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(Episode 19) Written by Larry Brody |
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We open with Nova literally swimming through the heart of a sun. She gleefully laughs and invites her austere companion to join her.
“C'mon Surfer, the water's fine,” she says.
Silver Surfer remains on the periphery like a scared child with water wings.
“I have no need to immerse myself. I can absorb all the energy I need from right here,” he says.
“I'm not talking about nutrition Silverado. I'm talking about fun,” Nova retorts and “splashes” him with a little sunlight.
The splash misses the Surfer. Likewise, Surfer totally misses that he is being flirted with. Instead, he begins soapboxing (as he is prone to do:) “How can I think about enjoyment? This very universe is my creation, yet it is filled with injustice. Why can I not make it perfect?”
Nova continues her fruitless flirtation. “Where I come from they have a saying, ‘You deserve a break today.' How ‘bout you take some time off from your blamestorming and come with me,” she offers.
“You have decided what you are going to do now that you no longer serve Galactus?” Surfer asks.
“Only one place I want to go,” she replies, “a little mudball called Earth.”
Surfer nods, and the two warp away from Nova's swimming pool. As they approach her home planet, Nova points out some of the landmarks. She describes the dark side of the moon as “Pink Floyd territory.” They pass it by. Then they reach her “home, sweet home.”
Before they land on the surface, Surfer cautions her. “Nova, wait! You are not who you
once were -- and just as I found when I returned to Zenn-La, your world may be also be much changed!”
Nova does not listen and continues her descent. Even the Surfer does not notice that they have triggered a satellite's defenses. Elsewhere, in a moderately large country dubbed the “ U.S.A. ” on the little mudball Earth, two generals confer regarding the satellites readings.
“He's back? You're sure?” one says.
“Spectographic analysis confirms it, General. It's the same E.T. that spearheaded last year's invasion.”
“What about its friend?”
“That's a new one.”
“Good. We've got some new allies too.”
As Surfer and Nova approach the surface, they are suddenly separated by a barrage of fireballs. They are confused until they realize the inferno is not a new weapon per se, but a person: Johnny Storm, the Human Torch.
Johnny speaks on a small fireproof (apparently) headset while he flings his fire. “Reed, my fireballs are doing zilch!” he says.
Behind him is the Fantasticar piloted by Ben Grimm, the Thing. Also in tow are Susan Richards, the Invisible Woman, and Reed Richards, Mister Fantastic.
Sue fires a pair of rockets that explode on contact with the Nova and the Surfer. Verifying a hit, Grimm notes, “It's clobberin' time.”
ACT ONE
The shrapnel from the explosion dissipates. Nova and Surfer hover annoyed but unharmed.
“Looks like you're right,” Nova concedes. “Earth has changed.”
“Still are your homeworld's weapons no match for cosmic power,” he notes, dusting off his shiny exterior.
“Maybe we'd better clue in those overachievers before they keep wasting our time,” Nova says.
“It would appear we're too late,” Surfer says.
Reed orders Johnny fall back. He wants to try the molecular binders and does not want his step-brother in the blast area.
“Uh oh, the boss is talkin' nasty again,” Grimm notes, regarding the weapons.
The weapons explode above Nova and Surfer, and Nova cannot help but laugh.
“Missed us,” she says wryly.
Suddenly energy chains descend from the explosion and bond Surfer and Nova together.
“Not quite,” Surfer notes equally wryly.
Surfer and Nova's energies are also bonded by the chains. They attempt to overload the chains and get out of their sticky situation. Surfer glows and Nova flares. The energy chains fizzle and disappear.
Frustrated, Ben announces it is time for the “body beautiful” to try things his way: brute force. The Fantasticar's canopy drops turning it into a convertible. He leaps at the Surfer and bearhugs him with one arm. Refusing to be left out of a good brawl, Johnny starts blasting at Nova.
Surfer takes a strong punch to the gut that could topple a building, but Surfer is unfazed. With the back of his hand, Surfer knocks the Thing from his surfboard. Likewise, Johnny's flames are not hot enough to match Nova. She knocks him back and even makes him revert to his unflamed form—that of a normal, adolescent male.
With horror, Nova and Surfer realize their opponents are plummeting toward the ground.
Fortunately, the Fantastic Four do now let one of their own plummet. Sue protects her brother with a forcefield and Reed grabs his best friend with his elastic arms. Both are safely pulled in to the vehicle.
“If you two are finished playing, we've still got a job to do,” Reed says.
“Not necessarily stretch,” the Thing retorts. He notes the two cosmically charged trespassers are gone.
Elsewhere, in a neighborhood of hip boutiques and eateries, a young newsman bewails his lot in life to his cameraman Bob.
Sidney Young says: “Possible alien invasion! Rumors of the Fantastic Four hot on the scene -- and I'm stuck in the middle with you! ‘The neighborhood beat's your kind of thing' they said. ‘Take Bob and do some local color.' How in the world is that gonna get me an anchor's job.”
