Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1 (2006)

The Silver Surfer is looking through the debris in the ruins of Xandar, 17 days after Annihilation Day. Among all the ash and debris, he feels more than destruction. He feels purpose. Nearby, Gabriel the Air Walker is being assaulted by several enemies working under Annihilus. Their leader claims that Annihilus will be disappointed in Gabriel because he is a machine. He sends beasts called Currs to attack Gabriel, but they are beaten back. The leader laughs, claiming they are replaced easily enough. Gabriel claims what they are doing is genocide, but the other asks him if it is any different than when he was herald to Galactus and gave up countless worlds. Gabriel defends himself saying that Galactus feeds because he must. The leader of the villains claims the same for Annihilus, and as he is about to attack Silver Surfer appears and commands him to halt. Gabriel tells him about Annihilus and the genocide. The enemy reveals to them that destroying Xandar was just an attempt to draw out Gabriel and the Firelord. Annihilus desires to obtain the former heralds of Galactus to get their cosmic energies given to them. The Currs seem to be sensitive to the energy signatures of the former heralds. The leader reveals that they are Seekers, and he is called Ravenous. A fight breaks out, and Surfer tells them to stop before he is forced to harsh action. Ravenous claims that they are just as powerful as he is, and Surfer warns them again. Ravenous reveals that they are of the Negative Zone and are imbued with the opposing force to the cosmic power, called the Essence. Surfer and Gabriel are outnumbered. Ravenous grabs Surfer by the throat, but then Surfer causes a massive explosion from his own body. He carries Gabriel away from Xandar. The Seekers won't be able to track them through the energy Surfer put out. Light-years away, Gabriel is distraught about Xandar. Billions had been killed in no time at all. He calls all this an atrocity, even to the former heralds. Annihilus did not know Gabriel was a machine. He claims that this shows there are gaps in their intelligence. He tells Surfer to find meaning in this. Then Gabriel begins repeating himself over and over, seeming to have short-circuited. Surfer tells him he deserves better than this. He tells his friend to rest well before destroying his body in an explosion. Far away in the Andromeda Galaxy of the Skrull Empire, it appears that Thanos, Skreet, and Fallen One have witnessed what the Surfer just did. It seems to have caused a black hole in space. Thanos and Skreet are arguing with each other. Thanos tells Fallen One to go and find these Seekers and tell them Thanos can be of service to them as an ally. As he leaves, Skreet comments that he hasn't spoke. Thanos retorts that Fallen One, the first herald to Galactus, knows enough to only speak when needed. Skreet states that war is always the means for acquiring something that one does not have. Thanos tells her that this time is different. That this is much, much more than a conquest. At the ruins of Tala Prime in the Skrull Empire, the Surfer is looking through the destruction. He is fighting with himself; telling himself that the destruction he caused under Galactus was different than this. He tells himself that if he were still herald, he would've called Galactus to devour this world. He recalls a young woman being disappointed in him because she feels he can stop the Devourer but won't. Surfer becomes enraged, claiming there is no meaning in this. He then sets off to stop Annihilus.