Sunday, September 13, 2009

Super-Powered Comics: Silver Surfer Requiem

As I said in my review of Bullet Points, J. Michael Straczynski is one of those creators who is either great... or terribly off-base. That work was an exceptional example, and Silver Surfer: Requiem is another.

With art by Esad Ribic, Straczynski crafts another of Marvel’s tales of the fall of one of their characters. In Requiem, Norrin Radd falls under the influence of some kind of virus that eats away at his very being. With each subuquent issue he sets out to make even the most minute changes to make his legacy mean something as he moves inexorably to his demise.

The Fantastic Four guest star in issue one, but it is issue two guest-starring Spider-Man where the story starts to shine. We get a look at what the Surfer sees everyday as he soars the cosmic spaceways... and perhaps the world improves for it. Issue three gives us his attempt to stop an intergalactic war, while four takes us back to Zenn-La and his impending demise. And a certain cosmic being known as Galactus...

Though a quick read, Requiem offers an excellent look at the strange enigma known as the Silver Surfer. Ribic’s painted art is gorgeous, and JMS keeps the story flowing along well while channeling the feel of the late sixties Stan Lee issues. All in all, a good solid edition to “The End” line. Recommended.

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