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Silver Surfer by Slott & Allred
Silver Surfer, Vol. 1: New Dawn
The universe is big. Bigger than you could ever imagine. And the Silver Surfer, lone sentinel of the skyways, is about to discover that the best way to see it...is with someone else. Meet Dawn Greenwood, the Earth girl who's challenged the Surfer to go beyond the boundaries of the known universe - into the strange, the new, and the utterly fantastic! Who is the Never Queen? How is the universe's future tied into her very existence? And why is she trying to destroy the Surfer? And when the Surfer tries to return Dawn home, he gets swept into a strange battle against Shuma-Gorath alongside Dr. Strange, the Hulk and more! The problem is, to stop Shuma-Gorath, Dawn will have to pay the price...with her life.
COLLECTING: SILVER SURFER 1-5, ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW! POINT ONE
COLLECTING: SILVER SURFER 1-5, ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW! POINT ONE
128 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2014
About the author
Dan Slott
1,923 books440 followersDan Slott is an American comic book writer, the current writer on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, and is best known for his work on books such as Arkham Asylum: Living Hell, She-Hulk, Silver Surfer, The Superior Spider-Man, and Ren & Stimpy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 299 reviews
December 13, 2023
5 stars for Allred's art, 1 star for Slott's stupid-ass story.
I should probably mention that I am all alone hating this story. Every single one of my friends loved it. Loved it!
So, chances are, you will love it, as well.
But, to me, this story had such simplistic dorky dialogue that I was gritting my teeth the entire time I was reading it. It read like a little kid's book.
It had a Wish on a star, and everything will be ok - follow your heart to unlock your dreams -
be a moronically naive girl, and solve world-ending problems with the sheer power of your innocence & inexperience - vibe to it.
It was not for me.
Ok, to be fair, there were a few times I smiled at something that one of the characters said.
But for the majority of this volume? I just sat there with my mouth hanging open, wondering how the fuck this simplistic POS got such rave reviews. I couldn't stand Dawn. Hated her. She's got this quality about her that makes me wish she were a real person, just so I could track her down and slap her across her face a few times.
Oh, and as long as I'm making enemies I might as well mention that I didn't like the emo/goth look on Norrin.
I should probably mention that I am all alone hating this story. Every single one of my friends loved it. Loved it!
So, chances are, you will love it, as well.
But, to me, this story had such simplistic dorky dialogue that I was gritting my teeth the entire time I was reading it. It read like a little kid's book.
It had a Wish on a star, and everything will be ok - follow your heart to unlock your dreams -
be a moronically naive girl, and solve world-ending problems with the sheer power of your innocence & inexperience - vibe to it.
It was not for me.
Ok, to be fair, there were a few times I smiled at something that one of the characters said.
But for the majority of this volume? I just sat there with my mouth hanging open, wondering how the fuck this simplistic POS got such rave reviews. I couldn't stand Dawn. Hated her. She's got this quality about her that makes me wish she were a real person, just so I could track her down and slap her across her face a few times.
Oh, and as long as I'm making enemies I might as well mention that I didn't like the emo/goth look on Norrin.
March 10, 2015
The Silver Surfer has always been an angsty kind of guy – guilt ridden. It comes from once being the herald of Galactus, Devourer of Worlds (it’s printed on his business cards). “Hey everybody on this planet, I’m here to tell you that you’re all doomed. Some big purply guy with a purple antlered helmet is going to eat your planet, so if you lost your car keys or didn’t pay your mortgage last month, no worries. Gotta go, bye.”
Early issues of the Silver Surfer were giant-sized comics depicting the Surfer poetically monologuing while riding his surf board throughout the scenic galaxy and on occasion, kicking ass. In the wretched American re-make of Goddard’s classic “Breathless”, Richard Gere was given a copy of Silver Surfer #1 to read. This was supposed to give him some sort of intellectual gravitas (HAHAHAHAHAHA! Ooo Wee! HAHAHAHAHA!). In the movie Crimson Tide, Denzel answers the age old question: Whose Silver Surfer was better: Jack Kirby’s or Moebius. He said Kirby.
Silver Surfer is kind of lost without his surfboard. My son had a Surfer action figure but somehow misplaced the surfboard, so whenever there was an action figure beatdown, the Surfer had to get there via some alternate means of transportation.
“Surfer, where have you been?”
“Cookie Monster was kind enough to give me a ride in his Cookiemobile.”
“Whatever dude. Spider-Man’s getting his ass kicked by a plushy dinosaur, he needs your help.”
So, this volume: Is it the egghead’s delight? Is it better than Kirby? Does Cookie Monster make an appearance?
In order: No, thank God. It doesn’t need to be. What the flark are you talking about, Jeff?
When Dawn Greenwood was a little girl, she made a wish on a falling star. The star happened to be the Silver Surfer, jetting across space, warning the Earth that Galactus was about to serve it up – crispy and spicy. Now, Dawn and the Surfer are linked and 12 years later when Surfer must save another planet, Dawn is held captive in case he fails.
This is a funny, charming book that takes a look at the Silver Surfer from Dawn’s POV, hence the inclusion in the Shallow Reader Woman’s Reads. Slott takes what can be a dirge-like character and gives him a spark of humanity and humor. Allred’s art is not to everyone’s taste, but it fits the lighthearted tone in this volume.
Highly recommended.
July 15, 2016
The Silver Surfer, sentinel of the spaceways, finds the Impericon, the city where anything is possible. Why does the Never Queen want it destroyed? And what does an Earth girl named Dawn Greenwood have to do with anything?
Confession time: The Silver Surfer is one of those characters that I was always semi-interested in but never quite understood when I was a lad. When I saw Dan Slott, the man who made Spider-Man interesting again, was helming it with Mike Allred, creator of Madman doing the art, I just couldn't resist.
New Dawn is a very quirky take on the Silver Surfer. Slott is a big Doctor Who fan and his portrayal of The Silver Surfer and his companion, Dawn, feels very Who-esque. It's a humorous but still respectful take on the Silver Surfer and I found it way more enjoyable than the twelve or fifteen issues of the Surfer I tried reading in the late 1980's.
