Trehern Reads: Silver Surfer #50

You're some of the luckiest blog readers alive, because this week I have a classic comic book from the Marvel Universe...  And from the 1990s.  And it features a character near and dear to our hearts that got the sub-par Hollywood treatment a few years ago: the Silver Surfer!  He's one of Jack Kirby's Top 5 Best Kreations, so let's see how well he surfs in this week's installment of TREHERN READS: Silver Surfer #50!

The issue starts in the middle of a cosmic battle between the Surfer, Norrin Radd, and the evil space god Thanos (Avengers 2 Spoilers AHEAD! Not really...).  This is a landmark issue, though, so we have to talk about the origin story of the Surfer while Thanos and Radd duke it out.  We learn that the Surfer's father was a scientist back on the planet Zenn-La and was accused of stealing another scientist's idea for a dream machine.

In anger, pre-surfer Radd turns his back on Radd Sr. and the worst occurs: Norrin's father takes his life.  All during these flashbacks, though, Thanos is using the Infinity Gems to weaken the Surfer by making him relive his harshest memories.  Radd comes to and attempts to destroy Thanos multiple times, but to no avail. Eventually, Radd gets the upper hand and uses his power cosmic to turn the immortal Thanos into space dust...or does he???  It only momentarily delays Thanos' rampage; so now, the Surfer grimly continues his trip to Earth, knowing that inevitable destruction is coming...

This issue is full of heartbreak, action, real emotion and great storytelling.  The art is fantastic, taking me back to what I call the glory days of comic books.  For a 50th issue, this tells a great one-shot tale.  And based on the most recent Trehern Reads, it goes above and beyond!!  If you ever come across this in your lifetime, pick it up immediately; Trehern approves!

My final rating of Silver Surfer #50 (1991):

10 out of 10 Infinity Gems!!