Richard Rider is dead, folks. After years of wanting answers from Marvel, I got them this week. RIP, the greatest Nova.
Fourth Place:
Nova #22
We'll get to Richard Rider's fate later on in the reviews, but for now we'll focus on the current Nova and his complete throwaway of a book this month. Sam Alexander, who I guess now really IS the one true Nova, goes trick or treating with a bunch of X-Men kids that I've never seen before.
Sure, its a fun issue, but ultimately unnecessary. The big takeaways are Sam being reinstated in school after being expelled, and a mysterious call from Steve Rogers at the end of the issue. I have no idea what's going on with the Avengers these days, but I bet its no good.
The most interesting part of the book for me was the introduction of the X-Men's Nature Girl – a young student with big antlers who can communicate with nature. A cool design and interesting power. I also don't think she speaks.
Third Place:
Futures End #26
This month is a slow walk through a few storylines. Mostly setting the table for things to come than things actually happening. Batman Beyond and Plastique need help from Tim Drake, we get some backstory on Fifty Sue, and Batman shows up to bitch slap Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch for being pussies and forsaking being Firestorm.
The pencils by Scot Eaton are pretty strong, and in a couple panels, I'd go so far as to say exemplary. Eaton and fellow Futures End penciller Patrick Zircher have been winning me over. After knowing very little about each of their work before this series started, they've since convinced me to get on board.
As far as the plot lines covered in this book, they're the ones that interest me the most. After an issue without all the Frankenstein/Amethyst or Earth 2 New God stuff, I think I can say those are easily the F and G plots.
Second Place:
Saga #24
This issue we get to meet The Brand and Sweet Boy, The Will's sister and her pet dog... that shoots poisonous darts from his nose. You read that right. The Brand is looking for her brother and expertly tracks down Gwendolyn and Sophie to find him.
Some highlights of the issue are getting to see The Will again... if only in flashbacks. In a book littered with strong characters, The Will is easily one of the best. Currently on his death bed, if Brian K. Vaughan knows whats good for him, he won't kill him. You also get to see how The Will and The Stalk, his half-spider (think centaur but with a spider body instead of a horse) girlfriend do the down and dirty. Only in Saga, folks!
Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples keep building onto their huge world. Rules and physics and magic are all intertwined and somehow they continue to make it all make sense.
First Place:
Guardians of the Galaxy #20
Well here it is. The death of Richard Rider. The Marvel character that I connected with more strongly than any other makes the ultimate sacrifice to send his friends back home. If I said I didn't get a little emotional reading this issue, I'd be lying.
Here's an example of Brian Michael Bendis being an expert comic book writer. Sure, he's known for zippy dialog, witty banter and pop culture quotes, but when he's able to put all that aside and focus on some real moments, he writes them beautifully. Ideally I'd have preferred Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning to write Richard Rider's death. After all, they were the ones to reintroduced him to modern audiences. But Bendis did a stellar job giving him the heroes sendoff he deserved.
The plan was to bail on Guardians once I found out what happened to Nova. But after such a strong showing my Bendis and artist Ed McGuinness, there's a good chance this book will be back on the Pull-List next month.
Panel of the Week:
Farewell, Richard Rider. In the immortal words of Tinsletown Stiffs, "you will be missed."
-Gint
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