| Nova | |
|---|---|
 Textless cover ofNova (vol. 4) #1 (April 2007), art byAdi Granov | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Man Called Nova #1 (September 1976) |
| Created by | Marv Wolfman John Romita Sr. |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Richard Rider |
| Species | Human |
| Place of origin | Earth |
| Team affiliations | United Front New Warriors Defenders Champions of Xandar Secret Avengers Nova Corps Guardians of the Galaxy Brotherhood of Arakko |
| Notable aliases | Nova Prime Kid Nova Nova #11249-44396 the Human Rocket Quasar |
| Abilities |
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Nova (Richard Rider) is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character appeared historically as the star of his own series, and at other times, as a supporting character in team books such asThe New Warriors. He is a member of the intergalactic police force known as theNova Corps. He has access to the Nova Force and superhuman abilities including enhanced strength, flight and resistance to injury.
The character was created in 1966 by writerMarv Wolfman in issue #3 of hisfanzineSuper Adventures. Then known as the Star, he was an alien doctor named Denteen who found a spaceship containing pills which gave him a different superhuman power every five minutes. In issue #6, Wolfman and writerLen Wein reimagined the character, now a prisoner named Kraken Roo who turns out to become the superhero Black Nova. Years later, Wolfman (working forMarvel Comics) and artistJohn Romita Sr. tweaked the design of the character's uniform and created a new origin story.[1]
Nova debuted inThe Man Called Nova #1 (Sept. 1976), written by Wolfman and drawn byJohn Buscema.[2] Wolfman intended the teenage character to be an homage toStan Lee andSteve Ditko'sSpider-Man, down to his humble working-class roots and alliterative alter-ego.[3] The original series lasted 25 issues from September 1976 to May 1979. Dangling plot lines were resolved in issues #206-214 ofFantastic Four (also by Wolfman) and issue #24 ofRom: Spaceknight. The character then disappeared into obscurity until returning as a member of the originalNew Warriors team debuting inThe Mighty Thor#411 (December 1989), and continuing throughThe New Warriors #1-75 andAnnuals #1-4 (July 1990—September 1996).
Following two subsequentNova titles,Nova (vol. 2) #1-18 (Jan. 1994-June 1995) andNova the Human Rocket (vol. 3) #1-7 (May.-Nov. 1999), Nova would return inThe New Warriors (vol. 2) #0-10 (Oct. 1999—July 2000) andNew Warriors (vol. 3) #1-6 (July 2005-Dec. 2005). After a four-issue miniseries titledAnnihilation: Nova and a leading role inAnnihilation #1-6,Nova (vol. 4) ran for 36 issues (April 2007-April 2010).[4][5] This series tied intoAnnihilation: Conquest,Secret Invasion, andWar of Kings. After the cancellation ofNova (vol. 4), some remaining plot threads were addressed inThe Thanos Imperative, a six-issue miniseries with two bookend one-shots (May 2010-Feb. 2011).
Nova appeared as a member of theSecret Avengers during the first four issues of that team's eponymous series (May - Aug. 2010).[6]
Nova appears in aGuardians of the Galaxy storyline running from August to October 2014, anOriginal Sin tie-in featuring a flashback to events immediately followingThe Thanos Imperative.[7]
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When the last surviving member of the planetXandar's eliteNova Corps,Rhomann Dey, is dying, he selects New York high school student Richard Rider to replace him.[8] Rider is given the uniform and powers of a Nova Centurion, but little instruction on how to use them. Calling himself Nova, Rider becomes a superhero, fighting costumed supervillains such as theCondor,Powerhouse,[9]Diamondhead,[10] theCorruptor,[11] and theSphinx,[12] and teaming with heroes such asSpider-Man[13] andThor. He initially hides his identity, but later reveals it to his family.[14]
Rider discovers Dey's spaceship orbiting Earth and uses it to journey to Xandar withDoctor Sun, Powerhouse,Comet, theCrimebuster and the Sphinx,[15] where they join theXandarians' war against theSkrulls.[16] With the help ofRom the Space Knight, the Skrulls are defeated. Wanting to return to Earth, Rider is released from his duties on Xandar and relinquishes his powers.[17]
Upon his return to Earth, Rider struggles to readjust due to his failure to complete high school. Unknown to him, the planet Xandar is destroyed in an attack by the space pirateNebula.[18] With the help ofNight Thrasher, Rider regains his powers and joins the New Warriors superhero team,[19] where he becomes close friends withSpeedball. Richard briefly datesYale student Laura Dunham and teammateNamorita.[20][21]
