Nova week: Doug Smith interview, part 3
Nova Week continues as Doug Smith of the Nova Prime site and Rocket Boosters talks about his favorite “Nova” story and about Nova’s time with the New Warriors. Stay tuned today, as we’ll be talking more about the “Heroes for the 90s” shortly!
Matt Price: What’s your favorite individual Nova story?
Doug Smith: Yikes, there are so many! The ‘Forever Yesterday’ story in New Warriors #11 – #13, The ‘StarLost Saga’ from New Warriors #40 – #42 and Rom #24 are among my favorites. But I’d say my most favorite story is from The Man Called Nova #11. The fight between Nova and the Sphinx was the most intense I had seen up until that point. The sheer will and determination Nova displayed against his more powerful foe was overwhelming. Even when he was physically broken and knew he couldn’t win, Nova kept fighting and made it clear to the Sphinx that he would never give him what he wanted. I was so into the story that when the Sphinx left saying that Nova was more of a man than he’d seen in centuries, I remember saying “You’re darn right!”.
MP: Which is your least favorite?
DS: I’d have to go with the Yellow Claw story arc in The Man Called Nova #15 – #18. It didn’t do anything for me.
MP: You’ve interviewed a lot of creators connected with Nova. Who did you find the most interesting? DS: Most of my interviews have been through e-mail so it’s hard to get a feel for their personalities. But of those I’ve met in person, Erik Larsen is definitely the most interesting! I had lunch with him at Wizard World Chicago in 1999 when he was doing his Nova series. He was incredibly nice and funny plus he didn’t hesitate to do a Nova sketch for me! J MP: Talk a little about Nova’s time in the New Warriors.
DS: Nova’s time in the New Warriors was a very important time in Nova’s career. For the character, it was the next step in Nova’s growth. In the beginning, a lot of the original Nova fans (including myself) weren’t too thrilled with how Rich Rider had changed in the New Warriors. Rich was an angry, more aggressive, tough-talker which was a far cry from his original personality. However, Fabian Nicieza did such a fantastic job with Nova that a number of us came to appreciate and support the New Warriors and the second Nova series. Fabian understood that Rich had fought through the Xandar/Skrull War and had given up his powers which were the only things that mattered to him and used those events to logically grow the character. The other area of growth in Rich Rider during the New Warriors was his ability to work in a team. It was assumed that he was a good team leader of the Champions of Xandar and the Nova Corps during the war but we never got to see him in action outside of Rom #24. Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz had assembled a great group of characters for the New Warriors. Each member had a distinct personality and Fabian was able to take that group and give Nova a much needed feeling of family. Most importantly, a new generation of readers was exposed to Nova and it was a version they could call their own. And they helped make Nova one of the more popular characters during the 1990s. The second New Warriors series and the limited series highlighted Rich’s desire to be a celebrity (which we saw a touch of back in The Man Called Nova #5) which was a lot of fun to read.
Nova Week: Learning to love Richard Rider
I’ll be honest — for a long time I couldn’t figure out why everybody loved Nova so much.
They didn’t love him like Wolverine or Spider-Man. Those were easy characters to love, mostly because everybody else already like them and they were (and still are) EVERYWHERE.
But in the comic shop, it never took too long to hear somebody pipe up about their favorite character, the human rocket, Nova. And I thought they were morons.
“Oh, he can fly and he’s strong and there’s a Nova Corps? Kind of sounds like a rip-off of Green Lantern,” I’d say, watching their eyes bug out and beads of sweat form over their ever-reddening skin. “Besides, any member of the New Warriors is lame.”
Nobody ever took a swing at me because of my opinions, but I know a few people who considered bludgeoning me with a plus-2 mace. The truth was, they pitied me, and rightfully so. I just didn’t know the real Nova.
And I wouldn’t until Marvel came up with a smart way to use all those outer-space characters that were just floating in the cosmic void — “Annihilation.”
If you’re not a Nova fan, and God help you sir if that is true, then the best place to start isn’t “The Essential Nova, Vol. 1″ — it’s the very recent “Annihilation: Book 1″ trade.
There is more to that book, of course. You get the Drax miniseries (which is pretty good in its own right) and the prologue book, which sets Nova on his course, but what won me over was the included “Annihilation: Nova” mini.
