Marvel Comics; $1

For fans of the Silver Surfer’s first volume or his early appearances in The Fantastic Four, this June 1982 cover-dated one-shot brings us a familiar tale with a couple of noteworthy twists. Plotter-penciler John Byrne, scripter Stan Lee, and inker-colorist Tom Palmer distil the Surfer’s story up to that point, the sacrifices he’s made for others, and set him up for a significant change.

Filled with the character’s trademark introspection, the story opens as the Surfer laments his exile on Earth. He remembers offering himself up to Galactus to save his homeworld, Zenn-La – and his true love, Shalla Bal – with a promise to find new planets for the devourer of worlds to consume. He lived up to that bargain until it came to Earth. Then he stood against Galactus, who confined him to the planet, never again to soar through space.

In this story, the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards has found a way to pierce the barrier Galactus put in place and frees the Surfer from his confinement. He immediately heads back to Zenn-La, but it’s not what he expected. After his betrayal, Galactus returned and decimated the planet. The refugees there see him not as a hero, but as a villain.

And the situation with Shall-Bal is even more complicated.

This one-shot was a big deal back in the day, and it stands up well all these years later. Byrne’s pencils mesh very well with Palmer’s inks, and Lee’s dialogue was always a major component for the character. If you love the character, this one is definitely worth tracking down.

– J.C. Vaughn