When you explore the galaxy with one of the most powerful figures in the Marvel Universe, every day is an adventure — but what happens on those days where a major cosmic crisis arises, or, worse, the events of your previous exploits come back to haunt you? Dawn Greenwood, the girlfriend and traveling companion of the Silver Surfer is about to find out.
Writer Dan Slott and artist Mike Allred’s fan favorite “Silver Surfer” series is ramping up the action with some big stories that pay off long plot threads and bring back old friends and foes. It all starts with “Silver Surfer” #10 where the title character suddenly finds himself face-to-face with his old master, Galactus, who is now a being known as the Lifebringer. It then continues with a series of big issues as Slott and Allred head towards a story they’ve been wanting to tell since they first launched the book back in 2014.
CBR spoke with Slott about his plans for the series, the status of the Surfer and Dawn’s relationship, writing Galactus in his new Lifebringer incarnation, and his plan to get “Silver Surfer” back on a regular monthly schedule.
CBR: In “Silver Surfer” #9, Dawn Greenwood runs into Mr. Rappaport and it feels like a very important event. Can you refresh our memories about the character? Is he someone who has been in the background of the book for a while?
Dan Slott: We have seen Mr. Rappaport. He hasn’t been named, but we’ve seen him show up in the book every now and then in a ghost-like or stealth mode manner where the Surfer and Dawn haven’t been able to see him. We, the readers, though have been aware that Mr. Rappaport was there, and keen-eyed “Silver Surfer” fans can find a reference to Mr. Rappaport somewhere in the first volume of our “Silver Surfer” series. IT’S ALMOST LIKE WE’VE BEEN PLANNING THIS! [Laughs]
And bear in mind Mr. Rappaport is just the name Dawn was calling him. That might not be his real name.
Another interesting development in this new volume of “Silver Surfer” is that Norrin and Dawn have become a romantic couple. Has he ever had this type of relationship with someone since gaining the power cosmic?
Since gaining the power cosmic? Well, over the years we’ve seen him tormented over being kept away from Shalla-Bal, and we’ve seen him care for people deeply, but in the start of my and Mike’s first “Silver Surfer” story arc, the whole reason Dawn comes into Norrin Radd’s life is because this cosmic machine, the Motivator, scans him and plucks from all of time-and-space the person who is/was/will be the most important to him.
You’ll have to wait and see exactly what it means when someone as cosmic as Surfer loves a mortal.
It seems like so far he’s not having the best of luck with their new relationship. In issue #5 he took Dawn to see her long-lost mom without asking, and in issue #9 he was ready to destroy the hologram planet when he thought they had harmed her.
He’s fumbling in all the ways anyone does, but when he fumbles, Surfer fumbles with The Power Cosmic backing his every move. That’s kind of dangerous.
Issue #10 sees the return of an important figure in the Silver Surfer mythos and one who’s changed a lot in recent months, his former master Galactus. Will those changes be reflected in Galactus’ appearance in the issue?
Yes! Dawn and the Surfer’s only interaction together with Galactus was with “The Devourer of Worlds”; the purple helmeted Galactus we all know and fear. Anyone reading Al Ewing’s “Ultimates” though knows that Galactus is now The Lifebringer! He’s clad in gold and seeding life throughout the cosmos. This is the first time the Surfer will meet that version of Galactus. That’s gotta mess him up a bit… [Laughs]
It’s fun. I also like that there’s been a little Surfer-Ultimates love going on. Over in “Ultimates”, the Never Queen has been showing up. “Ultimates 2” is one my favorite books that Marvel is putting out. I love all of Al’s books.
Whenever the Surfer meets Marvel characters, we’re not off in some bubble. If he meets Thor it’s Jane Foster. We’ve seen him meet Miles Morales, Squirrel Girl, and Ms. Marvel. He’s clearly in the current Marvel Universe, except most of the time we’re off exploring places in the cosmos that no Marvel fan has ever seen before.
That means we’re on the edge of discovery all the time. So it’s neat when suddenly the Surfer’s thrust into a situation where has to deal with the fact that the universe he knows has changed. We saw him meet the Unseen on the moon. He was expecting Uatu, the Watcher. Like a lot of old-time fans, the Surfer was very much, “What’s happened to Marvel continuity? What’s going on?!” [Laughs]
What’s it like writing this new incarnation of Galactus and bouncing him off the Surfer?
