The Zenn-La Collection
Silver Surfer 5

COMIC DETAILS

Comic Description: Silver Surfer #5 Universal
Grade: 9.2
Page Quality: CREAM TO OFF-WHITE
Pedigree: Savannah
Certification #: 1011479006
Owner: Crazy Canuck

SET DETAILS

Winning Set: The Zenn-La Collection
Date Added: 4/18/2011
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

Pedigree: Savannah

*Pedigree Background*
This collection was discovered by Shelton Drum, owner of Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find in North Carolina, and consigned to Heritage Auctions in its entirety (40,000). Drum purchased the comics from the original collector, a Savannah, GA resident who was middle-aged in the late 1950s when he began collecting in earnest, but continued purchasing every comic he could for the following 50 years.

“I was amazed by the consistent quality of the comics from 1959 and up,” Drum said. “While quite a few people have extensive collections of superhero comics from that era, almost nobody bought every genre. This collection also has all of the science fiction, horror/mystery, romance, and war comics, as well – lots of books you don’t usually see as a dealer or a collector. This guy bought everything! He collected DCs and Marvels as well as the other publishers like Charlton and Dell.”

The collector had an ingenious way to make sure he never missed an issue: he acquired the comics directly from the distributor from the late 1950s through the 1970s.

Purchase History: Won on Heritage Auctions

Rank: 4th

Story Title: "And Who Shall Mourn For Him"

*Synopsis*
Breaking into the Baxter Building, the Silver Surfer steals Reed's space-scrambler in hopes that he can use it to break through the barrier which Galactus has put it around Earth. However, the Surfer is unaware that the device has not been perfected, and when he uses it, the device explodes knocking him unconscious and sending him back to Earth. He is recovered and brought home by physicist Al Harper, who sympathizes and can relate to the Surfers plight. Harper agrees to help the Surfer, however he needs the money to create the devices necessary to breach the barrier.

Dawning human clothing, the Surfer sets out to get the money that Al needs in order to conduct the work needed. At first the Surfer breaks into a bank to take the money he needs, but realizes that doing so would be dishonorable when he's spotted by the security guard. He then restores the damage and erases the guards memories of the incident before resuming his mission. Out in an alley he runs across a man who has been roughed up after losing all his money in an illegal gambling room after he realized the dice he was rolling were weighted. The Surfer decides that is how he will earn the money that he needs. Taken to the gambling room, the Surfer uses his cosmic powers to clean up and win more than enough money that is needed. However, the operators of the gambling room are not impressed with having lost so much money and beat up the Surfer and tries to run him down, however the man who told him of the gambling room tries to stop it and is struck himself. Fed up, the Surfer disables the mobsters car, and gives the man some of his money before returning to Al.

With the money, Harper is able to build the devices that the Surfer needs to get to Earth, however as it happens the Surfer is trying to free himself just as the Stranger has come to Earth to destroy it after his previous experiences on the planet leads him to believe the planet does not deserve to sustain life. Detecting the Surfer's presence on the Earth, the Stranger informs the Surfer of his plans to destroy the Earth with a Null-Life Bomb so that the Surfer can leave. Not wishing the destruction of the Earth, the Surfer battles the Stranger, but is easily defeated.

Deciding that he needs help in finding the bomb and defeating the Stranger, the Surfer gets Al to help him. While Al tracks down the bomb with a radiation detecting device, the Surfer battles the Stranger in the city. Although Al is attacked by a mob finding his activities suspicious, Al manages to find the bomb and disarms it, although at the cost of his own life. With the bomb destroyed, the Stranger is forced to retreat. The Surfer then tracks down his friend and gives him a proper burial, and leaves a marker of everlasting flame.
  
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