The cosmically awesome history of Nova the Human Rocket

It was the 1990s and every hero needed an edge or to look like they needed serious grooming. Nova was no exception. On the cover to his new series, Nova sported long brown hair that flowed from beneath his bucket shaped helmet.“Nova Volume 2 #1” debuted in January 1994 and was by “New Warriors” writer Fabian Nicieza and artist Chris Marrinan. The series lasted 19 issues and at the end Nova was again depowered.A mad member of the Nova Corps was the culprit in the power theft, but his involvement led to the reformation of the Nova Corps on New Xandar. In the pages of “New Warriors” Richard Rider was appointed the rank of Centurion Prime a roll he has held for his subsequent appearances.This era of Nova has yet to be collected by Marvel, but issues can be found in the back issue bins of your local comic retailer.In 1990, Nova finally returned to Marvel Comics. Richard Rider was reintroduced as a member of an all new team of young heroes, the New Warriors. The characters made a cameo appearance in “Thor” issues 411 and 412 helping the God of Thunder against the unstoppable Juggernaut.The real story of Nova’s return begins in “New Warriors #1” by Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley. The leader of the New Warriors, Night Thrasher, drops Richard Rider from the roof of a building. The oncoming shock of hitting the ground reignites Rider’s dormant Nova powers. Needless to say the two heroes did not get off to a friendly start.Marvel Comics, to make the title seem young and fresh, referred to Nova as Kid Nova despite the fact that his original series often referred to him as “The Man Called Nova”. The character in the New Warriors was the same as the one from the 1970s despite his new costume.Eventually the “Kid” was dropped and the hero was given his old costume back. The character received wide popularity and eventually his story spun off into an all-new solo series.The 1990s New Warriors issues can be found in several collections from Marvel Comics most notably the “New Warriors Omnibus”. Contact your local retailer or Google it and get your hands on this classic book.Richard Rider was a down on his luck teenager living in Hempstead, NY. When Rider is chosen at random by the alien Rhomann Dey and receives the powers of a Nova Centurion, protector of the planet Xandar, his life completely changes.Now with more power than any man should have, Nova takes to the skies as a human rocket.  Shouting his catch phrase, “blue blazes”, he battled the likes of Diamondhead, the Sphinx and the Corruptor.Created by Marv Wolfman and Len Wein, the character received his costume design from comic legend John Romita and debuted in “Nova #1” in September of 1976 in an issue written by Wolfman with art by John Buscema.Wolfman wanted to make the character of Richard Rider similar to Peter Parker as Parker appeared in the early issues “The Amazing Spider-Man” by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. And although the character’s secret identity may have been similar to Parker’s the super hero’s origins were closer to those of DC Comics’ Green Lantern.The series lasted 25 issues and at the culmination the answers to where Rider received his powers were given, and the hero desired to return home to his high school friends. His powers were lost.The first 12 issues of the original Nova series are collected in the Marvel Comics “Nova Classic Volume 1”.View the list »
Nova is back

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Marvel Comics has launched an all-new comic book starring Nova the Human Rocket. The series is by the superstar creative team behind “Hulk” and “Superman/Batman”, writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuiness. Together the duo is known for explosive comics worthy of being big summer blockbuster movies. Nova looks to be no exception.

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This is not the first Nova series to come from Marvel Comics. The character was originally introduced in the pages of “Nova #1” in 1976 by the creative team of Marv Wolfman and John Buscema. The original series lasted 25 issues. Over the last thirty-six years, Nova has been reintroduced several times building an even bigger audience with each new appearance.

The all-new “Nova #1” features a new hero in the role as Nova. He was introduced leading into the “Avengers vs. X-Men” crossover of 2012. The award winning team of Loeb and McGuiness are sure to take the character to new heights.

The list takes a look at the various incarnations of Nova since 1976, the triumphs and the tragedies along the way.

