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This article is about the comic book character. For other uses, see Silver Surfer (disambiguation).
Silver Surfer
File:ANNSILV002.jpg
Promotional art for Annihilation: Silver Surfer #2 (July 2006), by Gabriele Dell'Otto.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceFantastic Four #48 (March 1966)
Created byJack Kirby
Stan Lee
In-story information
Alter egoNorrin Radd
Place of originZenn-La
Team affiliationsHeralds of Galactus
Defenders
Secret Defenders
Star Masters
The Order
Notable aliasesSilver Savage, Sentinel of the Spaceways, Cosmic Wanderer, Silverado, Chrome Dome, Skyrider
AbilitiesEndowed with the Power Cosmic granting him:

The Silver Surfer is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. He first appears in the comic book Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966), the first of a three-issue arc fans and historians call "The Galactus Trilogy".[1] [2]

Norrin Radd was a young astronomer of the planet Zenn-La. In order to save his homeworld from destruction by a fearsome cosmic entity known as Galactus, Norrin made a bargain with the being, pledging himself to serve as its herald. Imbued in return with a small portion of Galactus' Power Cosmic,[3] Norrin acquired great powers, a silvery appearance, and a surfboard-like vehicle — all modeled after a childhood fantasy of his. Known from then on as the Silver Surfer, Norrin began to roam the cosmos searching for new planets for Galactus to consume. When his travels finally took him to Earth, the Surfer came face to face with the Fantastic Four, a team of powerful superheroes that helped him to rediscover his nobility of spirit. Betraying Galactus, the Surfer saved Earth but was punished in return with everlasting exile there.[4]

Following the success of this debut, Lee scripted a philosophical spin-off series wherein the Surfer explored his new home planet. A more cosmically themed series was published from 1987 to 1998, which focused on the exploits of the Surfer finally freed from his exile. A third series followed in 2003, lasting 14 months.

A sequel to the 2005 Fantastic Four film, released June 15 2007, is titled Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The film is a loose adaptation of the "Galactus Trilogy" (Fantastic Four #48-50 March-May 1966), with the Surfer taking on the role of an additional protagonist.[5]

Publication history

The Silver Surfer entered the world of comics as an unplanned addition to a story about Galactus and the Fantastic Four. In the mid-60s, Lee and Kirby were using a three part method for creating comics. They would first brainstorm rough ideas together, then Kirby would work individually to draw the scenes, and Lee would finally add the dialog.[6] During one of these sessions, Kirby's drawing confronted Lee with a surprising sight: "There, in the middle of the story we had so carefully worked out, was a nut on some sort of flying surfboard."[7] Kirby explained that a god-like cosmic predator of planets like Galactus should have some sort of herald, and that he created the surfboard "because I'm tired of drawing spaceships!"[7][8] Taken by the noble features of the new character, Lee not only overcame his initial skepticism but also began adding to characterization, and the Silver Surfer soon became a key part of the unfolding story. [6]

Following the Surfer's debut, Lee and Kirby were inundated with letters of appreciation from fans,[citation needed] and brought him back as recurring guest in Fantastic Four #55-61, 72, 74-77 (ranging Oct. 1966 - Aug. 1968) and made his solo debut in the backup story of Fantastic Four Annual #5 (Nov. 1967).

Fantastic Four #72 (March 1968). Cover art by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott.

Lee enjoyed the character and decided to feature him in his own individual title in 1968. John Buscema was penciller for the first 17 issues of the series, with Kirby returning for the eighteenth and final issue. The first seven issues, which included anthological "Tales of the Watcher" backup stories, were 72-page (with advertising), 25-cent "giants", as opposed to typical 36-page, 12-cent comics of the time.

