Silver Lining: The Emblematic Exemplum of Silver Surfer #40–43 (1990)

Christian Mehrstam

doi:10.16995/cg.191

Abstract

This article examines how the Silver Surfer issues #40–43 relate to the American recession in 1990 and discusses the result with regard to the superhero genre and the medieval emblematic exemplum. Similar to Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986), the Surfer issues are a critical commentary on capitalism and American society. However, where Miller’s work delivers a clear message about how ordinary people can resist an unjust regime, in the Surfer issues there is no victory for the ordinary citizen. Instead, the reader is consoled in a cathartic way in identifying with a superhero stripped of his powers by the system. In a historical analysis of the comic story’s response-inviting devices, structure and techniques, the article demonstrates that while the issues feature traits typical of the superhero genre, they are also instances of the medieval genre of the emblematic exemplum. When read through this lens, the issues gain explanatory power in addition to their ability to move the readers. They explain what happens to society when bureaucrats take over, foreground the relation between comics and their readers and problematize the issue of what it means to be human.

Highlights

Issues #40–43 remain one of the few uncollected storylines of the Silver Surfer comic
Written by Jim Starlin with assistance from Ron Marz, they were published at the peak of the American recession in 1990, running from
The issues comment on the American economy, bureaucracy

Summary

Introduction

Issues #40–43 remain one of the few uncollected storylines of the Silver Surfer comic. As he doesn’t have any money, he needs to get in line and try to find a job, like any ordinary citizen The superhero losing his powers is a staple plot device in the genre, iconically exemplified by Superman when exposed to kryptonite. Neither post-classical narratology nor genre ecologies suggest that a work of literature contains or dictates particular responses Both foreground the relation between work and reader, where the former invites reactions from the latter and has the potential to answer specific needs in a given historical situation. In the discussion of the analytical results, I suggest that the genre composition in the issues is dominated by a medieval, religious genre—the emblematic exemplum—rather than the superhero genre This perspective adds intertextual depth to the relation between the issues and their contemporary readers, and may be useful for future discussions about superhero comics and their historical roots

Background

Conclusion