History ComicBook / SilverSurfer

* FrankensteinsMonster: After the Surfer saves Ludwig von Frankenstein from an angry mob, Frankenstein tricks him into an experimental machine which creates a Frankenstein Surfer.

** In the fourth issue, Loki tricks the Surfer into fighting Thor.

* TorchesAndPitchforks: The Surfer saves someone from an angry mob in the seventh issue. This turns out to be Ludwig von Frankenstein.

-->'''Norrin Radd''', ''Silver Surfer'' #1

''ComicBook/SilverSurferRebirth'' (2022) is a miniseries by Ron Marz and Ron Lim set shortly after the events of Infinity Crusade. Silver Surfer and Thanos team-up against a powerful enemy who stole the Reality Gem.

* MagicalHomelessPerson: The story starts with the aforemented character living as a homeless covered with disposable clothes to hide his identity and keep guarding the people on the city in case that some supernatural menace (or most specifically ComicBook/{{Galactus}}) appears.

* ExcitedShowTitle: Even for comics, where issue names often end on exclamation points, issue #38's "The Answer!!!" is a bit much.

* TheEveryman: Dawn Greenwood. She's an ordinary woman who worked at her family's inn when she's swept away on an adventure and rescued by the Silver Surfer.

''Silver Surfer'' Vol 4 (1988–1989) was a two-issue mini-series by Creator/StanLee and Creator/{{Moebius}}. Done primarily to show off Moebius's artwork, it was still considered a classic and one of Lee's favorite stories. It was published through Creator/MarvelEpicComics due to its format.

''Silver Surfer'' Vol 3 (1987-1998) was an ongoing series by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers. In return for saving his new herald Nova, Galactus finally gives the Silver Surfer his freedom, allowing him to surf the spaceways again. This series was slightly more successful than the previous one, lasting for 148 issues. Issues #32 and #33 were written by Jim Valentino before the book was handed off to Creator/JimStarlin, who began his run with the "Rebirth of Thanos" storyline. This then lead to "Thanos Quest" and then ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'', making a huge impact on the rest of the Marvel Universe. As Starlin moved on to writing that crossover and ''Infinity Watch'', Ron Marz took over the book with issue #51. This then led into ''ComicBook/TheInfinityWar'' and ''ComicBook/TheInfinityCrusade'' crossovers. Marz also introduced Genis-Vell, the son of the deceased Captain Mar-Vell, who would go by Legacy before getting his own book. After Marz left the book, it was written by Glenn Greenberg, Mike Lackey, George Perez, and J.M. [=DeMatteis=]. The last issue, #146, was written by Glenn Greenberg and Tom [=DeFalco=].

''Silver Surfer'' Vol 4 (1988–1989) was a two-issue mini-series by Creator/StanLee and Creator/{{Moebius}}. Done primarily to show up Moebius's artwork, it was still considered a classic and one of Lee's favorite stories. It was published through Creator/MarvelEpicComics due to its format.

* LotusEaterMachine: Euphoria, a planet that can give whoever lives on it whatever they truly desire. You just have to stay ''on'' Euphoria to have it. Norrin and Dawn are trapped there, but they both end up saying how they want to leave, so Euphoria lets them. Notably, all Euphoria wants is to make its inhabitents happy, so if you want to leave, you can. After Dawn's father dies, she ends up going back to Euphoria to talk to a construct of her father and spends 67 days there before leaving again.

* SpaceX: In response to Dawn asking him why did the Giraud Expanse aliens speak french, he retorted that the two languages only ''sound'' alike. It's actually [[DistinctionWithoutADifference Space-french]].

[[folder:Trivia]]
* CreatorBreakdown: Issue #18, the one done by Jack Kirby, was supposed to be a transition into making the Silver Surfer more angry and less pacifistic. Since Kirby was on the verge of leaving Marvel at the time and was pretty angry at Lee himself, he was able to put in a ''lot'' of his anger through the Surfer:
-->'''Silver Surfer:''' From this time forth, the Silver Surfer will battle them on their own savage terms! Let mankind beware! From this time forth...The Surfer will be the deadliest one of all!
* CreatorsFavorite: For Steve Englehart, there was Mantis. He created her for his ''Avengers'' run and then brought her over to ''Silver Surfer'' and even to books he didn't create for Marvel.
[[/folder]]

[[/folder]

[[caption-width-right:350:The cover to vol 7, #1 by Creator/MichaelAllred.]]