Thematically, the stories dealt with the Surfer's exile on Earth and the inhumanity of man as observed by this noble yet fallen hero. The Silver Surfer comic book series became known as one of Lee's most thoughtful and introspective works. Englehart writes that Buscema and Lee were "pouring their souls into the series".[9]

Nonetheless, the series was soon canceled. There was one attempt to revive the character in a joint episode with Marvel's Sub-Mariner. In the episode, Silver Surfer and Sub-Mariner became entwined in a "turf battle" and the Sub-Mariner defeated Silver Surfer. This episode was upsetting to many Silver Surfer fans. According to Engelhart, the graphic novel format was too expensive to maintain indefinitely and the larger panels used by Buscema meant that there was, proportionately, a lesser amount of story per page than in other comics.[9] Moreover, the monologues and tragic hero persona of the new Surfer soon became unpopular.[9]

After this comic cancellation, the Surfer continued to make sporadic appearances as a guest star or antagonist in other comic books. These included, but were not limited to, appearances in the comics of Thor, the Defenders and the Fantastic Four. Lee remained partial to the Surfer and even personally requested that each Silver Surfer comic contain a "Stan Lee presents" announcement.[10]

File:Toss.png
The Silver Surfer (vol. 1) #1 (Aug. 1968). Cover art by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott.

After a one-shot published in 1982 by John Byrne, the Surfer appeared in his second solo, ongoing title in 1987. Here he finally managed to escape the confines of Earth and leave for the spaceways.[10] Originally written by Steve Englehart and illustrated by Marshall Rogers, the series would later be written by Jim Starlin and illustrated by Ron Lim. Starlin in turn would be replaced by Ron Marz, and George Perez and J. M. DeMatteis also had brief stints at writing the series. Additional artists included Tom Grindberg, Ron Garney, and Jon J. Muth, as well as periodic guest spots by the aforementioned John Buscema. Although the title experienced great initial success, and continued to be buoyed by tie-ins to Infinity Gauntlet and other crossovers, this second ongoing series was ultimately cancelled in 1998 after 146 issues due to low sales and a change in Marvel's editorial direction.

Meanwhile, Lee and Kirby had collaborated to write a Silver Surfer graphic novel, and another, entitled The Silver Surfer: Parable, scripted by Lee and drawn by Moebius, was serialized in two parts in 1988 and 1989. Because of inconsistencies with other stories, it has been argued that these stories actually feature an alternate Silver Surfer from a parallel Earth.[11] The graphic novel by Lee/Moebius won the Eisner Award for best finite/limited series in 1989.

Even after the cancellation of his main series in 1998, the Surfer maintained a presence in the world of comics. A new Silver Surfer series began in 2003, focusing on the character's alien nature and messianic allegory, but it only lasted fourteen issues. The Surfer later made an appearance in Cable/Deadpool and has twice been reunited with the first superhero group he took part in, The Defenders. An alternate version of the character appeared in Marvel Zombies in his original role as a Galactus herald. Most recently, he appeared in a self-titled, four-issue miniseries linked to Marvel's cosmic event Annihilation. He also appeared in the post-Annihilation mini-series Heralds of Galactus.

The Silver Surfer's next appearance is set to be in a 4 issue mini-series entitled Requiem written by J. Michael Straczynski. The May 30, 2007 release coincides with Silver Surfer's first appearance on the movie screen.[12]

Fictional character biography

Herald of Galactus

The Silver Surfer is born Norrin Radd on the idyllic planet Zenn-La. His father is Jartan Radd, his mother Elmar Radd, and his half-brother Fennan Radd. All four are part of an ancient and significantly advanced civilization that has lost the will to strive or explore, leaving Norrin Radd restless and yearning for something more than the idle pleasure pursued by his fellows. Faced suddenly with the total destruction of his world by planet-consuming Galactus, Radd strikes a deal with the omnipotent space-god. In return for the safety of Zenn-La and his lover, Shalla-Bal, Radd pledges himself to serve as Galactus' herald and to seek out other planets for the world devourer to feed on. In striking this bargain, Radd also satisfies his long-held desire to adventure beyond the limiting world of his home. Accepting the young mortal's sacrifice, Galactus imbues him with a portion of the Power Cosmic, transforming him into the Silver Surfer.[13] Radd proceeds to serve Galactus for an unspecified amount of time, unable to return to Zenn-La and Shalla-Bal. During this time, the Surfer tries to seek out uninhabited planets for the world-eater's attention, but as they became harder to find, Galactus tampers with the Surfer's conscience and removes this self-imposed restraint. Eventually, the Surfer arrives on Earth and, after deciding that the planet is ripe for Galactus' nourishment, summons his master.

