Something very big is happening with the Silver Surfer in Death of the Silver Surfer, and he doesn’t deserve it. As the first issue showed, he’s kind, truly wants to help anyone and anything, and yet is misunderstood. Ever the moody and introspective character, the second issue continues the journey of a selfish egomaniac billionaire who seeks unimaginable power.
Something evident when reading Death of the Silver Surfer#2 is that it nails the wonderment of Marvel cosmic. The issue opens with the giant stone-like Galactus floating in space as if peaceful and at rest, but we know it’s anything but. As the adventurers get closer, we see a Kirby-esque alien in a super suit speaking the same warning over and over. This is Alien-caliber foreboding that’ll wash over you.
Things only go from bad to worse when we see the rich jerk inside the ship ignoring his workers’ warnings and pressing forward. His greed and need for more are all-encompassing, and nothing else matters.
Real smart, guys. Shooting at the children.
Credit: Marvel
Juxtaposed nicely with this monstrous human in the very next scene is the Silver Surfer, who we see is helping a child get out of a tree. In a few panels, writer Greg Pak articulates that he’s kind, means well, and sees helping others as equal. That goes for stopping a war or helping a child out of a tree. Things turn ugly, though, when local police assume he means harm and start shooting before asking any questions. It’s a kind of reminder a being like Silver Surfer can’t belong with humanity who is constantly fearful and angry.
From there, the story catches us up on Kelly Koh, who gets into an argument with her mother. Kelly works for the Bureau of Alien Neutralization and thus sees all aliens as threats, no matter what. Her next target? Skaar!
Something this issue has in droves is good pacing and plotting. Not only do we get a well-drawn action sequence with Skaar, but intercut with that is the rich guy and his team investigating the Galactus floating in space. There’s action with Skaar and an intense level of anxiety as the humans meddle with something they shouldn’t. A few things float to the top by the end of the issue, one being the interconnectedness of the power cosmic, and another being that the rich guy is a total jerk.
Death of the Silver Surfer #2 is a beautifully crafted cosmic parable, balancing introspection, action, and mounting dread as it pits selflessness against unchecked greed, reminding us why Silver Surfer remains one of Marvel’s most tragic and noble figures.
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