Comic Info
Comic Name: Silver Surfer: Black
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Donny Cates/Tradd Moore
Artist: Tradd Moore
# of Issues: 5
Release Date: 2019
Silver Surfer: Black #2 Variant
Reprints Silver Surfer: Black #1-5 (August 2019-December 2019). Silver Surfer finds himself falling through time after an ambush by the Black Order. Mortally injured, Silver Surfer faces the darkness known as Knull, God of the Symbiotes, and Silver Surfer might not be strong enough to stop him. Norrin Radd will face his past and discover he has the ability to change the future…if he survives!
Written by Donny Cates and Tradd Moore, Silver Surfer: Black is a Marvel Comics five issue limited series. In addition to providing scripting, Tradd Moore also provided the art for the series. The comic book was collected in a treasure edition by Marvel Comics.
Silver Surfer is one of those characters I can get into a bit of a tear when reading and then not read the Silver Surfer for years. I enjoyed the last iteration of the Silver Surfer’s series, and I liked the late ’80s early ’90s Silver Surfer for its simple comic book format. Neither series really feel like the stand alone Moebius series or the original Silver Surfer which seemed to dive into more hippie and metaphysical aspects of the character. Silver Surfer: Black seems to bring the comic book Silver Surfer to this psychedelic Silver Surfer for a solid read.
I will say the start of the comic book series is jarring. There is a brief little explanation about what led Silver Surfer to be sucked into the void and then the comic starts going. This rocky beginning was necessary, but I wish that the collection had given a bit more of the backstory to get readers up to speed if you weren’t reading Guardians of the Galaxy at the time. Once the series “proper” kicks in the story moves at rocket speed.
Silver Surfer: Black #5
The pacing of the story isn’t frustrating, but it also feels like such a heavy story that Cates and Tradd should have taken more time to get to the ending. In a world where comics can be cancelled so quickly, I guess they had to really power out the title, but Silver Surfer: Black’s popularity proved that it could have gone on a bit longer.
The story has a classic comic book style villain in Knull, but it also deals with the psychedelic style that made the Silver Surfer popular. Tradd’s art has a real style to it and the page layouts are great. Marvel’s decision to reprint it in a giant sized volume gives the art more room to breathe which is also a good thing since there is so much color and style.
Silver Surfer: Black allows the mopey Silver Surfer to finally get what he wants: redemption. The series reveals the origins of the universe, Silver Surfer’s ties to Galactus, and it also sets up the next chapter in the character’s life without feeling like it betrayed the character at all. If you are fair-weather fan of Silver Surfer or a die-hard, Silver Surfer: Black is worth the read!
