Nova

• Title: Nova #6
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Zeb Wells
• Artist: Paco Medina

Nova #6 marks Sam‘s return home from his battle with Titus and fighting the Phoenix Force with the Avengers (which the comic alludes to but doesn’t explain for those of us not reading whatever Avengers title this took place in). With an offer to join the Avengers and a new personal relationship with Thor, Nova returns home to a very concerned mother, school bullies, and the consequences of leaving his life behind for weeks at a time.

Zeb Wells does a pretty job stepping in for Jeph Loeb and keeping the tone and humor of the title consistent with the previous issues. Although I like Paco Medina’s art (even if Sam appears to be a tad bit older for some reason) I’m definitely going to miss Ed McGuinness whose work on the first arc of the series did quite a bit to sell me on the character.

There’s some nice moments here between Sam and his mother as well as the foreshadowing of just how screwed up the young man’s life will become the longer he plays super-hero. It’s a nice issue, but it’s certainly not a must-read. For fans.

[Marvel, $3.99]

• Title: Nova #5
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Jeph Loeb
• Artist: Ed McGuinness

Followed back to Earth by Titus, the disgraced former member of the Nova Corps now working for the Chitauri, Sam Alexander must protect his home, his mother (who we will learn knew far more about her husband’s galactic adventures than she ever let on), and even the bullies from school who give him a hard time, from the one-eyed space tiger’s wrath.

Flying Titus back into space, the new Nova uses the Ultimate Nullifier to present a stalemate that the villain refuses to accept. Forcing its activation, Titus and the entire Chitauri fleet are sucked into a black hole. Only after the young man single-handedly saves Earth do we get cameos from Rocket Racoon, Gamora, and the Watcher (as well as one more important character in the issue’s epilogue).

Writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuinness deliver a fun wrap-up the series’ first story arc that cements Sam as the new Nova, a hero with some powerful friends but one who is also willing and able to stand-up to world-threatening threats on his own. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

• Title: Nova #4
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Jeph Loeb
• Artist: Ed McGuinness

Sent into space to scout the fleet of Chitauri warships on their way to destroy the Earth, Nova bites off more than he can chew when the young hero decides to stage a preemptive attack on the fleet. Although things start off well, Sam soon finds himself at the mercy of the aliens and a former member of the Nova Squadron who blames Sam’s father for the loss of his eye and his current predicament.

There’s quite a bit of action here, and I like the character of Titus (seriously, what’s not to like about one-eyes space tigers?). However, Titus’ motivations seem a little shaky, as does his version of events concerning the actions of Sam’s father which led to him being forced to work for the Chitauri.

The story gets a little sloppy int the middle, and there’s no Rocket Raccoon, but the series continues to be fun and high-spirited, and promises more of Titus and a perhaps even a direct attack on Sam’s family in the next issue. That, along with some more great art by Ed McGuinness, is enough to make me come back next month for more. For fans.

[Marvel, $2.99]

• Title: Nova #3
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Jeph Loeb
• Artist: Ed McGuinness

Surviving his first flight as Nova, Sam Alexander returns from the moon after getting a warning of impending danger from The Watcher to get chewed out by his mother for staying out to late and find Rocket Racoon and Gamora waiting for him. Needing Sam’s help, and keeping their promise to his father, Rocket and Gamora begin to train the new Nova and prepare him for what is to come (namely the fleet of Chitauri warships on their way to destroy the Earth).

I have to say I’m really enjoying this series as writer Jeph Loeb provides Sam with the right mix of joy and terror at the gift and heavy responsibility which has been laid at his feet. I still have mixed reaction to artist’s Ed McGuinness version of Rocket Raccoon, but the spirit of the character is intact.

The choice to bring the Chitauri into the proper Marvel Universe (they were originally a Marvel Ultimate creation) doesn’t bother me, although it is another sign of Marvel Studios directly influencing both the style and storylines of Marvel Comics. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]