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  • Richard Rider was a down on his luck teenager living in Hempstead, NY. When Rider is chosen at random by the alien Rhomann Dey and receives the powers of a Nova Centurion, protector of the planet Xandar, his life completely changes.Now with more power than any man should have, Nova takes to the skies as a human rocket.  Shouting his catch phrase, “blue blazes”, he battled the likes of Diamondhead, the Sphinx and the Corruptor.Created by Marv Wolfman and Len Wein, the character received his costume design from comic legend John Romita and debuted in “Nova #1” in September of 1976 in an issue written by Wolfman with art by John Buscema.Wolfman wanted to make the character of Richard Rider similar to Peter Parker as Parker appeared in the early issues “The Amazing Spider-Man” by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. And although the character’s secret identity may have been similar to Parker’s the super hero’s origins were closer to those of DC Comics’ Green Lantern.The series lasted 25 issues and at the culmination the answers to where Rider received his powers were given, and the hero desired to return home to his high school friends. His powers were lost.The first 12 issues of the original Nova series are collected in the Marvel Comics “Nova Classic Volume 1”.
  • In 1990, Nova finally returned to Marvel Comics. Richard Rider was reintroduced as a member of an all new team of young heroes, the New Warriors. The characters made a cameo appearance in “Thor” issues 411 and 412 helping the God of Thunder against the unstoppable Juggernaut.The real story of Nova’s return begins in “New Warriors #1” by Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley. The leader of the New Warriors, Night Thrasher, drops Richard Rider from the roof of a building. The oncoming shock of hitting the ground reignites Rider’s dormant Nova powers. Needless to say the two heroes did not get off to a friendly start.Marvel Comics, to make the title seem young and fresh, referred to Nova as Kid Nova despite the fact that his original series often referred to him as “The Man Called Nova”. The character in the New Warriors was the same as the one from the 1970s despite his new costume.Eventually the “Kid” was dropped and the hero was given his old costume back. The character received wide popularity and eventually his story spun off into an all-new solo series.The 1990s New Warriors issues can be found in several collections from Marvel Comics most notably the “New Warriors Omnibus”. Contact your local retailer or Google it and get your hands on this classic book.
  • It was the 1990s and every hero needed an edge or to look like they needed serious grooming. Nova was no exception. On the cover to his new series, Nova sported long brown hair that flowed from beneath his bucket shaped helmet.“Nova Volume 2 #1” debuted in January 1994 and was by “New Warriors” writer Fabian Nicieza and artist Chris Marrinan. The series lasted 19 issues and at the end Nova was again depowered.A mad member of the Nova Corps was the culprit in the power theft, but his involvement led to the reformation of the Nova Corps on New Xandar. In the pages of “New Warriors” Richard Rider was appointed the rank of Centurion Prime a roll he has held for his subsequent appearances.This era of Nova has yet to be collected by Marvel, but issues can be found in the back issue bins of your local comic retailer.
  • In May 1999, superstar comic creator Erik Larsen (“Savage Dragon” and “Amazing Spider-Man”) got his dream writing assignment. He was able to launch an all new “Nova” series beginning in “Nova Volume 3 #1”. Teamed with artist Joe Bennet, Larsen got Richard Rider back to his roots as a bit of a screwball and shadowing the life of Peter Parker.The series, which lasted only seven issues, had the Human Rocket battling his old foes the Sphinx and Diamondhead, as well as battling Spider-Man villain Venom.As the series ended Nova was shelved for a few more years. Reappearing in August 2005 in a “New Warriors” mini-series where the Heroes of the 1990s had become super hero reality stars.The take did not last and Nova rocketed off into space.This era of Nova has yet to be collected by Marvel, but issues can be found in the back issue bins of your local comic retailer.