[[redirect:Characters/MarvelComicsSilverSurfer]]

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/annihilation_silver_surfer_vol_1_4_textless_6680.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin He's silver, and he surfs.]]]]

-> '''ComicBook/SpiderMan''': Why the surfboard? I mean, don't you think it's kind of, I dunno...hokey?\\
'''Silver Surfer''': It is not a surfboard. It is--There is a human phrase that covers it. "Form follows function." I need no air, no food, no water. I do not need a ship to sustain me. I need only something that will carry me where I must go.
-->-- '''Silver Surfer: Requiem''', Issue #2, written by Creator/JMichaelStraczynski

This Creator/MarvelComics character is the Herald of ComicBook/{{Galactus}} the PlanetEater, imbued with the [[AppliedPhlebotinum "Power Cosmic"]]. He is [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin silver and rides a surfboard]] through space. Created by Creator/JackKirby in 1966, the Silver Surfer has a somewhat controversial origin as he first appeared in the ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' series (during the "Galactus Trilogy") and was thus assumed to have been co-created with series writer Creator/StanLee. However, Lee later admitted that Kirby added the character to the story on his own. Kirby felt that a being like Galactus should have [[MouthOfSauron a special herald to represent him]]. However, the Surfer's origin was concieved by Lee (not Kirby) once the character got his own series.

In the Trilogy, the Surfer finds Earth (despite Uatu TheWatcher's attempt to hide it from him) and signals Galactus to come devour the planet. The Surfer is then knocked out by the Fantastic Four, but is nursed to health by their kind ally, Alicia Masters. This causes him to decide to protect Earth and joins the heroes in opposing his master. Galactus is then forced to swear not to try to eat the Earth when his own greatest weapon is pointed at him. However, Galactus punishes the Surfer by sealing him within Earth's atmosphere, unable to return to space. The Surfer then becomes a [[TheDrifter wandering hero]]. He also helped to found the superhero group ComicBook/TheDefenders.

The character proved popular enough to receive his own series (twice). In the first, it was revealed that he was originally Norrin Radd, a [[HumanAliens man from the planet Zenn-La]]. He became Galactus' herald in exchange for his sparing Zenn-La from being eaten. However, Galactus decided to [[TheStoic seal away the Surfer's emotions]] after transforming him, to keep them from interfering with his mission, until Alicia reawakened them. In the second series, the Surfer was freed to return to space, where most of his new adventures took place.

The Surfer is still popular and occasionally shows up in other Marvel series. Despite his cosmic level of power and having a soul so pure that ComicBook/{{Mephisto}}, Marvel's stand-in for (the Christian version of) {{Satan}}, tried many times to corrupt him, he has become more worldly, DependingOnTheWriter.

A [[http://marvel.com/news/story/21338/nycc_2013_all-new_marvel_now_silver_surfer new comic]] series by Dan Slott launched in 2014. It involves the Surfer traveling the spaceways with an earth girl named Dawn Greenwood, whose fate becomes entwined with his.

Then there was [[Creator/DonnyCates Donny Cates's]] more recent miniseries with him coming out of his run using the character: [[https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Silver_Surfer:_Black_Vol_1_5 Silver Surfer Black]]. Where Norin gets sent to the start of the universe to battle cosmic forces and the darkness within himself. Emerging alive, but now a darkened non-silver version of himself.

----
!Appearances:

Besides ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' and his own comic book line, the Surfer has appeared in:

[[AC:Film]]
* ''Film/FantasticFourRiseOfTheSilverSurfer'', which was supposedly an adaptation of the Galactus Trilogy.

