“Nova” editor Bill Rosemann provided Nerdage with this first look at a page from “Nova” #11 featuring Warlock and the New Mutants. In the following interview, he talks about the recent popularity of Richard Rider, the Human Rocket. Be sure to check out “Nova” Annual No. 1 on Wednesday, and “Nova” No. 11 on March 12!
Matt Price: What has been the key to Nova’s recent surge in popularity?
Bill Rosemann: Writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning have a true love and appreciation for Nova. They saw the potential – in both his powers and his personality – that we fellow Nova fans always knew lie underneath his golden helmet.
Even if you’ve never read a single Nova comic before – or even a single Marvel comic – anyone can pick up a new issue andconnect with and root for our hero, Richard Rider, who is an ordinary young guy from Queens who suddenly finds himself the lone “space cop” for an entire galaxy. What if you were given incredibly cool powers, but were then expected to police all the galaxies of the universe? Dan and Andy get the fun in that concept, and have attracted amazing artists who then translate that sense of excitement into some the most jaw-dropping sci-fi visuals ever.
Price: What’s the best reason for someone to start reading “Nova”?
Rosemann: Bone-rattling action, brain-melting sci-fi concepts, gut-busting dialogue, eye-melting art, jaw-dropping cliff-hangers, a hero you can identify with and cheer for…Nova has it all. Oh, and if all that’s not enough, howzabout a frequent guest-star who happens to be a telepathic talking Russian cosmonaut dog?
Price: Tell me about the creative team on the book.
Rosemann: Nova is lucky enough to have some of comics’ greatest creators. Writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, who are well-known for their cutting edge sci-fi work, never fail in placing our hero in fascinating and deadly situations. And their anti-buddy exchanges between Nova and Worldmind, the super computer that happens to live in Nova’s head, are hilarious. On the art side, Paul Pelletier (fresh off a great run on Fantastic Four) is drawing a fun two-parter in issues #11 and #12 that bring back the cult-fave former New Mutant known as Warlock. Then rising star Wellinton Alves kicks off a three-parter in issue #13 that features the perennial heavy weights Galactus and the Silver Surfer! Add on covers by the amazing Alex Maleev, and you have the total package.
Price: What threats will Nova face in the coming issues?
Rosemann: Currently, a vicious virus is racing through Nova’s system. What’s fun about that (for readers, at least) is exploring the question: What good is the ability to soar through space and hurl massive force beams if your own body is betraying you? You can see how that fight is taken to it’s ultimate level in Nova Annual #1, on sale next week. Then he’ll confront the afore-mentioned Warlock in March and April. Will he help Nova in his current quest to take down the techno villains known as the Phalanx? After that…yeah, it’s time for Galactus and the Silver Surfer! What can our Human Rocket do against a giant who eats planets? You’ll have to come along for the ride in May to find out!