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Nova (2007)
Nova, Vol. 5: War of Kings
War of Kings brings a new era! Who is the new Protector of the Universe? Stripped of his Nova powers and facing death, Rich Rider must stop the Worldmind's plans before it's too late. But he needs power to do it, which may come from a source that will change his very identity! It's another unpredictable episode of the comic Ain't It Cool News calls "awesomely jaw-droppingly cool stuff".
Collecting: Nova 23-28
Collecting: Nova 23-28
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 22, 2017
While it's not quite as good as the Guardians of the Galaxy War of Kings book, this volume of Nova still packs a punch (full gravimetrics to right fist, Worldmind).
In this book, Rich has to face up to the fact that his time bonded with Worldmind has taken such a toll on his body and mind that he now doesn't have long to live. He also has to deal with some other pretty serious ramifications of Worldmind putting together an entirely new Nova Corps comprised entirely of inexperienced new recruits... and that Worldmind may not have survived the time they spent bonded unscathed, either.
I don't want to give too much away, but the stakes are pretty high and pretty damned personal for Rich in this one and I enjoyed every page. My current 'cosmic Marvel' chronological reread has reminded me how much I loved the Rich Rider Nova. I'd love to see him fighting side-by-side with Sam Alexander one day. (I can dream...)
In this book, Rich has to face up to the fact that his time bonded with Worldmind has taken such a toll on his body and mind that he now doesn't have long to live. He also has to deal with some other pretty serious ramifications of Worldmind putting together an entirely new Nova Corps comprised entirely of inexperienced new recruits... and that Worldmind may not have survived the time they spent bonded unscathed, either.
I don't want to give too much away, but the stakes are pretty high and pretty damned personal for Rich in this one and I enjoyed every page. My current 'cosmic Marvel' chronological reread has reminded me how much I loved the Rich Rider Nova. I'd love to see him fighting side-by-side with Sam Alexander one day. (I can dream...)
March 28, 2024
This was fine. I feel like it had a big impact for the Nova storyline, but it didn't have a big impact on me. I haven't read War of Kings, but I feel like it didn't hamper my ability to enjoy this story.
May 28, 2017
Nova's continuing exploits under Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning get further into the family dynamics of the Rider family and the new Nova Corps. While I liked involving Robbie Rider, I kind of wish that the events of this book were spread out more. Nova's goes through two big personal changes in 6 issues and they lose a little of their impact. Seeing Nova use his smarts to out think multiple obstacles was very good to see because too many times he comes off as too headstrong. The art by Andrea DeVito and Kevin Sharpe was great. The book wasn't a huge part of War Of Kings but was a welcome chapter. Overall, another very good Abnett/Lanning sci-fi tale.
July 31, 2013
A thoughtful resolution of the previous volume as Nova finds a lifeline and discovers his fears regarding the Worldmind are justified. The volume has a pretty mature take on the meat grinder of war, as new recruits are sent into action they're not ready for. The big characters--brother Robbie included--get their star turns, and the volume ends on a nice piece of realpolitik. Well done.
Read digital version.
Read digital version.
November 30, 2013
The nova corps try to stop the big war. Only problem is that most are too young and inexperienced to fight. Meanwhile, Ego is making his presence known. A decent story with engaging characters, and it easily introduces the concept of nova to new readers. A good read.
January 21, 2010
Nova back in space and the corps cut down to only a few members keeps the book alive.
December 3, 2019
The formation of the new Nova Corps! Pretty good stuff, though the floating head planetoid thing makes me shake my head every time I see it.
November 5, 2022
This section of the 2007(?) Nova comic run has some grim themes and scenes, but also includes some amusing moments.
Robert Rider, Richard Rider's brother, has been given Nova powers also, along with many other humans. Worldmind is rebuilding the Nova Corps in a big way, though Nova feels that there's some wrongness to how Worldmind is going about it. Rich has never wanted Robbie to be put in danger from having a brother with superpowers. Somewhere in later issues of Classic New Warriors, Robbie lost a finger to kidnappers of New Warriors family members. I noticed his lack of finger in Nova # 1 from 1994. Rich doesn't want a repeat of anything like that, let alone Robbie risking his life on a big intergalactic mission. Many of the newbies of the Nova Corps are dragged into this space war, though.
