Nova (2007 Series) #5

August 7, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Together (An Annihilation: Conquest tie-in)
Rating: T+

Rich is down – can a new Nova fight off the Phalanx?

Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Pencils: Sean Chen
Inks: Scott Hanna
Additional Art: Brian Denham
Colors: Guru EFX
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: Bill Rosemann
Cover Art: Adi Granov
Publisher: Marvel Comics

His battle with the Phalanx has left Richard Rider near death. Now, to protect Nova Prime, the Xandarian Worldmind has chosen the stranded Kree medic named Ko-Rel to possess the power of Nova and fight off the Phalanx.

It’s getting so hard to review this book, because as much as I love it, I simply can’t ignore how much it feels like another science fiction superhero title out there. I’ve said it before, but this issue more than ever it feels like you may as well give Ko-Rel a power ring and have her recite an oath before she charges up. This isn’t necessarily a fault of the writers – the Nova Corps concept has always felt derivative of the Green Lantern Corps, but good grief and Sufferin’ Shad – this is about as blatant as you can get.

So it’s probably a testament to Abnett and Lanning that, despite feeling like I’m reading a comic from the wrong publisher, I still think this book is exciting, entertaining and his all the right buttons. Chen and Hanna’s artwork is fantastic, and the story is as fast-paced and energetic as anything else on the stands. The conclusion of this issue actually had me whistling and muttering, “man, how’re they gonna get out of this one?” under my breath.

But still.

Abnett. Lanning. Loving this book. But can you please find some sort of new twist to make this concept its own?

Rating: 8/10

Annihilation: Conquest-Starlord #1

July 23, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Rating: T+

Starlord is sent to fight the Phalanx – but he isn’t alone.

Writer: Keith Giffen
Pencils: Timothy Green II
Inks: Victor Olazaba
Colors: Nathan Fairbairn
Letters: Rus Wooton
Editor: Bill Rosemann
Cover Art: Nic Klein
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Held in Kree custody, the man once called Starlord is offered a second chance to save the universe. The Phalanx – the living technological virus that is conquering the Kree Emire – is constructing a series of viral bombs to help expedite their conquest of the galaxy. Starlord is being outfitted with a crew for one express purpose – get down-and-dirty, without any electronics for the Phalanx to infiltrate – and take out the bomb system before it goes online.

One of the best things about Annihilation has been the way the writers have been allowed to revitalize defunct or stagnant cosmic characters. Although Starlord may be the star, this book is giving Giffen the chance to jumpstart an entire team of defunct cosmic (and semi-cosmic) characters. By the time we get to the last page, the team of C- and D-listers assembled… well, it’s almost like looking at the Great Lakes Initiative, except this book isn’t quite as tongue-in-cheek. There’s still a degree of humor to it, a few chances for the creators to wink at the camera and say, “Can you believe these are the bozos who are going to save the universe?”, but somehow, it works. Giffen is amazing that way.

The art team, including Green, Olazaba and Fairbairn, is pretty new to me, but for the most part they do a good job. The look of the issue reminds me of some of the European sci-fi comics I’ve seen — it doesn’t exactly have the look of a superhero title, but it does do a good job of telling the story in a science fiction context, and that’s more important to this book.

So with this, the final Conquest lead-in, underway, I think it’s safe to say this next cosmic event is off to a pretty good start.

Rating: 8/10

Nova (2007 Series) #4

July 10, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Alone (An Annihilation: Conquest crossover)
Rating: T+

As Nova heads into battle against the Phalanx, survivors of the Annihilation war make a startling discovery.

Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Art: Sean Chen, Scott Hanna & Brian Denham
Colors: Guru EFX
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: Bill Rosemann
Cover Art: Adi Granov
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The latest distress call from Kree territory isn’t part of the Annihilation aftermath after all, but comes from an all-new threat. The techno-organic plague called the Phalanx has taken over the Kree Empire, and Nova is determined to rescue his allies from the plague. It may not be as easy as all that, though.

As I’ve come to expect from Abnett and Lanning, this story is put together really well. Nova’s desperation is palpable, and the threat not to himself, but to the Worldmind, is quite evident. The other Annihilation crossover from this week, Wraith, feels like a story using the Phalanx invasion as a backdrop. This issue feels much more like an actual continuation of the story that began in the prologue, and it’s all the stronger for it.

The B-plot this issue involves a few Kree survivors stranded on a dead world. The discovery here was probably inevitable, and actually works quite well, as it should help to progress Nova’s story in the next logical direction. (Although it doesn’t do much to help dispel perception of the Nova concept as being somewhat derivative of Green Lantern.)

Chen and Hanna handle most of the art this issue, with Brian Denham stepping in for a few pages. The transition is seamless – if the credits didn’t tell us which pages were Denahm’s, I never would have known the difference.

This series continues to impress the heck out of me. Abnett and Lanning are telling the best Nova stories ever.

Rating: 8/10

Annihilation: Conquest-Quasar #1

July 16, 2007

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Destiny
Rating: T+

Phyla carries two legacies – against the menace of the Super-Adaptoid!

Writer: Christos N. Gage
Pencils: Mike Lilly
Inks: Bob Almond
Colors: Stephane Peru
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Editor: Bill Rosemann
Cover Art: Matt Wilson
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Phyla-Vell, daughter of Mar-Vell and new wearer of the Quantum Bands, carries with her the legacies of two fallen heroes. During the Phalanx invasion, a strange voice compelled her to seek out the “savior of the Kree.” That quest begins this issue, and she has already run into her first obstacle – the Super-Adaptoid.

The Annihilation crossover evidently isn’t only breathing new life into old heroes, it’s reinvigorating old villains too. I never thought I’d see the Super-Adaptoid again, but here he is, big as life and twice as threatening. Gage demonstrates good knowledge of Marvel history here, using the Adaptoid in an intelligent way and bringing back Moondragon’s history with Wendell Vaughan to reflect on her new relationship with Phyla. The big fight scene here is really very good, and the whole thing has a definite sense that it’s building towards something significant.

Mike Lilly and Bob Almond have a good style for this book. They go from spacescapes to a heavily forested planet to a scene that looks like it was ripped straight from hell. Plenty of different environments, but they handle them all really well.

Like most of Annihilation thus far, this book was quite impressive. Gage is quickly becoming one of those writers I’ll trust on just about any project – he’s really demonstrating that he can do it all.

Rating: 8/10