The Thunder God, the Deceiver, and the Surfer!

Nearly seven years ago, I'd written pretty much what I felt was all I had to say about my take on the classic Silver Surfer #4 from early 1969. Looking over that post once more, I found myself nodding my head in reflection, mostly agreeing with the in-a-nutshell assessment I'd jotted down which wasn't exactly a glowing account of the handicap I'd felt the story was under and the various things that seemed to hamper it. But over the years, my head kept going back to that issue, which I still regard as one of the pinnacles of the Surfer's short-lived series. Writer Stan Lee boasts on the issue's splash page that its story is "perhaps the greatest fantasy saga of all time!", which in a broad sense has some truth to it. (Maybe not the greatest, but it's arguably right up there; I'd be hard-pressed to actually pick a number one.) That story was published over fifty years ago, and both writing and art still hold up incredibly well. The cover alone ranks in the top ten of all time (that call I am willing to put on record), while the story's pacing and gripping characterizations are prime examples of what established Marvel Comics as an industry juggernaut.

Which is partly what brings me back to it today, I suppose. The overriding reason, however, is that I haven't been comfortable with the short shrift I provided it, given its place in comics history and the effort that must have been put into its production--nor did I do the story justice, which I must say is a page-turner and not a bad Thor story, either. The prior post remains a "talking points" rundown of elements which are mostly focused on the Surfer vs. Thor scenario; but it's high time the PPC expanded on this classic tale and painted a more complete picture of its contribution to the genre that many of us have found to be so compelling.

And fittingly, we should begin with this issue's stand-out star--which in this case, contrary to the book's masthead, turns out to be someone other than a gleaming, glistening alien with a surfboard.

Loki, the god of evil and mischief, whose bitterness against his brother Thor has been the catalyst for so many of his schemes (and for an immortal, that adds up to a long time for someone to spend seething), is a vivid presence throughout this story. Loki has often used cat's-paws to strike at Thor and others, though in '69 we had only just begun to learn about them; and so the notion of concealing his involvement in an attempt against Thor's life still makes for interesting reading, and certainly adds to his character in yet a further demonstration of his obsession in that regard.

I still find it a nice touch when John Buscema or any other artist shows Loki (or Thor, for that matter) on horseback. Both gods have other means to transport themselves to a distant locale in Asgard--yet showing them as typical Asgardians adds to the flavor of the setting. But while Thor benefits from the visibility of being seen galloping throughout the realm, or even simply with his fellows, Loki is often covering his tracks when immersed in a scheme; one would think an open ride to the Cavern of Shadows is something he'd want to avoid advertising.

Speaking of Buscema, this issue also notably marked the point that inker Joe Sinnott was removed from the book, reportedly at Buscema's behest, which is why you may have noticed the Surfer having a distinct difference in appearance than in the first three issues of the series which Sinnott worked on. His replacement--Buscema's brother, Sal--would remain on the book for another three issues, after which its large-format page count would shift to a standard 20 pages and a smaller price.

Once at his destination, Loki mystically sifts through possible choices for one he can dupe to challenge Thor. With the exception of Hercules, his candidates all turn out to be mortal (which would also be the case in future stories). Yet the Hulk is rejected due to his lack of skill; and the Thing's mortality alone is enough to disqualify him. But the next prospect that crosses his mystic path looks promising indeed.

On his return to Asgard, Loki is so giddy with anticipation (well, giddy on the evil side) that he throws caution to the wind when encountering Thor's comrades in arms, who in turn seek out Thor in order to warn him of Loki's threat.

With his path forward now set, Loki proceeds to Earth--though we have some time before landfall to take in one of the moments of solitude that Lee often provides for the Surfer, in which he bemoans his fate as well as the perceived failings of the human race. And while there are a number of locales on Earth where the Surfer could isolate himself from the madness of those he shuns, in this instance he chooses a lush setting where the animal kingdom holds sway.

(What amazing instincts Buscema demonstrates in that panel with the Surfer's anguished reflection.)

While the Surfer is correct in pointing out the lack of avarice and smoldering hatred in wildlife, Lee provides him with something of a pass here, given that animals in the wild need not be hungry to kill others (animal or human) they perceive to be either a danger or an intrusion, or simply a threat to their position in a herd. (The Surfer even received such a lesson only recently, when he found himself a victim of a pack of Yetis who attacked him out of blind fear and savagery.) In spite of Buscema's imagery, I wouldn't trust my life to the assertion that not one of those animals in that setting was interested in making an unprovoked attack; in the Surfer's case, I wouldn't dangle that leg too near the water where that crocodile's on approach, sport.

But in terms of naked aggression and outright hostility and viciousness, even the Surfer during his time on Earth may have never encountered it on the scale of what he's about to experience at the hands of the being who intrudes on his respite.

As often as Loki has met defeat from Thor et al. (including mere mortals such as the Avengers), we can all probably agree that he's hardly one to be judging someone's prowess or battle skill. We can also boil down the success of Loki's scheme here to a simple matter of deduction: If Loki's power can't clean Thor's clock, and yet Loki can wipe the floor with the Surfer, then how does he expect the Surfer to contend against his half-brother? But hold that thought for the time being.

