All throughout November, guest writers will be weighing in on fandom, specifically guest writers who identify strongly with characters, teams, or franchises online. Each piece will feature a personal look at why a writer gravitates to a character, what keeps their interest, and — most importantly — a set of reading recommendations for folks looking to better understand that character.

Today, our friend Lisa Gullickson of the Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast has written about one of her favorite characters, Dawn Greenwood…

“I’m Dawn Greenwood and I’m here to save you.” Comic book heroes are intended to be aspirational. They often start out as ordinary folks but then their lives are twisted by a combination of tragedy, fate, and luck and *poof* they are ultra-capable. After a few initial pitfalls of character, they use their newfound abilities to save lives, triumph over evil and restore justice. They have us asking ourselves the most absurd questions – what would I do if I were bit by a radioactive spider, or puberty-ed into mutant powers, or burdened with a grudge and unparalleled wealth? We look down at our physiques and think – if only I were exposed to gamma radiation…I have, and always will, devour those superhero stories, but I never saw myself in them. I am just too un-extraordinary. It wasn’t until I met Dawn Greenwood in Dan Slott and Michael Allred’s The Silver Surfer that my imagination began to reverberate with a sort of sympathetic resonance. It was an exhilarating jolt of recognition. Not only can I aspire to be a hero like Dawn Greenwood, but that aspiration can be realized. No Terrigen Mist necessary.

Dawn cannot fly, or embiggen, or establish psychic report. She doesn’t have superhuman strength, or healing powers, or telekinesis. She isn’t even outstandingly good-looking, though I think she’s pretty cute. Like all of the most powerful of superheroes, however, her capabilities are threefold; she has bottomless compassion for everyone, she has an insatiable drive to be of service, and she exudes gratitude whenever she is exposed to what is precious, fleeting, or intrinsically beautiful.

She comes by these powers honestly. She was born something of a genetic anomaly – an identical twin, which is a continuous lesson in humility. Rarely, if ever, was anything all about her. She also grew up helping her single Dad with their family business, The Greenwood Inn, where the perilous toils of the service industry ingrained in her the knowledge that even the most cantankerous of customers can become more pliable when they feel that their needs are being met. The origin story of her third power, the gratitude, is more of an enigma. Perhaps it’s an extension of her compassion – the fact that she doesn’t feel any more or less deserving than any other person. When her keen heart senses specialness, she feels she owes it to the moment to really experience and appreciate it. Anyways, her gratitude makes her great company, which is a talent many more ubiquitous superheroes are sorely lacking. 

“Everyone’s important.” To the uninitiated, Dawn Greenwood may be relegated to mere companion or side-character to the Silver Surfer, but an earnest read of their first arc together will prove that they are true partners. Dawn Greenwood and Norrin Radd’s “meet cute” on The Impericon starts typically enough – she’s the damsel in distress, instantly and inexplicably captured and imprisoned by The Motivator device, and he was to be her champion, but by the time he gets around to rescue her, she has done the work for him and then some. She has already busted herself out and the other prisoners and managed to locate the heart of The Never Queen – all without being imbued with the power cosmic, I might add. 

“A Power Greater than Cosmic.” The Surfer’s origin story, charged with cosmic gravitas as it may be, originated with a math problem. One life, for billions. He offered his life for the lives on his planet, Zenn-La, and became a Herald of Galactus. Then the true horrific calculus began as he ushered Galactus from planet to planet, apocalypse to apocalypse. When he met Dawn, he was on a new path, one of redemption, but it was still a numbers game. How many lives must he save to balance the scales of his shame? Dawn Greenwood’s heroism gifted the estranged Zenn-Lavian a perspective that was radical and utterly un-statistical but so true.  It was the same regardless of planet, universe, or plane of existence. You do whatever you can, wherever you can, for whomever you can, because you can. And do it with enthusiasm and love, because it’s a privilege to have the ability to help people. Everyone should be so lucky. 

Dawn Greenwood Reading Recommendations

I voraciously read Slott and Allred’s run on Silver Surfer in single issues as they were being published from March 2014 to November 2016. It’s only 29 issues and they’ve been collected into 5 paperback volumes for easy reading, or, if you don’t mind a bit of heft, you can get your hands on the Marvel Omnibus. My true recommendation is to just start with their first issue and not stop until you’re closing the back cover of the last. You will be weeping. Your heart will be full. You’ll want to thank me – don’t worry, you don’t have to. I know. 

If you’re forcing me to pick favorites, first, how dare you, second – start with the issues that comprise Silver Surfer: A New Dawn (2014, #1-5) for the “meet cute” and context. Witness Dawn Greenwood tangle with Galactus in issues #9-10 (2014), “Slingshot” and “Small Sacrifice.” If you’d prefer to see the Silver Surfer back on Earth kicking it with Avenger-types (plus, you get to see D.G. meet Alicia Masters and Shalla Bal for the first time – awkward, huh?) dive into post-Secret Wars issues #3-4 (2016), “I stand with Earth,” and “Homeworld.” And, I promise you, you will want to stick the landing with issues #13-14 (2016), “Timeless” and “A Power Greater than Cosmic.” Have a box of tissues handy. 

Dawn Greenwood hasn’t penetrated the rest of the Marvel Universe as it has my heart (Silver Surfer: Black is dead to me), but true Dawn Greenwood completists like myself have to seek out Groot #3, by Jeff Loveness and Brian Kesinger, in which the Surfer and Ladybug reunite Groot to his life-partner Rocket.

Check out the full Fandom Files Reading List!

Check our our past reading lists: The Quarantine Reading List and The Extra Eisners Reading List!