[[AC:Video Games]]
* ''Videogame/SilverSurfer'', a [[NintendoHard notoriously hard]] sidescroller released in 1990.
* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance''
* ''VideoGame/LEGOMarvelSuperHeroes'', an entry in [[VideoGame/LEGOAdaptationGame Traveller's Tales LEGO franchise]]
* ''VideoGame/MarvelHeroes''

[[AC:Western Animation]]
* The [[WesternAnimation/TheFantasticFour1967 1967]] and [[WesternAnimation/FantasticFour 1994]] animated adaptations of the ComicBook/FantasticFour.
* ''WesternAnimation/SilverSurfer'', his own thirteen-episode cartoon in the late '90s. (Fair warning: It ended on a massive cliffhanger.)
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperHeroSquadShow'', which is a decidedly different take on him.

----
!Tropes among all versions:


* AlliterativeName: '''S'''ilver '''S'''urfer.
* AmplifierArtifact: The surfboard lets him fly farther and generally be stronger than without it, though (depending on continuity) it isn't the source of his powers. Mostly he uses it to accelerate FTL without exhausting too much of his own power.
* AntiHero: While stuck on Earth in the 60s, he had these moments, often fighting with fellow heroes due to generally being pissed off, as opposed to [[LetsYouAndHimFight the usual mistaken-identity excuse]].
* AntiVillain: Started off as this and arguably returned to it when he briefly became a herald of Galactus again.
* AppropriatedAppellation: The Board's name, Toomie. It comes from Dawn Greenwood mishearing Norrin using his catchphrase "To me, my Board". She thought Toomie was the Board's name, so now, that is its name.
* ArchEnemy: ComicBook/{{Thanos}} and ComicBook/{{Mephisto}}; at least, they come closest. ComicBook/{{Galactus}} is a debatable example too. All three are far, far more powerful than him though, so its not your standard ArchEnemy situation and he rarely fights them directly or on his own, and would quickly lose if he tried.
* AstralProjection: Usually comes into play when Surfer is facing off against Mephisto.
* BadassBoast: Rare, but the Surfer has delivered a few over the years.
--> '''Silver Surfer''': Your ability to manipulate power is formidable. That I will admit. But I AM power.
** Recently Surfer has become fond of more deadpan trash talk to remind people that he's one of the strongest heroes in the universe.
-->'''Nova''': Surfer! The Revengers are the enemies' big guns.
-->'''Silver Surfer:''' Interesting.
-->''Surfer takes down the Revengers versions of Thor and Iron Man with one attack each.''
-->'''Silver Surfer:''' When we next have a quiet moment, Richard Rider, we can discuss the definition of the term.
* BadassCrew: ComicBook/TheDefenders and, on occasion, the God Squad.
* BaldOfAwesome: ''Silver'' bald of awesome in this case even.
* BarrierWarrior: The Surfer can create energy shields to defend himself and his allies.
* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: And talk in space, too. Justified since he doesn't actually need to breathe or use sound to communicate; [[AWizardDidIt Power Cosmic]], remember?
* BerserkButton: ''Did not'' like being a Herald of Galactus so anytime Galactus [[InconvenientSummons summons]] him as his most reliable herald during a crisis is one of the few times he gets extremely angry and needs to be talked down.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Yes, he's [[IncorruptiblePurePureness incorruptible]], but remember his Power Cosmic? If he wanted to, he could ''[[RealityWarper disintegrate reality]].'' Really, does ''that'' sound like the sort of guy you'd want mad at you?
* {{Brainwashed}}: During [[spoiler:ComicBook/PlanetHulk]] Surfer is weakened by a wormhole, [=brainwashed=], and has a RestrainingBolt placed on him in order to have him fight in gladiatorial battles.
* BullyingADragon: Because he looks inhuman (and possibly because he nearly let Galactus eat Earth), in the early days people kept trying to attack him, and generally insulting him. Apparently, the fact that he's a borderline RealityWarper (and EXTREMELY dangerous when angered) never occurred to them.
* ChromeChampion: Quite possibly the TropeCodifier.
* ColorCharacter: '''Silver''' Surfer.
* ConspicuousTrenchcoat: Frequently wears one of these as a disguise during his [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] series, much like [[ComicBook/FantasticFour the Thing]].
* CoolBoard: It flies, is faster than light and can even be used as a weapon or shield. Plus, it is controlled via his mind. Yup, cool indeed. In his 2016 solo it becomes a kind of NonHumanSidekick, capable of silently expressing its thoughts using the reflection of whoever is looking at it.
* CuttingTheKnot: This trope was responsible for finally freeing the Surfer from Earth permanently; Ben Grimm suggesting that the Surfer try leaving Earth ''without'' using his board. To the Surfer, the very thought of travelling without his board is so unthinkable that both he and Reed Richards were stunned that there was a simple solution to the exile all this time and neither of them ever realized it. To put it to the test, the Four transported the Surfer in their spacecraft off the planet with his board left back on the ground and they discovered that was indeed all they needed to do. As for the board, The Surfer simply remotely converted it to a mass of energy unaffected by the barrier and called it to him to be reassembled as the board back in space.