Here the Surfer meets the Fantastic Four. Touched by their nobility, he chooses to rebel against Galactus and attempts to prevent his master from consuming the planet. Galactus is eventually driven off, but as punishment for this rebellion he confines the Surfer to the planet with an invisible barrier that affects only him.[14]

Exiled to Earth

Stories immediately following the Surfer's exile to Earth depict him as a semi-divine being, immeasurably powerful yet lacking the most basic understanding of good or evil. A completely amoral entity, he develops a sense of compassion through contact with the gentle Alicia Masters, a blind sculptress capable of perceiving the Surfer's innate nobility.[4] This theme continues through a series of subplots wherein the Surfer encounters various negative human traits including jealousy (when The Thing is driven to rage by the Surfer's relationship with his girlfriend, Alicia), deception, evil, cruelty (de-powered and imprisoned by Doctor Doom, then tortured by Doom's brutal henchmen), despair, hopelessness (languishing in a Latverian dungeon while Doom uses the Power Cosmic to conquer the world), and finally a thirst for revenge (destroying Doom's castle along with his sadistic captors when he finally escapes). At the same time, however, the Surfer continues to evolve as an individual, slowly groping his way to a knowledge of his own humanity.

File:SilverSurfer3.jpg
The Silver Surfer vol. 1, #3 (Dec. 1968). Cover art by Buscema and Sinnott, depicting Shalla-Bal (in left hand of demon Mephisto).

During his exile, the Surfer fights numerous villains, including but not limited to Doctor Doom and Mephisto. Doom is obsessed with stealing the Surfer's Power Cosmic and finally does so, only to lose it by colliding with Galactus' barrier.[15] The demonic Mephisto is equally persistent in trying to acquire the Surfer's soul by breaking his spirit, but Surfer's innate nobility thwarts him each time.[16]

The Surfer's only ally during these trials is a physicist by the name of Al B. Harper, who eventually sacrifices himself to save the world from the Stranger.[17] Angry at the general disregard shown by humans, the Surfer once goes so far as to declares war on humanity, but the U.S. military strikes him down with an experimental power-draining "Sonic Shark" missile and forces him to resume his wanderings.

Banding together with Hulk and Namor the Sub-Mariner during these wanderings, the Surfer forms the "Titans Three," a group dedicated to battling evil on Earth.[18] Soon, Doctor Strange joins the group and it becomes "the Defenders." Surfer stays with them for a while, but his overwhelming desire to be free of Earth and his frequent collisions with Galactus' energy-draining barrier eventually drive him to leave the group.

During this time in exile, the Surfer is reunited with Shalla-Bal on several occasions, but almost every time she appears as an unwilling pawn of his enemies, and he is invariably forced to let her go to save the planet. During an Avengers-Defenders clash orchestrated by alien menaces Nebulon and Supernalia, the Surfer finally pierces Galactus' barrier with the aid of Reed Richards and temporarily escapes Earth. He discovers, though, that his homeworld has been ravaged by Galactus and Shalla-Bal has been abducted by Mephisto and taken to Earth. Even though it means trapping himself once more, the Surfer returns to Earth to defeat Mephisto. Before being vanquished, Mephisto sends Shalla-Bal back to Zenn-La, but the Surfer manages to endow her with a portion of his Power Cosmic, which she uses to revitalize their ravaged homeworld.[19]

Freedom from exile

After all this time in exile, the Surfer finally manages to pierce Galactus' barrier once and for all by acting on the Thing's simple suggestion of trying to pass through without his surfboard. He also manages to make peace with Galactus by rescuing his current herald, Nova (Frankie Raye), from the Skrulls, after which Galactus finally declares the Surfer's long exile ended.[20] He immediately revisits his homeworld, but Shalla-Bal, in his absence, had become empress of the rejuvenated Zenn-La and hence unable to renew their romance.[21]

