5. Silver Surfer by Dan Slott and Mike Allred (Marvel)
Fresh from his outstanding reinvention of Spider-Man in Superior Spider-Man, Dan Slott is going cosmic this spring with FF artist Mike Allred as they launch their All-New Marvel NOW! title, Silver Surfer. Promising a fun and irreverent take on the oft-melancholy cosmic character, Slott promises the tone to be a mix of Hitchhiker's Guide, Doctor Who, and Red Dwarf, with the comics' subjects being as out-there as the best of Jack Kirby and Jim Starlin's stories. Slott promises that unlike other cosmic Marvel titles like Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova, his Silver Surfer will feel less grounded than those comics and aim for a much weirder brand of sci-fi, glorying in the potential of the vast unknowns of the universe. The Silver Surfer, aka Norrin Radd, was originally the herald of the world-eater, Galactus, but is now free and has been travelling the universe alone. Slott a big Doctor Who fan looks to give the Surfer a companion, in the form of an Earth girl, who'll share in his adventures, be on the board with him and raise the tone from naval-gazing inner monologue to a more cheerful bonhomie. Allred's art meanwhile is among the best being published anywhere, not just at Marvel. He's an artist who has developed his own signature style that's captivating, original, and utterly beautiful. With vivid colours from his wife Laura Allred, I can't imagine a more exciting pick to join Slott on this re-launch. Silver Surfer #1 by Dan Slott and Mike Allred is expected to be published in March.