...now re-read his final Marvel project, unseen by the general public since 1980...
...Marvel's first original graphic novel.
It starts as a retelling of the "Coming of Galactus" storyline from Fantastic Four #48-50, but set in a reality without any of the myriad characters that inhabit Earth and the solar system of the Marvel Universe.
No Fantastic Four.
No Watcher.
No Alicia Masters.
However, there is Norrin Radd, who becomes the Silver Surfer, as well as Shalla Bal, his true love, and their home world, Zenn-La, and of course, Galactus!
After stranding the Surfer on Earth, the story goes off on a totally-new tangent and introduces new characters, the golden Ardina (whom Galactus uses to emotionally-manipulate the Surfer), and Master of Guile, a manifestation of Galactus' "Dark Side" who advises the planet-eating alien!
It's a unique take on the character, and, as we said, the last joint project by the two guys who co-created most of the Marvel Universe!
As to how and why it came about...
According to Bill Bagnall at T'aint the Meat... It's the Humanity, the basis of the graphic novel was a never-used story for a Silver Surfer movie rock musical that would've featured Olivia Newton-John as Ardina!Unusual note, the copyright to the graphic novel is not Marvel's, but jointly-held by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby!
As of January, 2016, it's only available as a HTF, expensive, limited-edition hardcover or paperback.
But, in the interest of historical research, we've re-presented the entire tale starting HERE.
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Visit Amazon and order the HTF & OOP...
It was reissued a few years back. Saw the cover on eBay.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned the limited edition..."As of January, 2016, it's only available as a HTF, expensive, limited-edition hardcover or paperback." above.
DeleteAh, I assumed you were referring to the original edition, still available on eBay and Amazon. However, if there was a new edition in 2016 (if that's what you're saying), I was referring to a previous reissue in, I think, the '90s.
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