Embroiled in fresh hostilities between the interstellar Kree and Skrull empires, the Surfer also intervenes in a series of plots by the Elders of the Universe, who plan to become supremely powerful by destroying Galactus and the universe with him. The Surfer thwarts this plot with the aid of his new love interest, Mantis, the Earth-born cosmic heroine also known as the "Celestial Madonna". She seems to die in the process, and although she eventually returns, she never fully renews their romances.[22]

After this loss, a grief-stricken Surfer turns to Nova and romantic feelings begin to develop between them.[23] The Surfer's influence gradually leads Nova to question the morality of her role as herald to Galactus.[24] Eventually replaced by the far more ruthless Morg, Nova dies in a conflict between the new herald and the Surfer and the other ex-heralds.[25]

File:Silversurfervolume3.jpg
Silver Surfer vol. 3, #1 (July 1987). Cover art by Marshall Rogers and Josef Rubinstein.

The Surfer, during this period, repeatedly battles other space-born menaces, the chief of whom is Thanos,[26] a death-worshipping mutant of the race the Eternals who wipes out half the life in the universe using the omnipotent Infinity Gauntlet.[27] The Surfer also finds interstellar allies in Adam Warlock's Infinity Watch, forms the short-lived "Star Masters" team, and begins attending occasional Defenders reunions. During his travels, the Surfer also meets his long-lost half-brother, Fennan, to whom Shalla-Bal has become married.[28]

In one of his adventures, the Surfer discovers the way in which Galactus tampered with his mind during his time as herald.[29] Further aspects of his past life are also revealed, including the fact that he saw his mother's dead body after she slit her own wrists[30] and that his father, a prominent scientist, was accused of having plagiarized and shot himself in response to Norrin's disappointment.[31] During the Infinity Gauntlet saga, the Surfer eventually confronts these memories and comes to forgive himself.[32]

After saving a distant part of the universe from destruction at the hands of the Uni-Lord, a powerful god-like entity,[33] the Surfer returns home only to find that Zenn-La and its people have vanished. Trying to determine what has happened, he comes to the horrible realization that his homeworld was actually destroyed years ago, in the 1940s, by the mysterious, all powerful entity known as the Other. The Zenn-Lavian world and the people that he encountered on his return from exile were actually re-creations of the originals. Galactus, after finding Zenn-La ruined by the Other, recreated the planet and its inhabitants in every detail so that the Surfer would have a home to return to when he left his service.[34] So accurate was this new Zenn-La that the Surfer, Skrull, Kree, the demonic Mephisto, and even the Celestials never realized that it wasn't the original planet or people. Why the "new" Zenn-La dissolved was never made entirely clear by the comics, but it was likely the result of Galactus' temporary absence from the main universe due to being caught in the Ultimate Nullifier's blast.

Losing his capacity for emotion again, the Surfer returns to Earth, eventually regaining his personality during a time travel adventure and sharing a romance with Alicia Masters.[35] The two ultimately part as friends after many adventures together.

When a Gaea-powered curse from a dying Yandroth mystically forces Surfer, Namor, Hulk and Strange to assemble in response to any and all threats to the Earth, the ongoing stress coupled with the curse's subtle emotional influence gradually drive the four senior Defenders mad, and they attempt to conquer the world as "the Order" in the belief that this is the most efficient way to protect the planet. Their fellow Defenders Hellcat, Nighthawk, Valkyrie and Clea team up with other heroes – including Ardina, a cosmic-powered woman they mystically create from a portion of the Surfer's own energy – to oppose the Order and return them to their senses, just in time to prevent the curse from rendering a resurrected Yandroth all-powerful.

In the 2003 Silver Surfer series, the Surfer works with the alien Annunaki race to gather and protect some of Earth's most extraordinarily gifted children.[36] In the end, one of these children, Ellie Waters, saves Earth from the godlike Marduk entity, preventing the apocalypse and reordering reality as if the Marduk crisis had never happened (though Ellie alone apparently retains her memories of these events).[36] The Surfer then resumes his interstellar wanderings, but promises to be ready to aid his adopted homeworld should Earth ever need him.

Annihilation

In Annihilation, a 2006 mini-series written by Keith Giffen, the Surfer bands together with other heralds of Galactus against the forces of the Annihilation Wave.[37] While combatting this threat, he comes to the rescue of his former master Galactus who is now hunted by the two mysterious proemial beings called Tenebrous and Aegis, both recently freed from the Kyln prison system. The Surfer agrees to become Galactus' herald once more, and renewed in his powers and will to fight,[38] he defeats the fleet that Annihilus sends against Galactus. He fails, however, to protect Galactus against Aegis and Tenebrous, and Annihilus captures the Surfer and his master.

Annihilus hands the Surfer and Galactus over to Thanos for experimentation.[39] However, Thanos soon learns of Annihilus' more nefarious goals and attempts to free Galactus. Just before he is able to do so, he is slain by Drax the Destroyer.[40] When Drax discover's Thanos' plan, he frees the Silver Surfer and asks him to use the Power Cosmic to free Galactus. The Surfer succeeds[41], and an enraged Galactus uses his near limitless powers to destroy half the Annihilation Wave. With this assistance, the United Front is able to defeat Annihilus and bring about a ceasefire.[42]

In the post-Annihilation spin-off Heralds of Galactus, the Silver Surfer tracks down Aegis and Tenebrous. In the ensueing battle, the two gigantic beings severely injure the Surfer, but, fighting relentlessly, he manages to defeat the two. Galactus, impressed by the Surfer's loyalty and tenaciousness, heals him and bids his herald go forth and find new planets to satiate his hunger.[43]

Requiem

In the 2007 Silver Surfer: Requiem miniseries, the Surfer comes to Earth to meet Reed Richards in hopes of diagnosing an unknown illness. After rigorous testing, Richards discovers that the silver coating on the Surfer's body is finally deteriorating. Richards predicts the Surfer has between three weeks and a month to live. The Surfer accepts his fate and decides to explore his adopted world one last time and then return to Zenn-La.[44]

Powers and abilities

The Silver Surfer. One of the first Marvel graphic novels. Cover art by Earl Norem.

The Silver Surfer wields the "Power Cosmic," absorbing and manipulating the universe's cosmic energy, and is almost totally indestructible. He can navigate through space, hyperspace, and dimensional barriers, and he can fly at near-limitless speeds on his board, entering hyperspace when he exceeds light speed.[45] He has even proven capable of time travel on occasion.[46] The Surfer, who sustains himself by converting matter into energy, does not require food, drink, air, or sleep. He is immune to extreme temperatures and most radiation, and he can survive in vacuum environments such as outer space and hyperspace. He can analyze and manipulate matter and energy, and restructure or animate matter at will, even transmuting elements.[47]

He can heal living beings, though he cannot raise the dead.[45] He can alter the size of himself or of other matter, cast illusions,[48] fire energy blasts, form manipulate energy constructs, absorb and discharge most forms of energy, and phase through solid matter.[45]

His senses enable him to detect objects and energies light years away and to perceive matter and energy in subatomic detail.[47] The Surfer can even see through time, and with concentration he can achieve limited perception of past and future events in his general vicinity. He has demonstrated limited telepathic ability on occasion and has proven able to influence human emotion and sensation.[45]

The Surfer's board is composed of the same impervious, cosmic-powered silvery material as its master's skin and is mentally linked to the Surfer. It moves in response to his thoughts even when he is not in physical contact with it.[47] The board is almost totally indestructible, but on those rare occasions when it is damaged or destroyed, the Surfer is able to repair or even re-create it.[20] The Surfer can attack opponents remotely by directing the board against them, and the board is capable of absorbing and imprisoning other beings, at least temporarily.[49]

As mentioned above, when Galactus exiled the Surfer to Earth, his means of imprisonment was linked to the board. When Surfer and the Fantastic Four realized this, Surfer put it to the test by leaving the board planet-side and entering space in the Four's spacecraft. Once he was free of Earth, the Surfer remotely converted the board to energy, recalled it to him, and reformed it in space.[20]

Other versions

Ultimate Silver Surfer

File:UltimateSilversurferFF43.jpg
Ultimate Fantastic Four #43 (Aug. 2007). Cover art by Pasqual Ferry

Warren Ellis's Ultimate Galactus trilogy originally suggested that the Ultimates' ally the Vision was the herald of Galactus, a robotic probe that travels through space warning civilizations of the impending arrival of Gah Lak Tus. In the final mini-series of the trilogy, Ultimate Extinction, silvery humanoids began to appear, sent to trigger mass suicides in order to reduce the population's resistance. Suicide cults founded by the creatures began to appear all across the globe as Gah Lak Tus drew near. These silvery beings had the ability to grow wings, morph into an ovoid, or take an intermediary form, gliding on an oval surface. They also demonstrated the ability to manipulate large quantities of energy. All these traits are reminiscent of the Surfer, but it was never specifically stated that they were his Ultimate version.

In Ultimate Fantastic Four #42, the Silver Surfer makes his proper, named appearance in the Ultimate Universe. He is teleported to Earth after Reed mistakes him for a star that he is trying to harness. His appearance triggers planet-wide chaos and natural calamities.[50]

MC2

During the finale of Last Planet Standing, the Silver Surfer foils Galactus' plan to create a new Big Bang, merging with Galactus himself in the process to become a new being. Gaining control of Galactus' powers, the new entity undoes the damage done by the old Galactus.[51]

Amalgam Comics

In Amalgam Comics, there exists a character called the Silver Racer who is essentially a combination of Marvel's Silver Surfer and DC's Black Racer.[52]

Exiles

On Earth #552, Norrin Radd had been a great military scientist who accidentally destroyed his own world with his greatest invention. Determined to bring it back to existence, he approached Galactus, Restorer of Worlds, and became his herald in the hope that Galactus would resurrect his world in exchange for his service. However, Galactus had taken an oath to only revive those worlds destroyed by the Blight. An enraged Silver Surfer then turned against his master, destroying those who worshipped him and attempting to kill Galactus himself in order to steal the knowledge of world restoration. This led to the destruction of Earth, the coming of the Exiles, the deaths of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard Elite, and inevitably the Surfer's own destruction.[53][54]

Marvel Zombies

The Silver Surfer is a victim of the Marvel Zombies in that continuity. He dies to the Zombie Hulk, and his body is devoured by the other Marvel Zombies. When he is thus consumed, a small amount of the Power Cosmic is transferred to the zombies.[55]

Cosmic Carnage

The Silver Surfer bonds to Carnage in a few of the Marvel franchise Comic books. He gains the name Cosmic Carnage. He looks like the original Carnage from the Spider-Man comics, but still has the trademark surfboard of the Silver Surfer.


In other media

Television

Main article: Silver Surfer (TV series)
File:Surfertoon.jpg
The Silver Surfer from the Silver Surfer animated series.

The Surfer's first animated appearance was in "Galactus," an episode of the Hanna-Barbera 1967 Fantastic Four animated series, which closely followed the Marvel comic series.[56] He also put in several appearances in the 1994 version of the animated series that was part of the Marvel Action Hour, voiced by Robin Sachs. This series also adhered closely to the original comic book story, recounting Surfer and Galactus' coming to Earth in a two-part episode as well as Doctor Doom's theft of Surfer's powers.[57][58]

In 1998, the Surfer starred in a solo animated series on the FOX Network, voiced by Paul Essiembre. Blending cel and computer animation, this series was rendered in the style of Surfer creator Jack Kirby but diverged from the comic in various ways. Although it accurately depicted the Surfer's origin on Zenn-La, the method by which he regained his emotions and memories was altered to not involve the Fantastic Four. Further adventures included appearances by many characters from Marvel's "cosmic" staples, including Thanos, the Watcher, Ego the Living Planet, Mentor, Drax the Destroyer, Pip the Troll, Nebula, and Skrull empires, their portrayals and roles often differed from their comic book incarnations. Possessed of an unusually serious tone compared to Marvel's other animated projects, with frequent maudlin musings by the Surfer and episode resolutions which were often downbeat, the series was cancelled after only one season of thirteen episodes. Eight further episodes for the next season were written but never animated.[59]

Film

Main article: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
File:Surfermovie3.jpg
The Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007).