* DecompositeCharacter: There are two unrelated version of the Silver Surfer in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe. On one side we have the "Silver Wings" in the ''ComicBook/UltimateGalactusTrilogy'', who work for Gah Lak Tus. They have his appearance and powers, but are largely just fight drones and do not seem to have a will of their own (so, no betrayal here). And, in ''ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour'', we met the Silver Searcher, with a similar personality to the Surfer, except that he used to work for the Psycho Man.
* DependingOnTheWriter: Reportedly, this was one of the bigger divisions between Lee and Kirby: Kirby preferred the idea of the Surfer as a weird and inhuman SufficientlyAdvancedAlien, while Lee wrote him as a deeply emotional and kindhearted sort. As Kirby was technically the Surfer's true creator, this rubbed him the wrong way.
* DoctorWhomage: During the Slott/Allred run, he is depicted as basically the Marvel Universe version of [[Series/DoctorWho the Doctor]], complete with hero-worshipping contemporary-Earth everywoman companion.
* DoesNotLikeShoes: As a part of his FullFrontalAssault-ness. Weirdly, he doesn't seem to have any toes, his feet being shaped like boots.
* EnergyAbsorption: To a very high degree. Goes as far as depowering people; he can also redirect it.
* EvenMoreOmnipotent: Whenever the Silver Surfer rebels against his creator, Galactus, Galactus just [[NoSell No Sells]] his attacks or strips him of his power. Or when any being he bequeathed with the Power Cosmic tries the same, for that matter. Galactus is able to take back their powers at will or override any actions they attempt to take.
* EyeBeams: Sometimes the Surfer uses healing eye beams instead of HealingHands.
* FadSuper: It's downplayed to the point a lot of people don't even realize it, but the idea of a cosmic-powered surfboard rider has at least something to do with the fact that surfing was hugely popular during the 60s. The complete lack of [[TotallyRadical surfer slang]] or other SurferDude characteristics, combined with his stories focusing on being either an outsider on earth or cosmic adventuring, helped him survive the usual fate of the FadSuper.
* FlyingBrick: A strange example since he normally flies via his surfboard and while he is super strong, he doesn't engage in fisticuffs as often as other bricks.
* FlyingFirepower: As a former herald of ComicBook/{{Galactus}}, Norrin Radd is nigh-omnipotent. On his own, he can fly at warp speeds and fire devastatingly powerful energy blasts. But that's only the ''tip'' of the [[RealityWarper iceberg.]]
* ForgotAboutHisPowers: The Power Cosmic allows Silver Surfer to manipulate both matter and energy, time and space, and often times he simply chooses to solve a problem by hitting it with cosmic blasts. When someone like Doctor Doom stole his powers, he froze tropical islands, drained London of its power, resurrected dinosaurs, and killed the Fantastic Four (only to resurrect them on a whim).
* FullFrontalAssault: Silver Surfer is always naked, although he doesn't possess any visible genitals. A planet-devouring cosmic entity probably doesn't see any need to give his servants the ability to procreate sexually. Certain artists will occasionally give him a silvery Speedo, but that's it.
* GlowingEyesOfDoom: When he is pissed off.
* AGodAmI: When ComicBook/{{Cable}} went into this territory it was Surfer who had to beat him out of it.
* GoodHurtsEvil: Mephisto finds being in his presence painful due to his IncorruptiblePurePureness.
* GreenLanternRing: The Power Cosmic, which allows him to do... pretty much anything, really.
* GroundhogDayLoop: He [[spoiler: and Dawn and everyone from Newhaven]] got stuck in one of those due to an enemy superweapon.
* HealingHands: Surfer can use the Power Cosmic to heal through contact. Healing very extensive injuries on someone can leave him weakened for a while afterwards, though.
* [[IAmNotAGun I Am Not The Herald Of Galactus]]: His defining characteristic is his determination to assert himself as something more than Galactus' slave.
* ImColdSoCold: Justified in the second series, when Frankie Raye, a fire elemental, is fatally injured. Her flame then starts to dwindle before dying out.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: You didn't think that surfboard was just for riding on, did you?
* IncorruptiblePurePureness: Mephisto once hurt himself by trying to take him over because he is so pure and good.
* IntangibleMan: One of his many powers is phasing through solid matter.
* IntriguedByHumanity: In many stories he refers to Earth as his adopted home.
