Appearing in "-- And Who Shall Mourn for Him?"
Silver Surfer #5
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Fantastic Four
- Al B. Harper (First appearance) (Apparent death)
Antagonists:
- Stranger (Main story and recap)
Other Characters:
- Shalla-Bal (Illusion or holographic simulation)
- security guard at First National Bank
- gambler
- hired goons at gambling den
- Galactus (Galan) (Mentioned)
- Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
- Magneto (Max Eisenhardt) (Only in recap)
- Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff) (Only in recap)
- Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) (Only in recap)
- Toad (Mortimer Toynbee) (Only in recap)
- Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde) (Only in recap)
- X-Men
- Angel (Warren Worthington III) (Only in recap)
- Beast (Henry McCoy) (Only in recap)
- Iceman (Robert Drake) (Only in recap)
- Hulk (Bruce Banner) (Mentioned)
- NYPD (New York City Police Department)
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Zenn-Lavians
- Alien Race (Unnamed)
Locations:
Items:
- Power Cosmic
- Space-Scrambler
- Null-Life Bomb
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "-- And Who Shall Mourn for Him?"
Silver Surfer #5
Brief Summary:
The Silver Surfer breaks into the Baxter Building and steals Reed Richard's latest experimental device. He uses it in an attempt to break Galactus' barrier. Instead the device explodes and the Surfer falls back to Earth. He's found by Al Harper, who offers to help him build another device. Harper ends up creating a device that allows the Surfer to leave Earth, but he is forced to return after meeting the Stranger and finding out that he intends to destroy the planet. The Surfer fights the Stranger as Harper finds the alien bomb. He defuses it, but dies in the process. The Stranger leaves and the Surfer remains stuck on Earth.
Detailed Summary:
An intruder has broken into the Baxter Building and stolen Reed’s space-scrambler. Before the Human Torch can catch up with him, the mysterious thief speeds into space. The thief is actually the Silver Surfer and he has stolen the device in hopes that he can use it to break through Galactus’ barrier. Unfortunately, the device malfunctions and explodes, knocking him unconscious and sending him back to Earth.
He sees a vision of Shalla-Bal but wakes up in the house of Al Harper. Harper was walking in the woods when he saw the Surfer falling from the sky. He took the unconscious Surfer back to his cabin so that he could recover. The Silver Surfer explains to Harper his dilemma, who ends up sympathizing with his plight. Harper is a physicist and agrees to help him. However, he needs a good amount of money to create a device that could breach Galactus’ barrier.
Donning human clothing, the Surfer sets out to get the money that Harper needs. First, the Surfer tries to find a job at various employment agencies. Due to his lack of work experience and proof of identity and his silver skin, no one wants to take a chance and give him a job. Next, he breaks into a bank to take the money, but realizes that doing so would make him just as bad as the humans that anger him. Suddenly a security guard spots him and tries to stop him. Instead, the Surfer erases his memories of the incident and fixes the damage that he had done.
Out in a near-by alley, he runs across a man who had been roughed up after being in an illegal gambling room and finding out that the game that he was playing was rigged with weighted dice. He lost all his money during the altercation, but the Surfer insists that he show him the location of the gambling den. Upon entering the establishment, the Surfer uses his cosmic powers to control the dice and win a large amount of money. However, the operators of the gambling room are not impressed with having lost so much money and beat up the Surfer as he leaves. As they get in their car, the man who told the Surfer about the gambling room tries to stop them from leaving. They are about to run him over when the Surfer intervenes and destroys the car. He gives the man some of his winnings for his help and returns to Harper with the rest.
With the money, Harper is able to build a device that can disguise the Silver Surfer’s molecular structure and thus enable him to cross Galactus’ barrier. However, as he was about to pass through the barrier, he comes face-to-face with the Stranger. The Stranger warns the Surfer that he should leave, because he has come to Earth to destroy it. After his previous experiences on the planet, he has realized that mankind is a plague that no longer deserves to exist and plans to use the null-life bomb to destroy them. The Surfer attempts to stop him, but the Stranger disappears in order to carry out his plans.
The Surfer decides to return to Earth in order to save mankind. He tells Harper of the threat and he goes to the police in order to warn them. Nobody believes his story of the alien bomb, so he decides to build a device that will be able to locate it. While Harper is trying to find the null-life bomb, the Surfer seeks out the Stranger. Upon finding him, they engage in combat. Meanwhile, Harper must escape a mob of locals that are suspicious of his device and claims of an alien attack. He locates the bomb and begins to dismantle it. Toxic vapors begin to emanate from the bomb and slowly start to kill Harper. However, with his last breath he disables the bomb and saves mankind.
Sensing that his bomb has failed, the Stranger accepts defeat and leaves the Earth unharmed. Realizing that Harper has perished, the Surfer tracks down his friend and gives him a proper burial. As a tribute, he leaves an eternal flame at his grave site.
Appearing in "Worlds Without End!"
Silver Surfer #6
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Shalla-Bal
- slave girl of Overlord (Earth-6966) (Death)
- sole survivor of Zenn-La (Earth-6966) (Death)
Antagonists:
- Overlord (Rakkhal) (First appearance) (Main story and flashback) (Apparent death)
- primitive alien beings (Earth-6966)
- Overlord's army (Earth-6966) (Main story and flashback)
Other Characters:
- male suitor of Shalla-Bal
- Al B. Harper (Mentioned)
- United States Army
- Ralgand (Only in flashback) (Death)
- Zarakel (Only in flashback) (Death)
Races and Species:
- Zenn-Lavians
- Humans
- Alien Races (Unnamed) (Main story and flashback)
- Dakkamites
- Dakkamites mutants
Locations:
- Earth-616
- Earth-6966
- Sol Star System
- Deneb Star System
- Unnamed Planet (Main story and flashback)
- Beta Rigel Star System
- Dakkam (Unnamed)
- Atomic Experimental Center (Main story and flashback)
- Dakkam (Unnamed)
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Worlds Without End!"