When we meet him in issue #10, Lifebringer Galactus is doing something that is saving the fabric of reality. He’s protecting the universe and needs the Surfer to help. So right at the get-go Surfer gets thrown into a situation where he has to help his former master. They have to work together for the sake of us all, and that’s… weird.
He’s no longer the angry, bellowing force of nature that’s HUNGRY! He’s like, “Former Herald! Help me out.”
What Galactus and the Surfer have to do is epic, and that’s the fun of it. They’re thrown into this big thing, and just like with “Mr. Rappaport”, fans will see that as we’ve been moving along in this new series, we’re starting to pick up a few puzzle pieces. Everything is coming together to form a larger picture, and more and more things have been seeded and they’re getting ready to pay off. It’s as if we’re building to something… HUGE!
I imagine that continues in issues #11 with the return of Warrior One who is now Warrior Zero.
Every being on Planet Prime strives to be the best at one thing. The Surfer got into a fight with their greatest warrior, and after losing to the Surfer, he no longer was that one greatest thing. So he went from being Warrior One to Warrior Zero. In issue #11 it’s time for his vengeance. He must destroy the Surfer at all costs to get back his ranking.
And this happens at the worst time! It’s when Dawn and Surfer really have something important to do.
I wanted to take a moment to talk about your collaboration with artist Mike Allred. You guys have been working together on this book for a while now. What’s it been like?
Working with Mike Allred has just been the best ever. I’ve never worked on a book with this long of an unbroken run of just working with one artist and building that relationship. When we get to “Surfer” #10, it will be our 25th Surfer story together, or 26th if you include the “Marvel Point One” from way back in the day.
Mike and [colorist] Laura [Allred] are just this positive force of nature and creativity. They’re so much fun to work with and so professional. They’re sweet human beings and so godlike in their talents. I’m just so happy at the end of every “Silver Surfer” issue. It’s because of all the love they put into it all.
Awhile back we talked about how you had three big “Silver Surfer” stories that you and Mike wanted to tell. What can you tell us about that?
When we were still in the planning sessions for the book we worked out all these big stories, and there was this one story that before we could do it we had to tell all these other stories first. And we’ll finally get there with “Silver Surfer” #12.
We have a very devout following on “Surfer,” but it would be great if we had more readers. So much of what we do on this book is out of love and the fact that it makes us happy. Then you see the sales figures for anything in this market and it’s like, “Oh god! Hang in there, Surfer!” So I kept hoping we’d get to issue #12 and we made it! YAY! We hit issue #12 and we’re going beyond!
Issue #12 is an emotionally epic story.
So “Silver Surfer” #12 is not the book’s final issue?
I can be very late on plot and scripts as I tighten every bolt and polish every bit and bauble, and Marvel needs Spider-Man to come out regularly. So if there’s ever a conflict over which book has to come out, we always have to jump Spidey to the front of the queue, and that’s frustrating.
I love working on Spidey, but a lot of times that means that Silver Surfer gets short shrift on the schedule. But with our big “Clone Conspiracy” event wrapped up, I’ve got a normal schedule now, and working hard to keep a nice, unbroken run of “Surfer” from now on! So get ready to ride that monthly, cosmic wave!
He’s fumbling in all the ways anyone does, but when he fumbles, Surfer fumbles with The Power Cosmic backing his every move. That’s kind of dangerous.
Issue #10 sees the return of an important figure in the Silver Surfer mythos and one who’s changed a lot in recent months, his former master Galactus. Will those changes be reflected in Galactus’ appearance in the issue?
Yes! Dawn and the Surfer’s only interaction together with Galactus was with “The Devourer of Worlds”; the purple helmeted Galactus we all know and fear. Anyone reading Al Ewing’s “Ultimates” though knows that Galactus is now The Lifebringer! He’s clad in gold and seeding life throughout the cosmos. This is the first time the Surfer will meet that version of Galactus. That’s gotta mess him up a bit… [Laughs]
It’s fun. I also like that there’s been a little Surfer-Ultimates love going on. Over in “Ultimates”, the Never Queen has been showing up. “Ultimates 2” is one my favorite books that Marvel is putting out. I love all of Al’s books.
Whenever the Surfer meets Marvel characters, we’re not off in some bubble. If he meets Thor it’s Jane Foster. We’ve seen him meet Miles Morales, Squirrel Girl, and Ms. Marvel. He’s clearly in the current Marvel Universe, except most of the time we’re off exploring places in the cosmos that no Marvel fan has ever seen before.
That means we’re on the edge of discovery all the time. So it’s neat when suddenly the Surfer’s thrust into a situation where has to deal with the fact that the universe he knows has changed. We saw him meet the Unseen on the moon. He was expecting Uatu, the Watcher. Like a lot of old time fans, the Surfer was very much, “What’s happened to Marvel continuity? What’s going on?!” [Laughs]
What’s it like writing this new incarnation of Galactus and bouncing him off the Surfer?
When we meet him in issue #10, Lifebringer Galactus is doing something that is saving the fabric of reality. He’s protecting the universe and needs the Surfer to help. So right at the get-go Surfer gets thrown into a situation where he has to help his former master. They have to work together for the sake of us all, and that’s… weird.
He’s no longer the angry, bellowing force of nature that’s HUNGRY! He’s like, “Former Herald! Help me out.”
What Galactus and the Surfer have to do is epic, and that’s the fun of it. They’re thrown into this big thing, and just like with “Mr. Rappaport”, fans will see that as we’ve been moving along in this new series, we’re starting to pick up a few puzzle pieces. Everything is coming together to form a larger picture, and more and more things have been seeded and they’re getting ready to pay off. It’s as if we’re building to something… HUGE!
I imagine that continues in issues #11 with the return of Warrior One who is now Warrior Zero.<Every being on Planet Prime strives to be the best at one thing. The Surfer got into a fight with their greatest warrior, and after losing to the Surfer, he no longer was that one greatest thing. So he went from being Warrior One to Warrior Zero. In issue #11 it’s time for his vengeance. He must destroy the Surfer at all costs to get back his ranking.
And this happens at the worst time! It’s when Dawn and Surfer really have something important to do.
I wanted to take a moment to talk about your collaboration with artist Mike Allred. You guys have been working together on this book for a while now. What’s it been like?
Working with Mike Allred has just been the best ever. I’ve never worked on a book with this long of an unbroken run of just working with one artist and building that relationship. When we get to “Surfer” #10, it will be our 25th Surfer story together, or 26th if you include the “Marvel Point One” from way back in the day.
Mike and [colorist] Laura [Allred] are just this positive force of nature and creativity. They’re so much fun to work with and so professional. They’re sweet human beings and so godlike in their talents. I’m just so happy at the end of every “Silver Surfer” issue. It’s because of all the love they put into it all.
Awhile back we talked about how you had three big “Silver Surfer” stories that you and Mike wanted to tell. What can you tell us about that?
When we were still in the planning sessions for the book we worked out all these big stories, and there was this one story that before we could do it we had to tell all these other stories first. And we’ll finally get there with “Silver Surfer” #12.
We have a very devout following on “Surfer,” but it would be great if we had more readers. So much of what we do on this book is out of love and the fact that it makes us happy. Then you see the sales figures for anything in this market and it’s like, “Oh god! Hang in there, Surfer!” So I kept hoping we’d get to issue #12 and we made it! YAY! We hit issue #12 and we’re going beyond!
Issue #12 is an emotionally epic story.
So “Silver Surfer” #12 is not the book’s final issue?
I can be very late on plot and scripts as I tighten every bolt and polish every bit and bauble, and Marvel needs Spider-Man to come out regularly. So if there’s ever a conflict over which book has to come out, we always have to jump Spidey to the front of the queue, and that’s frustrating.
I love working on Spidey, but a lot of times that means that Silver Surfer gets short shrift on the schedule. But with our big “Clone Conspiracy” event wrapped up, I’ve got a normal schedule now, and working hard to keep a nice, unbroken run of “Surfer” from now on! So get ready to ride that monthly, cosmic wave! Dave Richards
It’s a shame that Silver Surfer isn’t Marvel’s top selling book, because it’s certainly their best. Just finished #10, and it was an absolute masterpiece from the Allreds. Might even be the best thing they’ve ever drawn, which is saying a lot.