Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Nova #1
Marvel Comics
Loeb & McGuinness, Vines and Gracia
Marvel Now! launches a new Nova series with the high profile creator team of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness this week. The book starts oddly but eventually settles in to a good little starter story about the lead characters. The over-sized first issue doesn’t set up any threat but it does tell what feels like a paint-by-the-numbers origin story with some decent character work to help it along. It’s a good story but doesn’t fully engage me to the point where I will sample a second issue.
The book opens with the space heroes in the middle of some action. Little is done to inform the reader of these character’s names or purposes. While this is occurring there is a back and forth narration as if it’s a mission debrief involving a child. After seven or eight pages of this the comic cuts to an Earthman barfing in the toilet with his son getting on his case about his inability to work. This whole opening makes more sense later in the book but at this point upon my first read through I thought this was one of the worst first issues I had ever read. It established nothing but confusion.
The book comes into focus and gains steam from this point on. It seems the Earthman has two kids and one of them, his daughter, listens to stories about space adventures from his old man. While his teenage son is struggling with life as a teen in High School where his old man happens to be a drunken janitor. The book begins to take shape just as the big cliffhanger takes place.
The comic book is good but it is far from great. Not only is the opening confusing and the characters are hardly introduced, but Loeb relies on stereotypes that no longer make sense in the read world. Would a teacher really admonish a student for his father’s ineptness as a janitor? Maybe in the 1960s but not anymore.
The book works well in one key area: the mystery about the old man’s stories. He’s convinced that he’s a displaced outer space hero. His daughter is also sold on this idea but while his son claims otherwise you get the sense that he isn’t sure either. Loeb does a great job at creating this doubt.
The artwork is vibrant and bold. The pencils, inks and colors all work well together to tell a story that looks every bit as epic as the cover. The only failing is the expressions on the son and mother when talking about the old man. The dialogue simply doesn’t line up with the reactions. Overall, the art definitely enhances the comic book and helps the story along nicely.
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.
3 out of 5 Geek Goggles
