tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post5061162230219925964..comments2024-03-19T10:41:35.976-05:00Comments on Bronze Age Babies: They Can't Match the Savage Surf - Silver Surfer 1 (1982)Doughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-78982241581019994552016-07-24T11:31:55.174-05:002016-07-24T11:31:55.174-05:00Great review/overview!
Especially in Doug's a...Great review/overview!<br /><br />Especially in Doug's analysis of the art. I agree, over-inked, but some classic Byrne poses that are easily recognizable, I'd say with the exception of characters we are not used to seeing (like Shala Bal's father) the faces seem like the weakest part.<br /><br />The Silver Surfer is one of my all-time favorite characters.<br /><br />While it may not appeal to some of you here, the current Silver Surfer series is pretty dang good (issue #11 won the Eisner for best single issue) and Mike Allred's Art is fantastic and mind-bending.Dr. Ohttp://www.themiddlespaces.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-28345089203831880642016-07-18T15:15:51.292-05:002016-07-18T15:15:51.292-05:00I agree with everything said about the art. It wa...I agree with everything said about the art. It was over inked a bit. In fact when this came out, the cover turned me off (I still bought it but I was so looking forward to a clearly Byrne cover). The musculature on the surfer looks too extreme and the face too shadowy and defined. The last page shared in contrast is much better. It's interesting how there are glimpses of Palmer greatness though too like the page with the Surfer in space or the panel where the back of the Surfer is seen as he blasts something. Those are nicely done. Just a weird art combo. And I think I was taken aback by how different the FF looked in their own book at the time ( also by Byrne) compared to this story. The Thing looks good but Reed is not the thin and lean Reed of the Byrne era. I really wonder how this project came together and over what timeline. I do like it though and I recall there was a lot of hype about the Surfer being freed from the Earth boundaries. Thanks for the review Doug. Martinex1https://www.blogger.com/profile/15772734018573677099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-78870368465955500932016-07-18T10:01:11.996-05:002016-07-18T10:01:11.996-05:00Fascinating that everyone so far seems to have the...Fascinating that everyone so far seems to have the same impression of the Byrne/Palmer art ("It's really good... BUT...") and that's pretty much how I've always felt about it too, only more so. It's not just that Palmer's inks overpower Byrne's pencils, their styles simply don't seem to mesh very well at all. This was at a time when Byrne was at the very peak of his abilities, he'd found that delicious sweet spot between "realistic" and "cartoony", and Palmer pushes the needle way too far in the "realistic" direction. Much of the quirky charm and personality of Byrne's pencils has been lost. When I look at the pages posted here, and I think about what they could have looked like with a more sympathetic inker -- alas!<br /><br />I seem to remember reading an interview with Byrne where he expressed his own disappointment of the book as well. He had always loved the X-men issues by the Adams/Palmer team and had expressly asked for Palmer to ink the job -- and then when he saw the results he was all "Well, that didn't really turn out how I expected"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-59494598947497250132016-07-18T09:26:50.699-05:002016-07-18T09:26:50.699-05:00Another good review, I'm in agreement with Dou...Another good review, I'm in agreement with Doug on the art. I picked this up around 1985, when I was trying to buy every issue ever penciled by John Byrne (I never did and never will, since his X-Men issues are way too expensive). I wanted Byrne art and it looked more like "Palmer art" to me. I generally like and respect Palmer's work, he did a great job embellishing John Buscema, Gene Colan and Neal Adams. But I felt like his style overpowered Byrne a bit to much. I'm guessing this was done when Byrne was busy writing, penciling and inking the FF, which meant Marvel needed Palmer's help to finish the job. I feel the same way about the Byrne/Palmer art several years later in Star-Brand.J.A. Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15800901321134394272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-26613933898747559622016-07-18T09:20:54.330-05:002016-07-18T09:20:54.330-05:00Ahh great review Doug!
Nothing beats a classic Si...Ahh great review Doug!<br /><br />Nothing beats a classic Silver Surfer tale, plotted by Stan & Byrne, with art by Byrne and Palmer. Yes, the artwork looks like 80/20 percent Palmer/Byrne, but hey that's not a bad thing considering the quality of these two artists. While I've never been a big fan of the Surfer's almost mopy attitude (you'd think someone wielding the Power Cosmic would be more upbeat!) he definitely goes on a heroic quest here. You can tell the Surfer was one of Stan's favourite titles to write.<br /><br /><br />- Mike 'does Mephisto like devil's food cake?' from Trinidad & Tobago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-16973717307233427192016-07-18T09:01:59.560-05:002016-07-18T09:01:59.560-05:00Nice review, Doug; and definitely a feel-good book...Nice review, Doug; and definitely a feel-good book. Nothing earth-shaking or edgy, but solid. And that artwork is pretty nice. I agree that Palmer's inks tend to overshadow Byrne's pencils. The look is smooth, attractive and pleasing, but perhaps less stylish than otherwise might have shown through with another inker. Nonetheless, a book worth looking for. And that final page makes a great pinup...Redartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08221459636234713619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-6540897806977002172016-07-18T07:53:05.602-05:002016-07-18T07:53:05.602-05:00Thanks for the review, Doug, I enjoyed reading it....Thanks for the review, Doug, I enjoyed reading it.<br />I pulled out my copy of this (the actual comic book) and re-read it last night in anticipation of this review. I agree with your general assessment: it's a good read, kind of like comfort food - although seriously, don't most of the superhero comics we love so much here fall into that category?<br />In its general themes, no new ground is covered here at all. The Surfer's confrontations with Galactus and Mephisto also seem familiar when reading this story, as do his typical moping and the tantalizing (again) separation from Shalla Bal. Even so, for covering so much familiar ground, I agree that it is a well-crafted story, with the flashbacks adding to rather than weighing down the narrative.<br />One thing I'll say about the art, though, is that I find it oddly inconsistent and, given that Byrne was the penciler, a bit off-kilter. I'm really glad you posted that page with Surfer and the FF on the roof of the Baxter Building (the fourth image posted). That's one that jumps out at me every time I read this, because I'm pretty sure Byrne didn't draw it all, or if he did it was just bare sketches while Palmer did everything else. The faces in particular don't look like Byrne's style in the least.Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.com