As we've seen, Loki has had no problem provoking the Surfer into trying to stop him from lashing out at the humans he now turns his rage to (and thus baiting the Surfer into unwittingly demonstrating his abilities); but the real reward to the reader here is in seeing how much of an effort Loki must make to defend himself from the Surfer's attack, as he begins to see his pawn as an upstart mortal who believes he can challenge a god. It's consistent with Lee's usual treatment of Loki, a wily god who has been known to overplay his hand and underestimate the force(s) he contends against.

Having ceased his attack and made it seem as a test for the Surfer's suitability, Loki now acts as a suppliant, who pleads with the Surfer to use his power to quash a power play by Thor to use his armies to usurp the throne of Asgard and destroy the realm's current ruler, Odin. And thanks to Thor indeed marshalling his armies (to meet the threat from his half-brother that his friends warned him of), Loki has the perfect visual to prove that Thor's attack is imminent.

Loki goes on to explain why only the Surfer can save Asgard, though his glib words of course skim past his true motives: "Thou art a stranger! None wouldst suspect thee!" And so, with Loki's assurance that the barrier of Galactus will not stop their passage to Asgard, the Surfer agrees to do what he can in Asgard's defense--and to sweeten the deal, Loki also offers assurances that the Surfer, should he succeed in his mission, will remain free to return to his home world and rejoin the woman he loves.

Upon their arrival at Asgard's rainbow bridge, Loki vanishes from the Surfer's side (the better to hide his own involvement, though the Surfer is none the wiser)--and the Surfer prepares to clear his first hurdle.

Buscema wouldn't debut as the new artist on Thor until a year and a half after publication of this story, so if I'm not mistaken this would be his first work in depicting Asgard, its architecture, its warriors, its principal cast, and of course Odin. If that's true, he makes a splendid first footprint here, even adding a jousting tournament for good measure.

But it's at the evening's feast that the Surfer makes his appearance--and his challenge.

As is evident, the Surfer can't help but note the deep feeling and regard that Thor's friends have for him--but since even despots have been known to have their circle of close, loyal friends, Lee appropriately only plants the seed of doubt here, rather than making more of it at this early stage.

Meanwhile, Loki's astral form, floating around the hall like a vulture, is ready to take advantage of any opportunity which will stir the Surfer to action, and attack. Already he has heightened an air of suspicion in the Surfer's mind--and when the tournament concludes, he is ready to capitalize on it.

As you might imagine, there aren't too many lone foes of Asgard who can confidently claim they can decimate its forces (Surtur and Mangog being two examples that come to mind)--but that's just what the Surfer, a mortal, begins to accomplish with devastating effect. Soon enough, Thor makes the decision to enter the fray, yet it's obvious he refrains from doing so in earnest--as opposed to Loki, who has provided his army of one with an advantage which he as yet remains unaware of.

It saps a considerable amount of excitement from this conflict to discover that the Surfer's might has been augmented, to the point where he can hold his own against even gods--which, it must be pointed out, he was managing to do when he battled Loki. On the other hand, we'd already learned from Loki that the Surfer was no match for Thor--which was confusing at the time, since there would have been no reason for Loki to proceed with using him for this mission. We're left to presume that Loki had planned to add to the Surfer's power from the beginning, and was only trying to determine what the Surfer would bring to the table in a fight with the Thunder God in order to see if a power boost would be effective.

As for Asgard's All-Father, Odin, he receives the news of the fight by messenger and acts accordingly... by, er, getting ready to hit the sack. Yet Buscema cuts an imposing figure of him nonetheless.

Back at the site of the carnage, Lee and Buscema have at last isolated Thor and the Surfer for some one-on-one scenes, which is a mixed blessing--for while the Surfer acts as if it's his own skill and power which is successfully seeing him through this struggle, Thor is convinced that cosmic power alone wouldn't normally be able to cut it against gods. The problem here is that he'll be proven correct--which is a shame, since the Surfer would have otherwise ended up giving a good account of himself (and maybe gained a few Thor readers in the process).

With the truth on the verge of coming out, it falls to the Surfer to put all the pieces together, though not as smoothly as it might seem from a reader's perspective. For instance, the fact that he realizes that Loki is the one likely responsible for increasing his power doesn't imply duplicity on his part; he could have simply wanted to give the Surfer the best fighting chance he could have while increasing his chance of survival, nothing more. But with Thor refraining from lashing out against him, and with continued examples of loyalty and concern from those who serve with him, the Surfer can act (or in this case, not act), given what he has come to believe.

Although the details are still sparse to Thor and his comrades, the Surfer dropping Loki's name is enough to cause the god of evil to abort his plan and return the Surfer to his earthly prison. As for Loki himself, no doubt Thor and probably Odin will be having a few words with him--and wouldn't you like to be a fly on that wall.

With this belated review of this issue at last put to bed, it's gratifying to have finally given the work of Lee and Buscema its due in full. With this eye-catcher hitting the stands, there was every reason to believe that Silver Surfer had a bright future ahead of it--with even Marvel acknowledging (in the letters page addressing this issue) that most of the letters they'd been receiving on the series thus far had been laudatory. Yet in six months' time (which worked out to three more issues, on a bi-monthly schedule), Lee's grand experiment of the large-format issues would be history, and what eventually became of Silver Surfer would make their efforts here stand out all the more... at least in the eyes of your humble host.

The Silver Surfer #4 Script: Stan Lee Pencils: John Buscema Inks: Sal Buscema Letterer: Artie Simek