Naked surfer from the sky
One fine day in 1966, as four adventurers were looking up into the sky, they noticed a second sun. Much disturbed, one of the group lit himself on fire (which didn't hurt very much) and flew up to investigate. A mob of people, who noticed the sky filling up with a new flaming sun, and saw this freak flying around on fire, got the wrong idea and turned a hose on him.
As it would turn out, the giant sun in the sky was just part of an elaborate hoax. The goal of the hoax, as was later explained by a gentlman named Utau, was to distract a fellow named Galactus, so that he might not see the earth. Galactus had an appetite for planets. His reputation for doing so was so bad that he was often referred to as "Galactus, Devourer of Worlds".
Unfortunately for everyone, the hoax hadn't worked, and Galactus was coming to eat the world.
Bummer.
Galactus was a classy guy, however. Anywhere he went, he sent in a herald first to announce him. "Hey, folks. Good to see you. My master is coming down to devour your plant's energy. Have a nice day." You've got to respect a guy with this kind of entourage.
The herald was in interesting guy in his own right. He was a man named Norrin Radd, from the planet Zenn-La. Zenn-La was a peaceful planet of scientists who had somehow forgotten how to defend themselves. Galactus had found the plant Zenn-La some years earlier. Radd offered Galactus a deal wherein the residents of Zenn-La could be saved, and Radd would become the Galactus' slave. Radd's would take on the job of traveling the galaxy, seeking out worlds for Galacus to devour.
Galactus agreed to the plan, and transformed Norrin Radd into a useful slave.
Recalling the event, Galactus said: "Using only a portion of my might, Norrin Radd was reborn so that he might withstand the rigors of space. I remade him, modeling him on an adolescent fantasy I plucked from his mind."(1)
By lucky change, the "adolescent fantasy" which Norrin Radd's transformation was based on was a surfer. He probably saw one when he was a kid, surfing the pink waves of Zenn-La. (More likely, it was Stan Lee, who saw some surf movies.)
"Norrin Radd had surrendered his identity, his home and his love in order to save his people. He was no more. Now there was only the SILVER SURFER. I made him into a receptacle for the ambient energies of the universe, cosmic power which he can release with devastating force. I created for him a wondrous board which obeys his every thought. My herald was one of the most powerful and unique beings in all creation."(1)
The Silver Surfer comic book hero was created by the incredibly imaginative team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1966 for a story line in the Fantastic Four comic book. The character appeared in several issues of the Fantastic Four and other Marvel titles. The Surfer got his own comic book series in 1968, which didn't sell very well. The Silver Surfer has been mostly relegated to a supporting character in the Marvel universe, occasionally becoming the lead character for new mini-series or monthly titles.
The Silver Surfer's board is a longboard. It must have been an early removable fin system. Sometimes he rides it with a single fin and sometimes he rides it without a fin, depending on the swell. It's unclear whether the board is wood, foam and fiberglass, epoxy, or some other cosmic material. In most drawings, the board has a stringer, and some racing stripes on the deck. The racing stripes may also be a traction pad, as the Silver Surfer doesn't use wax.
Silver Surfer is based on the golden age of surfing. He surfs in the style of the 1960s longboarders, often standing with both feet facing forward at the trim spot of the board. He doesn't wear a wetsuit, preferring a pair of very short board shorts that are the same color as his skin. Sometimes, the Silver Surfer appears to be surfing nude, which he may be more comfortable doing than the rest of us, owing to the apparent lack of genitalia.
More Later.
-Travis
copyright 2004 Travis R. English
Sources:
Silver Surfer Web Site: http://marvelite.prohosting.com/surfer/
Sanderson, "Marvel Universe"
Fantastic Four #48, Vol. 1, Lee/Kirby, 1966 1st app. of Surfer and Galactus.
(1)Silver Surfer #1, Vol. 1,Lee/Buscema, 1968, Origin of Surfer, 1st app. of Zenn-La
As it would turn out, the giant sun in the sky was just part of an elaborate hoax. The goal of the hoax, as was later explained by a gentlman named Utau, was to distract a fellow named Galactus, so that he might not see the earth. Galactus had an appetite for planets. His reputation for doing so was so bad that he was often referred to as "Galactus, Devourer of Worlds".
Unfortunately for everyone, the hoax hadn't worked, and Galactus was coming to eat the world.
Bummer.
Galactus was a classy guy, however. Anywhere he went, he sent in a herald first to announce him. "Hey, folks. Good to see you. My master is coming down to devour your plant's energy. Have a nice day." You've got to respect a guy with this kind of entourage.
The herald was in interesting guy in his own right. He was a man named Norrin Radd, from the planet Zenn-La. Zenn-La was a peaceful planet of scientists who had somehow forgotten how to defend themselves. Galactus had found the plant Zenn-La some years earlier. Radd offered Galactus a deal wherein the residents of Zenn-La could be saved, and Radd would become the Galactus' slave. Radd's would take on the job of traveling the galaxy, seeking out worlds for Galacus to devour.
Galactus agreed to the plan, and transformed Norrin Radd into a useful slave.
Recalling the event, Galactus said: "Using only a portion of my might, Norrin Radd was reborn so that he might withstand the rigors of space. I remade him, modeling him on an adolescent fantasy I plucked from his mind."(1)
By lucky change, the "adolescent fantasy" which Norrin Radd's transformation was based on was a surfer. He probably saw one when he was a kid, surfing the pink waves of Zenn-La. (More likely, it was Stan Lee, who saw some surf movies.)
"Norrin Radd had surrendered his identity, his home and his love in order to save his people. He was no more. Now there was only the SILVER SURFER. I made him into a receptacle for the ambient energies of the universe, cosmic power which he can release with devastating force. I created for him a wondrous board which obeys his every thought. My herald was one of the most powerful and unique beings in all creation."(1)
The Silver Surfer comic book hero was created by the incredibly imaginative team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1966 for a story line in the Fantastic Four comic book. The character appeared in several issues of the Fantastic Four and other Marvel titles. The Surfer got his own comic book series in 1968, which didn't sell very well. The Silver Surfer has been mostly relegated to a supporting character in the Marvel universe, occasionally becoming the lead character for new mini-series or monthly titles.
The Silver Surfer's board is a longboard. It must have been an early removable fin system. Sometimes he rides it with a single fin and sometimes he rides it without a fin, depending on the swell. It's unclear whether the board is wood, foam and fiberglass, epoxy, or some other cosmic material. In most drawings, the board has a stringer, and some racing stripes on the deck. The racing stripes may also be a traction pad, as the Silver Surfer doesn't use wax.
Silver Surfer is based on the golden age of surfing. He surfs in the style of the 1960s longboarders, often standing with both feet facing forward at the trim spot of the board. He doesn't wear a wetsuit, preferring a pair of very short board shorts that are the same color as his skin. Sometimes, the Silver Surfer appears to be surfing nude, which he may be more comfortable doing than the rest of us, owing to the apparent lack of genitalia.
More Later.
-Travis
copyright 2004 Travis R. English
Sources:
Silver Surfer Web Site: http://marvelite.prohosting.com/surfer/
Sanderson, "Marvel Universe"
Fantastic Four #48, Vol. 1, Lee/Kirby, 1966 1st app. of Surfer and Galactus.
(1)Silver Surfer #1, Vol. 1,Lee/Buscema, 1968, Origin of Surfer, 1st app. of Zenn-La
posted by travinator @ 6:40 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home