Imperial has been setting the stage for a new era of cosmic adventures in the Marvel Universe, and with Imperial War: Nova Centurion #1, it’s finally time for Richard Rider to get his time in the spotlight. Building off of Imperial #3, Nova Centurion #1 sees Rider finally reconnecting to the Nova Worldmind, where he’s forced to confront the ghosts of his past and learns who ignited the Imperial War.
From the very beginning of Nova Centurion #1, things aren’t easy for Rider. Reconnecting to the Nova Worldmind is shown to be extremely painful, not just physically but mentally. First he’s confronted with a horrifying vision of the Cancerverse, where he and Star-Lord were trapped, and then a staggering row of graveyards representing the Nova Corps – and a stark reminder that he’s the last of his kind. But rather than use these settings for trauma porn, Jed MacKay and Jonathan Hickman manage to have Rider work through his issues.
This comes in the form of a conversation with the Worldmind, who served as Rider’s companion for years. The Worldmind is shown to be fairly logical, serving as a counterpart to Rider’s panic, and helps guide him down the path to learning about the Imperial War’s masterminds. It comes with a cost; the more power Rider uses, the more he’ll need to fuel the Worldmind. It’s a drawback that not only sets up for MacKay’s run on the upcoming Nova: Centurion series, but also makes things way more interesting than if Nova was at full strength. A story’s only as good as the challenge you give your hero, and it looks like MacKay has plenty of challenges for Nova in store.
Marvel
Art duties on Imperial War: Nova Centurion #1 fall to Matteo Della Fonte, who manages to perfectly captures the cosmic scale of Nova’s new adventures. Della Fonte’s depiction of the Nova Corps graveyard is perfectly somber, depicting rows of graves encased in a thick layer of pure white snow. Yet it’s also somewhat peaceful, as it gives Nova time to think. Compare this to the moment where Nova thinks he’s in the Cancerverse – an entire page is dedicated to a Lovecraftian mass of tentacles, rendered in jet black horror by Yen Nitro. The difference is literally day and night.
Della Fonte’s best redesign, however, goes to Nova. The Human Rocket is now sporting a bomber jacket and a thick beard in addition to his standard gold and blue suit, adding a bit of edge to the usually clean-cut cosmic hero. I’ve always felt that if you’re going to give a hero or villain a new costume, it has to be visually distinct while also living up to their powers or their name. This succeeds on both counts, as does the costumes that Star-Lord and Shuri are wearing; the latter bears the regal might of Wakanda, and the former looks like a true Guardian of the Galaxy.
Imperial War: Nova Centurion #1 is a cosmic crucible that sees Richard Rider facing the ghosts of his past and an uncertain future. It’s also one of the more intriguing one-shots from the Imperial storyline, as it gives new purpose to one of Marvel’s mightiest cosmic heroes.
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