It's just crazy enough to work! Read Full Review

Loeb, McGuinness, and Vines are always in sync and produce great action, solid artwork and a comic book that may turn out to be one of the best books in Marvel's catalog. Read Full Review

To me this felt like what comics really use to be. Kinda epic in its own way, but a lot of fun. Obviously, this is all part of Marvel's larger plan which is to infuse the Guardians of the Galaxy more into the proper 616 before they make their big screen appearance, but as a first issue, I really agree with you. It's way better than I thought it would be " not that I expected it to be bad by any stretch. Read Full Review

It's a good issue, but not the best it could have been. I felt it was a page or two short for how it should have ended. There's no problem with the art, but I'm looking forward to more story come issue 2. Read Full Review

Nova is easily the best thing Jeph Loeb's produced for Marvel in a long, long time. You may not think that's saying much, but its accomplishments go further. It's a confident start for a newly created teenaged hero and a resuscitativebreath of fresh air for the franchise. What I originally had pegged as an also-ran to Guardians of the Galaxy may well prove to be an essential companion piece and, with Iron Man bringing up the rear, a solid foundation to Marvel's Cosmic ambitions. Read Full Review

Instead of pining for the old, why not try and embrace the new? Loeb has introduced a whole new, secret branch of the Nova Corps! That should be an exciting prospect for anyone interested in Marvel's cosmic line because it means new stories and new ideas. Read Full Review

So when it comes down to it, “Nova” is a rather exciting prospect. Loeb and McGuinness' take on the Nova Corp looks quite intriguing, and if you can get past the tropes and shake off all the deja vu you'll feel while reading the issue, there's a lot to like. Sam Alexander seems like he'll be a fine addition to the greater Marvel U if the first issue is any indication, and this is as open and friendly a door as the Cosmic Marvel U has ever seen. Read Full Review

As a Richard Rider fan, I wasn't thrilled over the idea of a series starring a different Nova. Jeph Loeb does a good job in introducing who the character is and where he comes from. The version of Sam Alexander here is thankfully different than what is seen on the animated Ultimate Spider-Man series. As a first issue, we get the basics, we are introduced to Sam and get an idea how he becomes Nova. What we dont know is if the series will be based in space, on Earth or both. Ed McGuinness' art is great as he always manages to capture and depict big action scenes. We're off to a great start. I was hesitant about actually liking a Nova series with a different Nova but I have to admit I'm hooked so far. Read Full Review

When I really like a story its hard for me to nitpick on it but for your benefit I will give it a try. Sams character at this point seems rather generic. I mean how many times do we hear about a teenager that gets bullied in school and has a tough home life become a hero? I dont think that kills Sams character but it does make him seem a little less cool. Read Full Review

If you are a Nova fan, and were worried about this book, don't be. While it is only one issue, I can at least rejoice to see one of my favorite characters back on the stands. Read Full Review

It's a little slow for some people's taste, but Nova is a really good start to what may be Marvel's next big hit. Now that the ball has begun to roll, I can't wait to see what happens next. Read Full Review

With a solid foundation on the likable, thoughtfully drawn Alexander family, Nova has the potential for greatness. It's not likely to offer the same inventive space opera elements as Abnett & Lanning wrought while in command of Marvel Cosmic (in fact, Loeb has openly rejected Marvel Cosmic as a pocket unto itself, preferring to extend those characters amnesty into the larger Marvel Universe). The human element is crucial though, and if Loeb and company can maintain those relationships and build upon them with the growing cast, Nova could generate stories as inviting and compelling as what Bendis has cultivated with Ultimate Comics Spider-Man. In a market inundated with darker material, this is welcoming refreshment. Read Full Review

There are some potential inconsistencies with Nova's timeline, particularly in regards to Jesse's past exploits and how they intersect with those of the Guardians of the Galaxy. But Sam is very likeable in a Peter Parker-type way, a nice nod to Rider's initial characterization as well. Maybe the best part of Nova #1 is that you don't have to be a past Nova expert in any way to enjoy this book. Passing knowledge of specifically Sam's sporadic role over the past eighteen months is a bonus, not a requirement. Everything you need to get on board with Nova as a character is contained in Nova #1. Consider checking it out. Read Full Review

