Silver Surfer (TV series)

This article is about the animated television series. For other uses, see Silver Surfer (disambiguation).
Silver Surfer

DVD Cover
Created by Larry Brody
Based on Silver Surfer
by Jack Kirby
Starring Paul Essiembre
Camilla Scott
Colin Fox
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 13 (aired) plus 8 (on script) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Stan Lee
Avi Arad
Production company(s) Saban Entertainment[1]
Distributor Saban International
Release
Original network Fox Kids Network
Original release February 7 – May 16, 1998

Silver Surfer, also known as Silver Surfer: The Animated Series, is an animated television series based on the Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The series aired for one season on the Fox Kids Network in 1998.

Overview

Blending cel and computer animation, the series is rendered in the style of Silver Surfer co-creator Jack Kirby.

While inspired by various Silver Surfer comic book stories, the series alters the original mythos in some key ways. The most notable change is the removal of the Fantastic Four from The Galactus Trilogy, the story that serves as the foundation for the first three episodes of the series. In this version, the Silver Surfer, who has had the memories of Norrin Radd partially restored to him by Thanos, protects Earth from the hunger of Galactus because it reminds him of Zenn-La.

Many other characters from Marvel's cosmic stable appear in the series, including The Watcher, Ego the Living Planet, Pip the Troll, Drax the Destroyer, and Adam Warlock. Most of the characters featured in the series differ from their printed-page incarnations. For instance, Adam Warlock is an alien supersoldier designed to fight the Kree and, due to Fox broadcast standards, Thanos serves Lady Chaos rather than Death.[2]

The series utilizes a serialized storytelling approach. As with many Silver Surfer comic book stories, episodes tackle a range of social and political issues, including imperialism, slavery, non-violence, and environmental degradation.

The series was cancelled after one season. Eight episodes were written for the second season before production was shut down. According to series creator Larry Brody, the cancellation was the result of a legal dispute between Marvel and Saban Entertainment.[3]

Critical reception

Some viewers praise the series for its stylish and intricate mix of animation, as well as for evoking Jack Kirby's designs.[4]

List of episodes

Cast

Titular character
Voice actor Character
Paul Essiembre Silver Surfer/Norrin Radd
Main recurring cast
Voice actor Character
James Blendick Galactus
Colin Fox Uatu
Gary Krawford Thanos
Camilla Scott Shalla-Bal
Guest cast
Voice actor Character
Dennis Akayama Watcher Prime
Lawrence Bayne Zedaro
Oliver Becker Adam Warlock, Magus
Bernard Behrens Nietr
Rick Bennent Votrick
Robert Bockstael Pip the Troll
Christopher Britton Zarek
Valerie Buhagiar Shellaine
Lally Cadeau Lady Chaos
David Calderisi Kiar
Michael Copeman MacLag
Alyson Court Amber
Jennifer Dale Nebula
Len Doncheff Raze
Shirley Douglas The Universal Sourge
Don Francks Kalek
Elizabeth Hanna Kili the Troll
David Hemblen Supreme Intelligence, Husseri
Howard Jerome Geatar
Lorne Kennedy Planetary Essence
Roy Lewis Ego the Living Planet
Mary Long Gamora (First Time)
Tracey Moore Tor-Kay
John Neville Eternity
Nicole Oliver Gamma Jen Beth
Karl Pruner Beta Ray Bill
Tara Rosling Frankie Raye/Nova
Elizabeth Sheperd Infinity
Alison Sealy-Smith Gamora (Second Time)
Cedric Smith Mentor
Norm Spencer Drax the Destroyer
John Stocker Ivar
Marc Strange Lord Glenn
Aron Tager The Master of Zenn-La
Robert Tinkler Borad

Pip the Troll is the close companion of Silver Surfer, whom he follows on his quest to find Surfer's treasured homeworld Zenn-La.

In "The Planet of Dr. Moreaux", the Kree enslaved the Silver Surfer and had him work alongside Pip the Troll's kind until they revolted and escaped. In "The Forever War", Adam Warlock[5] is seen fighting the Kree in a space anomaly when the Supreme Intelligence sends the Silver Surfer to get him. If there was a Season Two, an episode called "Rebirth" would have the Silver Surfer trying to stop the Kree-Skrull War.

Beta Ray Bill debuts in the episode "Innervisions", voiced by Karl Pruner. This version of the character along with the rest of his species shared a group dream using a special "dream weaver" from Zenn-La. When the Surfer came to alert them that Thanos was approaching, he convinced Beta Ray Bill to end the group dream and save the planet using all of the dream weaver's power to trick Thanos into believing he had succeeded in destroying the planet.

In this version, Nova's a mutant with the power to find anything she seeks. She is given her herald powers by Galactus when he chooses her as his herald in place of the Silver Surfer. She also mentions that her name is Frankie Raye.

Gamora is featured in the episode "Radical Justice".

Nebula appears in the two-part episode "Learning Curve" voiced by Jennifer Dale. Nebula, like many before her, wants to gain knowledge from the Universal Library (Home of the Watchers). Because the motive of her search for knowledge is greed, she devolves into a creature known as a viral (a blob-like creature full of knowledge, but unable to act on it). The Silver Surfer needs help from the virals in order to penetrate a force field covering Zenn-La. After doing so, the Surfer has to help Zenn-La leave a dimension belonging to a being known as The Soul Hunter. During the escape, the Silver Surfer fails to save Shalla-Bal, for which he blames Nebula. He starts to blast her, but she is protected by Thanos' energy field (in the new history of the universe, Thanos is a peace seeker and resident of Zenn-La). One of the energy blasts penetrates the field, restoring Nebula to her humanoid form, and she takes her leave. Her final scripted appearance has her attempting a journey to Galactus' ship, because of the knowledge she recalled from her time as a viral. Unfortunately, no further scripts were written to explain this. Like many characters, Nebula was to make another appearance on the second season of the series. Eight episode scripts were written, but were never produced.

Mentor also appears in the episode "Learning Curve". He is Thanos' brother, rather than Starfox, due to a typographical error in the script. Drax also appears in the episode "Learning Curve". He is an android and a companion of Mentor.

DVD releases

In the U.K. the complete series on two discs were to be released by Liberation Entertainment on July 28, 2008[6] however because of the closure of the U.K. division of Liberation Entertainment the release was cancelled. The rights have now been picked up by Clear Vision LTD who released the set on May 11, 2009.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Goldman, Michael. "Stan Lee: Comic Guru". Animation World Magazine. Animation World Network. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Interview with Larry Brody". Marvelite.prohosting.com. Retrieved 2011-03-15.
  3. ↑ http://tvwriter.net/?page_id=47
  4. ↑ http://panelsonpages.com/?p=38925, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203268/reviews
  5. ↑ Voice Compare, www.behindthevoiceactors.com
  6. ↑ http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1;-1&sku=806839
  7. ↑ http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1;-1&sku=960331

External links

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