With ComicsPro this week, there’s been no shortage of exciting announcements from publishers, especially Marvel. To whit, courtesy of a ComicBook.com exclusive, Marvel announced Death of the Silver Surfer, a five-issue limited series by writer Greg Pak and artist Sumit Kumar.
Pak has made it no secret over the years how much he adores the character. In fact, back in 2011 a penned a Silver Surfer miniseries.
As the writer told ComicBook:
“I love the Silver Surfer with all my heart — because he’s entirely heart. And during a time when so many people are in so much need, he’s never been more relevant,” Pak said.
He continued: “Norrin Radd is an alien who’s attacked wherever he goes, and yet always choses to help; a harbinger of doom who serves an abomination, but who always fights for life. His fantastical stories have always been about the contradictions and complexity of the real world, about the terrible price and infinite rewards of actually caring for others.
In a world of shades of gray, the story of Norrin Radd lets us find a little silver, and I’m so thrilled to have the chance to tell this story with tremendous creators like editor Tom Groneman, artist Sumit Kumar, and cover artist Dike Ruan. They’re giving this book everything and they’re gonna bend your mind in all the best ways.
We’re also bringing back classic allies and creating entirely new characters, including the most human and yet the most formidable rival Norrin Radd has ever had. She’s cocky and dangerous and the absolute worst, but you also might absolutely fall in love with her. Dontcha dare miss a single issue!”
As Marvel fans are likely already well aware, actress Julia Garner is set to play Norrin Rad’s wife Shalla-Bal in the upcoming Fantastic Four: First Steps film this July. In a radical departure from normal continuity, Shalla-Bal will supposedly take on the Silver Surfer mantle instead of Norrin. Whether or not this miniseries is meant to set up Shalla-Bal taking over the Silver Surfer mantle in the comics remains to be seen.
Likewise, this being comics, it’s safe to say this isn’t permanent. I’m sure many remember the infamous death of Ms. Marvel in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #26 only to resurrect the character a few months later to incorporate her into the X-Men.
Official solicitation information below:
DEATH OF THE SILVER SURFER #1 (OF 5)
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- Written by GREG PAK
- Art by SUMIT KUMAR
- Cover by DIKE RUAN
- SILVER SURFER’S FINAL VOYAGE?!
- The SILVER SURFER returns to defend a war-ravaged Earth, but Norrin has a galaxy-sized target on his back. A new enemy will stop at nothing to steal away everything the Surfer is or ever will be. A single human life may be all that decides the Surfer’s salvation…or damnation. If the Surfer falls, who then wields the awesome Power Cosmic? And what of the Surfer’s old master, Galactus, Devourer of Worlds?! Guest-starring: The Fantastic Four! GREG PAK (PLANET HULK, DARTH VADER) pens the Sentinel of the Spaceway’s next tragic epic with superstar illustrator SUMIT KUMAR (WEB OF SPIDER-VERSE, SPIDER-MAN: BLACK SUIT & BLOOD)!
- On Sale 6/4
