". . . you took it all. YOU TOOK IT ALL AWAY!"

For whatever reason, I am hunting for some Amazing Spidey issues, and not finding them.

They're the two issue-arcs from Joe Kelly/Chris Bachalo, and Mark Waid/Marcos Martin. I heard they were good, so hopefully, maybe they'll make me feel better about reading Spidey again!

Ah well, on with this week's comics. I only got two.

Batman #685
by Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen

This is the tail end of Dini's "Faces of Evil" two-issue special, the first part focusing on Hush, this part on Catwoman. Along the way, we get taken from the usual urban and gritty setting of Gotham, to the jungles of Vietnam! Catwoman ended up there, in order to break apart a poaching industry, and Hush ended up there running away from the law.

We've definitely seen this before (Catwoman as an animal rights person), and it's great to see it again. She gets a couple really great lines in the beginning, and then we get into the nitty-gritty of the plot: how she frees the animals, escapes the poachers and screws one over on Hush.

That's one of the flaws too, because while last issue was certainly devoted to Hush, this one, eh, not as much to Catwoman. The plot twist though, near the end, is pretty nice, and the ending is pretty standard. A fun arc that gets wrapped up nicely!

Neil Gaiman is taking over for the next issues of Batman and Detective for a "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" special. Eh, I doubt I'll get 'em. I'm poor, and I can probably get the gist from the blogosphere.


Nova #21
by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Wellinton Alves

So, the last page for this had Richard Rider on his knees in the grass, shouting into the sky.

Naked. It's pretty hilarious. The rest of the issue, well, is kind of offbeat. There are a lot of talking heads here for an issue of Nova, and it's focused on whether or not Richard's lost his marbles due to holding the entire Xandarian intelligence in his brain.

Not really sure what to think of this, exactly. It's pretty different from normal issues.

Nothing to do but sit back and wait, really. Now that Richard is out of the Corps., what will he do? Will he lash out in rage against the Corps? Will the Corps., since it has the power but not the experience, fail somehow and re-recruit Richard?

This is definitely unfamiliar territory, and hopefully next issue provides some answers.

cover to cover: catching up on cosmic comics

Two comics of Cosmic Marvel today. These two guys have been out for quite a while, but I only got them today.

The first one I really dislike, the second I actually really like.

Guardians of the Galaxy #8
by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and some fill-in artists who AREN'T Paul Pelletier

There was a point where this comic just became more about fighting and beating people up, and stopping the Next Thing That Will Conquer Earth, than it was about the people themselves, and frankly, I'm tired of it. I feel dumb for just picking this up. All these new characters are introduced (Vance Astro, Darkhawk, Blastaar, that one guy I don't remember), when we barely know anything about the established characters! It is frustrating.

Couple this with the fact that there are so many plot threads juggling around, by the time you pick up next issue, you've forgotten what happened last issue because so little time was dedicated to it. The Universal Church of Truth thread, that's been going on since, like, issue 3 hasn't it?

"Oh skullskullskullskullexclamation point" is right, Peter Quill! I know that with the computer revolution, we're becoming better multitaskers (at the cost of our ability to focus), but not like this, guys. Not like this. You must punch me if I cave in and buy next issue, okay guys? Okay?

ALSO: The cliffhanger was really boring, and actually predictable. When even I see it coming and roll my eyes, then you're doing something wrong there, buckos.

Nova #20
by Abnett, Lanning, Alves and Burges

This is one of the "downtime" issues, where Richard Rider takes a moment to ruminate over family issues back on Earth. He gets together the ol' gang (the last two members of the New Warriors who're left), and does some heart-to-heart.

The personal issues come off as a bit contrite, but I think it resolves very well, and, well, how often do you see big-brother-little-brother issues in a comic book? It's nice to see that Richard can be so open around long-time friends. The story is presented very sentimentally, which I thought was a nice change of pace from all the cosmic slugging-it-out we see.

Also: The two-page spread cliffhanger is completely insane.
I find it unfortunate that Wellinton Alves can't handle the art duty by himself, and hasn't for a while, but if the last page is any indicator, at least Adi Granov is back on covers!

Yes!

Cover to Cover: It is critical you pay attention at this time!

It is so annoying how people keep pushing the election here at campus. You can't really walk anywhere without someone asking you, "Are you registered to vote? Are you registered to vote?" It's actually pretty funny, because after you say yes, they just turn away from you without saying anything!

