Nova v4 #13-19
Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:10 pm
NOVA v4 #13
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves
"On The Last Day"
Cast:
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER (last in Guardians of the Galaxy v2 #1-FB)
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND (last in Annihilation: Conquest #6)
HARROW-OP (first appearance)
GALACTUS (last in FF 546?)
SILVER SURFER (last in FF 550?)
Other characters:
Central City Adjudik (no name given)
Minor characters who die quickly:
Keyt
Gilly Podak
Summary:
pg1-4
As Galactus prepares to feed on the planet Orbucen, a psychic being called Harrow uses the time to possess people and commit mass slaughter on the would-be evacuees.
pg5-8
"Office of the Central City Adjudik, Orbucen"
Nova's been called in to help with the evacuation. The Adjudik estimates that the planet has twelve hours left, and wants him to escort the aristocracy to the ships, and gets mad, deciding to help the "underclasses" instead.
pg9:1-15:3
"Two minutes later"
As they fly, Worldmind's relieved that Nova's not trying to fight Galactus. Rich admits there's nothing he could do.
He encounters Harrow's trail of blood, and traps it in a gravimetric node.
pg15:4-16:5
"15 minutes later"
The Adjudik is less than impressed that Nova stopped to "arrest a lone killer"
pg17
A montage, showing what Nova does with Five Hours, Four Hours, Three Hours and Two Hours to Planet's End.
pg18-22
Carrying on from the "Two Hours" panel, Nova says that it's the "last one". The ark's drive hasn't ignited though, and a call to the Adjudik confirms that all the drives are failing as a byproduct of Galactus' feeding.
As Nova, much to the Worldmind's displeasure, flies to try and delay Galactus, the Adjudik has been infected by Harrow...
Nova's pleas are cut off, however, when the Silver Surfer grabs him by the throat.
Notes:
A considerable period of time has passed since the last issue (and, by extension, Nova's appearances in Annihilation: Conquest #6 and Guardians of the Galaxy v2 #1-FB which follow on closely afterward). It's an absolutely clean break from Conquest, etc; with no callback or tie-in to those issues in any way. [No specific time period is given - however long Paul B wants to throw in there, I won't object for once . NO4 19 makes the lack of a direct link explicit, since Worldmind needs time to get busy while Rich is asleep in the time between Conquest and this issue.]
Lost track a bit of Galactus & the Surfer. The last issues I know they were in were FF 546 and FF 550, respectively - if they've turned up more recently, I don't know of it.
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NOVA v4 #14
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves
"In The Final Hour"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #13 unless noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND-VO
HARROW-OP
GALACTUS
SILVER SURFER
Other characters:
Central City Adjudik (no name given)
Summary:
pg1-13
Nova is whacked around by the Surfer, as Galactus completely ignores him. Eventually, the Surfer crashes him down towards the planet, and finally acknowledges him. He says that "his master" wouldn't appreciate him fraternising with "lower life forms".
After Nova pleads his case, the Surfer shields the drives with a blink and flies off.
pg14-15
"Fifteen Minutes Later"
The first wave of ships has launched, and the Worldmind says the final evacuation will be complete in ten minutes. Nova goes to collect Harrow, and WM streses urgency, since they will be trapped if they wait too long.
He discovers another trail of bodies, and demands the Worldmind track down Harrow, against the WM's explicit warnings.
pg16-22
"Launch Site Zeta"
Still in the Adjudik's body, Harrow cuts down people right, left and centre. Rich starts fighting, as the WM screams that they need to get out - "any second now", they won't be able to open a stargate any more.
The Ark launches, frying Nova and Harrow's body. Nova recovers after a minute or two, but Harrow's host body was shredded.
And the Worldmind informs him that they're trapped, as Galactus is decending to feed...
Notes:
It's the issue between #13 and #15. That's about it.
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NOVA v4 #15
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves
"The Devourer"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #14 unless noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND
HARROW
GALACTUS
SILVER SURFER
Summary:
pg1-20
Nova tries to keep ahead of Galactus' scouring beams, as the Worldmind yells that they're doomed. When Nova proposes to use the energy syphons to fly through, the WM completely loses it and yells that he's insane. When they enter, it says it's "BUR--NING OUT!"
Nova manages to fly through the wall of the storage resovoir... too late. The Worldmind's apparently gone.
