Down But Never Truly Out — Reviewing ‘Nova: Centurion’ #1

A game of chess was played with the various empire powers of the known universe, altering the familiar status quo. While many were willing to hide the secrets that built the new familiar, the final Nova Corpsman, Richard Rider, wasn’t willing to do so.

On the outskirts, seeking money to keep the Xandarian Worldmind active, he’s a man seeking work while trying to remain a hero. It all begins here as Jed MacKay, Álvaro López, Mattia Iacono, and Cory Petit deliver the bold Nova: Centurion #1.

I love Nova.

Richard Rider is just such a perfect encapsulation of a Marvel archetype character, and they have never done enough with him. I’m not one of those that can trace my Nova roots back to the New Warriors days, though I really want to go back and read that era at some point. I came aboard the Richard Rider love train during Annihilation.

You know, the massive space war series that left him a war-torn veteran with the whole of the Nova Corps on his singular back? Where he had to travel around with the Xandarian Worldmind in his head to protect what little was left of the once grand Nova Corps? Hmm … Sounds really familiar, doesn’t it?

MacKay is tapping right into that perfect characterization and wealth of past bits, as he always does with these second- or lower-tier characters. Rider is a character dealing with trauma and depression, beaten down time and time again, who refuses to not step up as a hero when called. We see him attempt to be a hero while also feeding the monetary need for the Worldmind, only to fail. At his lowest, he makes a change and has to reckon with the types of courses he might have to work with.

That’s some damn good, tasty world-building setup right there.

We’re introduced to a whole new space criminal foundation, and it feels like we’ve known them forever. MacKay is just so good at taking what is already within the Marvel realm and weaving it together with the pieces he’s adding to make something even grander.

As noted, Rider is a character who shines brightly even amongst the darkest of times. That is so perfectly attuned to the art style that López has going on. Very inherently rough with various textures and angles but still soft with dashes of whimsical energy dancing through. Just look at that first full page shot of Rider bursting through space and it’s so damn good.

We’re in space and on new worlds for much of this story. All of it feels so unique in creation but also in stature and depth. A true lived in perspective is evident in every panel as López engages a keen eye for detail and denseness. Space has a very specific type of wonder feeling to it and this series is embracing that. Making it bold and varied as one would expect.

Tonally, the colors really match quite well with that art, as Iacono finds that right middle ground. Smooth and rough equally to the artwork, these color palettes rest upon a more natural neutral sort of toned-down aesthetic. This creates a solid foundation upon which to build everything else around, which also gives everything a more familiar sort of appearance in the overall scale of things.

Here is where the flashier and vibrant colors can pop up and make themselves known, standing out while blending into everything easily. This keeps the wondrous and fantastical nature of the story alive while giving it the grittier grounded feeling that we’re mean to take from Nova’s situation.

The Worldmind is a living computer who has a lot to say in a very specific tone of voice. Numerous first pages are rife with its comments and commentary to Nova. Even when the bubbles take up space, they never feel like they are too much or ever crowded. Petit is too experienced for any of that to ever be an issue, creating beyond solid voices with distinct energies throughout.

Always love to see the dialogue bubbles of the Worldmind being the Nova Corps colors, as it’s very fitting but also just visually pleasing. A reminder that the voice is cold but familiar in so many respects. A personality feat that is found within all the rest of the lettering, catered specifically to each character we meet. All the lettering answers that call and adds to the dense nature of this world that is being built before our eyes.

Nova: Centurion #1 is now available from Marvel Comics.