And then there are actually people who organize dinners, for the sole purpose of election-pushing! There was a barbecue back when it was still warm, and there are assorted booths selling food now!
The election is so ubiquitous; no matter how far I ran, or how long, I couldn't get away from it!

That said, you probably wanna get to reviewing comic books now. So do I!

Nova #18
by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Wellinton Alves

I told you about how hideous the cover is, right?

The proportions in his costume aren't right, and what kind of face is that for Richard Rider, the man that saved the universe from Annihilus? Ugh, everything about the cover is just so. . . dirty, and ugly.

But --fortunately-- I can't say the same for the interior! The comic played out like a humongous action movie, with explosions and surprise appearances (and reappearances), and loud men yelling, and even more explosions.

Amidst the Skrulls' siege on Project PEGASUS, Nova's sentient computer buddy - the Xandarian Worldmind - is back! He is so bad-ass that he helps dispatch the assault. It was so good to see Worldmind kickin' butt!

At the end of the comic, we find out that Richard Rider isn't the last Nova anymore -- we see more Nova corps. Centurions! This is a nice status quo shake-up, but it could also lead to some inter-meshing with DC's Green Lantern Corps. How original can Abnett and Lanning make the Nova Corps. that they're distinct enough from the GL Corps? Who can say, but hey: the Worldmind is back!

Worldmind. . . it's kind of hard to admit this but, well, I feel like I need to say it to you, except, um, I need to say it--

-- in song:

Cover to Cover: Wish Ambush Bug a happy honeymoon!

Are you ready? Put your mind at peace now. Is your soul pure? Clear any stray thoughts in your head. Are you ready?

Join me, and let us lock our hands together, our souls together, in that weekly ritual we call. . . 

. . . comic books.

Nova #17

by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Wellinton Alves and some fill-in-art-guy

Grooooooooss! Apparently, this is the week where all the Marvel Comics are putting a double-page spread devoted to the "Embrace Change" ads. It's really creepy.

The Skrulls play a bigger part in this issue besides ads, and Nova gets back down to Earth to help defend his brother's science lab from them with some other heroes.

He also undergoes this treatment to try to save Worldmind, the sentient super computer in his helmet. The machine looks kinda like a, um, MRI chamber. Soon after, the Skrulls attack, and then this voice pops up in Nova's ears. We're led to believe that it's Worldmind, until it's some random guy called Wendell Vaughn, AKA "Quasar." Boo.

I'm a bit bummed at the Worldmind fake-out, and, well, this issue wasn't that great. Not much goes anywhere. Hopefully next ish is stronger.

Ambush Bug: Year None #3

by Keith Giffen and friends

I was reading this at lunch today. . . 

by myself. . . 

and then I got to this part. . . 

That's really sad. 

The rest of the issue isn't as mean though, and there's even a plot this time, which puts it above the previous issue. Ambush Bug has to deal with his marriage to Dumb Bunny in Las Vegas, and he struggles with the decision of whether to love her or leave her. It's really fun too.

A lot of the jokes are in-jokes, so you might not get it, but if you do, this is definitely a great alternative to DC's gore comix, such as -sigh- Teen Titans. 

Cover to Cover: Wherefore art thou, Worldmind?

Hey, here's a fun fact for you: today 45 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I have a dream speech" at the reflecting pool.

You can learn so much from watching Public Broadcasting.

So in celebration of the progress that America's made in 45 years, we're gonna review the comics I got today.

Nova #16
by Abnett, Lanning and Alves

This kicks off the tie-ins to Secret Invasion, and it's not too bad. Nova angsts about the possibility that he lost Worldmind, but we all know it's not a reality, because MY SOUL WOULD BREAK OTHERWISE. Seriously, Worldmind better not be dead.

There's a skirmish at a planet in distress, and Nova goes there to meet Kl'rt, AKA the Super-Skrull! He tells Nova that the Invasion's aimed toward Earth, which causes Nova to explode in a fury of cuss words. Apparently, Nova hasn't been paying attention to Bendis-hype.

(click to super-skrull-size it)

There's an. . .interesting cliffhanger, but I'm wondering if they're just yanking my chain. Super-Skrull apprehends Nova, and claims him for the Skrull Empire. The thing is, in the last time we saw him, the Empire basically denounced the Super-Skrull as antiquated. I'm not really sure if Super-Skrull is faking us out or not.