A backup "User Support System" kicks in, and a scan reveals that Harrow is apparently on board. Nova traces him down to its' real, insect-like body. As it grabs Rich, Nova sees that it stowed aboard Galactus' ship during the Trial of Galactus. He manages to break its' grip, and fights his way to the main deck. The Surfer, annoyed, descends, and Rich tells him to read Harrow's mind. Surfer erases the "cone of psilence" that kept Harrow hidden from Galactus, and Galactus wipes it out. As he turns his gaze to Rich, Rich panics and...
pg21-22
...finds himself alive, teleported five light years away. The Surfer tells him that Galactus won't spare him again, and departs.
Rich is left alone to count the cost of his heroics - Worldmind's still offline. He asks the User Support for a list of distress calls, and picks one.
Notes:
Wasn't Galactus' ship destroyed (in Secret Wars, at least) and reconstructed after the Trial of Galactus? Seems like a goof...
The whole arc took about twelve or thirteen hours, since the "twelve hours" estimate from #13 seems to have been held to.
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NOVA v4 #16
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves and Geraldo Burges
"Green for Danger: A Secret Invasion story"
Cast:
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER (last in Nova v4 #15)
SUPER-SKRULL/K'LRT (last in Annihilation: Conquest #6)
Other characters:
Many unnamed super-skrulls
Summary:
pg1-14
"Dendron, vicinity of 320 Leonid"
"Nineteen hours" after the Worldmind went offline, Rich feels alone, and guilty over what happened on Orbucen.
He's following a distress call, and finds a dying cat-like old man, and four cat-like children. The old man, calling himself "Botanist Maow", apparently dies, and Rich attempts CPR... when he explodes into a mass of sand, and the "children" reveal themselves as super-skrulls.
Slowed by the need to manually select his weaponry, the Sandman-skrull pins him, and a skrull with Wolverine claws prepares to execute him... when one of the Super-Skrulls reveals himself as Kl'rt and starts attacking his ostensible comrades to save Nova. While Kl'rt has most of them distracted, Rich breaks free from the Sandman-skrull, and the two quickly rout the newbie super-skrulls, with Rich destroying their ship and pilot.
pg15-17
Kl'rt discusses what's going on with Nova, apparently decrying the "planned skrull invasion" as "a vile, jihadist fervour... ill-concieved and overzealous". Once he finally gets round to mentioning that the invasion target is Earth, Rich freaks out, and orders User Support to open a Stargate to Earth.
Kl'rt asks to go with him, and points out that he's stranded. Nova says that he'll drop him off somewhere else, but Kl'rt says he has an estranged daughter on Earth (Jazinda from She-Hulk) that he wants to see. Rich eventually says fine, and they take off.
pg18-22
"Five minutes later..."
They arrive in Earth orbit, and are confronted by the skrull invasion fleet. Kl'rt tells Nova to fly towards the atmosphere before they're picked off... but as they dodge the ships' fire, a series of super-skrulls fly toward them.
At which point Kl'rt promptly changes sides, and starts throttling Nova.
Notes:
As mentioned, it's been "nineteen hours" since the previous issue, and the issue takes only an hour or so. The timeframe relative to SI is set in the following issue...
"K'lrt" is consistently rendered as "Kl'rt".
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NOVA v4 #17
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves and Geraldo Burges
"Brothers In Arms"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #16 except where noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
SUPER-SKRULL/K'LRT (next in She-Hulk v2 #32)
DARKHAWK/CHRIS POWELL (last in Marvel Holiday Special 2007/2)
RYDER, ROBERT (last... uh...?)
NECKER, DR. EVELYN (first MU appearance)
GRUENWALD, MARK (uh... see notes)
QUASAR III/WENDELL ELVIS VAUGHN (last definitively in Annihilation: Nova #4, possibly last in Annihilation: Conquest - Quasar #4)
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND-BTS (last in Nova v4 #15)
Other characters:
RYDER, CHARLES (last in Nova v4 #3)
RYDER, GLORIA (last in Nova v4 #3)
Many unnamed super-skrulls
Guardsmen cannon fodder
Summary:
pg1-3
Kl'rt appears to vapourise Nova with a blast of fire, and demands to be taken to Echelon command to be given a battlefield role.
As the super-skrulls fly off, Nova reappears - Kl'rt protected & hid him using the Invisible Woman's powers. He wonders what Kl'rt's real agenda is briefly, before flying off to...
pg4:1-5:3
"Long Island, New York"
Nova touches down in his parents garden, and walks in on them watching the Skrulls' "Good Morning, Earth. It is a new day..." broadcast. When they see him, they hug him.
pg5:4-6:5
A few minutes later, the TV is off, and Nova's drinking coffee and trying to answer his parents' questions about the skrulls. He says he came back to check they're all right, and his dad was worried he'd driven him away for good.
