Silver Surfer #1 (1968)

Brief Summary: Growing tired of his banishment on Earth, the Silver Surfer thinks back to the days before he became Galacuts' herald. He was Norrin Radd of Zenn-La and, while he loved Shalla-Bal, he was growing restless on his planet. The Zenn-Lavians' lives were complacent, not looking to discover more about the universe around them. Norrin Radd was not happy with this fact and when Galactus appeared he saw this as his chance to save his planet and seek a new life. Galactus made him his herald and he became the Silver Surfer. The planet was saved, a new life was won, but his old life and love had to be left behind. Detailed Summary: As the Silver Surfer is flying over the Earth, he spots a space capsule crashing into the ocean. He finds the craft at the bottom of the ocean, blasts open the door, and brings the unconscious Col. John Jameson out of the water and safely on to a nearby aircraft carrier. The servicemen think that the Surfer is a threat and jets are sent after him. He easily speeds away from them, as well as the Russian and Chinese missiles that are shot at him as he passes over their countries. Tired of being banished on Earth, the Surfer longs to be able to return to his home planet Zenn-La. He remembers Zenn-La, an advanced planet that had achieved perfection through their technology. All war, crime, and illness had been eradicated. Before he was the Silver Surfer, he was Norrin Radd. While most of his fellow citizens were happy with their life on this nirvana, Norrin was bored and restless. Back to present, the Surfer runs into a group of Yetis that instantly attack him. Instead of fighting back and hurting them, he distracts them with his surfboard and escapes unnoticed. This attack reminds of his first encounters with the Hulk and Doctor Doom. Both attacked him in the past even though he approached them as friends. He comes across the ruins of a once prosperous city and only finds desolation. This scene reminds of his last days on Zenn-La. Norrin was with his beloved, Shalla-Bal, when the citizens' alarm sounded and an announcement was made. A gigantic alien spacecraft was headed for Zenn-La and the planet, being peaceful, had little left to defend itself from this potentially hostile stranger. Zenn-La's only option was to use the Weapon Supreme, a weapon so powerful that it destroyed much of the planet's buildings when it was fired at the approaching spacecraft. Unfortunately, the alien ship took refuge in the fourth dimension as the weapon was being fired and only the planet itself suffered from using it. While most Zenn-Lavians felt all was lost, Norrin was determined to try and save his planet. He found a member of the council of scientists and had him build Norrin a spaceship that could reach the alien spacecraft. He arrived at the spacecraft to meet Galactus, devourer of worlds! Norrin made a deal with Galactus to save Zenn-La. He agreed and became the Silver Surfer, Herald of Galactus. While Zenn-La would survive, Norrin must leave and help find other planets for Galactus to eat for the rest of his life. He bid farewell to Shalla-Bal and soared off into space, all alone. The Surfer started off by finding Galactus only planets that were free of living creatures for him to eat. But as the years went by, his vigilance to save innocent life faltered and he lead Galactus to Earth. He soon regretted this decision and fought back with the Fantastic Four to prevent the planet from being eaten. Galactus agreed to leave Earth but banished the Surfer to the planet, no longer able to roam the galaxies. Tired of this hostile planet and missing outer space, the Silver Surfer wonders where his destiny lies.