Nova Still Rock(et)s

While it's true Nova seemingly shuffled off the mortal coil of the main Marvel Universe (for the time being at least) in The Thanos Imperative #6, it's easy to ignore that loss when the Human Rocket still gets to soar monthly in the pages of Paul Tobin's Marvel Adventures Super Heroes.

Tobin clearly has a great affection for Rich Rider (he used Diamondhead for goodness sake) and it shows in his work. Here, check out these highlights from issue #8 with art by Scott Koblish and featuring Nova tagging along with Thor to Asgard to fight trolls and get dissed by Valkyrie...

I love that Tobin digs Nova and honors the character, but isn't so doggedly devoted to the traditional interpretation that he can't put his own spin on him, which can really be said for how he writes all the characters in Super Heroes. It's a book intended for all ages so the characters are writ large, with amped up versions of their personas and marked elements of fun. Sue Richards is a bit more impish, Thor more pompous, Iron Man slicker and the Black Widow more of, well, a bitch.

And rather than play Nova as the weary space warrior of the past several years or teen hunk of the 90's, Tobin looks to the Human Rocket's 70's roots and casts him as a somewhat insecure and overeager kid hanging out with the greatest super heroes of all time. Rich still has elements of his recent competence and New Warriors swagger, but mostly he's a guy you want to hang with and goof on a bit.

Marvel Adventures Super Heroes has a good thing going, and having sneaked a peek at upcoming issues, I'm pleased to see the departure of editor extraordinaire Nate Cosby has not derailed it with the superbly mustachioed Jordan White picking up the slack.

Thank you, gentlemen, for allowing Nova to keep on flying.