The conversation turns to his brother, and the answer machine message he left from work, ending in "What the blue blazes is-- tzzzttt-klk". Rich says he's on it, and asks where Robbie's working.
pg7-11
"The Adirondacks, Upstate New York"
Nova fies towards Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S., Robbie's place of work. As he enter flies through a hole in the roof, he sees dead bodies - at least one of them Skrull - scattered about.
Then he's clocked by Darkhawk.
Rich tries to tell "Chris" that he IS Nova, he knows him. Darkhawk says he's been attacked by "Captain America, Thor AND Dick Cheney" already and refuses to believe anything he says. Eventually, Nova swats him away, and raises a glowing fist, asking him to ask a question only Nova would know.
A brace of Guardsmen appear around, pointing guns at him. Nova holds his hands up, saying he only came to find his brother. Robbie runs out from a corridor against the instructions of the Guardsmen, and tells them all to stand down after he says the first robot Robert built was called "Sherlock".
pg12-13
"Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S. sub level 1"
Darkhawk's apparently the security chief of PP now, as Robbie explains the Skrulls' attack. The Starktech disablement took out their main power, many of the computers and the Guardsmen armour.
When they reach "Control One", Robbie introduces Rich to Project Director Gruenwald, and his line chief, robotics head Dr. Necker. Director Gruenwald explains that 117 staff, and 16 children (in the daycare centre) are trapped, while Dr. Necker adds that they managed to beat back the skrulls' first attack, and they had to lock down the vaults to stop the skrulls getting in. They only have one potential weapon, and they can't make it work.
pg14
"10 minutes later..."
The Ryder brothers chat - Robbie's bitter because, having "turned down jobs from Microsoft and Apple" because he wanted to be a super-hero; SHIELD, Stark Industries and the Baxter Building then turned him down. He wound up in a "back room line job" on the Minion Project. He also has a crush on his boss.
The lights go out.
pg15:1-17:4
The Skrulls attempt to get in, and Nova and Darkhawk manage to beat them back temporarily. Nova demands to see the device they mentioned.
pg17:5-18:4
A couple of minutes later, Dr. Necker shows Nova the "Quantum Flask... containing... a form of exotic radiaton [they] extracted from the Negative Zone six weeks ago."
With the computers down, they can't activate or control it. Dr. Necker's convinced that if they can harness it, they can use it, commenting that "it almost seems--well, alive".
Rich takes the chance to tear himself up over breaking the Worldmind again. Dr. Necker asks if they could examine him, and as he starts to object, asks for five minutes.
pg18:5-20:2
Cut to him on a CAT scanner. Having located it, Robbie and Dr. Necker are convinced they can extract the Worldmind and, hopefully, reboot it. As Director Gruenwald shouts that life support has gone down, Rich tells them to do it.
pg20:3
"Sub level 11"
Darkhawk and the Guardsmen are fighting skrulls. And losing.
pg20:4-22
Dr. Necker and Robbie are amazed at the Worldmind, as it wakes up the Quantum Flask. The energy starts bouncing around, and Nova yells to be unstrapped.
A voice starts asking for Richard, and Rich asks frantically if it's the Worldmind. He rips out of the restraints... just in time to see Quasar reform himself. He's appropriately shocked.
Notes:
The Skrulls' broadcast as Rich lands is apparently intended to line up the timeframe with the main SI mini.
Does Project Director Gruenwald get included under the current "Gruenwald, Mark" entry? The likeness of the late Mr. Gruenwald IS used.
A footnote directs those wishing to follow Kl'rt to look at She-Hulk #32 and #33.
As far as I can tell, this is Dr. Necker's first MU appearance, but an alternate version played a key part in Death's Head II's origin (written by one D. Abnett). The references to the Planet Hulk Death's Head Guards as "Minions" are apparently a further reference in that direction.