At the beginning, Rich has discovered that Robbie had collected Nova action figures, and is weirdly touched by this. He does note that one of the action figures "would be worth real money if it was the rare 'ponytail' variant." LOL! It took a long time for this payoff comment on his 1994 look, when Richard Rider had long, luxuriant, flowing locks well down over his shoulders. Since I'd read Nova # 1 of 1994 very recently, it cracked me up.
It turned out that Nova is still quite sane after the burden of carrying the Worldmind and the full Nova Force, but having the Nova Force taken away reveals that his once-again-human body has had too much strain from that, and he doesn't have long to live. I wondered how he'd get better from that. He takes a few routes that don't pan out before discovering a way that will work.
The casualties that result from so many totally inexperienced Nova Corps members being thrown into the middle of a vicious space war are very high, and Rich has feelings about that. There's a "Saving Private Robbie" scenario in there, too.
I enjoyed this run of comics, though some plotlines were quite dark.
Robert Rider, Richard Rider's brother, has been given Nova powers also, along with many other humans. Worldmind is rebuilding the Nova Corps in a big way, though Nova feels that there's some wrongness to how Worldmind is going about it. Rich has never wanted Robbie to be put in danger from having a brother with superpowers. Somewhere in later issues of Classic New Warriors, Robbie lost a finger to kidnappers of New Warriors family members. I noticed his lack of finger in Nova # 1 from 1994. Rich doesn't want a repeat of anything like that, let alone Robbie risking his life on a big intergalactic mission. Many of the newbies of the Nova Corps are dragged into this space war, though.
At the beginning, Rich has discovered that Robbie had collected Nova action figures, and is weirdly touched by this. He does note that one of the action figures "would be worth real money if it was the rare 'ponytail' variant." LOL! It took a long time for this payoff comment on his 1994 look, when Richard Rider had long, luxuriant, flowing locks well down over his shoulders. Since I'd read Nova # 1 of 1994 very recently, it cracked me up.
It turned out that Nova is still quite sane after the burden of carrying the Worldmind and the full Nova Force, but having the Nova Force taken away reveals that his once-again-human body has had too much strain from that, and he doesn't have long to live. I wondered how he'd get better from that. He takes a few routes that don't pan out before discovering a way that will work.
The casualties that result from so many totally inexperienced Nova Corps members being thrown into the middle of a vicious space war are very high, and Rich has feelings about that. There's a "Saving Private Robbie" scenario in there, too.
I enjoyed this run of comics, though some plotlines were quite dark.
January 20, 2019
This whole event had been expertly crafted.
The storyline for Nova was perhaps not integral to War Of Kings, but walked around the edges of the event, and still found a way to be entertaining.
Abnett and Lanning lose some points for some weaker characterization, and taking the easy way out by adding more humans, rather than exploring new characters from throughout the galaxy.
The story is kept light and engaging though, and I can't claim that I wasn't entertained.
The storyline for Nova was perhaps not integral to War Of Kings, but walked around the edges of the event, and still found a way to be entertaining.
Abnett and Lanning lose some points for some weaker characterization, and taking the easy way out by adding more humans, rather than exploring new characters from throughout the galaxy.
The story is kept light and engaging though, and I can't claim that I wasn't entertained.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2023
★★★★★☆☆
overall, an above average comic. This should be read after war of Kings, since it doesn’t really intersect much with the main story and works better on its own. A good continuation of the nova run.
overall, an above average comic. This should be read after war of Kings, since it doesn’t really intersect much with the main story and works better on its own. A good continuation of the nova run.
December 28, 2019
This was amazing! It gave me goosebumps a lot of times. The writing was so good and intense! To be said I already love Nova a lot, so more of the same is more than welcome to me!
December 8, 2020
Nova continues to be one of the brightest spots of Marvel Cosmic landscape.