Amazing Spider-Man #569
by Dan Slott and John Romita Jr.

This is the second issue of the six-part "New Ways to DIE!" arc. I love how "DIE!" has special red coloring. So adorable.

Frankly, I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the first issue. There's the old and tired "Daddy will never accept you, Harry Osborn" dynamic between Harry and Norman, the "Peter Parker what do you know about Spider-Man, because we have no idea that you're Spider-Man" deal-y.

What really makes me sad, though, is the fact that this is the issue where Eddie Brock runs into the F.E.A.S.T. homeless shelter where he works, hugging everyone because he's cured of cancer. "I purged it!" he says, and he refers not only to the cancer, but also to the symbiote. Yes, the Venom symbiote.

And the next thing, will ya believe it, is Venom crashes into the shelter, and immediately latches onto Eddie, turning him into Anti-Venom.

It's just. . . it's not fair. Here's this guy who's cured of cancer, cured of the symbiote's caustic effects, and at the exact moment of his joy, he gets claimed again.

(Click to enlarge the sicknesssss)

Maybe Anti-Venom will have a positive effect on Eddie? Maybe he'll make a crusade against Venom?

Who knows. There were some parts I managed to like, though, like Martin Li's mystery. These four panels cleverly show us that he doesn't know of his alter-ego, Mr. Negative (right scan. click to enlarge).

And this silhouette is just mind-bogglingly perfect.

This single panel makes me so glad that John Romita Jr. is back. The shape of the head, the lines of the eyes, and the fingers against the glass. everything is just so perfect.

Hopefully next issue is less cruel to Eddie Brock. He had cancer for cripe's sakes.

Cover to Cover: awwwww crap (again)

As it turns out, comics were actually delayed this week for a USPS (US Postal Service) holiday.

Of all things, I forgot about it and last post, made a huge fuss about it, which now amounts to nothing.

But there's no use crying over spilled milk, so let's just get to the real reason we're all here!

The week for me was really easy to remember and group together, so today we look at the sci-fi stuff I got, which was Nova #15 and Guardians of the Galaxy #3. They were both bittersweet, because, well, a character in each book gets traumatized, which kind of hurt. . .

Nova #15
by Abnett, Lanning and Alves

This is the conclusion to the Galactus arc, and this is where everything comes together. The monster in the first issue makes a reappearance here, and the explanation for that is a delicious twist.

The monster is a psionic parasite, and Nova thought he'd killed it on the planet that Galactus was feeding on, only to find out that the parasite housed its physical form in Galactus' starship! It feeds on the feelings doom and terror that Galactus creates, and it's there that some cosmic awesomeness ensues.

Believe it or not, there's another sad part in the issue.

In order to escape the dying planet, Nova has to go through one of Galactus' energy siphons. . .
. . . and he loses Worldmind on the way.

I'm actually kind of worried about Worldmind now. That's how good the story is. The plot here is real strong as well, and some of the twists are just genius. This issue is just so well written.

Let's all hope the best for Worldmind!

Also: there's some fill-in art for about four pages, and that was just splendid, because you can barely tell there's a difference! That's how good fill-in art should be.


Guardians of the Galaxy #3
By Abnett, Lanning and Pelletier

There are basically two parts to this issue: a pointless fight between some guy named Vance Astro and some other guy named Starhawk. I don't who both of them are, but apparently, they were in the old Guardians of the Galaxy. Their part is pretty much pointless to me.

Then there's the second part where the current Guardians have to stop a fissure in space-time, when the planet they're on (a dyson sphere) goes critical, and Gamora has to restore the sun-shield at the risk of her life. Gamora's the one who volunteers, because she's the one with the healing factor.

There's a real emotional tug when she's back at Knowhere (the home base), and tells the log cameras to get off her, because she's so burnt by the sun within the dyson sphere.

For me, this average was pretty issue -- oops, I mean this issue was pretty average excepting that tug.

I wonder when the Guardians will get some down time, because so far, they've gotten into a big fight in every issue.

Also, Cosmo needs more panel time.

So, overall, a pretty bad week for Worldmind and Gamora, but by far from one for Marvel's sci-fi books!

Next post: It's Action Detective time!

Live from the Internet, it's Saturday Night Comics!

Continuing this week's comics!

Although I know most people only read the blogosphere during the weeks, I'd like to get these guys done before the next week, so let's get to it!