I liked the Impericon concept and the Never Queen but my favorite part is the relationship between Dawn and the Surfer. While the space stuff was awesome, I loved when the Silver Surfer visited Anchor Bay with Dawn to meet her family. Sure, Doctor Strange and the Hulk showed up but it was still really cool. I have to wonder if Mike Allred had some influence on the characterization of the Surfer because his quirky innocent nature reminded me of Madman a few times.
It's not perfect but I don't really have anything bad to say about New Dawn. I always thought of the Surfer as a stuffy character but Slott and Allredy breathe new life into him. Four out of five stars.
Confession time: The Silver Surfer is one of those characters that I was always semi-interested in but never quite understood when I was a lad. When I saw Dan Slott, the man who made Spider-Man interesting again, was helming it with Mike Allred, creator of Madman doing the art, I just couldn't resist.
New Dawn is a very quirky take on the Silver Surfer. Slott is a big Doctor Who fan and his portrayal of The Silver Surfer and his companion, Dawn, feels very Who-esque. It's a humorous but still respectful take on the Silver Surfer and I found it way more enjoyable than the twelve or fifteen issues of the Surfer I tried reading in the late 1980's.
I liked the Impericon concept and the Never Queen but my favorite part is the relationship between Dawn and the Surfer. While the space stuff was awesome, I loved when the Silver Surfer visited Anchor Bay with Dawn to meet her family. Sure, Doctor Strange and the Hulk showed up but it was still really cool. I have to wonder if Mike Allred had some influence on the characterization of the Surfer because his quirky innocent nature reminded me of Madman a few times.
It's not perfect but I don't really have anything bad to say about New Dawn. I always thought of the Surfer as a stuffy character but Slott and Allredy breathe new life into him. Four out of five stars.
July 8, 2019
When he’s not gracing the cover of Joe Satriani albums, the Silver Surfer likes to pursue hobbies that include being aloof, lacking basic human emotions, and riding around on the surf board from which he draws his surname (his parents chose “Silver” for his given name because his dad was a big fan of both horses and the Lone Ranger*). Which is to say, he’s kind of a hard guy to root for sometimes.
It’s not that he hasn’t played a vital role in some key Marvel stories over the years or had some interesting story arcs, mind you, and for stoned college students in the 70s, he was the perfect complement to a bag of Funyuns. It’s just that outside of those instances, he is, at best, kind of bland, and, at worst, kind of an asshole with the disturbingly smooth crotch of a Ken doll.
In the hands of Slott and Allred, however, he becomes far more compelling, not so much because they radically revolutionize his character, but because they give him an exceedingly human foil in the form of Dawn Greenwood. Though Dawn remains preternaturally unperturbed despite being dropped into the midst of cosmic-level insanity, her humanity and depth of emotion ground a far-out tale in an all-too-real—and incredibly beautiful—way.
Allred’s art is as trippy as ever, and it suits the Surfer perfectly.
I can’t wait to hop on board “Toomie” (genius) for Vol. 2.
*Yes, I know “Silver Surfer” is not his birth name, and yes, I know it’s Norrin Radd. Relax. It was for comedic effect. Or attempted comedic effect. I’m usually much more successful at the attempting part than the comedy part.
It’s not that he hasn’t played a vital role in some key Marvel stories over the years or had some interesting story arcs, mind you, and for stoned college students in the 70s, he was the perfect complement to a bag of Funyuns. It’s just that outside of those instances, he is, at best, kind of bland, and, at worst, kind of an asshole with the disturbingly smooth crotch of a Ken doll.
In the hands of Slott and Allred, however, he becomes far more compelling, not so much because they radically revolutionize his character, but because they give him an exceedingly human foil in the form of Dawn Greenwood. Though Dawn remains preternaturally unperturbed despite being dropped into the midst of cosmic-level insanity, her humanity and depth of emotion ground a far-out tale in an all-too-real—and incredibly beautiful—way.
Allred’s art is as trippy as ever, and it suits the Surfer perfectly.
I can’t wait to hop on board “Toomie” (genius) for Vol. 2.
*Yes, I know “Silver Surfer” is not his birth name, and yes, I know it’s Norrin Radd. Relax. It was for comedic effect. Or attempted comedic effect. I’m usually much more successful at the attempting part than the comedy part.
March 16, 2019
Exactly what you would expect from a creative team containing Mike Allred. Great, weird and fantastic art. A fun retro story.
June 5, 2015
This is brilliant. There are some real gems out at the moment but not many of them are marvel based. This however, is a gem.
It's classic Surfer with added adventure and some laugh out loud gags. This kid asks Hulk "how do you pee?" Hulk's response "I have to stand 4 miles away!"
I won't say anything that would give too much away, but it's not a long complex story, well not yet anyway, instead it's more like an adventure book, where surfer gets into trouble and ends up meeting and saving people. It's quite old fashioned, but classic.
I flarkin love it.
It's classic Surfer with added adventure and some laugh out loud gags. This kid asks Hulk "how do you pee?" Hulk's response "I have to stand 4 miles away!"
I won't say anything that would give too much away, but it's not a long complex story, well not yet anyway, instead it's more like an adventure book, where surfer gets into trouble and ends up meeting and saving people. It's quite old fashioned, but classic.
I flarkin love it.
December 11, 2014
This was not at the top of my Marvel Now! reading list. Silver Surfer also seemed kind of serious and even dour to me. I get enough angst from Marvel's Merry Marching Mutants, thanks. But the cover just looked so darn cool (Allred for the win!) and the reviews made it sound anything but depressing.
And no, it most certainly is not depressing, in any way. It mixes light-hearted scenes with more serious action, in a way that's tonally similar to the less-than-serious, less-than-comedic episodes of Doctor Who. There are way worse things to compare it to. At least, in the first story. The second story is somewhat sort of magic infused... thing. Guest starring Doctor Strange and the intelligent version of the Hulk. Has he gotten smart again? I'm a little behind on the Hulk. At any rate, it was a weird story and I just couldn't get into it.
