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CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

The Silver Surfer

10 votes

Adam Warlock (Him)

6 votes

Edgy MD Nov 24 2014 08:59 AM

Our latest first round matchup features two guys spun off from The Fantastic Four. Both emerged as pretty power beings, traveling light speed, whose story often takes them beyond the Earth. [fimg=350]http://marvelite.prohosting.com/surfer/gallery/nexus/images/spacesurfer.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=350]http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11113/111130081/4097870-2689388632-warlo.jpg[/fimg] Name: Silver Surver Name: Adam Warlock AKA: Norrin Radd AKA: Him Creator(s): Jack Kirby, Stan Lee Creator(s): Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, reconceived by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane Origin: The planet Zenn-La Origin: The Beehive, Shard Island, Atlantic Ocean Base of Operations: Dude is everywhere. He's galactic. But he gets trapped on earth from time to time. Base of Operations: Monster Island, Soul-World, Counter-Earth, Knowhere Teams: Defenders, Heralds of Galactus, others Teams: Guardians of the Galaxy Signature Lines: "I am not a god. I have never created life...but I have lived. That is enough. " Signature Lines: " am HIM... not born of man and woman! I was created to be invincible! And those who made me... made me well! " Arch-Enemy: Galactus (during his formative years); later Annihilus Arch-Enemy: Thanos Powers: Weilds the Power Cosmic, and has superhuman strength, endurance, and sensory powers, absorbed from the universe's ambient energy. He can survive and travel in space, and even do hyperspace. Doesn't need to eat or sleep as cosmic energy sustains his silver ass. He projects energy bolts, and seemingly has ESP. He's got a cool, possibly indestructable surf board. Doesn't seem to need clothes. Powers: Intitially, he hadsuperhuman strength; speed; durability; stamina; agility and the ability to manipulate cosmic energy for energy projection, flight and recuperation. But he gave all that up. Later he recive the Soul Gem, which allows him to use "Quantum Magic" (I know), and maniupate energy, create force fields, teleport, and move faster than light. He can de-volve certain species, too. Weaknesses: Gets imprisoned on earth a lot. Weaknesses: He's reliant on the Soul Gem, and that thing has a life of its own that he must wrestle with to control.

Ceetar Nov 24 2014 09:05 AM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

I don't really know Warlock but I like the word and Silver Surfer has always sorta rubbed me the wrong way.

Vic Sage Nov 24 2014 10:33 AM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

Both of these cosmic characters were created by Lee/Kirby and recreated by others, particularly Jim Starlin. And these are 2 of my personal faves in the enter marvel oeuvre. In fact, some of you may remember that i used to use "Norrin Radd" as my nom-de-pool. The Surfer's origin trilogy was the founding structure of my comic fandom. It is the story of a prince who gave up everything, particularly his beloved Shalla-bal, in order to save his world from destruction. He chooses instead to lived enslaved to the hunger of Galactus, only to later surrender his freedom to save Earth from Galactus as well. Of course he is hated and misunderstood by the very Earthlings he saved. He finally earns his freedom, and once more surfs the cosmic spaceways. It is a story of nobility, sacrifice and redemption. And Warlock's journey is even more explicitly messianic. I remember him first as the cocoon-bred artificial life form "Him" in the FF, and later in Thor, but he was not of much interest then. But when Roy Thomas and Gil Kane brought him back as Warlock, it was as a Christ-like savior of Counter-Earth in conflict with the fallen angel, The Man-Beast, on behalf of that world's creator, the High Evolutionary. In order to help Warlock be victorious over the Man-Beast and his minions, The High Evolutionary gives Warlock the "Soul Gem", one of the infinity gems, which had a soul-sucking vampiric nature against which Warlock was in constant conflict. Later on, When Jim Starlin took over the title, Warlock battled "The Magus" and his Universal Church of Truth, which Warlock eventually discovers s in a paranoid Schizophrenic version of his own future self. Talk about inner turmoil! Warlock and his pals (Pip the Troll, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora and Moondragon) eventually destroy Thanos, but Warlock is sucked into his own soul gem and is presumed dead. He is later pulled out of the idyllic world of the soul gem by the Surfer in order stop Thanos once more, as Thanos wields the Infinity Gauntlet. Like the Surfer, Warlock's story is also one of noble sacrifice and resurrection. like Jonah Hex, I've set up one of my faves to fail in the 1st round. I feel like Joss Whedon, killing off my children. But the surfer must ride on, and Warlock will soon be resurrected, i suspect, in the next GUARDIANS movie.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 24 2014 11:23 AM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

