Um, Wow, Nova Got Good Real Quick Like

Nova 2: "Alienation" (Abnett/Lanning & Chen).

The first issue of the latest Nova series was pretty lame.

The second issue is pretty great.

I've been racking my brain since I finished reading the issue ten minutes ago trying to remember the last time I was so disappointed in issue one of a series and so hopeful after reading the second issue and I'm having a hard time thinking of anything that comes close to the dramatic upswing Nova just took.

The first issue was all wham! bang! action with too much self-doubt and the Richard Rider there didn't resemble the Richard Rider from Annihilation we'd just read. The second issue, however, gives us a confident Rich that has his act together, and Rich feels like the guy who just led the United Front during Annihilation.

Here, Rich comes to Earth for some R&R and immediately heads to his parents' home in Long Island; other than a ridiculously melodramatic father, Abnett & Lanning don't force everything down our throats - that alone makes this issue significantly better than last issue. The Riders start to fill in Rich on what has happened during Civil War when Iron Man and SHIELD stop by to investigate the energy readings he gave off when entering Earth's atmosphere. Both Tony and Rich are surprised to see each other and they head back to a SHIELD Helicarrier to chat.

Nova 2, then, serves as the crossing point of the Civil War and Annihilation Wave events. Rich and Tony's conversation entails a bit of "my war was bigger than your war" posturing, but it doesn't spin out of control. Both men feel comfortable in their respective suits of armor and Abnett & Lanning do a good job of getting both sides across here; it's not that Tony and Rich are on opposite sides of an argument, but rather that they are both (rightly) absorbed in their own recent histories. In shared universes there's often little acknowledgment of the activities of other characters and here that lack of knowledge is dealt with instead of washed over. I always take it as a sign of good writing when a writer can create story moments from situations others would likely skate right past, and A&L do that here.

A&L also hit the right notes elsewhere; they take the opportunity to have Stark make a pitch for Rich to join the Initiative, and Stark recognizes that the training methodology Rich has experienced in the Nova Corps is exactly what he wants to employ with the Initiative.

Rich has a conversation with Justice about the New Warriors, and Justice tries to sell Rich on joining up with the Initiative, too. I was thrilled to see the two of them have a conversation (because it seems natural they would), though I thought Justice tried to sell Rich on the Initiative a little too hard given that Rich was just learning of the deaths of two of his ex-teammates, Namorita and Night Thrasher, in the Stamford Incident that started the Civil War. That small complaint aside, however, it was a well-conceived and executed scene by both A&L and artist Sean Chen, taking place on the deck of the Helicarrier which helped to set the tone for just how much things have changed.

By issue's end Diamondhead shows up to throw down and Rich takes him out, then brings him to a police precinct for booking, only to have the cops as less than grateful for his assistance, ending the interview by asking for his registration papers. Rich bugs out but finds the Thunderbolts waiting for him outside. The ending rings false for a couple reasons - one, A&L used the "step outside" bit earlier with Stark arriving at his parent's house, and two, I'm not really sure why the Thunderbolts are being deployed for a disturbance in NYC when they're based in Colorado, though maybe continuity-wise it takes place pre-move to Colorado.

Weakness of the TBolts arrival aside, it does set up a meeting between Rich and another of his ex-teammates, the once happy-go-annoying Speedball who has become the self-mutilating Penance.

Nova 1 had me thinking of Nova 2 as an afterthought, but Nova 2 has me looking forward to Nova 3 with much anticipation. After last issue I thought the only thing worth checking into Nova for was Sean Chen's gorgeous art, but now I'm interested in the story, as well.

I'm pleasantly stunned Nova got this good, this quick.