Silver Surfer: Requiem

It's been a bit of a slow week for me. Long hours working coupled with fitting in a couple of comic reviews for Pipedream Comics has meant finding little time to on comics just for me (although those books I have read weren't exactly a chore) or even getting the chance to talk about them here.

However, I decided early on that I would try and at least read one thing and so, over many nights before going to bed I decided to re-read Silver Surfer Requiem.

Photo taken from Comixology

For those not in the know, this is a book which charts the final days of Norrin Radd, a.k.a. The Silver Surfer, who after discovering that his powers are fading and he is dying, says a final farewell to the Earth before travelling the galaxy to reach Zenn-La, his home world, before his time runs out.

I love this title and as soon as I began reading it again on Monday night, I was reminded about why I love it so much. Requiem is an true epic in every sense of the word (although I think epic might be underselling it a bit) which not only shows the grand beauty of the Marvel Universe but also makes me realise just how awesome the Silver Surfer actually is.

And he is awesome!!! J. Michael Straszynski portrays Norrin Radd as an incredibly wise person who, despite the destructive reasons behind his origin, comes across as immensely peaceful (I wish I could feel as at peace as the Surfer comes across throughout this book). JMS does such beautiful work charting Norrin's journey that I often think that it is the best work he's ever done (and I read his Thor run).

Then, there is Esad Ribic's art, which is like a cross between Alex Ross and a fairy tale. In fact, his art adds to the epic nature of the book so much that upon reading it this time I wondered if it was book depicting a god more than a superhero.

Having read it before and now reading it again, it struck me this time how heroic the Surfer really is, like he was destined to save people. From a flashback to his original offer to Herald for Galactus through to his sharing his cosmic power with all Earth's population and even his ending a long-suffering war (in what is a truly incredible set piece), Norrin Radd is shown as a man who looks to save lives because it's his nature and not as some redemption for past actions.

I could maybe go on and on about what I love about this book (including a Fantastic Four appearance, which helps elevate it higher in my opinion) but I have to go back to work in a second. What I will say is this; with seriously dream-like art and great writing with some memorable lines (the "let all places be holy" speech will stay with me for a long while), this book has made me want to see more of the Silver Surfer taking part in such grand events.

If Marvel could give me an ongoing book that's even a tenth of the greatness this is, then I'd come back to them to read it. But, regardless, whether they do or don't I have Requiem on my shelf to read as often as I like.

Because it was the best cosmic book I read when I bought it and still is to this day.