Forget the indecisive Nova of the New Warriors. Forget the Spider-Man-style angst of his late ’70s debut. My Nova is the battle-hardened space general who, with the Xandarian WorldMind in his head and the full Nova Force at his disposal, led a rag-tag group against Annihilus.
The entire “Annihilation” series is a great read, as are the newly collected “Nova” trades. The superb storytelling of Abnett and Lanning have sent Nova — once scorned and rebuked — to the top of my pile on comic book day.
– Greg Elwell
Nova week: Doug Smith interview, part 2
As part of “Nova Week” at Nerdage, more questions and answers with Doug Smith, the man behind the Nova Prime web site.
Matt Price: When did you decide to start the Web site?
Doug Smith: Back in 1999, I wanted to make a comic book site just as a fun exercise for myself. It came down to three choices; Superman, Nova and the Invaders. Superman already had a large number of fan sites so I dropped that choice. Between Nova and the Invaders, I chose Nova because his third series by Erik Larsen was being published at the time. I really liked Erik’s take on the character and there were only two Nova sites on the web at that time. The greatest benefit of having done the site over the years is having met so many other Nova fans. It felt fantastic knowing that I wasn’t the only Nova fan still out there!
MP: Can you talk a little bit about Nova’s publishing history?
DS: Nova started in 1976 as a monthly book written by Marv Wolfman and switched to a bi-monthly book around issue 18. The series ran for 25 issues, continued into Fantastic Four #203 to #209 and concluded in Rom #24 in 1981. In 1989, Nova was revived in Thor #411 as part of the New Warriors. The New Warriors (with Nova) ran for 75 issues in their own title and Nova himself was back in his own series during that time starting in 1994. Nova’s second series ran for 18 issues and was written by Fabian Nicieza and Chris Marrinan. Later in 1999, the New Warriors (again with Nova as a member) returned in a new series that lasted 11 issues. At the same time, Nova’s third series (written by Erik Larsen) was published and last 7 issues.
Nova would appear off and on in different titles, usually in a cameo or guest star role. He returned in the New Warriors six-issue limited series in 2005 as part of a reality TV show. Thankfully, he was spared the events of Civil War by being the main character in the Annihilation mini-series! Along with starring in Annihilation, Nova had an Annihilation tie-in mini-series called Annihilation: Nova. Nova was popular enough during Annihilation to receive his own post-Annihilation series called Nova which began in 2007.
I think Nova has been extremely fortunate as a character over the last 30+ years. His first series only ran 25 issues but he was able to generate a strong following in that time. Nova benefitted from that following years later when the people who had been fans of the character became comic book professionals and industry decision makers. Fortunately, with each new series to feature Nova, he has been written and drawn by very talented teams. With each time at bat, a new generation of Nova fans would follow thus allowing Nova more opportunities to return. Not a lot of non-iconic characters have had that chance.
MP: What do you consider to be the best period for Nova, and why?
DS: Wow, that’s not an easy one. It’s always hard to say what a character’s “best” or “worst” period is because it’s so subjective. A lot of it has to do with the time period in which you’re introduced to the character. For someone like me who was there at the beginning, it’s easy to say the best was the original Man Called Nova series. For others, the best period might be the New Warriors series since that’s when they first followed Nova. However, if I try to be as objective as I can, I’d say Nova’s best period is right now. Annihilation, Annihilation: Nova and the post-Annihilation Nova series have elevated Nova to a whole new pay grade. Richard Rider, unlike a lot of comic book characters, has been allowed to evolve. He’s no longer the young, unsure hero he started out as and he’s not the brash, angry member of the New Warriors that he became years later. The current Nova series has Nova in situations far beyond what he’s ever encountered before and he has grown into a fine leader and hero with the core foundation of the character intact.
MP:How about the worst period?
DS: I’m always hesitant about calling someone’s work on a character the worst. If a creator’s work doesn’t match with how I think Nova should be done, it doesn’t mean it’s not how another fan might see it. But I think it’s safe to say that his worst period was from 1982 to 1988 when Nova was powerless and wasn’t published anywhere.
Nova week: Doug Smith interview, part 1
Today, as part of our Nova Week celebration, we’ll have the first part of our interview with Doug Smith, creator of the Nova Prime Page. Look for Nova coverage to continue as we rocket toward the release of “Nova” Annual No. 1 on Feb. 13!
Matt Price: What was your first exposure to “Nova”?
Doug Smith: I was one of those lucky readers who were able to experience Nova from the beginning in 1976. I was 12 years old and made my weekly trek to the local grocery store (back when newsstand distribution was the major outlet for comics). I was sitting on the floor making my pile of new comics when I saw something new. It was an incredible cover of a super-hero flying through the air surrounded by a montage of cool action scenes. And it was a first issue! I knew this because it told me so in great big bold letters. I had never collected a series from #1 and had never been able to follow a super-hero from his first appearance. Not to mention that Nova had the best costume I’d ever seen! So I picked it up and I was hooked for life.
MP: What appealed to you about the character?
DS: Richard Rider turned out to be me! I could relate to him on a level that I had never been able to before. Rich was an average kid trying to get through school and life the best he could. To me, he wasn’t a loser. He had a girlfriend, friends, a normal family life, etc. His biggest failing was a lack of self-confidence. And being in junior high at the time, I could really relate to that. And suddenly, Rich Rider is granted super-powers along with that great uniform! It was the ultimate wish fulfillment for a young reader like me. The best part was that Nova was still Richard Rider. His personality didn’t change with the new powers. He didn’t all of a sudden have all the answers and all the confidence in the world but he still was determined to use his powers for good. I loved that!
MP: Can you explain the story of “Nova” for those who aren’t familiar with the character?
DS: Nova is the story of Richard Rider, a 17 year old from Queens, New York. After being harassed by the school bully (Mike Burley) at the local ice cream shop, Rich was hit by an energy beam sent by a dying alien named Rhomann Dey. Dey was from the planet Xandar and was the leader of the Nova Corps which was Xandar’s military. He was gravely injured in battle with another alien named Zorr who had almost destroyed Xandar. Dey transferred the Nova powers to Rich Rider so he could finish the fight for him. As Nova, Rich Rider could fly at incredible speeds, was invulnerable and had super-strength. The Nova uniform that came with the powers allowed Rich to survive underwater and in space and its helmet could scan radio frequencies. Nova fought criminals on Earth and even developed his own rogues’ gallery including the Condor, Powerhouse, Blackout and the Sphinx. After defeating the Skrulls in the Xandar/Skrull War, Nova chose to give up his powers in order to return to his family on Earth.
Some time later, Rich’s powers were reactivated when a hero named Night Thrasher dropped him off a building. Night Thrasher gambled that his actions would jump-start the powers and Nova would join his new team, the New Warriors, in gratitude. Although angry at being almost killed, Nova agreed since Rich had missed being Nova more than anything. Nova was a member of the New Warriors for years until he was called back to Xandar to fight in the Annihilation War.
An evil creature named Annihilus had led an invasion force from his Negative Zone dimension in order to destroy all life in our universe. Xandar was completely destroyed but their legacy continued in Nova. The WorldMind (an artificial sentience which contains the knowledge and brain patterns of all Xandarians who have ever lived) survived the attack and downloaded itself into Richard Rider. Along with the WorldMind, Rich was given the entire Nova Force (which gives a Nova his powers) since he was the only surviving member of the Nova Corps. Nova is now one of the most powerful beings in the universe. After winning the Annihilation War, Nova continues to fight for justice throughout the galaxy.
“Nova” Annual artist interviewed at CBR
Continuing our “Nova Week,” let’s link to CBR’s interview of Mahmud Asrar, the artist of “Nova” Annual No. 1. Asrar is also the artist of Jay Faerber’s “Dynamo 5.”
Asrar said he tried to portray Nova’s everyman status:
“He’s very much like you or somebody you know very closely. In essence that’s something I tried to capture with my work. A normal college kid who’s experiencing something out of this world in his life, when he’s also forced to face the goodness and hero within him. So when trying to convey these attributes I really didn’t have too much trouble since I could consider my youth similar in some senses. I was never the popular kid nor was I the discarded outcast.”