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NOVA v4 #18
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves and Geraldo Burges
"Reborn"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #17 except where noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
DARKHAWK/CHRIS POWELL
QUASAR III/WENDELL ELVIS VAUGHN
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND
RYDER, ROBERT
NECKER, DR. EVELYN
GRUENWALD, MARK
NOVA CENTURION/MALIK TARCEL [SHI'AR] (first appearance)
NOVA CENTURION/IRANI RAEL [RIGELLIAN] (first appearance)
NOVA CENTURION/QUBIT [MANUFACTURED HARMONITE] (first appearance)
NOVA CENTURION/FRAKTUR [MAKLUAN] (first appearance)
NOVA CENTURION/MORROW [MEPHISTOID] (first appearance)
Other characters:
Many unnamed super-skrulls
Guardsmen cannon fodder
Summary:
pg1-4 + 5:1:1
[Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S.]
The Worldmind voices over, saying that it expects the skrulls to take less than 14 minutes to kill every human in the lab complex, while Darkhawk and the Guardsmen will die long before that "...unless new variables are added to the proceedings", as Nova and a glowing Quasar appear.
Darkhawk's confused where Quasar came from. Quasar says that, according to Nova, he's back from the dead. A quip about reports of his demise being exaggerated is met by Nova saying how he'd seen him die. Quasar says he can't explain it - but since he's made out of energy, he's not exactly human anymore. He goes on to check that they won the war against Annihilius, and this is "a whole 'nother alien war". Nova confirms both.
pg5
Director Gruenwald's a bit confused over what's happened. Dr. Necker and Robbie Ryder fill him in as best they can - but the Worldmind popping up in holographic form, asking them to be quiet while it figures out what's going on, doesn't really help.
pg6-8
Quasar pops into Hulk-construct form for a moment to pound a Thing-based super-skrull, while he tries to reconstuct the last thing he remembers - which turns out to be Annihilus, and realising he was about to die. He'd tried to Quantum Jump away... and he thinks his mind escaped, even though his body didn't. He doesn't remember anything else until he woke up at the end of last issue. He also notes the change in Nova's attitude since ANN:NO 4, with the confidence he's gained.
When Nova says they need to regain the upper hand, Quasar agrees, and tells Richard to shield himself, Darkhawk and the Guardsmen. With the skrulls surrounding them, Darkhawk asks Rich frantically what Quasar's going to do... and then Quasar explodes, vapourising the skrulls. In the aftermath, he's nowhere to be seen.
pg8:3:4 + 9-22
The Worldmind asks where he is, and who reactivated him. It then links itself to PP's systems, and notes that Quasar's returned to the Quantum Flask to recharge. It calls Nova, who's happy to hear from him. He asks if the Worldmind can track the skrulls, and the WM says they're on level 12G. Nova says they're on 12F, just before super-skrulls burst through the wall.
Over Director Gruenwald's objections, the WM searches PP's inventory, and finds the PH Death's Head Guards the facility has stored (and presumably constructed, considering how few there were left by the end of WWH:Aftersmash). He unlocks the vaults and activates the "Minions", powering them with a small amount of Nova Force and siccing them on the skrulls.
With the DHGs/Minions' help; Nova, Darkhawk and the Guardsmen drive the skrulls' back, while the WM closes the shutters behind them as they go.
The skrulls' begin to retreat, but the WM warns him that they've decided that if they can't take PP intact, it must be destroyed.
The skrull ship begins to bombard them, and Nova asks the WM if he can boost his power levels to shield the facility... when the ship suddenly catches fire and explodes.
Nova asks how the WM did that, and the WM says it didn't - as five silhouettes descend. Rich mutters that it's kidding him, as they reveal themselves as Nova Centurions.
Notes:
There's apparently been time for Nova and Quasar to exchange a few words about the immediate situation between issues, but that's about the limit.
Quasar apparently doesn't remember throwing the Annihilus "psychic residue" out of the quantum bands in ANNCONQ:Q 4, and the scenario presented mitigates against it being the same copy of his mind. Presumably, that was some "psychic residue" of him as well.
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NOVA v4 #19
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves
"Corps Vallies"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #18 unless otherwise noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
NOVA CENTURION/MALIK TARCEL [SHI'AR]
NOVA CENTURION/IRANI RAEL [RIGELLIAN]
NOVA CENTURION/QUBIT [MANUFACTURED HARMONITE]
NOVA CENTURION/FRAKTUR [MAKLUAN]
NOVA CENTURION/MORROW [MEPHISTOID]
DARKHAWK/CHRIS POWELL
RYDER, ROBERT
NECKER, DR. EVELYN
GRUENWALD, MARK
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND
QUASAR III/WENDELL ELVIS VAUGHN-BTS
Other characters:
COPPERHEAD
BLACK MAMBA
SIDEWINDER
FER-DE-LANCE
DEATH ADDER
ANACONDA
RYDER, CHARLES (last in Nova v4 #17)
RYDER, GLORIA (last in Nova v4 #17)
JUSTICE/VANCE ASTROVIK (last in New Warriors v4 #?)
