Comic Vine Review

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Nova #11 - Chapter XI: Pawn Takes Night

5

Gerry Duggan takes over and he's ready to put Sam Alexander to the test.

The Good

We've mentioned several times how much we enjoy this series. Yes, this isn't Richard Rider (let's just get that out of the way...again) but Sam Alexander is shaping up to be a great and fun character. When you look at the majority of Marvel Comics, most of these characters have existed or been in action for decades. It's great seeing the younger hero gain incredible powers. It's clear that Gerry Duggan gets what Sam is all about.

With Sam, we have an average kid that has suddenly gained an incredible set of powers. He's dealing with real-life problems at home and he is absolutely going to mess up from time to time. What Duggan does right away is show there are some consequences to be a Nova. Sam is seeing some physical affects as well as seeing his school work suffer. This series is more than just about someone with the Nova powers. Duggan also takes the established supporting characters and show how they relate to Sam. Sam has some actual normal responsibilities, like babysitting, even though he can fly across the galaxy. That's what gives this book some heart.

Paco Medina's art is top notch as well. We've been lucky with the different creative teams we've seen on this book and they've all retained the essence of who Sam is supposed to be. Medina has to draw scenes taking place in high school as well as spidery-aliens on a distant planet. This type of variation in a single comic is another thing that makes it stand out.

The Bad

Nothing bad here. Sam's dealing with a lot and it's fun seeing him learn from each experience.

The Verdict

This is a book you should definitely be reading. The more we get to know of Sam Alexander, the more likable he becomes. Trying to balance the responsibilities of possessing the Nova powers while still trying to get through being a high school student (and big brother), this books strays from the average superhero tale. Despite the strange locales Sam may venture to, there is a lot of humanity here with Sam being such a normal kid in an grandiose situation. It's refreshing having a series like NOVA to read each month.