It starts with a small spot -- a blemish that will spread until he is no more.
Silver Surfer: Requiem was published by Marvel Knights in 2007 as a four-issue miniseries written by J. Michael Straczynski, with art from Esad Ribic. Initially released to coincide with the Surfer’s first cinema appearance in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer the miniseries tells the story of Norrin Radd as he learns that his days are numbered.
In Requiem, the Silver Surfer learns that the silver shell in which he is encased is beginning to deteriorate and he only has weeks left to live. The Surfer uses this time to visit old friends the Fantastic Four and say goodbye, before seeking to help humanity one last time. This leads to several cameos (some of which are very brief) from other Marvel characters, such as Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. Finally, the Silver Surfer turns his attention to the heavens as he begins his journey home to Zenn-La, where his story began.
The Silver Surfer visits Spider-Man for the last time...
Requiem is a wonderful comic book. The story and the artwork come together to create a beautiful tale of one of Marvel’s most iconic, yet also generally under-appreciated characters. Esad Ribic uses what I can best describe as a sort of washy pencilling technique; there’s a sketched feel to the artwork and the colours are somewhat muted. It’s beautiful work, and fits the tone of the story wonderfully; the final issue reveals that another Marvel character is remembering the last tale of the Silver Surfer, and the artwork really has a hazy, dream-like quality as if it is being told through the rose-tinted glasses of a friend’s memory.
Esad Ribic's artwork fits the tone of the story wonderfully.
What the story and the artwork manage to convey are a sense of emotion both within the Surfer himself and those around him. Although strictly speaking a non-canon story, Silver Surfer: Requiem paints a beautifully emotional picture about the last few moments of Norrin Radd and his legacy on and off Earth.
Silver Surfer: Requiem is one of the best miniseries I have read about a Marvel character. It’s a simple enough story, but it is told with such emotion that it transcends beyond its simple “end story” premise into a true homage to the Silver Surfer himself. I highly recommend this book to Silver Surfer, Marvel, and general comic book fans alike.
You can follow Chris on his website www.dresslikethehulk.wordpress.com or on twitter at @Orr_Man
Posted on July 2nd, 2012
Category: PROJECT COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Chris Orr, comic books, Comic Reviews, comics, Fantastic Four, marvel comics, Review, Silver Surfer, spider-man