  • The hordes of Annihilus invaded our universe escaping the Negative Zone in the “Annihilation Prologue”. This Annihilation Wave created havoc across the galaxy destroying everything in its path including the entire Nova Corps. Richard Rider who had resumed duties as a member of the Nova Corps managed to evade the wave and in so doing became the last remaining Nova Corps member.Rider also became the housing for the sentient computer the Worldmind who was the caretaker of the accumulated knowledge of the planet Xandar. Now more powered than he has ever been before, Nova must face down the greatest threat the galaxy has ever encountered.In the “Annihilation: Nova” four issue series by writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and artist Kev Walker the character undergoes a harsh transition. Through the series Nova matures into the role he was destined to play as the protector of the galaxy. The new responsibilities have a profound effect on him where he becomes the supreme commander of the army opposing the Annihilation Wave.“Annihilation: Nova” and the rest of the “Annihilation” series can be found digitally through ComiXology.com. It is must read material.
  • With the galactic threat of Annihilus resolved, Richard Rider makes his way home. But the horrors he faced during “Annhilation” left scars that won’t heal. No longer the fun loving loser he had been as a part of the New Warriors, Richard Rider is a hardened veteran of one of the most deadly wars to rock the galaxy.The new “Nova” series by writer Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning along with artist Sean Chen focused on this new Nova. His place on Earth had changed and his responsibilities became so much more. Still holding the entire history of the planet Xandar in his head he had to find a way to restart the Nova Corps while still facing many new and deadly threats that were brought on in the wake of the devastation wrought by the Annihilation Wave.Richard eventually restarted the Nova Corps with the help of some unlikely aliens.When the mad Titan Thanos returned to threaten the galaxy it was Nova who took the death worshiper and sealed him in the Cancerverse. A place where there was no return from. These events took place in the “Thanos Imperative” and Richard Rider has yet to return.The entirety of this “Nova” series can be found digitally through ComiXology.com.
  • In “Marvel Point One” in a short story by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness we are introduced to a Nova with a blue helmet who is younger in appearance. His arms are smaller and he does not have the wear and tear that Richard Rider has. He has learned that the Phoenix Force is reborn. The Phoenix Force, the elemental cosmic entity that was at the crux of the “Avengers vs. X-Men” series.This Nova next shows up in “Avengers vs. X-Men #1: Infinite” by Mark Waid and Stuart Immonen. This event shows the heroes mad dash across the galaxy as he seeks to warn Earth about the return of Phoenix.Before we find out anything about this hero he passes out on the streets of New York having delivered a cryptic message to the leader of the Avengers, Captain America. This event was the spark that lit the fire of the Avengers vs. X-Men war.Both of these adventures are available through ComiXology.com, for “Point One” click here for the “Infinite Comic” click here.
  • The newly designed Nova, with helmet colored the traditional yellow instead of blue, became a regular on the Disney XD Sunday morning cartoon “Ultimate Spider-Man”. This Nova is a cocky and brash young hero named Sam Alexander. Sam often bickers with Spider-Man as the two have much more of a rivalry than Spider-Man has with the other heroes assigned to his ultimate team. This interpretation of Nova has hooked a whole new generation onto the adventures of the Human Rocket. Catch the adventures of Nova along with Spider-Man weekly on Disney XD – Check your local listings.
  • Introduced in a short story by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness that lead directly into the “Avengers vs. X-Men” crossover, the new Nova received a wide amount of attention. After crashing into the streets of New York to warn the Avengers of the impending return of the Phoenix, Nova returned later in the series to help put the kibosh on the Phoenix powered X-Men.Now in the capable hands of writer Loeb and artist McGuiness, this new Nova aka Sam Alexander will explore what it means to be young and in possession of some of the most powerful super abilities in the universe.Catch the adventures of Sam Alexander as Nova beginning in “Nova (Volume 5) #1”.
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, Hollywood Comic Books Examiner

David Suiter, is an avid comic book fan since 1989. A collection in excess of 20,000 comic books. He loves the heroics and the splendor of the characters in an art form that is only restricted by the imagination.

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