Silver Surfer/Superman # 1 1996 NM

Silver Surfer/Superman #1 (November 1996) is a legendary 48-page intercompany one-shot crossover co-published by Marvel and DC Comics. Written by George Pérez and illustrated by Ron Lim, this cosmic tale brings together two of the most powerful and noble heroes in fiction when their respective realities are turned upside down by a pair of omnipotent tricksters.

Core Plot & Synopsis

The story, titled "Pop!", begins when DC's fifth-dimensional imp Mr. Mxyzptlk crosses paths with Marvel's chaotic shapeshifter The Impossible Man in a pocket dimension. The two reality-warping pranksters hit it off and decide to combine their powers to play a game: swapping their universes' favorite heroes to see who can figure out the ruse first.

The switch drops both heroes into destabilizing illusions:

• Superman's Illusion: The Man of Steel vanishes from Metropolis and suddenly finds himself on a lush, thriving version of his doomed homeworld, Krypton. He is immediately attacked by what appears to be the Super-Skrull. After a fierce battle, Superman's logic wins out; he notices gaps in the illusion and forces his attacker to reveal his true form—The Impossible Man, who was just playing along with the game.
• Silver Surfer's Illusion: Meanwhile, the Norrin Radd is pulled from deep space and trapped inside a giant glass dome enclosing a miniature, toy-like version of Metropolis. His Power Cosmic begins behaving erratically, drawing the attention of attacking LexCorp security drones. The Surfer is forced to protect the tiny city from a relentless assault by Mr. Mxyzptlk, who is posing as major villains like Doomsday.

Unlike the Impossible Man, who viewed the challenge as a harmless game, Mxyzptlk has genuinely malicious intent and refuses to stop. This triggers a spectacular, four-page shapeshifting battle between the two imps, where they rapidly morph into color-coded versions of iconic Marvel and DC characters (such as Thanos punching out Plastic Man, and Wonder Woman deflecting Wolverine's claws).

Ultimately, Superman and the Silver Surfer break free of their barriers and unite with the Impossible Man. Through coordinated quick-thinking, they outsmart Mxyzptlk and force him to cooperate. Combining their reality-altering magic once more, the imps restore both heroes to their rightful universes. Before they depart, the Surfer is given a brief, heartwarming moment on a hidden alien world where—for the first time in his tragic life—he is revered as a savior rather than feared as a harbinger of doom.

Key Comic Information

• Release Date: November 1996 (Cover Date: January 1997)
• Creative Team: Written by George Pérez, with pencils and a wraparound cover by Ron Lim, inks by Terry Austin, and colors by Tom Smith.
• Lore Continuity: The story takes place in the same era as the DC versus Marvel event. The Impossible Man explicitly name-drops the cosmic character Access, noting that because neither he nor Mxyzptlk are Access, it required their combined omnipotent power to pierce the reality barrier between the Marvel and DC universes.