Springing from Imperial is Nova: Centurion #1, a new series that takes Richard Rider to new heights, pun intended. The character has recently become Nova Prime, the last living Nova in the universe, who also has the Worldmind built into his ear, granting him vast knowledge and power at his fingertips. Written by Jed MacKay with art by Alvaro Lopez, it’s a new lease on a beloved character and mantle, and takes a once space-cop character into a hired gun situation.
Fans of Marvel Cosmic and Nova in general are going to love this new direction for Nova. The story is expertly efficient in delivering details about his powers, his relationship to the Worldmind, and a new direction for the hero who is trying to find a footing in a post-Imperial galaxy.
The first half of the issue features Nova on a mission to rescue a ship trapped in a black hole’s gravity well. It’s a simple enough problem to resolve, and one a hero like Nova can handle, only at the start, he’s way too far to get there without spending a huge chunk of his power. He zaps himself there, and in the process, we learn some limitations of his powers as well as the drive Richard has to save anyone in need.
The ship Richard saves ends up being a life-changing factor for Nova, directly sending him on a new direction from solo space cop to something a bit more complicated. A key Marvel Cosmic character turns out to be his handler, and a mission is underway.
Variant cover to issue #1.
Credit: Marvel
The back half of the issue is a smartly crafted one, setting up a mission that ties to Nova history, while also dovetailing into the seedier side of gangsters in space. MacKay does a great job catching us up to speed on things some may not know about, while longtime fans will appreciate the deeper cuts.
Art by Lopez is excellent, with a lot of detail and a strong sense of storytelling from panel to panel. Your eye naturally moves across the page when there’s action, and the character acting and use of close-ups add to the melodrama. Mattia Iacono’s colors add the brightness Marvel Cosmic is known for, with space scenes, and there’s always good lighting on the tricky Nova helmet.
Nova: Centurion #1 is a bright and ambitious new chapter for Marvel’s spacefaring hero. It’s a fast, focused reinvention that grounds cosmic spectacle in character-driven storytelling. With sharp writing, kinetic art, and a bold new mission for Richard Rider, this is exactly the kind of cosmic relaunch fans have been waiting for.
You must be logged in to post a comment.