The Surfer is actually kind of endearing here, something that surprised me. In his first real scene, he's rekindling a micro star for the micro inhabitants of the micro world orbiting it. It's kind of adorable. I actually really liked Dawn, the new character and sidekick. Yes, her origin did kind of hit me over the head a little too hard: she's never left home because she's never wanted to leave home! Ok, I get it. Luckily, Dawn is smart, brave, and relatively capable of taking care of herself. She'd be a good Companion for the Doctor, and I think she'll be a good traveling companion for the Surfer.
I love Allred's art, and I love the way Laura Allred colors his work. It feels right at home in a borderline campy book like this has turned out to be. In all honesty, it's what drew me to this at all, a book that normally I wouldn't have paid much attention to. I'm glad I read it, though. It was a lot of fun.
And no, it most certainly is not depressing, in any way. It mixes light-hearted scenes with more serious action, in a way that's tonally similar to the less-than-serious, less-than-comedic episodes of Doctor Who. There are way worse things to compare it to. At least, in the first story. The second story is somewhat sort of magic infused... thing. Guest starring Doctor Strange and the intelligent version of the Hulk. Has he gotten smart again? I'm a little behind on the Hulk. At any rate, it was a weird story and I just couldn't get into it.
The Surfer is actually kind of endearing here, something that surprised me. In his first real scene, he's rekindling a micro star for the micro inhabitants of the micro world orbiting it. It's kind of adorable. I actually really liked Dawn, the new character and sidekick. Yes, her origin did kind of hit me over the head a little too hard: she's never left home because she's never wanted to leave home! Ok, I get it. Luckily, Dawn is smart, brave, and relatively capable of taking care of herself. She'd be a good Companion for the Doctor, and I think she'll be a good traveling companion for the Surfer.
I love Allred's art, and I love the way Laura Allred colors his work. It feels right at home in a borderline campy book like this has turned out to be. In all honesty, it's what drew me to this at all, a book that normally I wouldn't have paid much attention to. I'm glad I read it, though. It was a lot of fun.
September 7, 2014
Norrin Radd aka Silver Surfer, the loneliest, most tragic figure in the Marvel Universe. As Galactus the world-eater’s herald, the Surfer travels the cosmos for new worlds for his master to devour. Oh the pain! The misery! The angst!!
Ehhhhh… nope - not anymore! Enter: the new, fun-loving All-New Silver Surfer!
Norrin is no longer Galactus’ herald and spends his time saving planets instead of marking them for death, in order to make up for past transgressions. That’s right, in the same vein as the other All-New Marvel NOW! range, Silver Surfer joins Magneto, Black Widow and Loki as a former villain turned good - though actually he’s better as he was forced into doing what he did!
In this first volume, Spider-Man writer Dan Slott and FF artist Michael Allred join forces to make the most entertaining, delightful version of Silver Surfer there’s ever been. Tonally it’s a bit like Doctor Who and who joins the Doctor on his adventures? A sassy lady friend - enter: Dawn Greenwood.
Dawn’s a new creation who’s basically there to make Surfer a bit less distant to readers. She keeps him grounded in a metaphorical sense (they fly around everywhere on a magic board after all!) so he doesn’t get too much inside his own head and starts bewailing the lives he’s taken in the service of giant purple hat.
In this inaugural volume, Norrin and Dawn are asked to save a giant planet-sized pleasure resort called the Impericon, and must face their worst fears at the hands of Nightmare. Without getting into spoilers, there are two main ideas driving this series. The first is the tagline: “Anywhere and Everywhere - Hang On!” and the second is the idea that everything is possible; and both are also the two story arcs in this book. Which is pretty damn ingenious!
Actually, Dawn was the only weak link of the book. Her inclusion seems totally arbitrary and, out of nowhere, she’s thrown together with Norrin into a forced relationship - well, they’re not there yet but you know that’s on the cards. And the fact that she has a twin who went travelling around the world while she stayed home in Cape Cod because her dad’s B&B is the best place in the world, why leave? and THEN she goes to see the galaxy - the irony was just a wee bit overstated and kinda cheesy.
But she has some good moments too like naming his board Toomie (after Surfer’s refrain “To me, my board!”) and the prison break scene was fun. She doesn’t know Norrin’s past yet so I’m sure that’ll put a damper on their burgeoning romance (“Why do they call you Harold, Norrin?”). I also like that the board is a character itself, like the magic carpet in Disney’s Aladdin.
The Guardians of the Galaxy have a fun cameo as do Doctor Strange and Hulk, and Norrin’s interactions with them all made me sad that Marvel don’t own the film rights to Silver Surfer (damn you, Fox!) so we won’t get to see the Surfer/Hulk fight in this book on the big screen.
Slott’s writing is great but Allred’s art makes this book for me. I’ve always enjoyed his work but his art in Silver Surfer is outstanding. At the 2013 Comic-Con when Marvel were unveiling all of their forthcoming titles, it was Allred’s cover of Silver Surfer #1 that had the most distinct look out of all of the comics on display. His Spidey-esque eyes are surprisingly expressive and his wife Laura’s colours, especially the use of blue, are a brilliant choice to make the Surfer stand out.
There’s a stunning and ridiculously detailed splash page of the Impericon early on that looks like a tub of Lego bricks spilled out onto the page, and I loved how he chose to depict all possible futures in a single image: a toy monkey that smashes cymbals repeatedly! He draws the Guardians, Strange and Hulk really well too, so when he’s done on Surfer, I hope Marvel put him on any of those titles next! I could go on and on about Allred but I’ll leave it there - he and Laura are an incredible art team and their work on this book is exemplary.
I love that there’s no distinction between writer and artist - both Dan Slott and Michael Allred are credited together as “storytellers”. And they did create a great story together. Their Silver Surfer is one of the must-read titles of the second wave of Marvel NOW! and might even be the best version of the character so far. It’s a really fun book with amazing art that’s definitely worth checking out if you enjoy superhero comics that don’t take themselves too seriously!
Ehhhhh… nope - not anymore! Enter: the new, fun-loving All-New Silver Surfer!
Norrin is no longer Galactus’ herald and spends his time saving planets instead of marking them for death, in order to make up for past transgressions. That’s right, in the same vein as the other All-New Marvel NOW! range, Silver Surfer joins Magneto, Black Widow and Loki as a former villain turned good - though actually he’s better as he was forced into doing what he did!
In this first volume, Spider-Man writer Dan Slott and FF artist Michael Allred join forces to make the most entertaining, delightful version of Silver Surfer there’s ever been. Tonally it’s a bit like Doctor Who and who joins the Doctor on his adventures? A sassy lady friend - enter: Dawn Greenwood.
Dawn’s a new creation who’s basically there to make Surfer a bit less distant to readers. She keeps him grounded in a metaphorical sense (they fly around everywhere on a magic board after all!) so he doesn’t get too much inside his own head and starts bewailing the lives he’s taken in the service of giant purple hat.
In this inaugural volume, Norrin and Dawn are asked to save a giant planet-sized pleasure resort called the Impericon, and must face their worst fears at the hands of Nightmare. Without getting into spoilers, there are two main ideas driving this series. The first is the tagline: “Anywhere and Everywhere - Hang On!” and the second is the idea that everything is possible; and both are also the two story arcs in this book. Which is pretty damn ingenious!
Actually, Dawn was the only weak link of the book. Her inclusion seems totally arbitrary and, out of nowhere, she’s thrown together with Norrin into a forced relationship - well, they’re not there yet but you know that’s on the cards. And the fact that she has a twin who went travelling around the world while she stayed home in Cape Cod because her dad’s B&B is the best place in the world, why leave? and THEN she goes to see the galaxy - the irony was just a wee bit overstated and kinda cheesy.
But she has some good moments too like naming his board Toomie (after Surfer’s refrain “To me, my board!”) and the prison break scene was fun. She doesn’t know Norrin’s past yet so I’m sure that’ll put a damper on their burgeoning romance (“Why do they call you Harold, Norrin?”). I also like that the board is a character itself, like the magic carpet in Disney’s Aladdin.
The Guardians of the Galaxy have a fun cameo as do Doctor Strange and Hulk, and Norrin’s interactions with them all made me sad that Marvel don’t own the film rights to Silver Surfer (damn you, Fox!) so we won’t get to see the Surfer/Hulk fight in this book on the big screen.
Slott’s writing is great but Allred’s art makes this book for me. I’ve always enjoyed his work but his art in Silver Surfer is outstanding. At the 2013 Comic-Con when Marvel were unveiling all of their forthcoming titles, it was Allred’s cover of Silver Surfer #1 that had the most distinct look out of all of the comics on display. His Spidey-esque eyes are surprisingly expressive and his wife Laura’s colours, especially the use of blue, are a brilliant choice to make the Surfer stand out.
There’s a stunning and ridiculously detailed splash page of the Impericon early on that looks like a tub of Lego bricks spilled out onto the page, and I loved how he chose to depict all possible futures in a single image: a toy monkey that smashes cymbals repeatedly! He draws the Guardians, Strange and Hulk really well too, so when he’s done on Surfer, I hope Marvel put him on any of those titles next! I could go on and on about Allred but I’ll leave it there - he and Laura are an incredible art team and their work on this book is exemplary.
I love that there’s no distinction between writer and artist - both Dan Slott and Michael Allred are credited together as “storytellers”. And they did create a great story together. Their Silver Surfer is one of the must-read titles of the second wave of Marvel NOW! and might even be the best version of the character so far. It’s a really fun book with amazing art that’s definitely worth checking out if you enjoy superhero comics that don’t take themselves too seriously!
April 1, 2022
Tenía yo muchas ganas de leer esta etapa del calvo más famoso de Marvel, y quería agenciarme el omnibus que la recoge entera. Pero en mi bilbioteca solo tienen los tomos individuales de cada arco, así que tendrá que valer. Y en lugar de reseñar cada tomo, lo haré en el último de manera conjunta.
Baste decir de este primero que es el introductorio, y como tal sienta unas bases que espero ver como se desarrollan. Dan Slott escribe muy bien, y tiene mucha imaginación para expandir el universo (nunca mejor dicho). El dibujo y color, a cargo de los Allred (Mike y Laura, matrimonio) es muy particular, te puede gustar o lo puedes odiar, pero no te va a dejar indiferente. Por ahora va bien, pero quiero ver más.
Baste decir de este primero que es el introductorio, y como tal sienta unas bases que espero ver como se desarrollan. Dan Slott escribe muy bien, y tiene mucha imaginación para expandir el universo (nunca mejor dicho). El dibujo y color, a cargo de los Allred (Mike y Laura, matrimonio) es muy particular, te puede gustar o lo puedes odiar, pero no te va a dejar indiferente. Por ahora va bien, pero quiero ver más.
May 30, 2016
The Impericon is a safe place from the threat of Galactus and his heralds. Trying to ensure the safety of the Impericon they bring in the Silver Surfer to protect them from the threat.
They don't give their protectors a choice in the matter as they capture the most important person to them for leverage.
New Dawn did nothing for me. The story while sensible, bored me. The addition of a random woman from Earth makes little sense. I don't see why she should get so much page time. It was all uninteresting.
They don't give their protectors a choice in the matter as they capture the most important person to them for leverage.
New Dawn did nothing for me. The story while sensible, bored me. The addition of a random woman from Earth makes little sense. I don't see why she should get so much page time. It was all uninteresting.
February 1, 2019
The Surfer is Back!
Dan Slott does a great job here with one of Marvel's more outlandishly cosmic heroes, embracing the absurdity throughout while at the same time effectively grounding Norrin Radd's high-flying adventures by pairing him up with a perky, relatable human companion (something that untold numbers of reviewers here have already likened to Dr. Who. I'll have to take their word for it, never having seen an episode of said long-running TV show. I'm such a sub-optimal nerd, I know!)
