Nova #14

Every issue I pick up I always expect the magic to fade. I expect massive disappointment. I think that there's no way Abnett and Lanning can keep up with what they're doing. Every issue I'm proven wrong.

Part two of a three part story, Galactus is devouring the world of Orbucen. While that is happening the Orbucens are trying to escape but can't get the engines on their starships to quite turn over and there is a creepy psionic thrill killer on the loose that, in the last issue, we assumed was being held captive by an artificial gravity well. Can Nova convince Galactus to chill for a couple of hours while the Orbucens escape? Who knows, cause the last issue ended with the Silver Surfer barreling up Nova's ass.

And let me tell you, the fight between Nova and the Surfer is some neat stuff. We're basically seeing them fight right up in Galactus's face. While they're slapping each other around (though the Surfer is doing most of the slapping) and expending what seems like vast amounts of energy, in front of Galactus they might as well be like lightning bugs caught in a bug zapper and proving that Galactus just bring himself to give two shits about the little pions arouns him. Cool beans, man.

Once the problem of getting the starships up and running is solved, we go back to the story of the psionic thrill killer. I suppose if you wanna criticise this book for just one thing is that this issue feels like two. There's the issue with the Surfer and Galactus and there's the issue with the thrill killer. The transition is done well so no complaints from me though thepacing slows down a tad(probably due to more paneling).

So, we find out the thrill killer escapes his gravity well prison and starts killing some more and it's up to Nova to effectively capture this guy long enough to get the last starship out with it's refugees all with World Mind screamins in his ear.

All told, this issue and this story is just super exciting and intense. The clock is always ticking down and by the last page I am just on the edge of my seat. Seriously, the next issue won't come out soon enough. Abnett and Lanning are intent on rebuilding and refreshing Marvel's stable of cosmic, star hopping characters and doing a damn fine job in the process. Silver Surfer has a cool moment that tells me that they have serious plans for him sometime in the future, whether in Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy or his own title I don't know but I do know you don't add the sort of internal character conflict present in this issue for no reason.

Seriously, anyone who isn't picking this series up is missing out in a big way. This is fun, exciting comic book story telling the way I liked it back when I was a kid and I can't recommend it enough.