Book Cover
Title Page
Credits Spread
Table of Contents
Back Endpapers
John Buscema became the artist who defined Marvel Comics "house style." His figures didn't have as much exaggeration as Jack Kirby's, nor did they appear to be as highly stylized. Buscema's figures and story-telling seemed to be more grounded in "heroic realism." There seemed to be a more controlled sense of interaction and activity. Let's say, more cool and sophisticated!
The work Buscema did on the Silver Surfer touched a certain nerve within readers. It almost instantly became a classic. To this day people look at it as being a high water mark for the work Busecema did for Marvel. It's not very often that an illustrator and the subject matter seem to be so harmonious.
When designing this book, I wanted to portray the idea of "space." Both as in, "outer space" but also as in "open design space." The character of Silver Surfer always seemed to me, to be both melancholy and lonely. I wanted to re-enforce that idea, by showing great expanses of monochromatic atmosphere. Like being swallowed up into the darkness.