TABOO ("the thing from the murky swamp")
(unnamed reporter)
Summary:
pg1:1-10:3
[Danzig, Ohio]
A shaken Serpent Society have taken hostages and barracaded themselves inside a compound, taking thirty hostages and leaving a message to camera to stay out, since they could all be Skrulls.
Six Novas, however, lead by Rich take them out in 1.86 seconds as he introduces them to the readers, realising they're okay, but wishing that he'd "had some say" in their recruitment.
pg10:4-11:2
As the events are reported, Rich's parents and Justice react to the news.
pg11:3-17:3
"Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S."
Robbie Ryder's on the phone to his dad, reacting to the news on TV, getting jealous over his brother. Darkhawk comes in and is honest about how he's feeling.
Dr. Necker then pokes her head around the door, announcing that "they're back". Robbie & Darkhawk continue to chat for a few minutes, Robbie getting more honest as they go along.
Rich and the other Novas arrive, and Rich asks to see the Worldmind (telling Dr. Necker, after she calls him Nova, she can call him "Richard", much to his brother's distress). Dr. Necker tells him to go ahead, but she doesn't know if he'll be listening.
Rich's narration says that "Worldmind's been active for days now", but they haven't talked properly, since the Worldmind's been "off" - something he attributes to his part in the WM's near death-by-Galactus.
When he asks the WM for a minute, it says it's monitoring the Quantum Flask - noting that he hasn't reformed since his "initial manifestation", and concerned that he might be unable to from loss of power. Rich assumes that means he's "too busy to talk to" him, and the WM states that he didn't say that.
Nova's annoyed that he restarted the Corps without him, and curious about how he managed it - the WM says that he searched for and empowered them while Rich was asleep, and those five were the only ones he'd produced before the Galactus episode. Rich asks if he was ever going to tell him, and the WM answers "Of course. When you were ready to hear."
He further notes, in response to Nova pointing out that he knew he wouldn't like it, that Richard is possibly the finest Nova Centurion ever - except for his utter lack of obedience, risking his life, and its' legacy on numerous occasions while overruling and ignoring it. It deems it vital that the Corps are rebuilt - and the five Centurions were alerted when it went offline, finally catching up with him in the previous issue.
Rich admits they seem like good candidates, but points out what happened to Ko-Rel, and asks it not to create any more until they've talked properly, to which the WM is noticably non-committal. It also says, in response to a question, that they will not be reinstalling it in Rich's head - and when Rich protests that he needs it, pointing out that carrying the WM & whole Nova Force carried a risk of insanity, increasing as time went on.
As Rich protests that he's Nova Prime, Robbie comes in with "another live one".
pg17:4-20:3
The Novas fight "Taboo, the Thing From The Murky Swamp" - a creature apparently left over in NYC from the Mole Man's fight with the Mighty Avengers "last year" (in MA 1). Half an hour later, they have it back in the ground.
pg21-22
When they get back to PP, Darkhawk rushes out, saying he "had nothing to do with it. It just happened." Rich asks him, then the WM what just happened, then walks in... to see dozens of Nova Centurions standing in the hallway - including his brother.
Notes:
Per the narration, it's been "days" since #18. There are no references whatsoever to anything going on in the wider MU.
I've called Quasar a BTS, but that depends on how you consider his state - the Quantum Flask is on-screen, and it's glowing from his energy inside it. That could be a -OP or a full appearance.
Not quite sure how to list the new Novas. For now, I've called them "NOVA CENTURION/", but they may be real name only listings, I suppose. They've not been given Nova numbers yet. Fraktur is from Kakaranthara, Fin Fang Foom's home planet - apparently, his distant cousin (she's not full-grown yet). Morrow is one of Hepzibah's race.
Listings in the next post...
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves
"On The Last Day"
Cast:
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER (last in Guardians of the Galaxy v2 #1-FB)
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND (last in Annihilation: Conquest #6)
HARROW-OP (first appearance)
GALACTUS (last in FF 546?)
SILVER SURFER (last in FF 550?)
