Classic Comic Compendium: SILVER SURFER – VOLUME 2 #1 sets a new course for the Surfer

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SDCC COVERAGE SPONSORED BY MAD CAVE

Following his introduction in Fantastic Four, the Silver Surfer appeared in several more issues, eventually earning his own solo series in 1968 from Stan Lee and John Buscema (with a final issue with art by Jack Kirby). The series largely started out as done-in-one stories and a few two-parters, with a kind of overarching plot of Mephisto messing with the Surfer, especially manipulating him with regards to Shalla Bal. When the series was cancelled, the storyline was left unfinished, before being picked up again in the mid-’70s in a Fantastic Four arc.

Then in 1982, a one shot appeared as the second volume of Silver Surfer by Stan Lee, John Byrne, Tom Palmer, and Rick Parker to close out the hanging threads from the first volume and ostensibly set up a new direction for the Surfer.

“But why do I wallow in a sea of self pity?”

This was the first of three high profile, largely artist-driven Silver Surfer stories that Stan Lee would pen over the ’80s. The special essentially giving a conclusion to the earlier first Surfer solo series. Along with a recap of his origin and his arrival on Earth. Then twisting everything with consequences for his defiance of Galactus on Earth and following up on the Shalla Bal thread of a supposed doppelganger in Latveria. All through it ultimately revealing Mephisto as his nemesis.

Lee really kinds of hams it up with his narration and dialogue here, turning the story into a kind of over the top melodrama, but it works. Especially with the turns into tragedy, the somewhat ironic downfall of the Surfer’s actions, and the scope with Galactus, Doom, and Mephisto. Though it is interesting the semi-permeability of Galactus’ barrier around Earth. The narration and dialogue kind of giving Rick Parker a workout with his letters. The size looking a bit smaller than other books, but not looking out of place.

John Byrne’s art is interesting here. Set at a time in his career between his legendary runs on Uncanny X-Men and Fantastic Four. Not quite as familiar in stylization as his later work, but still very solid. To me, it feels almost like he was trying to be somewhat consistent with John Buscema’s earlier work on the first series. Particularly with how Byrne depicts Mephisto here. Also a nod to Kirby with some of the cosmic effects. Smooth, thick lines kept by Tom Palmer’s inks and an approach to the colour palette reminiscent of the simpler choices from the earlier appearances and series as well.

“Free! Free at last to taste once more the rapture of soaring through endless space!”

Silver Surfer volume 2 #1 by Lee, Byrne, Palmer, and Parker worked to set up a new status quo for the Silver Surfer, tying up loose ends from his first series and the preceding decade, and set him free among the stars, breaking Galactus’ edict. It’s full of Lee waxing his most Shakespearean with ample purple prose (I mean this as a compliment. It’s verbose and overwrought, but it’s very entertaining) and a epic scale of the Surfer’s plight with Mephisto, Galactus, and the truth about Shalla Bal on Earth. Kind of pulling the rug out from under him, crushing the idea of a new status quo, and delivering the Surfer back to his Earthly prison.

It set up the Surfer as an even more tragic hero, this time imprisoned by choice. And then he promptly continued to hang around with the Defenders. Byrne would use the Surfer again during his own Fantastic Four run and he’d be a part of the second Secret Wars, but the ongoing saga really wouldn’t resume until the third volume of Silver Surfer a little more than half a decade later under Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers.