[REVIEW] DEATH OF THE SILVER SURFER #1

When Norrin Radd offered his life to Galactus in exchange for his world, he not only accepted unlimited cosmic power but a life of self-sacrifice that would go to define him for years (decades in terms of publication). Now the heroic being known across the spaceways as the Silver Surfer is about to face his greatest challenge, one that could very well be his last in this week’s Death of the Silver Surfer.

Of course, death in comics is rarely permanent but Marvel has a history of releasing stories under a “death of” banner and actually delivering on the promise of shuffling the title character off this mortal coil. Most famous was the original Captain Marvel, who has actually stayed dead for several decades now so there’s an exception to every rule. In the case of the Surfer, it’s too early to say but it’s clear from this issue that writer Greg Pak is going to put our beloved hero through some serious trials before the end.

These trials are set in motion by the mysterious Director of Eaglestar, who blatantly reveals his loose sense of morals, when he recruits former SHIELD and SWORD agent Kelly Koh to collect the Surfer so his powers can be exploited. Despite his vague, yet clearly evil plans, Koh consents and finds herself on a collision course with not just one but potentially several of the most powerful beings in the galaxy, including the Surfer’s former employer (if you don’t know who I mean, see first paragraph).

Pak doesn’t infuse a ton of personality in the Surfer but writes him the way you’d expect – as a kind-hearted hero who does what’s right simply because he can and truly believes he should. It’s a soft-spoken, tragic kind of heroism that immediately makes me worry for his well-being. One panel in particular features our hero floating above the ground talking to a bird in flight – what could have been an otherwise silly moment is made poetic and sad, both by the tone of the overall story and the wistful smile on the Surfer’s face, beautifully rendered by artist Sumit Kumar.

In addition to the stoic leading man, Pak has created an engaging, complex character in Kelly Koh. She’s a badass on the battlefield but has tremendous heart, as indicated in her interactions with her mother, who’s also great btw. My only issue is that Koh apparently underwent a name change at some point because she’s referred to inexplicably as Sandy in a couple panels, an oversight that will hopefully be corrected before it goes to press. The fact that Koh is basically the enemy makes her a compelling antagonist who’s clearly going to have to confront her own actions, and presumably her employer’s, and I am here for it, especially after the reveals on the last couple pages. Death of Silver Surfer is a book that will have readers on the edge of their seat while anxiously awaiting the next chapter.

DEATH OF THE SILVER SURFER

4.99

8.6

Story

9.0/10

Characters

8.0/10

Art

9.0/10

Accessibility

8.0/10

Cosmic Shenanigans

9.0/10

Credits

• Writer: Greg Pak
• Artist: Sumit Kumar
• Color Artist: Frank D’armata
• Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
• Publisher: Marvel Comics