Nova continues to surprise, and not just because Jeph Loeb is penning something that isn’t dreck, and not only because the action is surprisingly high. The real reason Nova is working comes from our investment in Sam Alexander, the young boy suddenly thrust into the arena of intergalactic space war. Loeb has done a great job slowly introducing us to Sam, telling his story and getting us to care. Now, the ass-kicking begins.
When we last left Sam, he was face to face with The Watcher. Why would one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe take interest in a young boy forced to become a member of Nova Corps? Mainly because the entire Chitauri fleet is heading towards Earth to wipe us out. The Watcher allows Sam to see their rapid approach millions of miles out. and all from the moon. Sam, being a young boy, is worried about the advancing Starfleet but also seriously excited that he just flew through space.
Cue Rocket Raccoon and Gamora. They’re not quite as excited about Sam being the last Nova warrior. The grumpy rodent and the green goddess both loved and admired Sam’s father, but have little belief that Sam can rise to the occasion. At this point, we get the necessary “training” scene. Barking orders at him and making grand speeches about war and death while simultaneously beating the shit out of your trainee is not new – in fact, it’s rather cliché. What saves it is the dialogue – there are some laugh out loud moments here, especially between Sam and Rocket.
The issue ends with Rocket and Gamora discovering Sam hung out with The Watcher, and that the Chitauri are closer than they imagined. It’s time for the young hero to suit up and show what he’s made of. Nova #3 ends with a massive laser blast hitting Sam with full force. Will he survive? Of course he will. The fun here is how he survives and how he bests the Chitauri. With all its connections to older Marvel stories, Jeph Loeb has essentially written a bad ass sci-fi adventure.
Helping bring this epic to life is iconic artist Ed McGuiness. I enjoy what he does with the pencils here, especially that he calmed down with the bigger than life muscles. The only exaggerated thing McGuiness keeps is Gamora’s boobs – he’s always drawn girls with huge boobs. McGuiness may not have the most diverse style ever, but he knows how to draw characters and how to make action jump off the page. He’s a work horse, a guy that will always get the job done. Strong lines, good uses of expressions and nice shadowing all make Nova work. Dexter Vines inks are solid as well. Marte Garcia’s colors are basic, but tell the story effectively.
An effective blend of sci-fi and superheroes, Nova is continuously entertaining and all around great fun.
(4.5 Story, 4 Art)
