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John Buscema's Silver Surfer (2022) TPB Oversized Artisan Edition SS #1 Cover
John Buscema's Silver Surfer (2022) TPB Oversized Artisan Edition SS #1 Cover
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John Buscema's Silver Surfer (2022) TPB Oversized Artisan Edition Silver Surfer #1 Cover. Considered by many to be one of the pinnacles of Silver Age comic book art--now presented in IDW’s critically acclaimed Artisan Edition format. John Buscema’s innovative drawing on Marvel’s Silver Surfer is presented in IDW’s Artisan Edition format. Collecting three complete issues (issues #5, #6, and #8) from the acclaimed original run written by Stan Lee. As a special bonus—this book will have four foldouts featuring eight oversized covers. An essential component of The House of Ideas, John Buscema’s talented hand graced the pages of Marvel’s most iconic characters for over four decades, working on The Avengers, Thor, The Fantastic Four, and The Amazing Spider-Man just to name a few. As with all Artisan Edition books, nearly every page in this volume has been scanned from the original art, enabling the reader to clearly see all the little nuances that make original art unique and fascinating—blue pencil notations, margin notes, whiteout, and so much more. This will be a must-have for all fans and students of classic comic art!.
The first Artist Edition featuring this Marvel silver age mainstay, John Buscema’s Silver Surfer Artist’s Edition gives us the best of this 1960’s classic.
More than any other recent collection this Artist’s Edition feels like every page they could get was included.
- Issues 5, 6 and 8 complete
- Issue 1 cover, pages 12, 32, 33
- Issue 2 cover, unpublished cover
- Issue 7 page 31
- Issue 9 cover, pages 6, 9, 13
- Issue 10 cover
- Issue 12 page 15
- Issue 13 pages 4, 13, 20
- Issue 14 pages 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20
- Issue 15 pages 4, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Issue 16 page 1
The book is divided into three sections: full issues, then scattered pages, and finally covers. Of the full issues five pages are not scanned from original art and look to be bleached and enlarged pages from the comic. A one page biography of Buscema closes out this volume.
The scan quality is excellent, with most pages showing vivid detail: lots of uninked pencils and margin notes throughout. Most pages have aged well, with some yellowing but no brown pages. It’s surprising how many panels lacked any background at all, relying on the colourist. Expressive faces, hands and body movement is clear and well defined.
Thankfully a few origin pages were found and included from issue one: those are very powerful images and simply amazing to hold and behold.
Oddly Randall Dahlk’s usual design of a single colour carrying through from cover to cover didn’t happen here: the cover colour is blue and the interior colour is purple. The space theme on Dahlk’s pages are standout designs.
IDW’s strict production shines again, with heavy paper stock, sewn binding and excellent construction. Front and back pages didn’t open as fully as one would like when reading: perhaps a looser binding like Graphitti Designs is employing.
John Buscema is often referred to as the definitive Silver Surfer artist and this edition only serves to strengthen that statement. Few comic pages are as powerful as those crafted by Buscema of the Surfer’s internal torments and emotions. Let’s hope for more Artist’s Editions of his work: early Avengers would be my wish!
