Comic Vine Review

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Nova #2 - Chapter Two: Believe

4

The story of Sam Alexander continues as we see more on how and why he gained the power of NOVA.

The Good

Like it or not, Sam Alexander is becoming more and more of a likable character. Even though this is a T+ book, there is a refreshing feeling in seeing a young character gain and deal with newfound power. Seeing it from the beginning is great in it lets us get to know who Sam is better. The appearances by Gamora and Rocket Raccoon add to the excitement of the series.

Last issue we got an idea what Sam's life was like. What his background was and his connection to the Nova Corps. Now that he has the ability to access the power, we're still seeing the learning phase. Too often characters gain powers and are suddenly masters with it. It's great seeing there's a learning curve as it makes the character a little more relatable.

Ed McGuinness' art with Marte Gracia's colors are a treat. Nova's attempts to master flying and his expressions when dealing with...everything add to the charm of the title. The effects used during flight adds to the feel and fast paced nature of using the powers.

The Bad

This may be a minor thing but I can't fully figure out why this is a T+ book. There is Gamora, a "green assassin lady" and Rocket does have a big gun. It would be nice to have a book that younger readers could enjoy as well. That's the impression I'm getting so far is this would be safe for all ages. We'll have to see what happens in future issues as the action heats up. We don't need tons of violence or 'edginess' to make comics entertaining.

We are still in the early stage but it's now two issues and we're still unclear of Gamora and Rocket Raccoon's role in this title. They're here and then disappear before it can be explored further. Sure it's part of the story and we do need to see Sam adjust to his new situation but it feels like we're missing something. Maybe I'm being impatient.

The Verdict

NOVA is shaping up to be a fun new title as Jeph Loeb shapes Sam into a likable new hero. Ed McGuinness' art and Marte Gracia's colors add to the fun factor by giving us great visuals to go with the story. We're still in the learning phase of this new Nova so we get to see him get accustomed to everything. It's not fully clear where this title will go in the future and why it has a T+ rating. Because Sam is still learning about his new situation, we don't have a lot of major plot development going on just yet. Gamora and Rocket Raccoon appear but don't get the opportunity to make their roles clear to Sam. If things continue, this could easily become one of my favorite titles. Yes I want to see Richard Rider back (I tried to avoid bringing him up) but Sam is on his way to becoming a great new character in the Marvel Universe.