The new characters, the art (Allred's trademark style makes for a wonderful 21st century homage to Jack Kirby), the humour- it all worked for me! The only quibble (for quibble I must!) was the way the Guardians of the Galaxy were shoehorned in to one issue, without really any particular purpose (other than revealing how the Allreds would draw those characters)- it's almost like there was a major motion picture they were trying to promote at the time or something!
Dan Slott does a great job here with one of Marvel's more outlandishly cosmic heroes, embracing the absurdity throughout while at the same time effectively grounding Norrin Radd's high-flying adventures by pairing him up with a perky, relatable human companion (something that untold numbers of reviewers here have already likened to Dr. Who. I'll have to take their word for it, never having seen an episode of said long-running TV show. I'm such a sub-optimal nerd, I know!)
The new characters, the art (Allred's trademark style makes for a wonderful 21st century homage to Jack Kirby), the humour- it all worked for me! The only quibble (for quibble I must!) was the way the Guardians of the Galaxy were shoehorned in to one issue, without really any particular purpose (other than revealing how the Allreds would draw those characters)- it's almost like there was a major motion picture they were trying to promote at the time or something!
May 2, 2015
I'm not gonna lie. I didn't think I would like this. I figured I would read it and probably plop down a 3-star rating and qualify that by saying in my review that it was actually a 2.5-star rating.
Then I actually read it.
Yeah - I like to judge things before I even know what they are. It's how I roll.
Lo and behold...4 FREAKING STARS!
This was fun, quirky, Silver Surfer, spacey, goodness! The whole book had a very whimsical feel to it and I actually (for real) LOL'd a few times. The art took a few pages to get into - but once I did I was sold. The story is like a really good LSD trip and kept me entertained and, overall, I just dug the hell outta everything.
This isn't a serious, dark, brooding, Silver Surfer story, as most of his tales go. No. This is silly and fun and, like other reviewers are saying, a very Doctor Who feeling kinda story.
Check it out. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :)
Then I actually read it.
Yeah - I like to judge things before I even know what they are. It's how I roll.
Lo and behold...4 FREAKING STARS!
This was fun, quirky, Silver Surfer, spacey, goodness! The whole book had a very whimsical feel to it and I actually (for real) LOL'd a few times. The art took a few pages to get into - but once I did I was sold. The story is like a really good LSD trip and kept me entertained and, overall, I just dug the hell outta everything.
This isn't a serious, dark, brooding, Silver Surfer story, as most of his tales go. No. This is silly and fun and, like other reviewers are saying, a very Doctor Who feeling kinda story.
Check it out. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :)
April 27, 2021
Ok so I'm gonna give this a 3.5 which I shall round up because I had such a fun time reading this, it has alot of action it's really different and weird and did i mention fun?
Some pros, I love the art, I think dawn is a cool character and I love all the cameos throughout.
Some cons, I don't really know anything thing about silver sufer and they don't really explain much of what's going so I didn't feel any attachment to the character, some times it was a little too weird or didn't make sense to me (like I said I'm not familiar with much silver surfer lore) and at points it dragged but overall I liked it and the pros outweighed cons.
I recommend this book if you want to explore a different place in the marvel universe.
Some pros, I love the art, I think dawn is a cool character and I love all the cameos throughout.
Some cons, I don't really know anything thing about silver sufer and they don't really explain much of what's going so I didn't feel any attachment to the character, some times it was a little too weird or didn't make sense to me (like I said I'm not familiar with much silver surfer lore) and at points it dragged but overall I liked it and the pros outweighed cons.
I recommend this book if you want to explore a different place in the marvel universe.
November 15, 2015
I thought I already read this...turns out it was just the free first issue on Comixology.
The art is from Allred, who did fun work on Faux Four and other things. It's the redeeming quality of the book.
People are right to compare this to a lighthearted Doctor Who episode, but like the latest version, I hate the companion, Dawn, who takes away from the hero. Also, since when does Surfer return to Norrin Radd "Silver Down" form whenever he wants?
There's a reunion with the original Defenders, Surfer, Hulk and Dr. Strange...no Namor, and due to lost movie rights, we won't get a Defenders movie (Surfer and Namor aren't Marvel studios).
There's a cameo by the GotG, fun but brief, and some other random shit.
This is childish, and too simplistic for me. I don't need angry rage and grit, but this is just not for me.
Anne, you're not alone. Dan Slott the bed on this one.
The art is from Allred, who did fun work on Faux Four and other things. It's the redeeming quality of the book.
People are right to compare this to a lighthearted Doctor Who episode, but like the latest version, I hate the companion, Dawn, who takes away from the hero. Also, since when does Surfer return to Norrin Radd "Silver Down" form whenever he wants?
There's a reunion with the original Defenders, Surfer, Hulk and Dr. Strange...no Namor, and due to lost movie rights, we won't get a Defenders movie (Surfer and Namor aren't Marvel studios).
There's a cameo by the GotG, fun but brief, and some other random shit.
This is childish, and too simplistic for me. I don't need angry rage and grit, but this is just not for me.
Anne, you're not alone. Dan Slott the bed on this one.
April 22, 2018
Volume 1: New Dawn was such an unexpected good time. While it started a little slow and serious, once the plot really gets in motion - Surfer helping an ailing cosmic Queen of Nevers, which leads him to attempting to save / return a kidnapped earthling (the 'Dawn' of the title) - things click with the mixture of offbeat story and colorful images. Surfer's unexpected moments of gentle humor and Dawn's consistent pluckiness make them - whether far, far away or earthbound - quite a team.
October 26, 2014
Oh Dan Slott....
In my humble opinion Slott is the best, his stories are always laced with just the right amount of humor and this series is no exception.
Silver Surfer is an often overlooked character and while I've always liked him he isn't exactly the warmest or most charismatic of Marvel's line up.
Okay that's the T-1000 from Terminator 2, but he is shiny and Surfer can come across a bit robotic.
Anyways, my point is that Slott does a great job of retaining Surfer's alien nature while still giving him a likable and interesting personality.