* TheMigration: Surfer helps the inhabitants of Newhaven, comprised entirely of refugees from worlds destroyed by Galactus, to do this after [[spoiler: History repeats itself]]. It takes a while.
* MoleInCharge: In the early-nineties run of Silver Surfer, there was a running subplot of a Skrull permanently disguised as a Kree woman who worked her way up the social ladder so eventually she was the right-hand woman to the Supreme Intelligence, and when it got disabled, she was effectively empress. At that point she decided she kinda liked power and did not call off the Kree battlefleets about to engage the Skrull armada.
* MonsterModesty: Norrin ran around in silver underwear in his earlier appearances. He has now been reduced to NonhumansLackAttributes although the occasional artist might slap a pair of undies on every now and then.
* MySignificanceSenseIsTingling: With his Cosmic Awareness, the Surfer can sense major events throughout the galaxy just before they happen. On a smaller scale, the power has been used to find hidden doors, detect weaknesses in beings like Gladiator, and assist in guiding the Surfer though the galaxy.
* TheNeedless: He doesn't require any sort of sustenance (such as air or food) in order to live.
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], given the undefined nature of the Power Cosmic and the various power boosts the Surfer has received over the years.
* NighInvulnerability: From punches by Class 100 character to black holes, he has survived a considerable amount of damage unharmed.
* NudeColoredClothes: During UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} he wore nothing but a pair of underwear that was the same color as his skin. These days, he's usually [[FullFrontalAssault completely naked]], but the underwear still shows up from time to time.
* PerfectPacifistPeople: Zenn-La was such a society when Galactus arrived.
* PhysicalGod: Allthough he, like his master, often suffers {{The Worf Effect}}, he is (or should be) one of the most powerful characters of the Marvel Universe, if not comic books in general.
* PowerCreepPowerSeep: Just like his master, he has fallen victim to this a lot. Especially his vast speed is often glossed over.
* PsychicPowers: Telepathy, Empathy, Telekinesis, others.
* PullingThemselvesTogether: In the rare event that the Surfer's body is cut into pieces, he can reconstitute himself in seconds.
* RealityWarping: He doesn't use them that often, though, at least compared to his other powers.
* RedemptionDemotion: Averted. When he went from a villain to a hero, he continued to be quite powerful.
* RepeatIndexIndex: Has the Silver Surfer mentioned that he has the Power Cosmic? Because he does.
* ScarilyCompetentTracker: The Surfer's Cosmic Awareness allows him to detect powerful energy concentrations "anywhere in the cosmos." Combined with his SuperSenses and ability to teleport to any dimension he has previously visited, it is almost impossible to hide from the Surfer.
--> '''Silver Surfer''': Fools. Eyes that can track a single dust mote across the space ways will certainly have no difficulty tracing the path of a Troyjan battle cruiser.
* SeeksAnothersResurrection: At some point after Frankie Raye's death, the Surfer came upon a young girl that resembled her in Nevada named Frances Hyatt, and imbued her with a portion of Frankie's soul in an apparent attempt to have some part of her live on. Years later an incident causes her to [[FusionDance be united with]] Nova's Power Cosmic, and she has reluctantly become Supernova.
* ShapeShifting: One of his many powers, though he rarely uses it. In the 2012 Defenders series he's introduced having spent some time as snowfall. There he's treated less like a silver coated man and more like [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay the T-1000]].
* ShoutOut:
** A musical one, no less - he's the alien in the Music/JoeSatriani album title and song ''Surfing With The Alien''.
** Ron Marz returned the favor by naming the planet Shalla-Bal relocated to "Planet Satriani."
* SilverHasMysticPowers: Subverted by the Silver Surfer. He does look shiny and can easily survive in the vacuum of space or walk across stars, but this isn't anything inherent to his outer shell, instead coming from the Power Cosmic bestowed on him by his former master Galactus. The Devourer of Worlds has had many other servants with identical abilities to the Surfer, but most of them weren't even silvery.
* SkySurfing: Space-surfing, natch.
* SpaceIsAnOcean: [[IncrediblyLamePun And he rides the waves.]]
* SpaceX: In response to Dawn asking him why did the Giraud Expanse aliens speak french, he retorted that the two languages only ''sound'' alike. It's actually [[DistinctionWithoutADifference Space-french]].
* SpeedBlitz: The Surfer once disabled six Ergon starships in a matter of seconds in order to protect the Impossible Man.
* StatusQuoIsGod: After many decades being on his own, during the events of ComicBook/{{Annihilation}}, he returns to being ComicBook/{{Galactus}}' herald.