Young snorts derisively and is about to begin another tirade when he notices two unusual tourists who are “shopping” in a closed clothing store. Of course, the two are Nova and the Silver Surfer.
Nova talks as she tries on clothes. “Some homecoming this is,” she says. “I can't believe I have to sneak around on my home planet.”
“Well do I understand your people's mistrust of beings such as we. If we are to remain here for any period of time, we must try to appear as though we belong,” Surfer says.
“Then this'd definitely be the place,” she says of the clothing shop and Southern California in general. Nova tries on a shirt and squeals with delight. “Bare midriff. Now we're talking.”
“Nova, our purpose is to conceal,” Surfer chides.
Nova makes a face, but gets the point. Her next selection is more conspicuous. Unfortunately the clothing she selects bursts into flames. Surfer goes for the Bogart look with a long trench coat and fedora.
Meanwhile, Young closes in to get a better look. Bob is terrified and frozen in place.
Nova subdues her flame and pulls on a baggy outfit. She looks in the mirror and is displeased. “Why don't I just wear a giant oven mitt? What'll Amber think?” she says.
Of course, the Surfer will not steal clothing so he transmutes receipts into—“What did you say the medium of exchange was?” he asks Nova. “Atomic Number 79”—a bar of gold.
“You kidding me?” Young murmurs. Surfer and Nova hear the ambitious newsman and whirl to see him and Bob who is still shooting.
“Great, leave it to the paparazzi to catch a lady at her worst,” Nova quips.
“Babe, right now nothing could look better to me than the two of you,” Young assures her.
“Babe? You know this man?” the Surfer asks confused.
“No, but it's an Earth tradition—immediate intimacy,” Nova replies.
Suddenly, Young recognizes the Surfer. “You're one of the attackers from the last picture.” He says to Nova, “And you're the beautiful sidekick. The Network News is mine.”
Surfer is unhappy with his sudden celebrity. “I neither know nor care anything for your Network. Let us pass,” he says.
“I just need a few sound bites,” Young implores. When the Surfer ignores him, he tries his luck with Nova. “Can't you talk to Mr. Chrome Jeans here? No reason we can't all be stars.”
“Remember what you said about following local customs?” Nova says to the Surfer.
Surfer's face softens, not because of any affection for Young or desire to follow local customs. No, it is because Nova has just made a face like a child asking for a puppy.
The interview: Young introduces Surfer and Nova to millions, possibly billions in a televised conversation.
Young begins: “This is Sidney Young, reporting live from Los Angeles , where I'm with two genuine extra-terrestrial beings, the Silver Surfer and Nova.”
Nova: “Actually I'm from Venice Beach . But my body chemistry kinda got altered by this guy named Galactus. He's the one who tried to eat the Earth awhile ago.”
One of the millions watching is Nova's friend Amber. Despite her different appearance, she immediately recognizes her best friend. “Frankie?” she asks herself.
“Of course, Silverado got us out of that one,” Nova continues. “Saved the whole planet.”
The television plays in the background of the Baxter Building as the Fantastic Four talk, oblivious to the television.
“I am beat,” Grimm declares.
“Some group of world savers the Fantastic Four turned out to be. We all got beat,” Johnny states.
Reed monitors one of his many machines. “It wasn't a total loss, Johnny. Once I've analyzed this data we'll have a much better chance against our foes,” he says.
Sue gets a phone call from one of the generals who originally contacted the Four. “You better analyze that data fast,” Sue says.
Meanwhile, it seems like everyone else is gathering at the studio. People are glued to the two galactic travelers. Streets are packed. Stoves burn and faucets run unchecked as people stare at the interstellar nomads.
People cheer wildly for the two, especially Silver Surfer whom Nova has just declared a hero. The Surfer, for one, is uncomfortable with the attention. But Nova is reveling in her newfound celebrity.
“Last time I saw a crush like this, I was in line for Chumbawamba tickets,” Nova whispers to Surfer.
“But what are all these people doing? Why are they here?” Surfer asks.
“You're a hero. Everyone wants to be part of the event,” Young says covering the microphone. He uncovers the mic and says to the camera, “The world wants to know, Silver Surfer -- what are you doing back on Earth?”
The Silver Surfer stares blankly at the camera for a moment, and then says awkwardly, “When last I was here, this planet struck a chord within me, its people filled with potential for justice and peace…”
Silver's soliloquy is cut short as helicopters descend and a policeman announces over a loudspeaker that Nova and the Surfer need to surrender themselves. The crowd is displeased with the order. They boo, but then a warning shot rings out and a riot begins in earnest.
“People are going to get hurt,” Nova says.
Nova and Surfer rip off their clothes to quell the riot, but they are lost in the ruckus.
ACT TWO
The riot is on. The crown struggles. Some push, some pull. Some are trampled underneath. Many chant “Save the Surfer!” The cops fire another shot and a member of the crowd slumps.
Enraged, the Surfer prepares to incinerate the policeman, but Nova grabs his arm. “Surfer! You can't do that!” she says.
“I am responsible for what is happening. These people are here because of me!” Surfer exclaims.