Then there's Dawn, the human companion, she is equally likable, and pulls off the strong female thing without being annoying, cliched, or 'bitchy', YAY!
There are appearances by the Guardians, Dr. Strange, and the Hulk but I really enjoyed the random alien gang Dawn assembles and the Queen of Nevers was very interesting and beautifully drawn. Plus the Impericon might be the coolest planet ever.
Overall, the art is interesting and has a retro feel. The stories are fun, original, and allow the characters to develop organically. I highly recommend!
In my humble opinion Slott is the best, his stories are always laced with just the right amount of humor and this series is no exception.
Silver Surfer is an often overlooked character and while I've always liked him he isn't exactly the warmest or most charismatic of Marvel's line up.
Okay that's the T-1000 from Terminator 2, but he is shiny and Surfer can come across a bit robotic.
Anyways, my point is that Slott does a great job of retaining Surfer's alien nature while still giving him a likable and interesting personality.
Then there's Dawn, the human companion, she is equally likable, and pulls off the strong female thing without being annoying, cliched, or 'bitchy', YAY!
There are appearances by the Guardians, Dr. Strange, and the Hulk but I really enjoyed the random alien gang Dawn assembles and the Queen of Nevers was very interesting and beautifully drawn. Plus the Impericon might be the coolest planet ever.
Overall, the art is interesting and has a retro feel. The stories are fun, original, and allow the characters to develop organically. I highly recommend!
February 22, 2018
Wacky, weird and funny at times. Never really read much about the silver surfer so this was a new experience. Hes such an odd character but somehow Slott makes it work. The artwork is pretty cool, I would have liked some more wacky art to compliment the story but it still worked. Basically saves a lady, goes on some wacky adventure with her to stop something. I guess each volume would be similar and I'm keen to learn more about him.
September 5, 2014
This is terrific. Dan Slott turns a Silver Surfer title into Doctor Who. He's an alien who takes on earth companion on adventures. Everywhere and anywhere. It's Doctor Who. Slott has even said himself that it is. And it's great. It's what I want a Silver Surfer comic to be like, travelling the cosmic marvel universe.
I really love Michael Allreds art, especially when he's on Jack Kirby characters. It has a fun quirkiness to it, and his character designs are often the classic looks of characters.
I really love Michael Allreds art, especially when he's on Jack Kirby characters. It has a fun quirkiness to it, and his character designs are often the classic looks of characters.
July 1, 2018
So this is the Silver Surfer story everyone seems to love, huh? Well of course I have to be that a**hole that points out the problems again.
What’s it about?
The Silver Surfer is in space and when he has to stop a giant woman made of space stuff (galaxies, stars, planets, all that cool s***) from killing everyone, he discovers he has a strong connection to a human girl named Dawn (who is not a giant or made out of space stuff).
Pros:
The art while not particularly great, does suit the style of this book very well.
This is a comedic sci-fi book (I didn’t actually know this was part comedy, pleasant surprise) and it’s funny, making this book more enjoyable than it would be if it tried to take itself seriously like I thought it would.
Cons:
The story is weak. Have you read pretty much any other Marvel comic involving space? Yeah, you’ve seen most of what this has to offer then. Not that Marvel’s space stories are bad, it’s just that I expect some sort of creativity when a writer gives their take on something like this but Slott doesn’t show us anything to make readers want to read this more than other superhero space adventures.
The characters are not interesting. The Silver Surfer is sorta cool when it comes to his powers and stuff but other than that is very meh. Dawn is a very typical girl who thinks she’s nobody ends up involved in crazy s*** type of character. Everyone else is meh.
This story is sort of predictable. There were a few unexpected things but for the most part, like I mentioned before, is nothing unique.
This book was a tad too wacky at times. It sort of felt like if Sandman tried too hard.
There’s not as much action as I hoped for and the action scenes that do happen are not very memorable.
The paper quality of the paperback edition which I read is poor.
Overall:
This is not a horrible book but it’s too flawed to call it good. Yeah, it’s funny and the art suits the book well but everything else in it is sort of weak. I think this would have been terrible if it weren’t a comedy and could’ve been good if Slott was more creative with it. Like I said, lots of people like it, maybe this is your kind of thing but for me: I don’t care for it and don’t get the hype.
2/5
What’s it about?
The Silver Surfer is in space and when he has to stop a giant woman made of space stuff (galaxies, stars, planets, all that cool s***) from killing everyone, he discovers he has a strong connection to a human girl named Dawn (who is not a giant or made out of space stuff).
Pros:
The art while not particularly great, does suit the style of this book very well.
This is a comedic sci-fi book (I didn’t actually know this was part comedy, pleasant surprise) and it’s funny, making this book more enjoyable than it would be if it tried to take itself seriously like I thought it would.
Cons:
The story is weak. Have you read pretty much any other Marvel comic involving space? Yeah, you’ve seen most of what this has to offer then. Not that Marvel’s space stories are bad, it’s just that I expect some sort of creativity when a writer gives their take on something like this but Slott doesn’t show us anything to make readers want to read this more than other superhero space adventures.
The characters are not interesting. The Silver Surfer is sorta cool when it comes to his powers and stuff but other than that is very meh. Dawn is a very typical girl who thinks she’s nobody ends up involved in crazy s*** type of character. Everyone else is meh.
This story is sort of predictable. There were a few unexpected things but for the most part, like I mentioned before, is nothing unique.
This book was a tad too wacky at times. It sort of felt like if Sandman tried too hard.
There’s not as much action as I hoped for and the action scenes that do happen are not very memorable.
The paper quality of the paperback edition which I read is poor.
Overall:
This is not a horrible book but it’s too flawed to call it good. Yeah, it’s funny and the art suits the book well but everything else in it is sort of weak. I think this would have been terrible if it weren’t a comedy and could’ve been good if Slott was more creative with it. Like I said, lots of people like it, maybe this is your kind of thing but for me: I don’t care for it and don’t get the hype.
2/5
October 29, 2014
4.5 out of 5
This was super fun book a real pleasure to read and just stare at the art. My only gripe is that the handful of villains in the book should have presented more of a challenge to Silver Surfer and his power cosmic (which they mentioned about a zillion times).
