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Characters & first appearances

What is the first appearance of the Silver Surfer?

Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Sep 14, 2026 · 1 min read

Short answerThe Silver Surfer first appeared in Fantastic Four #48, cover-dated March 1966, the first part of the Galactus Trilogy by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; Galactus makes his first (partial) appearance in the same issue. Kirby added the Surfer to the story unasked, as a herald for Galactus. The Surfer's own series began with Silver Surfer #1 in August 1968, with art by John Buscema.

Fantastic Four #48

The Galactus Trilogy (#48–50) is the high point of the Lee–Kirby run. The Surfer appears on the last pages of #48, Galactus fully in #49, and the Surfer's rebellion and exile to Earth close #50. Lee later said he did not know who the silver figure was when Kirby's pages arrived.

The 1968 series

Silver Surfer #1 (August 1968) was an oversized 25-cent book with a 39-page origin by Lee and Buscema — Norrin Radd of Zenn-La — plus a Watcher backup. The series ran 18 issues to September 1970; Kirby drew the last. It is one of the most collected Silver Age runs because every issue is a Lee–Buscema story and the run is short enough to complete.

IssueCover dateWhy
Silver Surfer #1August 1968Origin; first issue
Silver Surfer #3December 1968First appearance of Mephisto
Silver Surfer #4February 1969Thor cover; considered the scarcest issue of the run
Silver Surfer #14March 1970Spider-Man crossover
Silver Surfer #18September 1970Last issue; Kirby art

In the store

The run is well represented: #1 CGC 6.5, #1 CGC 6.0, #1 CBCS 8.5 with a verified signature, #3 CGC 8.0, #3 CGC 8.5 and #4 CGC 8.0. See Silver Surfer (1968): collecting the run, First appearance of Mephisto and the Silver Surfer character page.

Written by the Rare Comics Collectors grading team. Spotted an error or have a question this guide does not answer? Tell us.

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Key issueLast copy

Marvel Comics · Silver Age

Fantastic Four #1

CGC 7.0 · Universal Blue

First appearance of the Fantastic Four (Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, Thing)

(6)
$145,000
Key issueLast copy

Marvel Comics · Silver Age

Fantastic Four #1

CGC 2.0 · Universal Blue

Origin and first appearance of the Fantastic Four

(0)
$10,925
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Marvel Comics · Silver Age

Silver Surfer #4

CGC 8.0 · Universal Blue

Classic Silver Surfer vs Thor cover

(0)
$1,357$1,978
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Marvel Comics · Silver Age

Silver Surfer #3

CGC 8.0 · Universal Blue

First appearance of Mephisto

(0)
$1,390$1,834

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