Amazing Spider-Man #561
by Dan Slott and Marcos Martin

I'm sure most everyone's made their opinion on this arc already who cares. I've been following for the past two issues, and as a vaguely devoted Spidey fan, I thought I should give my own opinion.

It's a tight plot; it's very well-paced; it makes some nods to the devoted fans; it's funny, but most importantly, it respects the characters.

Enter: Peter Parker choosing his personal morals over wealth and fame!

Yay morals!

That memory card contained photos of celebrity Bobby Carr with his mystery girl. Selling those photos would have brought more media grief to Bobby, but Peter chose to respect his privacy! While I don't like that PEter was doing it in the first place, I'm glad that Slott brought this up only as a plot point and an obstacle for Peter to overcome.

Here comes the delicious plot twist.

That "mystery girl" turns out to be MJ. In effect, Peter never gets to find out that she's in New York! This is the kind of writing that really gets at me; even when you do the right thing, you don't always come out on top.

It's gonna take some time for the two to find each other, but I think it's inevitable. I'll probably hang around only for Slott's arcs though, because 10 dollars a month is simply too much continuously.



Nova #14
by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Wellinton Alves

Note that the artist is Wellinton, no "g" in there. No "g"! You have no idea how many people get that wrong.

But we're talking about the comic today, so let's get on point here. Gosh, guys.

Here, Nova confronts the Devourer of Worlds himself, Galactus, and he faces his herald along the way. This opens the way for some great characterization of both Nova and Worldmind as foils of each other, one being survival-oriented and the other compassionate instead. An interesting thing here is how the Silver Surfer is treated. He's seen a few different approaches, from Stan's melancholic version (<--my favorite) to Englehart's cosmic-worldly person. Abnett and Lanning get to who he is, though, as a noble and compassionate man who still must obey his master. This is some strong characterization for a cameo appearance, and what any Surfer fan would want.

The interaction between Worldmind and Nova is sharp as always, and as the last Nova Centurion, we should be very glad that he has someone to talk with.

The only complaint I have is that the beginning fight between Nova and the Surfer takes up a good half of the issue, and that half is only made up of splash pages or three panels per page. Talk about decompression!

Is it just me. . .

. . . Or did Gamora and Nova totally get it on off-panel?

This is only further proof that the two are meant to be, and Nova better appear in Guardians of the Galaxy more.

Because if it's wrong to live in a world where sex equals intimacy, baby, I don't wanna be right.

I still think Paul Pelletier needs to make his curves harsher though. The characters look too soft to me.

Whooo-hooo! Rocket style!

You may have missed it, but here at Newsarama, they made an announcement about Guardians of the Galaxy:

. . . Marvel is adding another cosmic ongoing to their line-up, this time resurrecting Guardians of the Galaxy as a team book featuring sci-fi heroes and concepts spinning out of the Annihilation: Conquest mini-series. . .

New series are always exciting, but you know why this one is particularly so?

Cosmo: the telepathic astro-dog!

He first appeared in issue number eight of Nova. In the subsequent issue, they teamed up to fight a bunch of space zombies.

The zombies were actually space-type Avengers who'd been infected by the space villain Abyss, and it was their job to protect Knowhere from Abyss. They of course, fail, but Nova and Cosmo fight them off and defeat Abyss!

Take it away Cosmo!

I'm probably going to get Guardians of the Galaxy, just so I can see what's going on with Cosmo, Gamora and Drax. Nova has always had a great supporting cast. The only thing is, I wonder where Cammi is. You know, the Cammi from Annihilation: Drax?

Cover to Cover: This is your DOOM!!!

Catwoman came out this week, but, for some reason, not Birds of Prey or Hack/Slash. This has utterly shattered my universe, because the three have historically come out together. My schedule is hopelessly annihilated, but at least we got the conclusion to Annihilation: Conquest!

So, short of Birds and Hack, Catwoman #78 and Annihilation: Conquest #6 are on the review today.

Catwoman #78
by Will Pfeifer and David Lopez

I thought that Catwoman would be off the Hell Planet by this issue, and I was both pleasantly and unpleasantly surprised.

Unpleasantly in that I was wrong. Pleasantly in that the story here's very well told nonetheless.

Back on the Hell Planet, Catwoman makes a "non-aggression pact" with Hammer and Sickle. The two of them are so deliciously Communist; I love how Sickle is making constant references to the inevitable revolution that will overtake the capitalist world.