** [[spoiler:After a recent Thor storyline, the Surfer at the request of Galactus is now stationed on Earth... again.]]
* StoryBreakerPower: He's extremely difficult to harm and strong enough to destroy planets. Consequently he doesn't show up a whole lot.
* SufficientlyAdvancedAliens: Zenn-Lavians are a highly advanced society. Advanced enough to combine mysticism and technology to remove and replace another planet's culture with their own as a form of colonization.
* SummonToHand: Along with his catch phrase "To me, my board!"
* SuperheroesInSpace: Once his exhile on Earth was lifted, he took to superheroing in space.
* SuperpowerLottery: The Silver Surfer hit the jackpot. He is easily one of the most powerful of all mainstream superheroes; to reiterate, he possesses Class 100 SuperStrength[[note]]that is, anywhere between lifting 100+ tons, and limitless[[/note]], faster-than-light SuperSpeed, energy blasts, EnergyAbsorption, NighInvulnerability, PsychicPowers, and even a degree of RealityWarping, not to mention Cosmic Awareneness, which basically lets him sense absolutely ''any'' kind of energy, anywhere, and he [[TheNeedless needs neither food, drink, nor air to live]] (he doesn't even need the board to fly; it just lets him fly longer without wasting energy; that and RuleOfCool). Doctor Doom has used his powers to TakeOverTheWorld, defeating every single other Earth-bound Marvel hero who got in his way in the process. Of course, he was the puppet of Galactus for years and was trapped on Earth for some time after he rebelled, and afterward racked up many enemies who are even [[UpToEleven more powerful than him]], so it all evens out.
* SuperSenses: In ''Incredible Hulk #415'', the Surfer could "detect the [[SpaceIsNoisy whistling]] of a meteorite a thousand light years away." Using his "far ranging vision", the Surfer could see Thanos from "more than a light year away" in ''Infinity Gauntlet #3''.
* SuperSpeed: The Surfer searched the entire surface of the Earth in seconds in ''Silver Surfer Annual #5''. In space he regular travels many times faster than the speed of light, too.
* SuperStrength: Even though he rarely uses his fists to fight, he is extremely strong and can additionally amp himself with the Power Cosmic. He once for example took down the Super Skrull with a single punch. And in ComicBook/PlanetHulk, while in a weakened state, he utterly dominated the fight against Hulk (who was also weakened, granted) and his entire Warbound with nothing more than his physical strength.
* SuperWeight: Level 5.
* {{Teleportation}}: Surfer can open portals to teleport himself all over the galaxy.
* ThemeTwinNaming: Dawn has a twin sister named Eve, as in "evening".
* ThouShaltNotKill: Sometimes, though especially after Annihilation, he has become more ruthless and discounted this.
* TimeTravel: On pure speed alone, mind you.
* UnbuiltTrope: Surfer's one of the earliest and most iconic examples of a FadSuper, having been created partly due to the fact that surfing was very popular in the 1960s. But this is downplayed to the point of being very easy to miss. The complete lack of [[TotallyRadical surfer slang]] or other SurferDude characteristics, combined with his stories focusing on being either an outsider on earth or cosmic adventuring, make him seem very different from the majority of the trope's later examples (and also probably helped to give him more staying power than most). It's also played with a good deal: he's an alien who never knew anything about surfing (the Human Torch gave him that name) and the board is actually just an extension of himself he uses to fly through space and not technically a surfboard. Even now, it's still rare for a FadSuper to be (initially) unaware of what they were created to cash in on, only seeming like they're following a trend due to coincidence.
* WillfullyWeak: He often doesn't want to fight at his best because he is peaceful at heart. Might be one of the explanations for some of his losses.
* TheWorfEffect: Like Galactus, a lot of his cameo/guest appearances often come down to this. Although he doesn't always lose, simply being able to smack around the Silver Surfer is enough to establish a threat. In particular, ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'' starts off with him crashing defeated through the roof of the [[ComicBook/DoctorStrange Sanctum Sanctorum]] after encountering Thanos with the full might of Infinity Gauntlet.
* WorthyOpponent:
** Thor, with whom he has clashed several times and still maintains a respectful relationship.
** In the ''ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}''/''ComicBook/{{Galactus}}'' crossover, Surfer was so impressed by Orion's courage, he managed to delay [[GrimReaper the Black Racer]] long enough to allow Mother Box to prevent him from dying. In exchange, Orion saluted Silver Surfer and left, returning the compliment.
* WowingCthulhu: Silver Surfer's OriginStory involves a civilian named Norrin Radd impressing ComicBook/{{Galactus}}, a PlanetEater, with his devotion to his home planet, Zen-Laa. Galactus spares Radd's planet in exchange for him becoming Galactus's herald.

