Nova #15 Review

It’s clear that a lot can go wrong for a burgeoning hero. So after some mistakes does the latest Human Rocket start to right his course? Read on to find out.

The official description from Marvel:

Sam leads an intergalactic exodus off an orbiting slum.

Can he rescue Beta Ray Bill’s people before they’re sold into slavery, and will he catch up to Captain Skaarn before he can hurt anyone else?

There’s a lot happening at Knowhere, but with this creative team on the case that’s clearly not a problem. If I was forced to sum up this whole experience I’d have to choose just one word: fun! And trust me, that matters, considering that the immediate era before Marvel NOW saw a cosmic line that was steeped in seriousness. It’s honestly refreshing to peruse an adventure with stark implications but a whimsical spirit.

Gerry Duggan handles the script and the scribe continues to prove that Sam Alexander is not just a dumb teenager who got handed this massive responsibility. He’s a good kid, that in the vain of Peter Parker is trying to balance everything in his life while stopping an overbearing bad guy. There’s comedy, action and a few surprises along the way as the author builds toward a cliffhanger that pits our 15-year-old and Beta Ray Bill against some powerful weaponry.

The art done by David Baldeon grew on me as the issue progressed. His style is deliberate but controlled, in a way that during the more action oriented scenes served the plot well. But the slower moments, when our hero takes off his helmet and deals with the mundane anecdotes of life, are less impressive and even a bit boring. But when the dynamic colors done by David Curiel get added to the mix the end result is an eye popping affair that should garner attention.

Nova #15 is a really good ride that had me grinning as our hero stepped up and got some things done. He may not be Richard Rider, but there’s no doubt that he’s becoming worthy of that helmet he wares. Recommended.