“Who you gonna zap?” Nova asks rhetorically. “Both sides are right and both sides are wrong.”
Seeing Nova is right, he glows and blasts a perimeter between the two parties.
Meanwhile, the Fantastic Four are approaching in the Fasticar; and because superheroes must always disagree and fight upon first meeting, Sue thinks the Silver Surfer is attacking.
Johnny flames on and Ben recapitulates that it's clobberin' time. They prepare to attack, but then Reed realizes what the Surfer is up to. The Silver Surfer has created a force field between the police and the crowd.
“It looks like he's trying to keep everyone apart,” Sue says.
Furthermore, Nova has begun spotting those in need of medical attention. The Surfer uses his cosmically vague powers to heal them. Even Young helps by bringing his injured cameraman to the Surfer.
Then, the Surfer notices the Fantastic Four. He asks if they are looking for another fight.
Reed replies, “The government of our country has asked us to help defend it, but now that I see what you've done, I'm not sure you're someone it needs defending from.”
Silver Surfer: “And just who are you to be put in this position? Where were you when last I came here?”
Reed then explains the Fantastic Four's origin, how they went into space and were exposed to cosmic rays that turned them into something—forgive the obvious descriptor—fantastic. Ben Grimm became a rocky, superstrong Thing. Reed's body became completely malleable. Sue could turn invisible or create force fields. Johnny could fly and ignite becoming the Human Torch.
Surfer replies that what they were exposed to was residue of the power cosmic from a battle between Galactus and himself.
Nova notes that this means the Surfer created the Fantastic Four.
The discussion is interrupted by the hordes of people who realize that the Surfer has the power to heal. The crowds cry for him to heal their maladies. A paralyzed one wants to walk; another wants their asthma cured; they plead, begging for this messiah to cure them.
“I want to help you all!” the Surfer protests. “But even I do not have the power to cure you all.”
The people protest angrily.
“They do not understand,” Surfer whispers to Nova.
“But I understand people,” she replies. “The longer we stay here, the worse it's gonna get. Time to say a big hasta la vista for now.”
Reed agrees and tells the Surfer he'll keep the crowd under control. The Surfer and Nova prepare to leave when Young begs to come with them. The Surfer begrudgingly allows the overearnest reporter to tag along.
They leave for a quiet apartment in Venice Beach , the home of Amber. Nova pokes her head in the window carefully as not to incinerate anything.
“Amber!” she exclaims at the sight of her friend. “I missed you so much.”
“Frankie, it is you,” Amber replies. They go to hug; but they stop, realizing the embrace would burn Amber to a crisp. “Love your hair,” Amber teases.
“I have so much to tell you,” Frankie says. “I hardly know where to begin.” She enters the apartment and is followed by the Surfer and Young.
“I always knew you'd make good,” Amber says.
Frankie cannot help but ramble about her experiences: “I saw a whole star system being born! And I was in a space war!”
Concurrently, Young tries to make a phone call to his newsroom to tell where he is, but the Surfer will not permit him.
“You have invited yourself to a private gathering,” the Surfer reminds him. “It remains private.”
“The public's got a right to know,” Young protests.
“To know what? That the Silver Surfer is here, body tired and mind adrift?” Surfer retorts. “I have come nowhere near to the respite we seek. Great potential your world may have, but for now it is too chaotic, its people too unreasoning. I should return to the spaceways, where I have lived for so long.”
“You would abandon us?” Young asks. “Talk about potential. There're things wrong with Earth that you haven't even seen yet, Surfer. Not just violence, but pollution, disease. You have the potential to save us -- to change this place into a paradise. Those people love you! Combine that with your good intentions, and your power cosmic and you can lead us to a greatness that would set an example for the rest of the universe to follow!”
The Surfer is intrigued. Though the man is selfish, his ideas are altruistic.
“What you say may indeed be true. Long have I sought my proper place in creation,” Surfer says. “But how can I lead a civilization about which I know so little?”
Suddenly Young is less altruistic. He offers himself as an advisor, saying he has learned more on the beat than some do in a lifetime.
Later at the Baxter Building , the Fantastic Four learn the Silver Surfer will be addressing the United Nations momentarily. A Pentagon representative demands the Four stop him. The Four politely refuse and say the Surfer is not a threat. He only has the best intents, Reed insists.
The rep leaves in a huff saying the Pentagon may now be forced to use lethal weapons on the Surfer if things become problematic.
Elsewhere, the Surfer is denied entrance to the U.N. Unperturbed he addressed the large crowd from outside the building. He says: “Brothers and sisters of Earth! I come today to save your planet --not from Galactus but from itself. I will lead you from the mindless violence and misuse of technology that characterize this world.”
A general bristles at the Surfer's words and calls the Surfer a dictator. He then fires an enervator—an atomic cannon—at the Surfer. The Surfer prepares to fire back, but the beam consumes him. He falls backward as his entire body turns black.
TO BE CONTINUED...
This page is a part of DRG4's Marvel Cartoon Pages:
Featuring Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, and the Silver Surfer.