Mike Allred's art is always a homerun for me and this book is probably his best work to date.
This was super fun book a real pleasure to read and just stare at the art. My only gripe is that the handful of villains in the book should have presented more of a challenge to Silver Surfer and his power cosmic (which they mentioned about a zillion times).
Mike Allred's art is always a homerun for me and this book is probably his best work to date.
November 30, 2021
This was so good!
This volume was just perfect.
Norrin heads to a planet place called Impericon, a wonder amongst everything and the alien lord there named Zed asks him to battle The Never Queen and well his hostage - Dawn Greenwood, one that is precious to Norrin but the thing is he doesn't know her and well in this volume we learn of her origin and whatnot and their ultimate battle and finding the QON real purpose and the big battle and escape and I loved that story and there is something about it that makes you cheer for all thats to come.
Then an adventure on earth before Guardians check up and a fun team up with Dr Strange and Hulk to take on Nightmare and its not a big battle but more like an adventure and does such a good job exploring Dawn and her dreams and is just such a perfect exploration of human desires and a love story in the making.
Michael's pencils are just too good and will make you love marvel cosmic and all that it entails and will entail. A must read for all marvel fans!
This volume was just perfect.
Norrin heads to a planet place called Impericon, a wonder amongst everything and the alien lord there named Zed asks him to battle The Never Queen and well his hostage - Dawn Greenwood, one that is precious to Norrin but the thing is he doesn't know her and well in this volume we learn of her origin and whatnot and their ultimate battle and finding the QON real purpose and the big battle and escape and I loved that story and there is something about it that makes you cheer for all thats to come.
Then an adventure on earth before Guardians check up and a fun team up with Dr Strange and Hulk to take on Nightmare and its not a big battle but more like an adventure and does such a good job exploring Dawn and her dreams and is just such a perfect exploration of human desires and a love story in the making.
Michael's pencils are just too good and will make you love marvel cosmic and all that it entails and will entail. A must read for all marvel fans!
January 15, 2015
Dan Slott. Wow. This was one great story. I don't have any previous experience with the Silver Surfer but I'm a Whovian and I certainly appreciated the homage to Doctor Who. The adventures in this volume took my breath away. Like watching a Doctor Who episode, the villains had a unique but 'classic' feel to them and I couldn't help but enjoy them as much as the main characters. And then the cast of supporting characters - how did I get so attached to them? Though some of them had little dialogue, the dialogue they had was flawless and left them a solid staple to the storyline. To clarify, when I closed this book and thought back on how much I loved it, I saw the entire cast of characters instead of just The Silver Surfer and Dawn. Just like any episode of my beloved Doctor Who.
And then there is the art. Oh the art. It's perfect. It felt like I was reading an old comic, a new comic and watching a Saturday morning cartoon from the 80s, all at the same time. I had to turn back pages just to admire the panels. Visions of Impericon are sure to dance in my head for many nights to come. Allred does an amazing job and has drawn a place in my heart as a favorite.
Be ready everyone that I meet on the street, for you shall hear of my love for this new Silver Surfer and his fearless companion.
And then there is the art. Oh the art. It's perfect. It felt like I was reading an old comic, a new comic and watching a Saturday morning cartoon from the 80s, all at the same time. I had to turn back pages just to admire the panels. Visions of Impericon are sure to dance in my head for many nights to come. Allred does an amazing job and has drawn a place in my heart as a favorite.
Be ready everyone that I meet on the street, for you shall hear of my love for this new Silver Surfer and his fearless companion.
January 30, 2016
Goodreads should allow you like, five books in which you can unlock the star rating and give a particular title as many stars as you want. I would give this book ten stars. Fourteen stars. I don't know, man. A lotta, lotta lotta stars.
If anyone is ever curious on what I want out of a superhero comic, this is 100% it. Lush colors, clean lines, weird aliens, funny dialogue, with a little bit of brooding and wistfulness. Plus a girl with blue hair.
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS.
I agree that Dawn is a little wide-eyed and naive, and that the wide-eyed female sidekick schtick is a problem. I could point out that EVERY character in the book is wide-eyed and naive, and that in every book I've EVER read with Allred on art duties, every character is wide-eyed and naive. It's obviously something he brings to the table, Dan Slott (or any other writer) be damned. I could also point out that Dawn also demonstrates intelligence and pluck, but that's just a "His Girl Friday" argument anyway and --
OH MY GOD SHUT UP. THIS BOOK IS FRIGGIN GREAT. I JUST DON'T CARE, I DON'T CARE, THIS BOOK IS GREEEEEEAAAAAAATTTT.
My head exploded. Boom.
If anyone is ever curious on what I want out of a superhero comic, this is 100% it. Lush colors, clean lines, weird aliens, funny dialogue, with a little bit of brooding and wistfulness. Plus a girl with blue hair.
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS.
I agree that Dawn is a little wide-eyed and naive, and that the wide-eyed female sidekick schtick is a problem. I could point out that EVERY character in the book is wide-eyed and naive, and that in every book I've EVER read with Allred on art duties, every character is wide-eyed and naive. It's obviously something he brings to the table, Dan Slott (or any other writer) be damned. I could also point out that Dawn also demonstrates intelligence and pluck, but that's just a "His Girl Friday" argument anyway and --
OH MY GOD SHUT UP. THIS BOOK IS FRIGGIN GREAT. I JUST DON'T CARE, I DON'T CARE, THIS BOOK IS GREEEEEEAAAAAAATTTT.
My head exploded. Boom.
February 8, 2018
If I still used "'currentyear'-favorites" as a shelf title, this would most definitely be on the one for this year. I don't really like many Marvel properties, but I do love the Fantastic Four, and it's mainly because without the FF, there would be no Silver Surfer. I've loved the Silver Surfer ever since I saw the Fantastic Four movie that had him as the "villain" in the mid 2000's. And then after that the Fox kids animated show (I know that came first, but I didn't see it until after). I don't know why, but I just find him so interesting and empathetic.
