h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Silver Surfer - Comic Book Hero - A4195442
Author: MJ - [now with 10+1 Entries in PR and a h2g2 Uni Project A5839509 on the go...phew!] - U168592

Haven't done one of these in a while, so here it is. Expect Iron Man in the near future too

MJ

Not nuch of a comic book hero myself, no offence meant MJ, looks like a great Entry anyone have any comments to make on this one?

Emmily

Thanks for reminding me of this one, emmily. Silver Surfer here is an expression for older people ( 60+) who take computer classes and start using the internet - so this wasn't quite what i expected . Fantastic Four are a German Band Interesting use of Mephisto for the ruler of hell here, and is there a reference to Orpheus ?

This reads like a bit of creative writing to me, like a made-up biog of an actual person.

I've never heard of the silver surfer before except as a term for net users - is this actually a character in some kind of story or film, or was it made up for this entry?

I'm relieved it's the same meaning in England, I was afraid 'silver Surfer' was yet another of those pseudo-English made-up german expressions.

Ah, perhaps a foot note about 'Silver Surfers' being the 'older generation' of PC and internet users is a wise addition I'll rememdy that when I can (Specially now we have a smiley )

kelli - "is this actually a character in some kind of story or film?"

I would have thought the title of the Entry gave that information. Silver Surfer - Comic Book Hero. Hence, Silver Surfer is...a comic book hero. And there is also a section explaining the history of the Silver Surfer as a Marvel Comic Book character within the Entry. But if it's not clear I'll add something to the opening paragraph. And I'm glad it reads like a biography, because that was my intention.

Ah, it is there right at the end - sorry for missing it. It may say 'Comic Book Hero' in the title, but you then don't mention comics again until pretty much the end. I do think that needs to be in the opening section - I'd become convinced that it was a work of fiction a long time before reaching the end...

Hvae added a footnote about Silver Surfers the variety and the fact that Silver Surfer is a comic book idea in the first para.

And he is kinda a work of fiction

Hope it clears things up now

You don't seem to have changed anything other than adding that footnote - or didn't you mean that?

I still think is looks odd that you don't actually mention that you are talking about a fictional character until practically the end, although it is obvious from the subject matter - hence this looking like a fiction piece.

Maybe this seems more obvious to people that read comics, it just seemed a bit odd to me.

Feel free to ignore me though.

A comic character is fictional, isn't he ? I'm not sure where the problems is, kelli, but I hope Matt will know

Actually no, I don't know what the problem is

The Entry quite clearly states in its title that is about a Comic Book Hero. Comics are fiction, the characters in them are fiction. Unless I say in the first paragraph that the Silver Surfer is a fictional creation, (which I have in a round about sort of way now) I don't see what else I can do to help people understand that this is not a piece of fiction writing. I've written many more pieces about comic book heroes and I don't think any of those had any problems as I've stuck to a tried and tested formula;

A2672011 Spider-Man - Comic Book Hero, A4075544 Batman - Comic Book Hero, A3073583 Daredevil - Comic Book Hero, A2754722 The Punisher - Comic Book Hero & A2622160 Hellboy - Comic Book Hero

If these are just as difficult to understand that they are about fictional characters and comic book heroes I'll have to see about having them updated in some way.

I did add the footnote and changed the initial paragraph so the final sentence now reads like this;

>And that's just the premise needed for the creation of the comic book world's interstellar anti-hero - the Silver Surfer.<

I'm sorry but the Silver Surfer is fictional, hence why the piece reads like a fictional Entry, it's about...well, fiction.

If there's further suggestions on how to ake it more readable, chuck them my way

The not terrible successful late 90s indie band, The Warm Jets, did a song about the Silver Surfer called, not unsurprisingly, "Silver Surfer".

BG. Have added a little more to the musician section now

I think what Keli's saying is that because she doesn't know anything about comics, she couldn't tell that the Surfer was a 'proper' famous, comic book hero, rather than something MJ had just made up The only way I can see around that is to start with 'The Silver Surfer first appeared as a guest character in Fantastic Four...'

Kelli has a point, but there is a thing about the current structure that appeals to me. If you think about the identity of a character in superhero comics, then it's usually one of mystery, intrigue and certain confusion. There's a certain mirror to that in this entry that I find pleasing.

I agree- the current structure works for me too- but then I'm a .

That's just the sort of style I was looking for in writing it BG

I'll add something to the first paara and hopefully it will clear up some confusion

MJ

Isn't the Silver Surfer famous for overblown, incredibly formal dialogue?

He is indeed! Have added a footnote thanks SC

I'm playing with my 13 inch Silver Surfer action figure as we speak...
complete with surf board and an orangish blob of an energy trail!