And then Cheetah attacks Catwoman! The fight is great, in that we get to see Catwoman being AWESOME, and we actually get to see her put good use to the cigar that the Joker gave her back in issue 75 or so.

There's a side-story with Slam Bradley too, in which Slam looks for what happened to Catwoman. I'm not exactly sure who he is, but I know that his son was the father of the baby in OYL. Most importantly, though, he introduces us to Interrogation 101:

[when interrogating] Make them fear you, then make them love you. Then make them drunk.

A really fun and smart issue, although I can't help the feeling that I'm better off waiting for the trade.

Four out of five pseudo-lesbionic covers.


Annihilation: Conquest #6
by Abnett, Lanning, Raney and Alves

I haven't been keeping up with the miniseries itself, but I've been reading enough to understand this issue:

1. Rocket Raccoon and his wild gang of space marauders damage the babel spire that's trapping Hala in Ultron's grasp. They lose a few friends tragically.
2. Ronan the Accuser is about to sacrifice Hala for the sake of the Kree Empire -- until Nova and gang come blazing forth!
3. They open the barrier to Hala and kill Ultron's current body, Adam Warlock, only for Ultron to transfer his consciousness to a bunch of Phalanx sentries to form a Megazord! Go go mega Ultron!
   
4. Adam Warlock's soul returns to him via the Quantum Bands.
   
5. A furious battle winds up in Wraith trapping Ultron (so he can't transfer his consciousness to another body), so then Phyla-Vell delivers the deathblow to Ultron!
   

(epilogue) With the Phalanx conquered and Ultron destroyed, Peter Quill starts thinking about a ragtag band of proactive defenders to prevent anything like Annihilation or Annihilation: Conquest from happening again. Guardians of the Galaxy is go!

Well, this issue was awesome. Kick-ass characters, kick-ass moments, kick-ass fights, kick-ass dialogue. And I'm jumping on in the very last issue.

The only complaints I have are:

• Phyla's killing of Ultron wasn't as awesome as Nova's killing of Annihilus. Considering that Conquest is excellent in and of itself, though, that's still a compliment.
• I really don't like Tom Raney. All that slick coloring doesn't cover up the fact that he could definitely sharpen his faces and his anatomy. Cases in point:

You do not draw anyone's, much less Peter Quill's, forearm that thin when everything else is that huge.

And Super-Skrull's face isn't that flat, and his forehead isn't that long.

All things considered though, I am definitely looking forward to Guardians and I'm kind of really interested in the relationship between Rocket Raccoon and Groot, and Mantis and that other guy.

Dammit Annihilation, I just can't quit you!

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.

_______

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:

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:

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.

Gratuitous Death of the day

Because you can't really call it a day. . .



. . . until Gamora, the deadliest woman in the universe, has killed someone.

From Nova #5, in which Gamora and co. raid a refugee ship housing the Nova Prime and another Nova. Art by Sean Chen.

We'll finish off the week's reviews tomorrow, with a book YOU WON'T SEE COMING!

Cover to Cover: Return of the weekly reviews pt. 1

It's been a while since I actually talked about comics within the week.

Well, today, that all changes. Today we're gonna review Nova #12, Dead of Night #3. Later on, though, we'll get to Green Arrow/Black Canary #7, Bloodrayne: Prime Cuts #2 (EDIT: over here.) and Supergirl #28, just so you know.

And knowing is half the battle.

Dead of Night, featuring: Man-Thing #3
by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Javier Saltares

Oh my god, this issue was so bare, I'm not sure if it's barely worth the cover cover price (4 bucks).

-Basically, college students go to swamps, try to capture video of Man-Thing.

-They get attacked by super-serum swampies (or "mutants," as the book refers to them), but the Man-Thing saves them.

-As the Man-Thing saves them, Ellen Brandt shoots 'em dead. She continues her revenge quest for the Man-Thing. Cue cliffhanger

There's very little substance to the comic. I get the feeling that the Man-Thing was a rip-off of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing just for the sake of being a rip-off. There are no depths to the characters involved, just a simplistic gore story.

One out of five super-serum swampies from me. Also, the art is very inadequate. The Man-Thing is not that thin, and the super-serum swampies / mutants looked to me more like vikings from the days of yore than super-serum swampies / mutants.