Silver Surfer #6
Brief Summary:
The Silver Surfer defeats Galactus' barrier by flying fast enough around the planet to be sent into the future, where the barrier has faded. However, this future is also where the entire universe has been destroyed by the Overlord. The Surfer tries to fight him, but his powers are too great. Finally, the Surfer decides to travel back in time to right before the accident that gave Overlord his powers had occurred. He stops the accident from happening which prevents the Overlord from getting his powers and thus saves the universe.
Detailed Summary:
The Silver Surfer is lamenting his plight, his banishment on Earth, and his separation from Shalla-Bal. At the same time, Shalla-Bal is also lamenting the loss of Norrin Radd. Both hold out hope that one day they will be reunited.
The Surfer travels back to Al Harper's lab to pay his last respects for his fallen friend and to try and see if there is anything else he can use to breach Galactus' barrier. There he learns that it's possible to move through time if he travels faster than the speed of light. Hoping that maybe in the future the barrier would no longer exist, the Surfer speeds around the Earth faster than light and ends up in the distant future.
He is horrified to find that the Earth has been decimated, but the barrier around the Earth is now gone. Traveling to Zenn-La, the Surfer also learns that his home world has also been destroyed beyond recognition. In fact, everywhere he travels he only finds empty worlds.
Finally, he finds a world with primitive life. They instantly attack and capture him and deliver him to the army of the Overlord. The soldiers quickly bring the Surfer to their master, as he wants to know what part of the universe he has not yet conquered and destroyed. When the Surfer realizes that the Overlord has created all the destruction that he has seen across the universe, he attacks in anger.
Overlord is pleased to see the Surfer's power and promises to battle him soon. He first explains that he is a mutant, unable to be killed, and worthy to rule the universe. Then he feasts and is entertained by his captive dancers. The Surfer tries to save one of the enslaved dancers that reminds him of Shalla-Bal, but the Overlord lashes out at both of them and kills the slave. Angered by the senseless violence, he again attacks the tyrant. The Surfer senses the immense power of Overlord and is knocked unconscious when he attempts to save the slaves from their master's uncontrolled rage.
Thinking him dead, the Overlord orders the Surfer to be disintegrated. Luckily, the man in charge of this is the lone survivor of Zenn-La and he remembers the legend of Norrin Radd. He realizes that he is still alive, so he revives him and hides him from Overlord's soldiers. He tells him the origins of the Overlord. That his father was irradiated by a defective nuclear reactor and his son was born a mutant. As the boy quickly grew, his rage was nigh uncontrollable. After his parents' death, he conquered his planet and began rampaging across the universe, taking over all because he was indestructible.
When the Overlord discovers that his slave has revived the Surfer, he sends his soldiers to attack them. The Surfer easily defeats the soldiers, but not before the Zenn-Lavian is killed. Realizing that he cannot defeat the Overlord, the Silver Surfer travels back in time and destroys the nuclear reactor that was going to irradiate the Overlord's father. This act creates a new future where the Overlord no longer exists and the universe is not destroyed. The Surfer returns to his own time to find himself once more trapped on Earth.
Appearing in "Now Strikes the Ghost!"
Silver Surfer #8
Featured Characters:
- Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd) (Main story and recap)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mephisto (Main story and recap)
- The Flying Dutchman (Joost van Straaten) (Main story and flashback) (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Beelzebub (Invoked)
- Lucifer (Invoked)
- Death (Only in flashback)
- NYPD (New York City Police Department)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Now Strikes the Ghost!"
Silver Surfer #8
Brief Summary:
Mephisto returns and sets his new plans into motion for defeating the Silver Surfer and stealing his soul. He finds the Ghost of the Flying Dutchman and gives him enough power to crush the Surfer.
Detailed Summary:
Furious over his previous attempt to collect the Silver Surfer's soul having met failure, Mephisto decides to try once again. His hatred is so strong that it flows from his body and attacks the Surfer. The assault is so strong that it nearly kills him, however Mephisto stops the attack before this happens. He needs to acquire the Surfer's soul before he is slayed.
Appearing before a satanist attempting to summon a demon, Mephisto uses him as a mortal bridge to find a soul in limbo. He summons the wandering ghost of Joost van Straaten, the legendary Flying Dutchman. He is trapped in limbo as punishment for forcing his crew to sail on a fatal journey into a deadly storm. Mephisto uses his powers to transform the ghost of van Straaten into a super-powerful entity known as "The Ghost," powerful enough to crush the Silver Surfer.
Meanwhile, the Surfer recovers from Mephisto's attack and uses his memories of Shalla-Bal to regain his strength. As he reflects, a vision of Shalla-Bal appears before him. They attempt to embrace, but instead she wakes up from her sleep and realizes that they are still connected no matter how far they are apart from each other.
Mephisto tells The Ghost that if he can get the Silver Surfer's soul, then he will free him from limbo. The Ghost is sent into the city to terrorize people in order to lure the Surfer out for another battle.
Solicit Synopsis
Notes
- IDW Artist's Edition #26
- Also includes a selection of individual Silver Surfer pages from issues #1, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.
- Only the main stories are reprinted and not the Watcher back-up stories.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Silver Surfer Omnibus #1 Collects the entire run of Silver Surfer.
Links and References
- VanderPloeg, Scott (12 Mar 2019) John Buscema's Silver Surfer Artist's Edition Review Artist's Edition Index. Retrieved on 25 Nov 2019.
- De Pues, Dennis (30 Dec 2014) Where Soars The Silver Surfer? Comic Book Daily. Retrieved on 28 Nov 2019.