This unusual series begins its second story arc, and the complexities and genre-defying qualities of the storytelling really have me interested in what's going on. The writers aren't presenting a Marvel Universe story, per se. There's no mention of other heroes, and that's a smart move; the story wouldn't work as well with in a world full of superhumans. The Silver Surfer finds himself something of a supporting character in his own title, and he fills a much different role than usual. The art handles cosmic plot elements quite well, but above all, it emphasizes more grounded, human emotion. Not many are talking about this new Silver Surfer series, but it merits a lot more attention. The writers offer up a cosmic story that has its feet firmly planted on the ground.
Denise Waters is overcome with joy to be reunited with her daughter, Ellie, once more, and she's even happier to discover Ellie has emerged from her autistic haze. Their reunion is violently interrupted, though, by the appearance of an armed platoon of soldiers, and not even Denise's new cop friend, Elvis Morin, can stop them. Meanwhile, the Silver Surfer explains the nature of his mission to Gabriel Acheron, who learns that the end of civilization on Earth as we know is nigh, as the vehicle of its destruction is on the way.
Lan Medina's art captures the majesty of alien civilizations and the wonder of a silver-skinned man gliding through space, but that comes as no surprise to those who have seen the artist's work on the mature fantasy comic from Image Comics, Aria. I'm reminded of Colleen (Orbiter, Reign of the Zodiac) Doran's soft, realistic linework. Medina's greatest contribution to this story, though, is how clearly one can read emotions on the characters faces, and the artist achieves it without exaggeration.
One of my favorite aspects of this series is how the Silver Surger is neither the hero nor the villain of the story. He's an active player, yes, and he has altruistic intentions, albeit on the "big picture" side of things. The conflict here is one of biology and culture versus the human heart. It really stands out as unique, at least in this medium.
The plotting is multi-faceted here. There's the government conspiracy thing. There's the cosmic armageddon. There's a struggling mother trying to provide a life for her daughter. Elements such as politics, evolution, science fiction and more all converge here, and it makes for a complex and challenging read. I'm also pleased to find that it's a rather accessible one as well. The primer on the first page and exposition woven seamlessly into the dialogue allows new readers to begin here rather than with the first issue.