I voted for the Surfer; I don't recall many, if any, Adam Warlock stories that really made an impression on me. I was always less into the "cosmic" stories, and other than the original story in the FF, I mainly remember him on counter-earth in some Hulk stories. I didn't know that he appeared as "Him" in Thor's title. In fact, I never knew how or where Marvel transformed "Him" into Warlock. (It made sense to change his name. You can't go through life with a name like "Him" unless you're a character in an Abbott-and-Costello skit.) The Surfer is cool. Fun fact: He virtually disappeared from Marvel Comics after Stan Lee stopped writing and became editor-in-chief instead. Stan didn't want anyone other than himself to write any Surfer stories, although I think there may have been an exception here or there. Finally Stan realized he no longer had time to do any comic book writing, so he lifted that restriction. Another fun fact: According to Stan's recollection (which can be terribly unreliable), Jack Kirby drew the Silver Surfer in one of the final panels of Fantastic Four 48 (the first issue of the famous Galactus Trilogy), and Stan was surprised to see him there. Since the Surfer played such a pivotal role in the outcome of that story, it's a bit hard to believe that the first issue was plotted without Stan even knowing that the Surfer even existed. It indicates the kind of seat-of-the-pants plotting that led to the deux ex machina ending, where Stan and/or Jack pulled the Ultimate Nullifier out of their asses. (Despite that ending, it's still a great classic story. This was in 1966, when Lee and Kirby were at their creative best.)

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Nov 24 2014 11:49 AM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

Surfer's a heavy-hitter, power-wise, and a great paragon. But, for my money, Warlock-- with his universe-wide character-development arc, from Frankenman to Space Jesus to Walking Predestination-Versus-Free-Will Allegory to Cosmic Threat-and-Savior is a slightly richer, more compelling character, and a complex hero. As a Batman guy, I tend to prefer my heroes with a little bit of situational deviousness (it takes someone who can think like Thanos to really take out Thanos, y'know?), so... with a little bit of a kiss-your-sister look on my punim, Team Warlock it is.

Edgy MD Nov 24 2014 12:01 PM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

I tend to vote down the more powerful. How many conflicts can you make for Superman that are relatable when the guy can fart a tsunami? Then there's guys like Green Lantern whose power seems to be within a reasonable scope, but then, when a writer really thinks about it, those are really super-duper powers, so every conflict has to be planetary-threatening just to get him out of bed.

Nymr83 Nov 24 2014 08:17 PM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

Silver Surfer is one of my favorite non-X-Men characters, just great stories all around when he is involved. Adam who?

Edgy MD Dec 01 2014 10:08 PM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

I vote the Surfer down, but I looze. As does Adam Warlock, 10-6.

Benjamin Grimm Dec 02 2014 04:04 PM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

This thread isn't the first time that the Surfer has come up against Warlock. This page cuts away just as the two of them were about to start snogging.

Vic Sage Dec 10 2014 02:40 PM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

Warlock's female personification, The Goddess, is displeased:

Benjamin Grimm Dec 10 2014 02:52 PM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

John Romita Jr.?

Vic Sage Dec 10 2014 03:33 PM Re: CPF WotS, Rd. 1: The Silver Surver vs. Adam Warlock

Ron Lim