Nova week! (and a half)
In celebration of “Nova” Annual No. 1 coming to stores on Feb. 13, Nerdage is celebrating “Nova Week.” Well, more accurately Nova Ten Days, but that doesn’t flow off the tongue quite so easily. I’m not trying to one-up CBR’s “Nova Weekend,” which I am quite frankly thrilled to see. In fact, here’s some links to CBR’s excellent Nova coverage from this weekend:
Interview with writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning here.
Interview with artist Paul Pelletier.
Over the next week, look for a multi-part interview with Doug Smith of the Nova Prime page, as we go into what makes the Human Rocket tick, and what fans love about the character.
– Matt Price
2008’s best comic books were super
WORD BALLOONS
Periodical comic books are still staples of comic-book stores, and the origination point for many great storylines. While Marvel and DC Comics dominate the sales charts for comic books, they aren’t the only ones publishing great material. The following are the top ten periodical comic book series of 2008.
1. Action Comics
Writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank took Superman to new heights in 2008. First, Superman visits the far-flung future of the Legion of Superheroes, where he is powerless, then, he returns home to face the menace of Brainiac invading Earth. As the year ends, Superman is faced with 100,000 Kryptonians who now want to call Earth home.
“Action Comics” lived up to its title, yet also brought character development to the forefront. Frank’s dynamic artwork enhanced Johns’ writing.
2. Criminal
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ noir drama continues to impress. “Bad Night” stars insomniac cartoonist Jacob, who gets in over his head in as his past as a forger comes back to haunt him.
3. Captain America
Another Ed Brubaker title, with art by Steve Epting, Luke Ross and others. Captain America’s former sidekick, James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes, now wears the garb of Captain America. This reluctant hero knows how to fight like the original Captain America, but he’s still learning to inspire people. The new Captain America’s journey is Marvel Comics’ best ongoing superhero narrative.
4. The comics of Kevin Huizenga
Indy comics creator Kevin Huizenga created three different comic books in 2008 that have to be considered among the best. “Ganges” No. 2, from Fantagraphics’ Ignatz line, parallels the dot-com era to a first-person shooter video game. Huizenga’s everyman, Glenn Ganges, is one of the most remarkably real characters in comics, regardless of the strange situations he encounters. Huizenga also released the fifth issue of his pocket-sized comic “Or Else” in 2008 through Drawn and Quarterly. Among the stories in this issue are an adaptation of a Giorgio Manganelli story and story about wasps and spiders making their way into Glenn’s home. From Buenaventura, Huizenga released “Fight or Run,” an exploration of the “fight or flight” complex in comic-book form. It’s more of an exercise than a story, but under the direction of Huizenga, worth the time.
5. All-Star Superman
Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely finished their 12-issue run on what will surely be an enduring classic for the Man of Steel. 2008 marks a great year for the Superman titles, with two titles starring Superman on the top 10, and a third related title also on the list.
6. Echo
Terry Moore, best-known for “Strangers in Paradise,” is the writer and artist of “Echo.” Photographer Julie Martin sees a strange explosion in the desert sky, which covers her in a mysterious metal.
7. Nova
Richard Ryder, the last of the intergalactic police force known as the Nova Corps, helped fight off the Secret Invasion that ran throughout the Marvel titles. This “Nova” series, which launched in 2007, remains one of the best science fiction comics on the stands.
8. RASL
Jeff Smith made a major change-of-pace from his all-ages fantasy epic “Bone” with RASL, a mature readers title that features an interdimensional thief. Smith proved he’s more than “Bone,” and one of the best writer-artists making comics today.
9. Northlanders
Brian Wood and Davide Gianfelice concluded “Sven the Returned” in the pages of “Northlanders” in 2008. The return of the prodigal son is a theme that’s been covered from the Bible to Shakespeare, and if Wood isn’t quite in that league, he’s still writing a must-read comic that’s the best remaining in the Vertigo lineup after the end of “Y: The Last Man.” Two more story arcs took place in “Northlanders” this year, each with a different setting and characters, a brave move in the periodical comic book format.
10. Supergirl
In just three issues, the new creative team of Sterling Gates (originally from Oklahoma, now living in Los Angeles) and artist Jamal Igle have transformed the Girl of Steel. With six different creative teams on the book in the past three years, Supergirl was in search of a direction and an identity. Gates and Igle have provided both, and made “Supergirl” the most improved title of 2008.
