put the Surfer back on the map?

I would start at one of the two times he's restarted from the beginning of the universe and moved forward. The loneliness, the exploration, and then eons worth of companionship and enemies along the way. Just the highlights along the way that could be nondescript times apart.

[Witchfan]

Silver Surfer can be found in present times in Fantastic Four #44.

[Darkshadow]

Silver Surfer can be found in present times in Fantastic Four #44.

In a very meh representation. Barely more than a cameo. I wanted to know more about the tremendous challenge assailing Asgard was to reclaim Galactus.

[Doombot]

If any of you could go back several months and replace Ron Marz in the writing of Rebirth, what would you have done differently?


Bonus: What direction would you take the seemingly directionless Silver Surfer if you wrote an ongoing? What changes (if any) need to happen to put the Surfer back on the map?

I was just going to come in here and ask this. What do you feel needs to be done for Surfer to have a successful ongoing?

[Captain Craig]

I was just going to come in here and ask this. What do you feel needs to be done for Surfer to have a successful ongoing?

For a character that had a successful ongoing for a decade plus it is odd that Marvel doesn't seem to know what to do with him now.
The blueprint is there, it seems no writer is eager to tinker with it full time. That Marvel isn't enticing someone to be interested in doing so.

[Doombot]

What would you consider the blueprint?

(btw the same is true for the Sub-Mariner)

[The Cool Thatguy]

For a character that had a successful ongoing for a decade plus it is odd that Marvel doesn't seem to know what to do with him now.
The blueprint is there, it seems no writer is eager to tinker with it full time. That Marvel isn't enticing someone to be interested in doing so.

To be fair, times change and what appeals to readers change with it.

Sadly, few people care for outer space stuff anymore. Guardians are the entirety of it, for the moment

[Cronus]

I was just going to come in here and ask this. What do you feel needs to be done for Surfer to have a successful ongoing?

Difficult question. I tend to agree with TheCoolThatguy...

To be fair, times change and what appeals to readers change with it.

Sadly, few people care for outer space stuff anymore. Guardians are the entirety of it, for the moment

Probably largely true. Maybe some character driven stories that revolve around supporting cast, little utilized opponents...leading up to some new baddies. The Surfer's team-ups with Scrier and Thor against the Other were interesting. I feel like there is more to mine there. The Surfer is similar to the Hulk inasmuch as its difficult to find suitably powered opponents for him on a routine basis. So why not some ill intended folks from the magical realm that he and the FF ran into years back (around SS issue 15 or so?)? A team-up with the Runner might be interesting.

The Surfer (vol 1) was of course, Stan's platform for addressing the world's problems in a philosophical sort of way. This was revisited again with Moebius and Parable. I mean we all get that the Surfer is a morally upright character driven by "sins" of the past. Marz' Surfer was more aggressive it seemed, but at his core, still the same morally driven character. So, there's room for him to grow as a character without changing him drastically.

Powers-wise...so, as the story goes, when the Surfer initially rebelled against against Galactus, he removed his "space-time" powers. Somehow, this (allegedly) removed his ability to travel "the galaxies", being confined to the vicinity of earth. Yet, in volume 3, issue 2, we see the Surfer de-materialize his board and pass through Galactus' barrier, re-materializing the board once outside the barrier. Additionally, if we go way back to issue 6, volume 1, the Surfer is in fact able to travel time, surpassing the speed of light.

Fast forward to Annihilation. Galactus evidently restores the Surfer to his original level of power, "forgiving" him as it were.

I would love to see some clever writer explain all that?