----

[[caption-width-right:300:He surfs, and he's silvery.]]

* GreenLanternRing: The Power Cosmic.

* NudeColoredClothes: During UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} he wore nothing but a pair of underwear that was the same color as his skin. These days, he's just [[FullFrontalAssault completely naked]].

* ShapeShifting: One of his many powers, though he rarely uses it. In the 2012 Defenders series he's introduced having spent some time as snowfall. There he's treated less like a silver coated man and more like the T-1000.

* ThemeTwinNaming: Dawn has a twin sister named Eve.

* TheWorfEffect: Like Galactus, a lot of his cameo/guest appearances often come down to this. Although he doesn't always lose, simply being able to smack around the Silver Surfer is enough to establish a threat.

* FullFrontalAssault: Silver Surfer is always naked, although he doesn't possess any visible genitals. A planet-devouring cosmic entity probably doesn't see any need to give his servants the ability to procreate sexually.

* AntiHero: While stuck on Earth in the 60s, he had these moments, often fighting with fellow heroes due to generally being pissed off, as opposed to [[LetsYouAndHimFight the usual mistaken-identity excuse.]]
* AntiVillain: Started off as this and arguably returned to it when briefly became a herald of Galactus again.

* GlowingEyesOfDoom: When he is pissed off.

* TheWorfEffect: Like Galactus, a lot of his cameo/guest appearances often come down to this. Although he doesn't always lose, simply being able to smack around the Silver Surfer is enough to establish a threat.

* ThemeTwinNaming: Dawn has a twin sister named Eve.

The Surfer is still popular and occasionally shows up in other Marvel series. He's something of a PuritySue, due to his cosmic level of power and having a soul so pure that ComicBook/{{Mephisto}}, Marvel's stand-in for (the christian version of) {{Satan}}, tried many times to corrupt him. He has become more worldly, DependingOnTheWriter.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Yes, he's a PuritySue, but remember his Power Cosmic? If he wanted to, he could ''[[RealityWarper disintegrate reality]].'' Really, does ''that'' sound like the sort of guy you'd want mad at you?

* ''VideoGame/LegoMarvelSuperHeroes'', an entry in [[VideoGame/LEGOAdaptationGame Traveller's Tales LEGO franchise]]

Besides ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' and his own comicbook line, the Surfer has appeared in:

[[AC:Videogames]]

* ''VideoGame/LegoMarvelSuperHeroes'', an entry in [[VideoGame/LEGOAdaptationGame Traveller's Tales Lego franchise]]