Rider encountersGarthan Saal, a former Nova Corps Centurion who had been driven insane by absorbing too much of the Nova Force, the source of power for Nova Centurions. Saal seeks more power so he can restore Xandar to its former glory. He strips Rider of his powers and transports him to Xandar. Saal is defeated. Rider witnesses the reformation of the Nova Corps and receives the rank of Centurion Prime.[22]
Assigned to Earth, Rider is confronted with the challenge of balancing dual lives as a member of both the Nova Corps and the New Warriors. Rider encounters a Nova Corps member from an alternate timeline named Nova 0:0,[23] who prepares him to stop the Deathstorm, which is coming to destroy Earth. Because Rider defies Xandar's Queen Adora to stop the Deathstorm,[24] he is temporarily stripped of his powers and rank,[25] but is given back his powers when his replacement sacrifices himself.[26]
Nova briefly travels the U.S. with the reformed New Warriors as part of areality television show.[27] Rider leaves the group when he is summoned to Xandar alongside the entire Nova Corps, which has been fully mobilized to respond to the Annihilation Wave, a force from theNegative Zone led byAnnihilus. The wave decimates Xandar and the corps in a surprise attack.[28] As the only surviving centurion, Rider makes contact with the Xandarian Worldmind, a living supercomputer that regulates the Nova Force and is caretaker of the entire database of Xandarian civilization. The Worldmind uploads itself and the entire Nova Force into Rider, greatly enhancing his abilities.[29] During the Annihilation War, Rider takes command of the United Front, a loose collaboration of soldiers. In a nearly year-long campaign, Rider resists the Wave's advance across the galaxy until the United Front suffers a swift defeat. He leads a small team into the Wave's conquered territory and eventually engages Annihilus in personal combat, killing him.[30]
After the Annihilation War, Rider returns to Earth to rest. However, finding out that his pleas for help in the Annihilation War were ignored by Earth's superheroes because of aCivil War, and meeting Penance - his old friend Speedball, who was mentally scarred by the events leading up to said war - Rider returns to space, feeling out of place on Earth and disturbed by what Penance had become.[31]
Attempting to aid theKree against anassault from thePhalanx, Rider is wounded and crash-lands on a sparsely populated Kree outpost.[32] While Rider's unconscious body recovers, Worldmind deputizes a local Kree commander, Ko-Rel, to guard him. Rider is infected by thetransmode virus and joins the Phalanx.[33] Now tasked with killing Rider before the Worldmind falls into enemy hands, Ko-Rel attacks him, only to be killed byGamora in retaliation. Upon her death, her fraction of the Nova force returns to Rider and enables him to overcome the transmode virus. He flees Kree space pursued by Gamora and a Phalanx-controlledDrax.[34] Seeking a cure for the transmode virus, Rider eventually arrives on Kvch, home planet of theTechnarchy. Rider enlists the help of the mutantWarlock and his son Tyro, who cure Rider, Drax, and Gamora of the transmode virus. The five return to Hala to engage the Phalanx.[35][36]
When ambushed bySkrulls during theSecret Invasion storyline, Rider is aided by Kl'rt theSuper-Skrull. He learns about the Secret Invasion and heads for Earth.[37] Rider learns thatProject Pegasus, the base where his brother now works, is under Skrull attack. Working withDarkhawk, Rider successfully stops the Skrulls' advance. The scientists of the facility extract the Worldmind from his brain and use the supercomputer to jump-start a project known as the quantum flask, which resurrectsQuasar.[38] A Skrull warship is about to attack Project Pegasus but is destroyed by a band of alien Nova Centurions who then declare their allegiance to Rider.[39]
Rider learns that the Worldmind has been recruiting members for the Corps without telling him. When he learns thatEgo the Living Planet is among the new recruits,[40] he becomes enraged and tries to battle Worldmind. As a result, he is stripped of his rank and ejected from the Nova Corps.[14] Because his body has become dependent on the Nova Force, Rider will die if he is without it for too long.[41] As a temporary measure, he borrows the quantum bands from Wendell Vaughn and becomes Quasar.[42] Using his new abilities, Rider rescues the Corps from theWar of Kings. Ego is removed as a Centurion and Rider regains his Nova Prime status, but not before most of the new recruits are slaughtered by theShi'arImperial Guard. Nova agrees to train the remaining new Centurions, including his younger brother Robert.[43]
Nova is recruited for the Secret Avengers bySteve Rogers and sent toMars to investigateRoxxon's operations on that planet. While there, Rider discovers a secondSerpent Crown secreted there, only to fall under its influence until rescued by Rogers and his team of Avengers.[44] Shortly after this mission, Nova is called away to deal with the events ofThe Thanos Imperative and Steve Rogers confirms he has left the team.[45]
A lost Nova Corps ship appears from a tear in space-time known as the Fault. Onboard is Zan Philo, a long-missing Nova Centurion who is assigned to train the new recruits.[46] Later, Rider and Darkhawk find themselves inside the Fault, where they are called to do battle for the Sphinx against his younger self. Because of the unstable timestream inside the Fault, Nova is able to return withNamorita, his old girlfriend who had died a few years earlier.[47] Rider returns to Project Pegasus, where he confronts an alternate Quasar who originates from the Cancerverse, a universe within the Fault.[48]
Catching up to the alternateQuasar, Rider returns to the Fault to see theUniversal Church of Truth rip it wide open.[49] Assisted by others, he confronts Lord Mar-Vell, the evil alternate version ofCaptain Marvel, but cannot stop him. Entering the Fault to assist theGuardians of the Galaxy, Rider and the Guardians watchThanos destroy Mar-Vell. Now facing an enraged Thanos, Rider pulls the Nova Force from the rest of the Corps for extra strength. He andStar-Lord are able to hold Thanos back for the few minutes it takes for the Fault to close, trapping all three of them in the Cancerverse.[50] The two heroes continue to fight Thanos for a Cosmic Cube which has the power to send them home. Rider charges the Cube with the Nova Force to create a doorway for Star-Lord, intending to remain behind and keep Thanos from escaping too. Star-Lord escapes, but Rider is unable to prevent Thanos from escaping as well.[51] Because no one is immediately aware Star-Lord survived, Nova and Star-Lord receive a statue in their honor on Hala.[50]
The latest Nova,Sam Alexander, locates the Xandarian Worldmind.[52] Rider's consciousness awakens within the Worldmind during the encounter. It is later revealed that Rider and the Worldmind survived the closure of the Fault and remain trapped in the Cancerverse. Using the Nova Force, Rider manages to escape the Cancerverse, returns to Earth to visit his mother,[53] and learns that his father has died.[54] He encounters Alexander and they begin working together. However, in his escape, Rider has become a portal to the Cancerverse, which repeatedly attempts to invade Earth through him. Rider returns to the Cancerverse in hopes of closing the portal and thus saving his own universe.[55] Despite his resistance, he is co-opted by the Cancerverse, but is freed by Alexander, who has followed him. The two escape the Cancerverse once more, using the Cosmic Cube carried by Thanos' Cancerverse doppelganger. Rider and Alexander resume their lives and relationships on Earth while continuing as Nova Corpsmen.[56]
In the aftermath of "Empyre," Nova represents the Nova Corps during a Galactic Council meeting held by Kl'rt theSuper-Skrull. When Emperor Stote of the Zn'rx is found dead, Nova calls in the Guardians of the Galaxy to investigate Stote's murder.[57]
During the "Judgment Day" storyline, Nova appears at Port Prometheus to protect the evacuees from the attackers at the time when Uranos the Undying was attacking.[58]
Nova derives his powers from an energy source called the Nova Force which all Nova Corps Centurions wield. This energy was transferred to Rider by the Nova Centurion Rhomann Dey. The Nova Force affords Rider superhuman powers including flight, superhuman strength, speed, and durability, as well as the power to absorb energy directed against him and release it as gravimetric pulses and beams, either from specific parts of his body or from his entire body.[59][60] Nova is a good hand-to-hand combatant, and has been coached byChord.[61]
Nova wears a standard Xandarian StarCorps uniform, designed to accommodate his powers without being damaged by them. The uniform is highly resistant to damage, including outer space conditions, and is airtight. In addition, the uniform has a built-in life support function that can sustain Rider under the most extreme environmental conditions, including acting as alife-support suit by locking off the mouth and eyes of the helmet. The helmet contains aradio, telescopic sights, night vision sensors, and heat imaging sensors, as well as a visualheads-up display for tracking energy signatures. Nova's helmet has a rigid construction and shape when worn, but becomes as malleable as cloth when it is not, allowing Rider to hide it in his civilian clothes when desired. Nova's uniform is not only extremely malleable, but contains specific functions to aid Rider in his role as a Nova Corps Centurion. Among these features are an electromagnetic discharge that can nullify gravity and an interface to stargates that allow him to enter hyperspace, where he can move at velocities exceeding the speed of light. Rider can also alter the appearance and nature of his uniform to suit his needs.[62] However, as Rider learns the hard way, the Nova Corps keeps a strictdress code. When he makes major cosmetic changes to his uniform after rejoining the New Warriors, Nova is summarily ordered to conform to standard.[63]
During "Annihilation", Rider's uniform is altered and enhanced to house the Xandarian Worldmind as well as the entire Nova Force, which was previously used by all members of the Nova Corps. With the Worldmind and the Nova Force, Rider possesses tremendously augmented strength and durability as well as nearly limitless quantities of energy.[64] The Worldmind consists of the entire culture and history of Xandar as well as the individual minds of thousands of years of dead Xandarians. The consensus voice of the Worldmind can speak directly to Rider, helping him to control the Nova Force, fight enemies, sense energy, interface with electronics, and protect against psionic abilities. The Worldmind can also assume direct control of Rider's body when he is asleep.[65][66][67][68]
In 1997, on the eve of the impending release of theBlade motion picture,Marv Wolfman sued Marvel Characters Inc. over ownership of all characters he had created for Marvel Comics, including Nova andBlade.[69] A ruling in Marvel's favor was handed down on November 6, 2000.[69] Wolfman's stance was that he had not signed work-for-hire contracts when he created characters including Blade and Nova. In a nonjury trial, the judge ruled that Marvel's later use of the characters was sufficiently different to protect it from Wolfman's claim of copyright ownership.[70]
In the alternate future ofEarth X, Nova resides in the afterlife. He and two other deceased heroes,Ms. Marvel andStar-Lord, lead an initial charge againstMephisto, but are swiftly defeated.[volume & issue needed]
Nova is featured inMarvel Zombies: Dead Days. Unable to overcome his fear and horror of the slaughter occurring around him, Nova fails to act in his own defense whenSpider-Man attacks him.Daredevil intervenes, but is bitten when Nova is too shocked to assist. He andThor are rescued by theFantastic Four and united with the other surviving heroes on theS.H.I.E.L.D.Helicarrier. Nova panics further whenNick Fury formulates a desperate last stand defense, citing that this was nothing like previous global threats; and that the world was as good as dead. Regardless, Nova helps in the battle until he is bitten byMs. Marvel.[volume & issue needed] Nova is later killed by the cosmic zombies.[79]
An alternate universe version of Richard Rider / Nova from Earth-982 appears inSpider-Girl. This version is a temporary member of theAvengers and mentor ofSpider-Girl who inspired her to form a new version of the New Warriors.[80]
An alternate universe version of Richard Rider appears in the New Warriors storylineForever Yesterday. This version is the soleCaucasian member of theAvengers, whose members are largely from theMiddle East. He initially servesSphinx, the creator and ruler of his universe, who used the Ka Stone to reshape reality. After being told of his universe's origins, Rider betrays Sphinx and forces her to restore reality to normal.[81]
The second Nova series deals withNova 0:0, an alternate universe version of Richard Rider's brother Robert, who is much more adept at using his powers than Richard Rider. He stays in space to lead the Nova Corps and help Xandar rebuild after the war with the Skrulls. During his time in space, Earth is destroyed by the Deathstorm. Nova 0:0 later sacrifices himself to prevent Deathstorm from destroying the Earth ofEarth-616.[82]
Issue #15 ofWhat If? contained four stories in which a young widow, a homeless man,Peter Parker, and a criminal became Nova instead of Richard.[83]
InWhat If? Annihilation, theAnnihilation Wave reaches Earth in the climactic battle of the super heroCivil War. Nova,Captain America, andIron Man work together and sacrifice themselves while using a weapon to destroy the Wave and save Earth.
