Written by: Alisha Weinberger
Norrin Radd and earthling Dawn Greenwood have been to the ends of the universe and are now back home, thankfully with the same creative team. Dan Slott and Michael Allred continue their groovy and bizarre take on Marvel’s usually more philosophically deeper and complex cosmic herald in Silver Surfer #1. Dawn and the Surfer return to Earth after months of outer space shenanigans. Their homecoming is heartwarming as Dawn is reunited with her family, but is short lived as a parasitic race of aliens known as the Hordax have come to loot Earth’s most precious resource. While joining the Greenwoods in a family tradition screening of The Wizard of Oz, the Surfer and Dawn discover just what that resource is: Earth’s art and culture.
At its core, Silver Surfer #1 is a brief but nostalgic tale on the importance and sacredness of imagination and creativity. Pop-culture Easter eggs run amok in this issue, even Allred’s own Madman makes a subtle cameo. This premise may not be the best starting point for new readers, especially those who are more familiar with the classical and melodramatic Norrin Radd from preceding titles like Silver Surfer: Requiem. But the light-hearted plot allows artistic duo Laura and Michael Allred to really spread their wings. The composition of the panels and action sequences are electric and animated. Color artist Laura Allred’s use of solid colors are swirling, carrying the reader’s eye from panel to panel. Both carry over the same amount of creative energy that made iZombie a hit.
There is however only one complaint. Slapping a #1 on the cover for the sake of relaunching may confuse new readers as Silver Surfer #1 picks up almost immediately where Slott and Allred’s fantastical run left off. Yet in a company wide frenzy for relaunches and creating continuity between Marvel’s cinematic and comic universe, readers should take comfort in knowing there are still titles focused on creating innovative interpretations of beloved characters. With the announcement of some new movie or Netflix adaptation seemingly every month, not all titles are focused on capitalizing off a cinematic fan base by maturing and dramatizing in-print characters to match their live-action counterparts.
Rating: 9 out of 10
