Cover to Cover catch-up: Nova and the 50-state Initiative

Just doing some quick reviews with Nova issues #2 and 3, by Abnett, Lanning and Chen.

Nova #2_______Nova 3

In these issues: Buckethead versus shellhead! Plus -- Nova meets an old friend!

So these two issues cover an important aspect of Nova: his humanity as Long-Island-er Richard Rider. I think they were written really, really well, because it captured an important emotional beat: Nova doesn't belong on Earth anymore.

He absolutely terrifies his parents when his helmet is accidentally on auto-translate to Kree, and his father is taken back when Worldmind takes over Richard's consciousness when he sleeps.
The general public doesn't even like anymore, because he was once a new warrior, and the New Warriors were responsible for the Stamford incident.

It also led to a little something called Civil War. You might've heard of it; it was a controversy among fans, but it generated truckloads of interest. Abnett and Lanning kind of highlight the needlessness of the War, as Nova puts it:

Tony Douche

So later on, in next issue, Nova reunites with former New Warrior, Penance, formerly known as Speedball.

You might know him as the self-hating masochist who thinks himself responsible for Civil War. A lot of fans thought that Speedball's transition was completely unnecessary and over-the-top, and Nova would agree with them:

New Warriors

Of course, all the events in the two issues result in feelings of huge displacement for Nova. He feels like he doesn't belong on Earth anymore, and subsequently says goodbye to his parents and leaves for the Kree world of Hala.

These two issues were really sad, but they were really awesome too. Nova is more than just a guy in a Centurion suit; he's some schmo from Long Island as well.

Of course, the sci-fi awesomeness returns in subsequent issues.

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Stats a-go-go