The third of Stan Lee‘s Silver Surfer collaborations with prominent artists is arguably the most famous of all of them. It was originally a two-issue limited series released under the Epic Comics line, suggesting a continuity-light, more mature readers approach to the story. This being Silver Surfer: Parable from Lee, Moebius, John Wellington, and Mark Chiarello.
It’s a story set at some indeterminable time in the future, with a Silver Surfer taken to looking like a vagrant hiding on the streets, at the time of the return of Galactus. This time appearing essentially as a god to guide humanity away from its wars and greed and death. It goes about as well as you’d expect, leading to the rise of a global religion devoted to him, led by a failed televangelist-turned-prophet.
“Who can know where reality ends and legend begins?”
The world here feels largely divorced from the broader Marvel universe. There’s no sign of any other superhero and what feels like a collective amnesia to anything what came before. That the Silver Surfer himself is vaguely remembered and relegated to myth. It feeds in to the kind of fabulism that Stan Lee is working in to the story. I also don’t think that it’s particularly subtle that a story that focuses on the pitfalls of forced religious belief would be presented in the form of the Second Coming of Galactus.
It also shows the timelessness of this tale in that it deals with people who would turn to fanaticism under the heel of a tyrant, whether in the form of the prophet or in the edicts of Galactus. Whether through believing their deceit or being willingly co-conspirators. It becomes a cult of personality that grasps on to power through any means necessary. All while the godhead himself causes levels of destruction through his presence.
“Those fanatics think they can justify anything in the name of religion.”
The art from Moebius is gorgeous. Reading his behind the scenes afterword in the collected editions, it’s interesting to know that this was a new procedure for him, working the Marvel Method of plot first then art then dialogue, for this work. And that rather than designing his own take on the Silver Surfer and Galactus, he stuck with the iconography originally lain out by Jack Kirby and John Buscema. It makes me wonder what the more ethereal, energy based Galactus would have looked like, but it does mean that we get to see a classic, larger-than-life Galactus done by Moebius. Moebius’ blocking, layouts, and attention to detail here are incredible. It fascinating to see his fluid style adapted for North American comics.
There’s a further unique feel to both the letters and the colours. Moebius’ hand-lettering really stands out as something different. The size, shape, and appearance of the letters, particularly in the angular “L”s, make this feel like something special. While the muted colour scheme from John Wellington and Mark Chiarello enhance that otherworldly feel from the setting.
Silver Surfer – Parable by Lee, Moebius, Wellington, and Chiarello is a timeless warning of the trappings of people misusing faith and religion in the quest for power. Of an eagerness to submit to a higher will blindly to your own detriment. Absolutely beautifully illustrated by one of the best sci-fi artists to ever do it.
Classic Comic Compendium: SILVER SURFER – PARABLE
Silver Surfer – Parable
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist & Letterer: Moebius
Colourists: John Wellington & Mark Chiarello
Publisher: Marvel Comics – Epic Comics
Release Date: August 11 – September 15 1988
Available collected in Silver Surfer: Parable and Silver Surfer Epic Collection – Volume 4: Parable
Read past entries in the Classic Comic Compendium!
Check out other recent review pieces from The Beat!
SDCC COVERAGE SPONSORED BY MAD CAVE
English (US) · 