The Silver Surfer made his film debut in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Motion capture for the Surfer was provided by Doug Jones, and Laurence Fishburne provided the character's voice. Assured of its success, Fox hired J. Michael Straczynski to write the screenplay for a Silver Surfer spin-off which will be a prequel.[60]

In promotion for the film, the Franklin Mint, a collectibles marketer, has altered 40,000 California quarters by putting the Silver Surfer on the back.[61] The Franklin Mint now faces a possible federal penalty because it is illegal to turn U.S. coin into advertising media.[62]

Video games

The Silver Surfer video game, developed by Software Creations, Ltd., debuted on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990.[63] However, the Surfer has also appeared in other video games, often cast as a villain. For examples, Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems for the SNES features evil clones of the Silver Surfer appear as enemies.

He is also a bonus character, voiced by Chris Cox, in the game Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. He can be unlocked by completing all Comic Book Missions.[64] During the player's visit to the Skrull homeworld, he appears briefly as part of a mini-game in which the player must attack Galactus after disrupting his machinery.

The Surfer's latest video game adaptation is the upcoming Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer video game, developed by Visual Concepts of 2K Sports. It is set for a June 2007 simultaneous release with the movie upon which it is based.[65]

Cultural references

Numerous films, songs, books and television shows have referenced the Silver Surfer since his 1960s debut. In the 1983 film Breathless, Richard Gere's character was an avid fan of his comics. In Quentin Tarantino's 1992 Reservoir Dogs a Silver Surfer poster is clearly seen in Mr. Orange's apartment. In the 1995 film Crimson Tide, there was an argument over the alternate Surfer versions as drawn by Kirby and Moebius. He has also been mentioned in television programs such as Heroes, Malibu, CA, Scrubs,[66] The Wire, Dexter's Laboratory,[67] Doug,[68] Andromeda,[69] and Fairly Odd Parents. Musician Joe Satriani included the character on the cover of his 1987 album, Surfing with the Alien, and in one of his subsequent albums, Flying in a Blue Dream, there is a track titled "Back to Shalla-Bal".