I really loved the humor in this too. A lot of the time it wasn't even in the dialogue, it would be the way character's were draw with their eyes cutting away. Speaking of which, I loved the art. It look familiar, and so I had to look it up, and low-and-behold, this is the same artist who did the Bug! mini series for Young Animal (which was the best part of that mini tbh).
So over all, this may be my favorite marvel comic I've ever read.
I really loved the humor in this too. A lot of the time it wasn't even in the dialogue, it would be the way character's were draw with their eyes cutting away. Speaking of which, I loved the art. It look familiar, and so I had to look it up, and low-and-behold, this is the same artist who did the Bug! mini series for Young Animal (which was the best part of that mini tbh).
So over all, this may be my favorite marvel comic I've ever read.
December 24, 2015
That was so cuuute! It's just such a nice and cozy story. It was funny and silly in a good way, and felt like a spiritual successor to Fraction's brilliant FF, thanks not only to Allreds' awesome (oh my gawd I love it) art, but to the sense of humour and the chaos that is going on plot-wise. It is basically Doctor Who in Marvel Universe! Come on, who wouldn't like that?! It's great.
June 25, 2014
Atrocious. I would have preferred a negative star rating.
May 21, 2018
This is another one of those volumes that I started reading as individual issues but didn't finish until the trade collection came out. This is good stuff, except the humor isn't quite my cup-of-tea.
I did feel like this take on the Surfer was inspired by Doctor Who and the relationship between the Doctor and his companion(s). If you substitute the Surfer's board for the TARDIS it practically slaps you in the face. I mean really ... slaps you in the face with a sledgehammer. And that's kind of how I reacted overall to this. It's fun, but I don't really get any sense of subtlety from the writer. It was nice to most of the classic Defenders together again. That was a nice little ending, but it wasn't long enough and, once again, the characters were funny, but oddly flat. In a lot of ways that last issue felt like a long lost issue from the earlier years of the Defenders: weird, kookie and off-kilter. I will try volume two.
I did feel like this take on the Surfer was inspired by Doctor Who and the relationship between the Doctor and his companion(s). If you substitute the Surfer's board for the TARDIS it practically slaps you in the face. I mean really ... slaps you in the face with a sledgehammer. And that's kind of how I reacted overall to this. It's fun, but I don't really get any sense of subtlety from the writer. It was nice to most of the classic Defenders together again. That was a nice little ending, but it wasn't long enough and, once again, the characters were funny, but oddly flat. In a lot of ways that last issue felt like a long lost issue from the earlier years of the Defenders: weird, kookie and off-kilter. I will try volume two.
October 6, 2016
pues que decir... he oído bastantes cosas buenas de este cómic, pero la verdad es que no me parece nada del otro jueves, el arte me gusta mucho, Mike Allred tiene un estilo propio que me gusta bastante (bastante ayudado por el color de su mujer, Laura Allred) y la verdad es que nos ofrece una serie de viñetas muy imaginativas, con unos toques muy pop que la verdad es que me encantan, pero las historias me parecen mediocres, Dan Slott le ha dado un aire más casual a las aventuras de Norrin Radd, que a mi personalmente no me termina de gustar, es un cómic de lectura fácil pero me falta precisamente lo que siempre ha buscado en los cómics de estela plateada: las grandes preguntas existenciales, las épica de las aventuras más grandes que el universo, el enfrentamiento contra entidades ultrapoderosas a las que no puede vencer, sino sólo intentar que cambien de opinión mediante actos heroicos.
Slott intenta dar una dimensión más humana y desenfadada a un personaje que nunca ha destacado por su humanidad ni su diversión, al menos consigue intrigarme, me parece que seguiré esta nueva etapa para ver dónde nos lleva, pero de momento me parece que está muy lejos de las mejores etapas de Estela plateada.
Slott intenta dar una dimensión más humana y desenfadada a un personaje que nunca ha destacado por su humanidad ni su diversión, al menos consigue intrigarme, me parece que seguiré esta nueva etapa para ver dónde nos lleva, pero de momento me parece que está muy lejos de las mejores etapas de Estela plateada.
April 17, 2015
Surprising good story here. The Silver Surfer finds his way into yet another mess involving the Earth and people from Earth, and ends up back on the planet he was hoping to avoid. Dr Strange and the Hulk show up, and the Surfer gets primed for more adventures in space with an Earth girl in two.
The art is by the always fresh Mike Allred, and it's a joy to look at. His wife provides the colors, and they make a great artistic pair.
Dan Slott's story is full of action and nice little humorous anecdotes, without hitting the reader over the head with them. SS joins She-Hulk and Ms Marvel in being a fun filled book, and Allred's art meshes quite nicely with the tone set by Aja, Samnee, Pullido and others.
The Earth girl, Dawn, gets a tad annoying at times, and that kept this from being a five star book, but I'm looking forward to more of this series.
The art is by the always fresh Mike Allred, and it's a joy to look at. His wife provides the colors, and they make a great artistic pair.
Dan Slott's story is full of action and nice little humorous anecdotes, without hitting the reader over the head with them. SS joins She-Hulk and Ms Marvel in being a fun filled book, and Allred's art meshes quite nicely with the tone set by Aja, Samnee, Pullido and others.
The Earth girl, Dawn, gets a tad annoying at times, and that kept this from being a five star book, but I'm looking forward to more of this series.
February 7, 2016
I bought each issue reprinted in this graphic novel, a rarity for me in these middle aged days of mine, because I am totally charmed by writing of Dan Slott, by Mike Allred as usual, and by the new Allred girl character here, Surfer's new girlfriend Dawn Greenwood. Just finished last part here, in issue #5, and I love this series as much as most projects by artist Mike Allred. Villain in this last bit is Nightmare, not overused, and not Shuma-Gorath, thankfully. The humor is gentle, continuing, and unexpected, as when a youngster asks guest-star the Hulk, "How do you pee?"
Highly recommended.
"To me, my board!"
Highly recommended.
"To me, my board!"
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