COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK – “The Silver Surfer” #37 (May 1990)

'Silver Surfer' #37 (May 1990)

This week’s “Comic Book of the Week” is “The Silver Surfer” #37, which was published by Marvel Comics in May 1990. This comic was titled “A Destructive Encounter” and featured Silver Surfer, Mentor, Eros, Drax the Destroyer and the Human Torch. This issue’s creative team included Jim Starlin, writer; Ron Lim, penciler; Tom Christopher, inker; Ken Bruzenak, letterer; Tom Vincent, colorist; Craig Anderson, editor; and Tom DeFalco, editor in chief. Lim was the cover artist for the issue, which sold for $1 at newsstands.

“The Silver Surfer” #37 was a 32-page issue that begins in deep space, where the Silver Surfer is using the full extent of his tracking powers to find the evil villain, Thanos. The Surfer’s task would have been easy had Thanos used a spaceship to flee the barren planet where he and the Surfer encountered each other the day before. However, Thanos used his ability to teleport to leave the planet, which has made it hard for Surfer to track him.

Surfer’s search eventually leads him to Titan, a moon of Saturn, where he meets with Thanos’ father, Mentor. Mentor tells Surfer how Thanos displayed evil tendencies from the time he was a young boy and how Mentor believed that he’d grow out of it. However, at the age of 10, Thanos killed his own mother, and it’s been downhill ever since.

While Surfer and Mentor are hanging out, discussing just how bad Thanos is, Titan receives another visitor, Drax the Destroyer. Eros, who is Mentor’s other son and Thanos’ brother, tries to prevent Drax from entering the compound, but can’t keep the super-powered bounty hunter from coming inside.

The dimwitted Drax has a one-track mind, and repeatedly asks “Where’s Thanos?” He can sense that the Surfer has been near Thanos recently and that he’ll come in contact with him in the near future. For this reason, Drax decides to stick close to the Surfer and after numerous attempts, including flying through the Sun, Surfer determines that he won’t be able to shake Drax.

Surfer decides to trick Drax, telling him that they need to consult an “information machine” at the headquarters of the Fantastic Four on Earth. The Human Torch (aka Johnny Storm) accommodates them, giving them access to a sitting room that has an “information machine,” that is, an ordinary television. Surfer and Drax take a seat on the couch and proceed to watch reruns of “I Live Lucy,” “Mr. Ed,” “Bonanza,” “Superman,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Leave It to Beaver” and “The Andy Griffith Show.”

The issue ends with Drax so engrossed in those shows that he suddenly turns to discover that the Surfer has disappeared. The issue’s final panel shows the Surfer smiling widely, riding his iconic board through in deep space, above the words “Next: Showdown with Thanos.”

This comic (unless I’ve sold it) and others are available for purchase through Peacock’s Books on Amazon.com. If you’re interested in buying it, search for it there by title, issue number and date of publication.