Norrin Radd has a long , foresightful history in the land of theMarvel Cosmic — but a young chapter in his tale is n’t just going to get theSilver Surferdown to ground , but preface a major new poor boy to theMarvel Comicsuniverse .
Silver Surfer : Ghost Light , by writer John Jennings and with art from Valentine de Landro , is a brand fresh five - issue miniseries set to kick off early next year . Although he ’s spearhead the title , the Silver Surfer is n’t the liberal secret of Ghost Light — the titular new Hero of Alexandria themselves is , as Norrin is drawn to the quiet town of Sweetwater when a young miss named Toni Brooks discovers something so unusual that even the Sentinel of the Spaceways is intrigued by it .
But what does Ghost Light have to do with it , and what ’s his connection to Norrin going to be ? To line up out more , io9 spoke with Jennings over e-mail about what to gestate from Marvel ’s latest cosmic hero , and why Norrin is involve with their mysterious origins . find out the interview out below , and then click through to see some undivided trailer graphics from Valentine de Landro , including some new character purpose from the book !
Image: Taurin Clarke/Marvel Comics
James Whitbrook , io9 : Why was now the right time to give Norrin his own miniseries ?
John Jennings : The Silver Surfer is one of Marvel ’s most important , beloved , and iconic characters . I feel he ’s incredibly timeless and , therefore , perpetually relevant .
io9 : What appeals to you about taking this elevated cosmic character like the Silver Surfer and lend him down to Earth ?
Jennings : I ’ve always feel that the Surfer is one of the most empathetic and human supporter in the Marvel Universe . Even the symbolism of his conception is all about reflexion and connexion . He ’s like a walking mirror and everyone can see themselves in him . He ’s almost like a mannequin . He is improbably powerful but you may cast yourself onto him like a screen . Even in the original tarradiddle that inspire this miniskirt - serial , [ Stan ] Lee and [ John ] Buscema go out of their way to inscribe the struggles of the common man upon him . He literally position on apparel and sample to fit into company to no service . He is the other that is us . So , to me , his cosmic power is coolheaded and amazing but his sympathy for humanity is his true power and I think that ’s why so many people come to to him .
io9 : Tell me a little spot about developing Toni as a character . How is she our windowpane into the world of the Marvel Cosmic ?
Jennings : Toni , who is bring up for Toni Morrison , is our “ Pisces - out - of - water ” character . She ’s a teen girl who is from the grownup metropolis and all of a sudden , due to family progeny , is dropped in the middle of the Sir Henry Joseph Wood in upstate New York . Much to her chagrin , this is her Modern life . The strangeness of the tarradiddle resonates with her coming to clutches with her Modern environment . This , of course , is adjacent to the mystery of the town of Sweetwater , NY itself and the connection to an eerie entity that seems to be haunting her new house . Marvel always want to show the “ man outside your window . ” This is a novel window and a new occupant through which audiences can see themselves through . In some ways , she the embodiment of what anyone feels when embarking on a new journeying . Little does she roll in the hay how far this trip is hold up to take her and her family !
io9 : Of naturally , one of the big things Marvel is teasing with this series is the debut of the cryptic Ghost Light . Can you narrate us a little bit about the ideation outgrowth on the character ? Why has it taken half a 100 for Ghost Light to come to , well , light ?
Jennings : I think of read a re - print of Silver Surfer # 5 as a kid . I do retrieve relish it but not take the context to see what the news report was trying to do . I was working on research for a novel record book that I am writing with my henchman Angélique Roché , of Marvel ’s Voices , and I came across the tale of Al . B. Harper . The book , My Super Hero is Black , is a chronological rough guide to the Black characters created by Marvel from about 1950 to the present daytime . Dr. Harper was introduced a few months before the appearance of the Falcon . He was vestal , freehanded , and vivid . He also willingly chose to sacrifice himself to spare the existence ! The Surfer then marks his grave with a cosmic flame to symbolize his heroism for all infinity . Now , I was reading this decent after my oldest sister had passed away abruptly and in the midst of the global George Floyd dissent . It just go on to me that Dr. Al B. Harper could live again ! I just see so much potentiality in him and , gratefully , Marvel agree !
It ’s intemperate to say why Dr. Harper has n’t been brought back sooner . I will say that he ’s always represent a symbolic resonance for Norrin as a test copy of the goodness of humanity . So , in this symbolic internal representation he has remain . Even the title of the original story , “ And Who Shall Mourn for Him , ” show that Stan Lee was attempting to have a conversation about civic Rights in what I would almost term as a “ Black Death Matters ” story . It was my goal to serve that question : Who shall mourn for him ? Our miniskirt - series seeks to answer to that enquiry posed so long ago by one of the most iconic cartoon strip creators in account .
The “ touch visible light ” is a term take from the theater . It ’s often said that all theater have a ghost and this light is for them . It also symbolize that the show will go on after a theater closes . So many theaters had to shut down due to the pandemic . When I show about this , I knew that it would be a ok hold for a lineament who , like Lazarus , has come back for more adventures with his cosmic powered friend .
io9 : We got to see a vexer of Ghost Light ’s design at NYCC . What was it like working with Valentine on the process for designing Ghost Light ’s look ?
Jennings : So , when I pitched this story , I had a deal of designs in the dossier . It was swell working with Valentine . He entirely understood what I was fail for and made it more streamlined and functional . If you ever saw the original drawings I did , you ’d see the echoes of it in his design . It was a joy to see a master creative person at body of work and I totally loved the process . He ’s a neat collaborator . Totally without ego and totally dedicated to the floor .
io9 : What has it been like working with Valentine on Ghost Light ? What has he make for to the mesa that you ’ve liked most about that process ?
Jennings : Valentine is an amazing writer in his own right . So , sometimes , he ’d have suggestions for changes that would make my playscript “ pop music ” other than . Or , he ’d render a scene in a room that had n’t come to me . I think that because we ’re both writer / creative person we have a way of speaking visually that ’s innate ? It ’s been a true joy to see these characters come to life and I go for that fan of Marvel embrace these raw indweller of this sleepyheaded nook of the Marvel Universe .
io9 : What do you hope Marvel Cosmic fan take from a serial like Ghost Light , and what can you tell us about what it arrange up for Norrin and Ghost Light going forward ?
Jennings : I hope that rooter understand that chronicle is important ; that where you derive from can help oneself run you into new and wonderful tract . “ And Who Shall Mourn for Him ” was written over half a century ago and it still resonates with today ’s social circumstances . It bear witness how Marvel has systematically been ahead of the curve . I think the tale will link up the Surfer to his roots a lot more and , maybe , remind him of his own humanity . I will say that we ’ve put down some seeds for some potentially interesting new stories if the rooter support Ghost Light and want to see more . I really go for they do !
Silver Surfer : Ghost Light begin in February 2023 .
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