Artist Ed McGuinness is a great choice for a book like this. His style lends itself to the space scenes and his depiction of Sam is spot on. So often children can look awkward or too young, but McGuiness' Sam has an edge. He looks young, but still heroic. Read Full Review

The issue ends on a cliffhanger without having given us too much of where the story is going yet. We don't know how he is going to become one of the Nova Corps as he hasn't yet by the issue's end. We don't know if he is going to be an Earth or Galaxy based hero. Hell we don't know if he's going to be both! What I can tell yout hough is they've added just enough interest and intrigue in the first issue to make me want to pickup the second. Read Full Review

I liked this issue, I really did. Loeb tells a delightful tale of a kid forced to be mature for his age to keep his family together. You can tell that Sam feels he has the weight of he world on his shoulders, but he still feels like a kid. Some of his life is a little obvious " like the school bully or the cute girl with the pink hair and piercings who Sam doesn't realize is head-over-heels in love with him " but it's held together nicely. And the art by McGuinness is fantastic. But that shouldn't be a surprise. The guy's a pro. Read Full Review

Now, this is all fine and dandy, but Nova will really need to find its own voice very quickly. I can forgive these familiar story beats in a character's origin, but once the ball is rolling we'll need more. I don't want to read a well-done retread forever. Nova is a character that many people have a lot of love for (myself included), so here's hoping that its creative team can give us something fresh to grasp onto. Read Full Review

If you're looking for something to start reading that is a character you haven't seen in a movie and has a different feel to it compared to the other hero comics, then Nova is a good start. Loeb's grasp of the characters are the best part of his writing, while the plot feels like a street covered in fog. The artwork by Ed McGuinness is pretty jaw dropping at times but often feels cluttered and out of place. If you've been following this new character since he first appeared in Marvel's comics, this debut issue might bring up a lot of unanswered questions as it did for me, but it gives you plenty of reasons to come back, especially with the ending. Read Full Review

With some uncomplicated storytelling and some gorgeous artwork, I imagine Nova will find a pretty large audience, especially on the heels of Sam's appearances on Ultimate Spider-Man. There is plenty of room for this series to grow, but I think much of this might have to do with the target audience " while the subtext of alcoholism might prove a bit dark for the Saturday morning cartoons crowd and the cichs might prove too much for diehard fans (particularly of Richard Rider, may he rest in peace), fresh readers will probably be overjoyed to follow Sam to the stars. Read Full Review

Change is difficult for fans to accept but when you throw your lot in with characters that are not yours to command and dictate the directions of. It's a natural dilemma all of us face but every time a new version is introduced, separating one's self in order to give it a chance is a worthy effort. Loeb succeeds in finding an aspect of this new character that I as a reader was able to relate to and thus let the faults of poor dialogue a pass for now. It helps to have a truly winning art team at his side and I look forward to more adventures of Sam Alexander. Read Full Review

Nova #1 is a solid jump off point to bring a peripheral hero into full frame. Read Full Review

All in all, the new Nova's debut is good but not spectacular, explaining the change in uniform that was troubling some older fans (admittedly, myself included) but meandering quite a bit in the story being told. Had they not pinned down the past timeframe so precisely (or had Marvel NOW! been a traditional relaunch where the entire continuity is revealed to have shifted/changed) I think the issue would have been much more successful for me, but even taking that out of the equation, I'd have been more satisfied with some actual storytelling "meat" in this first issue. All in all, though, Nova #1 gets you interested in the protagonist (even if he seems pretty harsh and snippy right now), looks good artistically and doesn't leave me feeling angry like the last couple of projects Jeph has written, earning an above-average 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. Read Full Review

All in all, the series is off to a decent, if somewhat slow, start. Don't let the cover art fool you though, the last page is pretty much the exact opposite. Read Full Review

