Reviews

Silver Surfer: Black by Donny Cates

rakoerose's review

4.0

This is an absolutely stunning miniseries and the harbinger of existential dread. A lovely duo!

“I am unmade. But I am not done.”

Norrin, the Surfer, has always been an intriguing character with his sad, anguished story. This miniseries has him battling with his years spent watching as worlds were destroyed and devoured by Galactus. Fighting the guilt he feels for not stepping in, and fighting the desire to destroy as well. It’s a heavily introspective deep dive into his character that I really enjoyed seeing. Lots of existentialism about light versus dark and the world’s ability to hold both but still be worthy of life... yowza.

The art style - amazing to look at. I was drawn in by the cover and the whole thing is just as lovely on the eyes! Bright colors, swirling shapes, and I love the way Norrin’s shape is contorted to show his emotions. Moore’s style really complimented the writing of Cates.

Speaking of Cates, he wrote this series in a way that it felt more like poetry than the expected comic format. I was pulled along with his use of repetition and symbolism as he gave a glimpse into Norrin’s mind. His torn, weary mind. These two aspects - the art and writing - working together in tandem made a beautiful dance over the course of the issues.

I adored this, a lot. If you like the Silver Surfer and want more of him, I can’t recommend this enough.

dave_ex_machina's review

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Some of the most beautiful art I have ever seen, truly high psycodelia, if I could hang the pages on my wall I would

bjoernschneider1's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

ramsfan1963's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Trippy and psychedelic. The Silver Surfer is pulled into a black hole and meets Knull, The King in Black. The story gets too poetic and metaphysical at times, but the amazing artwork by Tradd Moore makes it worth the read.

pandaorb's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

In this collection packed full of absolutely gorgeous art from Tradd Moore and Dave Stewart, Donny Cates takes readers along for the journey of Norrin seeking redemption in the face of endless darkness. The closing dedication to Stan Lee is particularly touching. 

jarasen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

bookhero6's review against another edition

4.0

I traded my Comixology Unlimited subscription for a Marvel Unlimited subscription because I found that 95% of the comics I was reading were Star Wars, and the ends of series I had started on CU weren't available there, but they were on MU. I came for the Star Wars and stayed for everything else. I decided to introduce myself to Marvel comics by going through the King in Black event that I think has concluded but which is unfolding over MU as the issues are added ~3 months after publication. And I've been going through the various reading lists pertaining to the King in Black event.

This was my introduction to the Silver Surfer and it was utterly beautiful. It has this psychedelic Art Deco vibe to the visuals that was completely entrancing. Give me more.

marksutherland's review against another edition

5.0

One of those rare comics where everyone is delivering at the top of their game. The surreal, fluid art, bright psychedelic colours, epic mythology of the script and even the sometimes cryptic lettering all work together to tell this grand tale of death and rebirth, succumbing to burn out and depression but finding your way to creation again. A new classic.

mattquann's review

4.0

Despite the fact that this is Donny Cates, who I've really appreciated in the past, the main draw here is Tradd Moore's incomparable art style packaged in a "Marvel treasury edition." Really, it's just an oversized, well-bound paperback that allows Moore's trippy, cartoony artwork to be enjoyed as is was intended.

The story is an okay journey of self-discovery that ties into the Knull stuff that shows up in his Venom run. Personally, I think Knull kind of looks like an ex-member of Gwar and he hasn't totally won me over. Nonetheless, it makes for some visually spectacular scenes when the tendril-ridden God of Symbiotes clashes with the bright and glowing surfer. Surfer's story of redemption really merits a 3-3.5 star rating, but Moore's art really elevates this to a more recommendable read.

Again, this is all about the art though, so don't expect a groundbreaking story.

hypops's review

4.0

This book is all about Tradd Moore’s incredible art. His thick, fluid lines and wild color patterns are a perfect fit for a cosmic fable about the Silver Surfer’s confrontation with the beginning of the universe. Donny Cates does well to stand back and give Moore all the room he could want for his visual experiments and indulgences.

The end result is a mind-blowing book that looks very little like anything that comes out of Marvel these days.

[Read in single issues]