TheFantastic Fourare poised to make their MCU debut in this summer’sThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsfilm, withSilver Surfertagging along with them in the character’s triumphant return to the live-action space. Now, thanks to one of DC Comics’ best artists,Silver Surfer takes a trip into the unknown in a viral animation that teases what could be in store for this cosmic hero in the MCU.
Helping speed along the hype train that isThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, artist Doug Mahnke (@thedougmahnke) is a creator who, when not working on his professional DC Comics obligations, finds the time to post self-animated clips on Instagram featuring a slew of iconic heroes and villains from across the comic industry and beyond.
Animating clips that bringTerminator’s T-800 into conflict withAliens’ Alien Queen, a short where Flash runs at warp speed and bends space and time, and even one titled “Bane’s Big Bench Day” where the character reps an ungodly amount of weight with ease, Doug’s iconic art style works well in motion, making these posts a treat whenever he shares them.
New Marvel Comics Animation Shows What Could Be in Store For the MCU’s Silver Surfer
Animation by DC Comics Artist Doug Mahnke
Returning to the big screen after 2007’s middlingFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surferdidn’t do the character any favors (Laurence Fishburne’s portrayal of Norrin Radd was one of the better aspects of a bad film),theMCU’s Silver Surferwill be played by Julia Garner adapting Shalla-Bal’s iteration of the character, giving fans a fresh take on a hero who’s always been integral to the Fantastic Four’s story. Although Doug uses the original Silver Surfer for this animation, the clip is a perfect example of what Shalla-Bal should be capable of when she makes her live-action debut.
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Hurtling through the void of space on his signature board,Doug animates a hyper-focused Norrin Radd as he passes by a swirling black hole, enormous set of planets, and a dense asteroid field, boosting himself further and faster as he chases the shadow of Galactus across the cosmos. Unaffected by space debris and the primordial elements floating in the darkness, the clip soon reaches a crescendo whereSilver Surfer hits warp speed, and as Norrin shoots energy from his hands, he pushes himself even harder, with smears of color and spacetime flowing around him in a vibrant display of power.
Doug Mahnke Expertly Shows the Potential for Silver Surfer’s Next Live-Action Iteration
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Releases on August 22, 2025
To make this post even better,while Silver Surfer journeys across the cosmos, Doug chooses Lenny Kravitz’ “Fly Away” as a backing track, avoiding the expected trippy electronic beat and giving his animation a fun and adventurous feel — the perfectly balanced tone thisHerald of Galactusdeserves. Though fans haven’t seenThe Fantastic Four: First Steps’ version ofSilver Surferin action just yet, its July release date is swiftly approaching, leaving plenty of time for a new trailer or character poster to be released, teasing what will hopefully be a much better take on this iconicFantastic Fourcharacter.