Hopefully, the final issue of this miniseries redeems everything, but for now, let's look at the Human Rocket, Nova.

Nova #12
by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Paul Pelletier

So this issue is the issue to look at after a period of what seemed to be filler stories. This issue washes the board and gets everything up and at 'em for the conclusion of Annihilation: Conquest.

Needless to say, it was awesome. A huge techno-organic beast called a Technarch attacks Nova and his friend Warlock. Warlock sacrifices himself so that Nova is fully cured of the Transmode Virus.

It's a bit convoluted, but it's actually pretty basic once you've got all the names down.

Later, in a twist of awesomeness, the Technarch becomes benign, revives Warlock, frees other characters from the Transmode Virus and then goes off to Annihilation: Conquest!

Also, you must totally check out these panels, in which Nova is talking to Worldmind. They are perfect foils for each other, in that their views are totally polarized as emotional verses logical, intuition versus calculation:

I haven't been reading Annihilation: Conquest, but ever since this panel:

I think I'll get the last issue (#6), just to see what happens with Gamora and Drax. A four out of five Babel spires from me.

Cover to cover catch-up: cosmic conflicts in comics

Welcome back to the blog, guys! I'm attempting to clean off my review pile, which includes all sorts of titles from Nova to Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters to Detective Comics to Wonder Woman.

Today, we're looking at Nova #1 and Wonder Woman #18. Yes, I really want to start the review at the first issue of Nova, because I think it deserves it, and statistically, a lot of people don't know who he is.

But before we get to Nova, let's chew the fat and review. . .

Wonder Woman #18
by Gail Simone and Bernard Chang

So this issue kicks off Gail Simone's second arc on Wondie.

This was a well-paced issue, but you can definitely tell that Wonder Woman isn't as fun a title as Simone's previous works (Birds of Prey, Secret Six). Simone's hilarious and overexaggerated YABS! articles still linger in my mind.

There's a somewhat annoying part at the beginning of the issue, in which Wonder Woman goes through a courtship ritual with Tom Tresser.

AKA Nemesis.
First of all, I don't know much about this guy, but I did read Picoult's run on Wonder Woman, and from that perspective, Nemesis is an immature child, and I really don't see what Wonder Woman sees in him.

But meh, she probably needs a love interest anyways. I'll give that much leeway to Simone.

Then the alien Khund visit her at the hospital -- TO BEAT HER UP.

Wonder Woman, without any hardship, wins, and I particularly like this panel:

This is nice, except this kind of hammers in the fact that Wonder Woman is a generally humorless character. So humorless, that she needs a strong supporting cast to bring in the laughs.

Yes, I really care about the humor, because I know that Simone rocks at it.

Some ANTI-rock would be Bernard Chang. He's an adequate penciller, but I' m really disappointed with the way he draws Wonder Woman:

Why is she so lanky! I wouldn't expect such a noble and graceful emissary-figure to have such a thin, tone-less body.

And the issue ends with a nice little Green Lantern getting territorial and about to attack Wonder Woman.

Overall, I'm kind of apathetic about this issue. Scant humor, weak art, unfamiliar background (am I supposed to know who the Khund are?) leaves me giving this book a two out of five Wonder Woman groupies.

Nova #1
By Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Sean Chen

Bursting from Annihilation as its stand-out hero, the adrenaline rush ends for Richard Rider (AKA Nova), as he must learn to cope with the fact that he's the last standing member of the Nova Corps.

. . .

By kicking some interstellar ass!

He runs across the universe, answering the calls of anyone who needs the Nova Corps., and he saves a planet from its own Doomsday machine.

I should note that Nova still isn't alone. Wired into his suit is the collective knowledge of all Xandarian culture: THE WORLDMIND. While Nova, human, acts occasionally on impulse and emotion-based, Worldmind is set on simple survival and tactics. They're great foils for each other.

In his errand-running, Nova over-exerts himself and --

At which point he decides to give himself a rest, and return to Earth. Coincidentally, Earth is just recently recovered from a certain Civil War.

See, this is how you launch a new ongoing book. You tie it in fluidly to larger events. At this time, Nova is just emerging from Annihilation, and the next few issues are going to be tangential The Initiative tie-ins.

Now that's smart marketing for a niche-ish book like Nova.

A four out of five grumpy Worldminds. Here's an example of how Nova does sci-fi justice:

and another: