Nova: The Human Rocket, Volume 1: Burn Out

Nova: The Human Rocket

by Sean Ryan (Writer), Cory Smith (Illustrator)

A tale of two Novas! Sam Alexander's missing father is finally back, and together they're making adventure a family business. With their Nova helmets that enable them to fly and shoot energy beams, they're policing the Milky Way twice as well as before. And, when they get a chance, they're grabbing some dad-and-son catch-up time. With pancakes! Mini-golf! Earthquakes?! What could be responsible for the catastrophic tremors?

COLLECTS: NOVA (2015) 1-6

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

136 pages, Paperback

First published June 14, 2016

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Alexander/Nova is finally reunited with his dad Jesse, who was also part of the Nova Corps, and the two patrol the cosmos as father and son Novas! But happiness is fleeting with monsters attacking from underneath their small town and from outer space while Sam learns his father harbours a dark secret…

I’ve never cared about Suicide Squad (and, having seen the turrible movie, I can say I care even less now!) but Sean Ryan wrote an unexpectedly good Suicide Squad book with last year’s Pure Insanity. This year he’s done the same thing again by taking a title I’ve never been that interested in like Nova and making something surprisingly good out of it!

Ryan goes pure Peter Parker with Sam, heaping the woes of the world onto this kid’s shoulders, so if you loves classic Spidey, you’ll dig this one. He starts out with a comfortable school/life balance that quickly degenerates and soon he’s doing superhero-y things like battling giant monsters, teaming up with the Avengers and consequently barely keeping his eyes open during class!

It sounds like your average Marvel comic but Ryan has a way of drawing you into Sam’s world and setting a blistering pace so your attention never flags. It’s a speedy read, which is appropriate for the mega-fast Nova, but it’s also got themes of fathers and sons and allusions to classic literature like A Tale of Two Cities and the first Fantastic Four issue!

I liked the team-up between the teen Avengers: Nova, Miles Morales/Spider-Man, and Kamala Khan/Ms Marvel, all of whom are well-written, particularly Miles - if this is Sean Ryan’s audition for writing a Spidey book, I’d say he passed! I really liked Cory Smith’s artwork too - the guy’s not afraid to go big with this character and there are some Dragon Ball Z-type aerial fight splash pages here that are awesome.

Sam’s status quo is restored a little too quickly though - if you read Jeph Loeb/Gerry Duggan’s run, Sean Ryan takes it back there within a single book. Maybe the editors didn’t want him straying too far from the character’s roots (he IS a kid with parents and school so his choices are limited), maybe Ryan’s got a new take on the old setup, I don’t know. And the bad guy just does generic bad guy things which is a bit unimaginative and a flat way to close things out. It’s definitely not a perfect read but there’s far more good here than bad.

I never thought I’d really like a Nova comic but Sean Ryan and Cory Smith make a compelling case for the character with their first book. Surprise yourself today with this hidden gem!

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, the fun and humor of Gerry Duggan's series is missing. Sam is now a sad sack saddled with too much responsibility, like the old Peter Parker comics. Just substitute Sam's mom for Aunt May. I'm surprised she didn't make him wheatcakes. The plot is very basic and quickly wipes out everything set up at the end of the last series. I can see why this only lasted 11 issues.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, but not great.

I get this is all new universe now for Marvel but I felt they dropped a lot of what made Sam a interesting character. I liked him with no friends, a loner, who tried to deal with that by fighting crime. I also miss his weird ass buddies, who are completely gone here. Also why did the big twist have to cancel one of the better moments of the end of his last run.

Still, saying that, Sam is fun as ever. I like Sam cause he doesn't give in no matter what. Sometimes almost dying (look back at Hulk vs Nova) and it always makes amazing fights or moments of Sam standing for what he believes in. I also really enjoy Sam and his family. The chemistry with his mom and sister is always strong and stays true.

The art is solid, and the ending gives you plenty to look forward to. While not an amazing first volume it's still good and I just hope it expands on there and doesn't dwindle like the last run did sadly. A 3/5

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Nova book that has me convinced he could be the next superhero to be a star at the box office. Tame without being sugary sweet, I think the character could headline a family-friendly film.

When Burn Out was good it reminded me of 60's-era Spider-Man stories (like Peter Parker, Nova's Sam Alexander is a teenager with the usual problems / issues PLUS saddled with having a secret identity), and in one of his adventures with Avengers' co-horts Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel and Miles Morales' Spider-Man it seemed purposely reminiscent of a Fantastic Four plot from the same period. It was too bad that said story had a badly written 'go nowhere' and abrupt ending. Elsewhere, Sam's savvy school friends realize - because of his unexplained absences and perpetual fatigued state - that he may indeed be a superhero. That story-line provides a nice little cliff-hanger on the last page.

[Judah Radd · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s ok.

Not as good as previous Sam Alexander books, but not terrible. I liked the fights, but I found the story itself to ve a bit tedious and uninteresting. I would have liked Sam to spend more time off world. Also, my eyes glaze over anytime the Mole Man shows up.

There were some major logical gaffs. Why does gas effect Nova when his helmet literally allows him to survive in space? The [spoiler] clone of his dad has been living with his mom this whole time. Have they fucked? Because that would be rape. The situation is pretty bizarre and very few of the details were addressed.

All in all, I don’t have very high expectations for this run, but I own the other trades so I guess I’m still gonna read them.

[Annye Driscoll · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute volume - not a whole lot of overarching substance but quite a few nice moments. I like Nova's interactions with Ironman, Ms Marvel, and Spider-man, and reading more about Mole Man after his stint as a *Nice Guy* in Squirrel Girl made him an even more well-rounded character. It's cool that a B-list villain is getting some genuine development.

It's too bad that it sounds like Civil War II completely derailed Nova's story. Typical :/

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of Rich Rider, so it only made sense for me to give the new Nova series and character a try. I read a little bit about the new guy during the 2016 Nova comics (the one where it has the two Novas in it) so I guess my curiosity got the better of me. The new kid that takes up the mantle of Nova is literally a kid – his name is Sam Alexander and he’s still in high school. Quite a shift from the Nova we’ve known in the past. One thing is still the same though; I still loved the artwork for Nova.



Kid Nova (as I call him so as to keep myself from getting him confused with Rich’s Nova) has a lot of the struggles I’ve come to expect from a teenage superhero. He’s still trying to figure out his powers (and is hampered by the fact that he’s powerless without his helmet), go to school, have a social life, and keep his identity a secret. Unlike most superheroes his age, his parents actually know what’s going on. I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Basically for now his father assists with the crime fighting (also being a member of the Nova corps) and his mother both worries and nags him a bit about it.
Being that this Nova is still new, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from him. I’m happy to report that despite the mountains of work Sam is juggling, he isn’t petulant, bitter, or whiney about it. I get the impression he tends to lock a lot of his emotions inside (this opinion was reinforced in the later issues, after the plot twist with his father). He seems like he’s a hard working kid who truly cares about what happens to the people around him. Naturally that means he fits in pretty well with the rest of the Young Avengers (Especially Miles and Kamila).
I’ll admit that I did love the whole plot twist that occurred during the second half of the volume. It felt like a pretty typical alien infiltration plot, but perhaps I’m biased against them because I’ve seen so many of them. I’m hoping this whole setup just builds Sam’s character further, to allow him to be an even more interesting character.
While I wasn’t impressed with the main plot, I did enjoy the interpersonal relations that occurred for Sam. It was nice to see a cameo from Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Ms. Marvel (Kamila Khan), Iron Man, and Vision. I wasn’t expecting to see so many other characters appear, but then again it does help to establish a new character. I also loved the plot twist with (spoiler alert) Sam’s friends putting two and two together and realizing that Sam is Nova. I’m actually really curious to see where that one leads. Will they become supporting friends (help him hide his secret, make excuses for his absence, etc), or will they be bitter and upset about the whole thing (picture Ron in the first part of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).
I think I’ll continue reading this series, even though I’m not incredibly impressed yet. I think it has a lot of potential though, so I’m willing to give it time to settle and see where it leads.


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Trike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not the target audience for this. This would be good for the 9-14 set.

That said, not much goes on here, and they're clearly riffing on the "Spider-man juggles school and superheroing" thing, but not very well. The art is fine, but they could have told this tale in half the pages. Clones, Mole Man's underground critters, kaiju, aliens, Spider-man, Ms. Marvel, homework... yet still it feels slight.

The new Nova hats are a little goofy, moreso than I recall. It looks like they have starfish stuck to their faces. The kids will probably like it.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Continues to be one of my favorite currently running Marvel comic strips. We've got a new creative team who carry on without missing a beat. Ryan and Smith (both new to me) are a terrific match for young Sam's adventures. I can't wait to see where they take us readers next.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam's father Jesse is home for good and the world is much better protected with two of the Nova Corps on Earth's defense. But is he really back? When the two heroes take on an alien worm creature plaguing the mines where Sam's dad works, a heavy blow skews Jesse's face and Sam finds out that he is not is father, but merely a clone sent by the Chitauri to steal Sam's one-of-a-kind Black Nova Corps helmet!
On his next adventure, Sam teams up with Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man (Miles) to find out the details of a war going on underground between Mole Man and his son. But Sam seems very distracted. Distracted in school, leaving his friends mysteriously.... this "Dad Clone" problem needs solved soon!
A new clone arrives at school, they battle, and the story is semi-unresolved as they head towards Volume 2.
But.... Sam's friends have figured out his secret.
This two Volume series leads Sam towards him joining with "Champions" in post Civil War II atmosphere. I really look forward to seeing what happens next. Recommend.

[Alex E · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the first volume of Nova, Sam goes from having everything he wants, to once again, standing on his own.

This series is turning into a bit like the old Spidey comics, where Peter Parker is juggling his normal, civilian life, with his super hero antics. However, Sam is much younger in this volume, but no less heroic. What really struck me about this volume so far, is the heroism that Sam has compared with his naivety of how life works. He is just a kid after all. So he mopes, he is impulsive, he makes the wrong call. And this is why Sam as a character works, even if it is using the old Parker formula.

Wit that being said, I do feel like the humor that the volume had is somewhat diminished by having Sean Ryan take over the helm. The writing wasn't bad, but maybe I just got used to that quirky style that Duggan has when writing a younger hero especially.

Overall, I had a good time reading this and look forward to seeing where Nova's latest discovery leads him.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gerry Duggan is gone and new writer Sean Ryan takes over and he puts Sam through the ringer. What starts off as idyllic family super hero fun takes a quick turn and Sam is left shook. The book isn't as fun as its predecessor and the antagonists are pretty generic here. I appreciated Sam's change in tone as things change in his life and liked the introduction of more supporting characters. It'll be interesting to see how they develop. Smith's art was fine but unspectacular. Overall, a decent read but some of the luster is off.

[Cassie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's fine. Plenty happens, the characters are alright, I like the Young Avengers team they've got going with Nova, Spider-Man, and Ms. Marvel. But it all feels a little samey. There's a kid, he goes to school, he's got superhero problems. It's not as good as the stories it's aping, like Ultimate Spider-Man or Blue Beetle. I've only read a couple volumes of Nova before, featuring Richard Ryder, and those were way more interesting.

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a little weird to have Sam's dad return out of the blue, but this book provided the needed context and didn't make it some throwaway event. And while I wasn't fully on board for the diversion with the Mole Man, on the whole, I liked the tone of the book that was rather reminiscent of early Spider-Man stories that focused on the challenges of a young hero needing to juggle so many things.

Not the most original story, but was certainly a satisfying read.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Booooo! I feel conned. Basically, the big ending of the last series was a fake out and we're back to the old status quo.

Advance, go forward!

Despite that problem and the continuous and unexplained rotation of all of the tertiary characters -- Nova's "friends" keep being replaced, it's a perfectly fine book.

[Adan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Sam Alexander a lot, who I think has become this generation's Peter Parker. He has to juggle school, family, and superheroing, and he doesn't always succeed. And now his dad's back in the picture, complicating everything, though not in the way I thought he would.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Sam's only a little annoying in this one. Sure it's kind of monster of the week with the Mole Man. But it's good to at least a little bit resolve Sam's current father issues. Readable and basically interesting if a bit monster-of-the-week.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam's got the old strerched-too-thin thing going. Which has potential, but it was done better over in Ms. Marvel.

Sam and his dad are reunited. His dad is wearing a gold Nova helmet which keep shorting out. There's monsters and aliens and schoolwork. Not bad, but nothing special.

[Rahadyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked it enough to want to read the next volume.

[B. Rule · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent but not amazing. I liked the family drama angle, but the writing was so-so and a little rushed. The artwork is great and very kinetic, though.

[Lucinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so awesome I love Sam. Liking the new avenger kids.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helemting! :D Lol Brilliant Review to come! :D

[Nicholas Why · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and easy read. The art suits the story of a young Nova very well.

[Ming · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather promising. Hopefully gets better.

[niks · Rating 3 out of 5]

samuel alexander eu te amo tanto

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as single issues

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nova is one of the best Marvel books out there right now.

[Alex Sarll]

The Nova Corps are Marvel’s rather halfhearted rip-off of DC’s Green Lanterns. And Sam Alexander, created five years ago, isn’t even the Nova that people who like Nova like. Still, here he is on his fourth writer and his first renumbering, thrown at the wall again to see if he sticks this time. Previously, his main memorable trait had been his desire to find his dad, who it turned out really had been a space-cop all along and not just a fantasising drunk. Now, Dad’s home…meaning all we have is the standard teen superhero schtick of ‘Oh no, how can I juggle heroing, school and life?’, executed with much less charm than in eg Ms Marvel. Fortunately (spoilers)…turns out dad’s a clone! So we can reset to the exact same ‘Where’s dad?’ overplot as before! Aside from that, there’s a bit of kaiju-punching which helpfully turns out to derive from some counterpointed father issues too, plus guest appearances by the other teen Avengers, who even in Sam’s own book clearly don’t like him much and have to stop him doing stupid shit. All told, not really the most promising relaunch.

[Kevin Sunga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good start. Coming into this I knew nothing about Nova except for his stint in the cartoons (lol). Didn't really go over the backstory of the character as to how he got his powers or any type of origin like that, but I didn't find myself getting lost. Maybe picking up Volume #0 would help clear things up for me.

Besides that, I liked how Nova's character wasn't one-dimensional and didn't really follow any superhero cliches (yet) Would recommend to anyone remotely interested in his character.

Plus there are some team-ups with Spiderman and Miss Marvel around issue #2-3 I believe! It was great!