In March 2022,Marvel Studios was revealed to be developing a project featuring Richard Rider / Nova withSabir Pirzada as writer. In December 2024,Ed Bernero came aboard as showrunner and writer, replacing Pirzada.[84] It will be a series developed for streaming released onDisney+.[85][86]
| Title | Material collected | Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential Nova | Nova #1-25,Marvel Two-in-One Annual #3,The Amazing Spider-Man #171 | April 2006 | ISBN 978-0785120933 |
| Nova Classic: Volume 1 | Nova #1-12,The Amazing Spider-Man #171 | January 2013 | ISBN 978-0785160281 |
| Nova Classic: Volume 2 | Nova #13-19,The Defenders #62-64,Fantastic Four Annual #12,Marvel Two-in-One Annual #3 | December 2013 | ISBN 978-0785185444 |
| Nova Classic: Volume 3 | Nova #20-25,Fantastic Four #204-206, 208–214 | June 2014 | ISBN 978-0785185529 |
| Nova Volume 1: Annihilation: Conquest | Nova (vol. 4) #1-7 | December 2007 | ISBN 0-7851-2631-7 |
| Nova Volume 2: Knowhere | Nova (vol. 4) #8-12 andAnnual #1 | August 2008 | ISBN 0-7851-2632-5 |
| Nova Volume 3: Secret Invasion | Nova (vol. 4) #13-18 | March 2009 | ISBN 0-7851-2662-7 |
| Nova Volume 4: Nova Corps | Nova (vol. 4) #19-22 andNova: Origin of Richard Rider | May 2009 | ISBN 0-7851-3188-4 |
| Nova Volume 5: War of Kings | Nova (vol. 4) #23-28 | December 2009 | ISBN 0-7851-4066-2 |
| Nova Volume 6: Realm of Kings | Nova (vol. 4) #29-36 | June 2010 | ISBN 0-7851-4067-0 |
| Nova by Abnett & Lanning: The Complete Collection Volume 1 | Annihilation: Nova #1-4,Nova (vol. 4) #1-15,Annual #1, material fromNova: Origin of Richard Rider | July 31, 2018 | ISBN 978-1302911348 |
| Nova by Abnett & Lanning: The Complete Collection Volume 2 | Nova (vol. 4) #16-36, material fromI Am An Avenger | December 31, 2018 | ISBN 978-1302915551 |
| Nova Volume 1: Origin | Nova (vol. 5) #1-5 | March 11, 2014 | ISBN 978-0785166054 |
| Nova Volume 2: Rookie Season | Nova (vol. 5) #6-9, 10 (A story) | March 25, 2014 | ISBN 978-0785168393 |
| Nova Volume 3: Nova Corpse | Nova (vol. 5) #10 (B story), 11–16 | June 10, 2014 | ISBN 978-0785189572 |
| Nova Volume 4: Original Sin | Nova (vol. 5) #17-22 | January 6, 2015 | ISBN 978-0785189589 |
| Nova Volume 5: AXIS | Nova (vol. 5) #23-27 | May 5, 2015 | ISBN 978-0785192411 |
| Nova Volume 6: Homecoming | Nova (vol. 5) #28-31, Nova Annual (vol.2) # 1 | November 10, 2015 | ISBN 978-0785193753 |
| Nova: The Human Rocket Volume 1: Burn Out | Nova (vol. 6) #1-6 | June 14, 2016 | ISBN 978-0785196501 |
| Nova: The Human Rocket Volume 2: Afterburn | Nova (vol. 6) #7-11 | January 10, 2017 | ISBN 978-0785196518 |
| Nova: Resurrection | Nova (vol. 7) #1-7 | July 26, 2017 | ISBN 978-1302905293 |
| Annihiliation: Scourge | Annihilation Scourge: Alpha,Nova,Silver Surfer,Beta Ray Bill,Fantastic Four andOmega | March 24, 2020 | 978-1302921699 |
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