SDCC Coverage sponsored by Mad Cave
The second mostly artist-led silver surfer work that won the 1980s was Silver Surfer. It’s the day of judgement from John Busima, Stanley, Tom DeFalco, Christy Schiele, PhilFelix and Vince Miel Carrek. It is the story of Mephisto, who attempts to acquire the soul of a silver surfer through the manipulation of the character and desires of the Herald Nova of the time. It makes both Greek drama and Shakespeare strange.
“But hug me! What is the incredible sight that greets me now?”
John Buskema really shines in this book. This makes sense given the obvious origins of the work. According to an introduction from Stanley, Buscema wanted to do the Silver Surfer book himself with the concept of having one page illustration per page (more or less, there’s a gorgeous double-page spread, but who’s Quibbling?). Lee then worked from the arts to include narration and dialogue. It doesn’t seem to be that far from traditional Marvel methods, but it seems to be a clear difference. (Lee also says this may be the first time, but I think Eisner at least approached it beforehand.
Either way, the whole page approach gives the art a grand feel. Buscema packs the characters with details and amazing ranges on each page. Mephisto and Galactus feel huge. Silver Surfers and Nova feel like pawns in the net of Mephisto and Galactus’ actions despite their grandeur. I also love Buschema getting herself involved. Often, loose lines, more liquid shades and textures blend into the character, compared to thick lines when ink is applied to people like Joe Sinnott.
It offers an interesting color scheme for Christie Scheele’s work. The background is mostly brown and white, depending on the location of the characters involved and infertility. This makes the hero’s brighter, more concrete colors stand out against the background.
“All that remains is the ultimate cataclysm.”
It is an interesting contrast between art and text. Like other Liepenn’s works, he tends to overdo it. With Phil Felix, I gave him a little challenge with his letter not to hide his gorgeous artwork. Sometimes it works, but sometimes it’s not. Again, his over-the-top looseness tends to work, even if it confronts the original intent of a single-page illustration. The artworks of Buscema, Mielcarek, and Scheele recommend reading at least once without reading the text. But an approach to prose helps put it even further into a bigger melodrama. Especially when it comes to the emotional manipulation of Mephisto’s Nova.
The 80s were definitely a good decade for surfers and silver surfers. The day of the sentencing from Buscema, Lee, DeFalco, Schiele, Felix and Miel Carrek was another highlight. It encapsulates the main themes of the universe and hellish army fighting him, as well as various plots that take place completely behind the scenes from his control. To the depths of those plots that Mephisto can manipulate people that surfers care about, leaning down to manipulate the wider lives and the will of those whom he is manipulating. Everything is thoroughly equipped with amazing artwork.
Classic Comics Big Summary: Silver Surfer – Judgment Day
Silver Surfer: Judgment Day (Marvel Graphic Novel 38)
Authors: Stan Lee (Script) and Tom DeFalco and John Buschema (Plot)
Artist: John Buscema
Art Assist: Vince Miel Carrek
Colorist: Christie Schiele
Letter: PhilFelix
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release date: July 19, 1988
An epic collection of silver surfers – Volume 4: A parable
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