References

  1. ^ Thomas, Roy, Stan Lee's Amazing Marvel Universe (Sterling Publishing, New York, 2006), "Moment 29: The Galactus Trilogy", pp. 112-115. ISBN-10 1-4027-4225-8; ISBN-13 978-1-4027-4225-5
  2. ^ Marvel Spotlight: Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer (2007; no month): "Jack Kirby's The Galactus Trilogy", by Erik Larsen, pp. 10-21 (unnumbered).
  3. ^ marvel.com. "Silver Surfer: Marvel Universe". Retrieved 2007-01-04.
  4. ^ a b Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966)
  5. ^ wizrduniverse.com. "2007 PREVIEW: 'FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER'". Retrieved 2007-27-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ a b Markstein, Don. "The Silver Surfer". Retrieved 2007-26-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ^ a b ."Excerpt from the book 'The Ultimate Silver Surfer' by Stan Lee". Retrieved 2007-01-05.
  8. ^ Quoted in Lee, Stan, The Ultimate Silver Surfer (Berkeley Trade, 1995
  9. ^ a b c Back cover of The Silver Surfer vol. 3, #2 (Aug. 1987)
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference silversurfer3v3backcover was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ marvunapp.com. "Earth-Moebius entry on the Appendix to the Marvel Universe website (not affiliated with Marvel)". Retrieved 2007-20-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ^ ign.com. "IGN Preview of Silver Surfer: Requiem #1". Retrieved 2007-05-24.
  13. ^ Silver Surfer #1 (Aug. 1968)
  14. ^ Fantastic Four #50 (May 1966)
  15. ^ Fantastic Four #57 (Dec. 1966)
  16. ^ The Silver Surfer vol. 1, #3 (Dec. 1968)
  17. ^ The Silver Surfer vol. 1, #5 (April 1969)
  18. ^ Sub-Mariner #34-35 (Feb.-March 1971)
  19. ^ The Silver Surfer vol. 2, #1 (June 1978)
  20. ^ a b c Silver Surfer vol. 3, #1 (July 1987)
  21. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #2 (Aug. 1987)
  22. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #9 (March 1988)
  23. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #14 (Aug 1988)
  24. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #51 (July 1991)
  25. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #75 (Dec. 1992)
  26. ^ Silver Surfer #34 (Feb. 1990)
  27. ^ Infinity Gauntlet #1 (July 1991)
  28. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #101 (Feb. 1995)
  29. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #48 (April 1991)
  30. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #57 (Oct. 1991)
  31. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #50 (June 1991)
  32. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #58 (Nov. 1991)
  33. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #111 (Dec. 1995)
  34. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #130 (Aug. 1997)
  35. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #129 (June 1997)
  36. ^ a b Silver Surfer vol. 4, #1 (March 2004) Cite error: The named reference "silversurfer1v4" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  37. ^ Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1 (June 2006)
  38. ^ Annihilation: Silver Surfer #3 (Aug. 2006)
  39. ^ Annihilation #1 (Oct 2006)
  40. ^ Annihilation #4 (Jan. 2007)
  41. ^ Annihilation #5 (Jan. 2007)
  42. ^ Annihilation #6 (March 2007)
  43. ^ Heralds of Galactus #2 (April 2007)
  44. ^ Silver Surfer: Requiem #1 (May 2007)
  45. ^ a b c d Annihilation: The Nova Corps Files #1 (Oct. 2006)
  46. ^ The Silver Surfer vol. 1, #6 (June 1969)
  47. ^ a b c Wallace, Daniel, Tom Brevoort, Andrew J. Darling, Tom DeFalco, Peter Sanderson, Michael Teitelbaum, The Marvel Encyclopedia (DK Adult, 2006) ISBN-10 0756623588, ISBN-13 978-0756623586 Cite error: The named reference "marvelencyclopaedia" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  48. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #33 (Jan. 1990)
  49. ^ Silver Surfer vol. 3, #122 (Nov. 1996)
  50. ^ Ultimate Fantastic Four #43 (May 2007)
  51. ^ Last Planet Standing #5 (July 2006)
  52. ^ marvunapp.com. "The Appendix to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe". Retrieved 2007-05-03.
  53. ^ marvel.com. "The Marvel catalog for Exiles #87". Retrieved 2007-05-10.
  54. ^ marvel.com. "The Marvel catalog for Exiles #88". Retrieved 2007-05-10.
  55. ^ Marvel Zombies #5 (April 2006)
  56. ^ "Galactus episode on the 1967 Fantastic Four animated series (Silver Surfer's first animated appearance)". Retrieved 2007-07-05.
  57. ^ "Coming of Galactus episode on the 1994 Fantastic animated series". Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  58. ^ "Return of Galactus episode on the 1994 Fantastic Four animated series". Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  59. ^ "Website containing the scripts for the Silver Surfer animated series (including unaired ones)". Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  60. ^ Jay A. Fernandez (2007-06-13). "Next 'Silver Surfer': Make it gnarly". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-06-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  61. ^ Silver Surfer Coin
  62. ^ IMDb.com: World Entertainment News Network (June 1, 2007)
  63. ^ mobygames.com. "Silver Surfer for Nintendo Entertainment System". Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  64. ^ marvelultimatealliance.com. "Silver Surfer character entry on Marvel: Ultimate Alliance official website". Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  65. ^ ign.com. "Preview of the Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer video game". Retrieved 2007-20-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  66. ^ http://scrubs.mopnt.com. "Script for the Scrubs episode where the Silver Surfer is mentioned". Retrieved 2007-03-06. {{cite web}}: External link in |last= (help)
  67. ^ tv.com. "tv.com page for the Dexter's Laboratory episode "Dial M for Monkey: Barbequor"". Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  68. ^ tv.com. "tv.com page for the Doug episode "Doug's Comic Collaboration / Doug's Pet Capades"". Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  69. ^ tv.com. "tv.com page for the Andromeda episode "Home Fires"". Retrieved 2007-03-06.
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