Silver Surfer Comiquette
Product Size: 24" High x 11" Wide x 22" Deep
Product Weight: 15 lbs.
Artists: Michael Allen, Tony Cipriano, Fabian Schlaga, Seth Rinaldi, Tom Gilliland, The Sideshow Collectibles Design and Development Team
Originally Released: June 2010
Silver Surfer Fun Facts:
First Appearance: Fantastic Four # 48 (1966)
(a pic from the personal collection)
Origin: Silver Surfer # 1 (1969)
Real Name: Norrin Radd
Place of Birth: Planet Zenn-La, Deneb System, Milky Way Galaxy
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 225 lbs.
(such a sweet display angle here)
I have a special attachment to my Silver Surfer Comiquette as it is the first piece I ever purchased from Sideshow. You could say it is my most expensive piece because it is what started me on to this incredibly addicting hobby.
Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve had a fascination with the character design of Silver Surfer…I know, it’s a bald guy on a surf board with silver skin, what’s so special, right? There is something to say for keeping things simple, and I think I am drawn to the fact that the ‘Sentinel of the Spaceways’ always seems to exude power, yet he’s always graceful at the same time.
I was around 8 years old when ToyBiz released series 1 of its ‘Marvel Super Heroes’ action figure line in 1990, and for whatever reason in my part of the world Silver Surfer was nearly impossible to find. I found it at Toys ‘R Us one day and never looked back…Silver Surfer has been cool in my books ever since.
(Anybody remember this fig?)
So, stumbling across Sideshow’s comiquette 20 years later brought back old memories, and there was no stopping me, I had to have it!
This piece was made in the days when a ‘Premium Format Figure’ had to have mixed media. So, although this piece is branded a ‘comiquette’, it is a fully sculpted 1:4 scale piece. And when you include the surf board, simply put, the statue is immense!
The sculpted musculature on the body is extremely well done. Although Mr. Radd is shredded all over, the abs, rib cage, and chest really stand out. One great thing about this statue is that it comes with several options in the form of switch out parts. Both the Exclusive (exclusive comes with an art print) and the Regular versions come with two right arms (one extended with open palm, one with the ‘power cosmic’), three left arms (same options as left arm, plus an arm bent at the elbow with a clenched fist), and three…get that three…switch-out portraits. In terms of the portraits, you get a stoic closed-mouth face, what I like to call ‘angry face’, and for Zoolander fans, a ‘blue steel’ look. The latter two portraits have seen very little display time in my collection. I am not sure what the intent was with the ‘blue steel’ look, and something just looks off on the angry face. In all honesty, none of the portrait sculpts compare to the quality of the body and arm sculpts. Nonetheless, with this array of options, you can really customize the look of this statue from a leisurely ride through the solar system to an enraged charge into battle. I love the switch-out arm options and do rotate through them regularly, which helps to keep this statue looking and feeling fresh.
(switch-out arm options: empty extended arms and the 'power cosmic' trails)
(switch-out portrait options: angry face, blue steel, and stoic)
The surfboard is sculpted just as it looks in the comics (most of the time): long and sleek with a pattern of longitudinal lines running the length in the centre of the board. The board is supported by a cosmic trail, similar to what comet leaves behind as it hurtles through space, which gives this piece a sense of speed. The trail is a pretty creative way to support the board while still giving the viewer a sense that he is flying (as opposed to a plain silver column or plopping it down on some rocks or something). The board and the trail are one piece, and combined they are supported by the plain black riser base (the board in fact could be considered part of the base for the piece).
(full body on display, but board partly hidden...still cool, though)
Given the very simple character design, the paint on this statue requires very little intricate detail. That said, the paintwork is still very well done, it has an almost pearlescent finish to it. It’s not quite metallic, but it does reflect enough light to live up to the ‘silver’ part of the character’s name. The cosmic trails on the surf board and the optional left and right arms are painted with a mix of purple, pink, and silver. While there is really nothing wrong with the paint job on these elements, there is not much “pop” in with the colour scheme they chose.
(cosmic trail on the base)
The pose on this piece is both majestic yet surprisingly awkward at the same time. There is a great sense of power and grace, which are three defining traits for the character. The upward trajectory of the board also gives the impression that the Surfer is soaring to great heights. But, at the same time, the angle of the board serves to obscure parts of the body from view at various angles: from his right it blocks the lower legs and feet, from straight on it blocks almost all of the legs, when you angle it just right to see the entire body, most of the board is hidden from view. Also, the turn of the neck leaves his face looking slightly away from the observer when looking at the piece’s right side (what I consider to be the best viewing angle). Although there are a few quirks with the art direction on this piece, overall it has incredible size and presence.
(another nice angle here, but hides most of the incredible sculpt on the torso)
This comiquette has very good weight to it, so it’s not one that you want to be moving around often. The head, arms, body, board, and base are all separate pieces, but they are held together firmly by magnets. Upon close inspection, the arms do not quite fit snugly into the sockets, as there are some gaps in the armpit area as well as at the back of the arm. Also from close distance, the seam along the jaw and the base of the skull is noticeable. However, the key point there is “at close viewing distance”. From a normal viewing distance these seams and gaps are not noticeable at all and hardly detract from the overall look.
(some of the gaps/seams noticeable when you really look closely)
The Verdict:
Sculpt: 8.5/10, The body and surfboard are impeccable; however, the facial portraits do not quite live up.
Paint/Mixed Media: 7.5/10, A unique pearl-like finish. The cosmic trails are well painted, but do not pop. No major flaws, but it’s a fairly simple paint job.
Design: 7.5/10, The pose is both beautifully representative of the character, yet frustratingly cumbersome at the same time. A simple head turn, or a slight tilt to the board could have helped better show off the entire piece. As-is, it seems parts of the statue are hidden from view no matter what angle you display it at. It does have a variety of options; however, so you can customize the look of the piece to your liking and keep it feeling fresh.
Production & Build Quality: 8/10, Sturdy with some good heft to it; all pieces are held together firmly. Some noticeable gaps and seams at closer viewing distances.
Overall: 7.9, A very impressive statue, that, despite its flaws, has incredible presence and manages a good representation of one of Marvel’s iconic characters. If you’re a fan and don’t have this piece, consider picking it up. If you’re a fan and do own it (like me), you’ll be very reluctant to ever let this one go.
