Silver Surfer (1968): a collector's guide to the 18-issue run
Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Sep 14, 2026 · 1 min read
Short answerSilver Surfer #1–18 (August 1968 – September 1970) is one of the most collected Silver Age runs: every issue is written by Stan Lee, the first seventeen are drawn by John Buscema and the last by Jack Kirby, and the run is short enough to complete. The keys are #1 (origin, 25-cent giant), #3 (first Mephisto) and #4 (Thor cover, the scarcest issue). Early issues are square-bound and chip at the spine, which makes high grades hard.
The run at a glance
| Issues | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| #1–7 | 25-cent, square-bound, 39-page lead stories with backups | Origin in #1; Mephisto in #3; Thor in #4; Frankenstein's monster in #7 |
| #8–18 | Regular 15-cent format | Mephisto returns #8–9; Spider-Man #14; the Inhumans #18 |
The keys
- #1 (August 1968) — origin of Norrin Radd and Zenn-La; a Watcher backup. The most valuable issue in high grade and a Silver Age key in its own right.
- #3 (December 1968) — first appearance of Mephisto. Second most valuable.
- #4 (February 1969) — Thor vs the Surfer, with a famous Buscema cover. Widely regarded as the scarcest issue of the run, which is why a 9.0 or better commands a premium out of proportion to its story.
- #18 (September 1970) — the last issue, drawn by Kirby, with the Surfer's furious "never again" ending.
Condition notes
The square-bound giants (#1–7) have glued spines that split and chip; look for spine stress, chipping at the spine ends and a loose cover. The 15-cent issues grade more normally. Page quality on this run is often off-white; white pages are a premium.
In the store
#1 CGC 6.5, #1 CGC 6.0, #1 CBCS 8.5 with verified signature, #3 CGC 8.0, #3 CGC 8.5, #4 CGC 8.0. See First appearance of the Silver Surfer, 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.