September 16, 2012
So Nova always borders on being a ripoff of Green Lantern--I mean the powers are different, but the mythologies are just so similar. Anyway, in this volume, I just couldn't shake the Green Lantern feeling. It was too similar, and while it has a few decent moments, it's clear that the writers were spread too thin at this point. They were simultaneously writing the very good Guardians of the Galaxy and War of Kings and the terrible Darkhawk series; I think Nova just got put on the back burner.
I just never really care about Nova--he's a generic, snarky comic character. (Actually, he seems like a lot of the other characters in this War of Kings thing--a couple of the Guardians, and Darkhawk in particular.) And since he doesn't have interesting powers, and his story is getting pretty derivative, well....
And let it be said: the end of issue 25 is definitely some of the worst writing I've ever run across, when all of the conflicts of the previous issues are swept away in a couple of meaningless dialogue bubbles. "So, computer, now the we've thoroughly established that I'm going to die, and that this newfound thingy will make me a villain, should we be worried." "Nah, it'll be alright." Ridiculous.
I just never really care about Nova--he's a generic, snarky comic character. (Actually, he seems like a lot of the other characters in this War of Kings thing--a couple of the Guardians, and Darkhawk in particular.) And since he doesn't have interesting powers, and his story is getting pretty derivative, well....
And let it be said: the end of issue 25 is definitely some of the worst writing I've ever run across, when all of the conflicts of the previous issues are swept away in a couple of meaningless dialogue bubbles. "So, computer, now the we've thoroughly established that I'm going to die, and that this newfound thingy will make me a villain, should we be worried." "Nah, it'll be alright." Ridiculous.
June 4, 2023
As much as this is an "official" War of Kings tie-in, Richard Rider and the Nova Corps really have their own crap to deal with more than the rest of the problems of the galaxy. We start with Richard having been kicked out of the Corps and now potentially dying without the mixed burden of carrying the bulk of the Nova Force around, the Corps is currently a weird echo of DC's Green Lantern Corps complete with a planet as a member. But designating Ego the Living Planet as a new base of operations had some serious foreshadowing built into it - at least for those familiar with Ego's history.
The Corps do get involved with some of the conflicts of the war, but this is really just some of the border skirmishes that act as so much window dressing. It boils down to Richard figuring out what to do with his life and the larger realization that maybe not all is right with the Worldmind directing the Nova Corps.
The Corps do get involved with some of the conflicts of the war, but this is really just some of the border skirmishes that act as so much window dressing. It boils down to Richard figuring out what to do with his life and the larger realization that maybe not all is right with the Worldmind directing the Nova Corps.
May 15, 2015
Richard Rider as Quasar! Wait not Nova? Nope. He gets the bands of "Go with the flow, man" and it's actually pretty fun while it lasts.
We finally get real answers on what's going on with Worldmind. I was a bit surprised but that could be because I don't really know the history of Ego the Living Planet. It was a nice turn and we of course get Riser back as head Nova, which is where it had to go, of course, I think I liked this better than the main War of Kings book. Probably because I read them both together. This may have made far less sense if I had and who knows how I'd feel.
The Nova Corp is actually coming back now and hopefully it'll be something cool, but seeing as the series ends next volume, I'm not overly hopeful.
We finally get real answers on what's going on with Worldmind. I was a bit surprised but that could be because I don't really know the history of Ego the Living Planet. It was a nice turn and we of course get Riser back as head Nova, which is where it had to go, of course, I think I liked this better than the main War of Kings book. Probably because I read them both together. This may have made far less sense if I had and who knows how I'd feel.
The Nova Corp is actually coming back now and hopefully it'll be something cool, but seeing as the series ends next volume, I'm not overly hopeful.
March 2, 2015
More solid Nova comics. This one runs in parallel with the War of Kings storyline, touching on events from that, but without really interfering with the events there. In this case, I sort of wonder why not, since it would make a lot of sense to get involves with it, particularly at the end. Still, there is at least some explanation there, and it reestablishes the Nova corps as a presence in space, so that is a plus. Hopefully, that will result in a greater integration with the rest of the cosmic sections of the Marvel universe.
September 14, 2010
This volume was awesome!!
September 24, 2014
I was way out of context here and felt like I was missing a lot of things (which is one of the problems of this series, unfortunately), but still enjoyed it.
June 21, 2017
Read as single issues
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews