Silver Surfer: Requiem [Hardcover]

J. Michael Straczynski (Author), Esad Ribic (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 19, 2007

The latest offering from the Marvel Knights line. Guest-starring the Fantastic Four! For untold years Norrin Radd has surfed the galaxy, exploring the darkness between stars, witnessing the rise and fall of vast civilizations. Now his ride is about to come to an end. It starts with a small spot -- a blemish that will spread until he is no more. Until then, the Silver Surfer would undertake his final voyage -- to the one destination that has always eluded him. His journey starts where it began.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 104 pages
• Publisher: Marvel; Direct Ed., Premiere Ed edition (December 19, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785128484
• ISBN-13: 978-0785128489
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #546,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J. Michael Staczynski was born in Paterson, NJ in 1954, from a lower-middle-class blue-collar family that moved 21 times in his first 18 years. He began writing in earnest and selling at the age of 17 and hasn't stopped since. He graduated San Diego State University with degrees in Psychology and Sociology.

As a journalist, he has written over 500 published articles for such periodicals as The Los Anglees Times, the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Penthouse, Writer's Digest, San Diego Magazine, the San Diego and Los Angeles Reader and TIME, Inc. He has also published numerous short stories in Amazing Science Fiction Magazine, Pulphouse, and various anthologies.

As a television writer and producer, he has written over 200 produced episodes, including workj on The New Twilight Zone, Nightmare Classics and Murder She Wrote. He also wrote, created and produced the series Babylon 5, Crusade and Jeremiah.

Moving from TV to film, he wrote Changeling (directed by Clint Eastwood), Ninja Assassin (produced by the Wachowskis), provided the story for Thor (directed by Kenneth Branagh), wrote Underworld 4 (starring Kate Beckinsale), and has written numerous other films that are currently slated for production.

He has won the Hugo Award (twice), the Saturn Award, the Eisner Award, the Inkpot Lifetime Achievement Award, the E Pluribus Unum Award from the American Cinema Foundation, the Space Frontier Foundation award, the Ray Bradbury Award, the Christopher Award, and over a dozen others.

He was also nominated for a British Academy Award (BAFTA) for his screenplay for Changeling.

He writes ten hours a day, every day, except for his birthday, New Year's Day and Christmas Day.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Ever Take on the Silver Surfer, February 9, 2008

By 

Vasconcelos Crisogono (Zurich, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Silver Surfer: Requiem (Hardcover)

The infamous JMS, loved by many because of his Rising Stars, Midnight Nation and Squadrom Supreme comics (as well as his Babylon 5 TV series) and hated by many due to his mostly below par run on Amazing Spider-Man, writes the "last" Silver Surfer story here, its got a lot of emotion and it feels like JMS put all his heart into this, the result is a comic that blows the reader away.

The Silver Surfer is dying, this is his last journey as he intends to pass away peacefully in his home world Zen-La. Each story is almost a stand alone story, showing the Surfer's journey to make his last moments meaningful. The fact that this is an out of continuity tale doesnt hurt the story, because its that good.

In issue one he founds out he is gonna die, the only problem I have with the whole book as well, is that JMS keeps trying to hide that the surfer is dying throughout the first issue, but its obvious since the get go, that that is what is going to happen. In issue two (the best of the series) the Silver Surfer bumps into Spider-Man and they have a talk, the Surfer wants to help his adopted home in someway before he passes away, the solution JMS comes up with is brilliant and its an exciting moment, which criticises humanity for its lack of ambition. Issue three is great, as the Surfer journeys to Zen-La he finds himself in the middle of a war and he tries to stop it, the speech he gives is nothing short of beautiful. Issue 4 is well, the issue in which he dies and well, its extremely sad, I think this was the first time I got really upset while reading a comic book, you have to read it to understand how I felt, I also particularly love how JMS portrays Galactus in this issue.

The characterization of the Silver Surfer is brilliant, he is such a noble man and JMS' take on the character's last moments feels authentic. The pacing is great as well, and the story just grasps you and doesnt let you go, even though there is no action in it.

The painted art by Ribic is great, it looks beautiful and it matches the emotional beauty of such a story, every single panel in this book looks great.

Do yourself a favour buddy and pick this one up.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most beautiful comic I've ever read., May 20, 2009

By 

Elvis Zombie "Dustin" (Angola, Indiana USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Silver Surfer: Requiem (Hardcover)

Quite simply this was one of the most beautiful comic books I've ever read. I had never been a big fan of the Surfer, but the Annihilation event changed all that. Sadly, just when I became a fan Marvel decided to put him to rest. However, they did so with style. Unlike Captain America's demise this touched me.
Some will critique the story for its idealistic notions of peace and love, but I was emotionally invested. Yes, it is a comic book, but I was moved by both the writing and the art work here. The message concerns the legacy you leave behind. If you found out you only had weeks to live what would you do? What regrets would you have? How would you spend your final days? This is a touching story, and if you ever read one Silver Surfer story this is the one to read.
I feel sorry for the snobs who won't touch a comic book, because "Comic books are for kids!" In fact, the writing and art compliment each other so well I can't imagine this story being told in any other medium. I'll admit it...I wept.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite possibly the best Silver Surfer story ever told, January 6, 2008

By 

N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Silver Surfer: Requiem (Hardcover)

You've really got to hand it to Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski (Amazing Spider-Man, Supreme Power) with what he has whipped up here. Silver Surfer: Requiem is by far the best handling that the character has ever gotten, and may very well be the best Silver Surfer story to ever see the light of day. Silver Surfer: Requiem finds Norrin Radd, AKA the Silver Surfer, discovering that his life is coming to an end. He makes a trip to Earth and visits Reed Richards in hopes of help, and finally makes one last trip to his homeworld in hopes of seeing his beloved wife and people before his inevitable fate catches up with him. Startlingly poignant and surprisingly emotional, Silver Surfer: Requiem also features the wonderful paints of Esad Ribic (Loki), who despite some stylistic inconsistencies, portrays the most human depiction of the Silver Surfer yet. What really makes Requiem work the most is Straczynski's interactions between the Surfer and Marvel icons like the Fantastic Four, Doctor Strange, and in particular, Spider-Man; as the Surfer bids farewell to one and all here. If there's any drawbacks to Requiem, its that it ends too quickly, but by the time you reach the final page, you'll discover the best cosmic superhero tales to come out of Marvel in quite some time.