There is a little bit of something for everyone though, even if you’re not totally into coming of age stories or angsty teenagers, as Sam’s dad retells his glory days, there are awesome spreads depicting the action in space. Honestly, McGuinness and co. have some phenomenal work and spreads of space depiction and it’s going to be incredibly exciting to see some more of space as Sam grows into his role as Nova, but for now, it’s a great balance between the two. Read Full Review

There's an awful lot of set-up, and for a cosmic title Nova #1 is light on action and epic space craziness. With so much effort to lay out Sam's world here you'd expect smoother sailing going forward, except the kid has just had his world turned upside down by a talking raccoon and a green-skinned assassin. For fans. Read Full Review

"Nova" #1 is off to a fine enough start, but this is a comic that should be great rather than just good. I feel like at the end of this first issue, the Human Rocket should be blasting off into high gear, but instead it's still idling on the launch pad. I'm ready to see more of "Nova" but hopefully the set-up is almost complete. Read Full Review

For the most part I enjoyed Nova#1. Its by no means an excellent comic but its good enough for a quick hit of action and a few laughs. Its Loeb doing what Loeb does best. Coupled with McGuiness unique but colourful visuals, Loebs story really does come to life and although its not enough to convert the many Loeb cynics, Nova #1is not a bad start. Read Full Review

With Nova #1 we're giving an origin for this new recruit. It's nothing we haven't seen before, but the framing is interesting for Nova fans. And there inclusion of Rocket Raccoon makes everything okay. Read Full Review

Nova is a book that may cater to the fans of the genre more than the newcomer. I enjoyed the book but didn't find enough in here to find out what happens next. However, the book has potential and even if you are a little curious you should check it out. Read Full Review

This story is missing a lot of things, and one of them is any sense of subtlety. Mind you, subtlety isn't exactly something one expects to find in Loeb's writing in recent years, so it's not really a disappointment. Still, the ham-fisted juxtaposition of a heavily burden teen living in a town called "Carefree" elicited a groan, as did, for example, the cameo of the principal from Back to the Future acting in a similar capacity here. As I understand it, this new incarnation of Nova is meant to serve in part as a replacement for Spider-Man in that Marvel doesn't really have a teenage super-hero going through youthful angst while trying to live up the memory of a lost family member and ideal of responsibility. Loeb has certainly included a number of plot and character elements to fulfil that assignment, but by the middle of the issue, it felt as though I was running through a gauntlet of clichs and conventions rather than immersing myself in an engaging or entertaining story. Read Full Review

While Loeb's script is good enough, it's a relatively ho-hum first outing. There are many other books that I would have loved to see him tackle. Loeb is a seasoned writer who just isn't in his wheelhouse with Nova. With notable Bat-books under his belt, I realize that he's trying to challenge himself. While that's nice to see from any writer, I just don't think Nova is enough of a marquee character to deserve his own series. I've always found Ed McGuiness' art to be okay but without much for the characters to do outside of Jesse's bedtime stories, there isn't much to pencil. Plus I found the palette being used was too muted with not enough "pop" of color for an intergalactic crime-fighter. It was an "OK" debut issue, but my main concern is that I'll have to wait for five or six issues before I get the entire new origin story I was anticipating. Read Full Review

I retain an open mind, but not by too much. Read Full Review

To wrap things up this was an extremely lack luster issue. The series may get better but with Loeb at the helm I wont be holding my breath or anything. Read Full Review

Being a big Richard Rider fan, I was going in to this comic with the intention that it wasn't going to be a great reboot of Nova. Boy was I wrong, mainly because it's as if i wasn't even reading a Nova comic, it was if i was reading something else.

Sam Alexander, our new Nova, is no Richard Rider, but i'm glad he isn't! There's plenty of heroic figures out there right now but since Peter Parker kind of grew up, a brooding teenager void needed to be filled.

Nova #01 is very Spider-Man like, but I couldn't imagine it done better any other way. He seems to be a very interesting kid and its exciting to know that we're going to watch him grow into the intergalactic space rocket that Richard Rider once was.