Other characters:
Central City Adjudik (no name given)
Minor characters who die quickly:
Keyt
Gilly Podak
Summary:
pg1-4
As Galactus prepares to feed on the planet Orbucen, a psychic being called Harrow uses the time to possess people and commit mass slaughter on the would-be evacuees.
pg5-8
"Office of the Central City Adjudik, Orbucen"
Nova's been called in to help with the evacuation. The Adjudik estimates that the planet has twelve hours left, and wants him to escort the aristocracy to the ships, and gets mad, deciding to help the "underclasses" instead.
pg9:1-15:3
"Two minutes later"
As they fly, Worldmind's relieved that Nova's not trying to fight Galactus. Rich admits there's nothing he could do.
He encounters Harrow's trail of blood, and traps it in a gravimetric node.
pg15:4-16:5
"15 minutes later"
The Adjudik is less than impressed that Nova stopped to "arrest a lone killer"
pg17
A montage, showing what Nova does with Five Hours, Four Hours, Three Hours and Two Hours to Planet's End.
pg18-22
Carrying on from the "Two Hours" panel, Nova says that it's the "last one". The ark's drive hasn't ignited though, and a call to the Adjudik confirms that all the drives are failing as a byproduct of Galactus' feeding.
As Nova, much to the Worldmind's displeasure, flies to try and delay Galactus, the Adjudik has been infected by Harrow...
Nova's pleas are cut off, however, when the Silver Surfer grabs him by the throat.
Notes:
A considerable period of time has passed since the last issue (and, by extension, Nova's appearances in Annihilation: Conquest #6 and Guardians of the Galaxy v2 #1-FB which follow on closely afterward). It's an absolutely clean break from Conquest, etc; with no callback or tie-in to those issues in any way. [No specific time period is given - however long Paul B wants to throw in there, I won't object for once . NO4 19 makes the lack of a direct link explicit, since Worldmind needs time to get busy while Rich is asleep in the time between Conquest and this issue.]
Lost track a bit of Galactus & the Surfer. The last issues I know they were in were FF 546 and FF 550, respectively - if they've turned up more recently, I don't know of it.
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NOVA v4 #14
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves
"In The Final Hour"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #13 unless noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND-VO
HARROW-OP
GALACTUS
SILVER SURFER
Other characters:
Central City Adjudik (no name given)
Summary:
pg1-13
Nova is whacked around by the Surfer, as Galactus completely ignores him. Eventually, the Surfer crashes him down towards the planet, and finally acknowledges him. He says that "his master" wouldn't appreciate him fraternising with "lower life forms".
After Nova pleads his case, the Surfer shields the drives with a blink and flies off.
pg14-15
"Fifteen Minutes Later"
The first wave of ships has launched, and the Worldmind says the final evacuation will be complete in ten minutes. Nova goes to collect Harrow, and WM streses urgency, since they will be trapped if they wait too long.
He discovers another trail of bodies, and demands the Worldmind track down Harrow, against the WM's explicit warnings.
pg16-22
"Launch Site Zeta"
Still in the Adjudik's body, Harrow cuts down people right, left and centre. Rich starts fighting, as the WM screams that they need to get out - "any second now", they won't be able to open a stargate any more.
The Ark launches, frying Nova and Harrow's body. Nova recovers after a minute or two, but Harrow's host body was shredded.
And the Worldmind informs him that they're trapped, as Galactus is decending to feed...
Notes:
It's the issue between #13 and #15. That's about it.
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NOVA v4 #15
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves
"The Devourer"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #14 unless noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND
HARROW
GALACTUS
SILVER SURFER
Summary:
pg1-20
Nova tries to keep ahead of Galactus' scouring beams, as the Worldmind yells that they're doomed. When Nova proposes to use the energy syphons to fly through, the WM completely loses it and yells that he's insane. When they enter, it says it's "BUR--NING OUT!"
Nova manages to fly through the wall of the storage resovoir... too late. The Worldmind's apparently gone.
A backup "User Support System" kicks in, and a scan reveals that Harrow is apparently on board. Nova traces him down to its' real, insect-like body. As it grabs Rich, Nova sees that it stowed aboard Galactus' ship during the Trial of Galactus. He manages to break its' grip, and fights his way to the main deck. The Surfer, annoyed, descends, and Rich tells him to read Harrow's mind. Surfer erases the "cone of psilence" that kept Harrow hidden from Galactus, and Galactus wipes it out. As he turns his gaze to Rich, Rich panics and...
pg21-22
...finds himself alive, teleported five light years away. The Surfer tells him that Galactus won't spare him again, and departs.
Rich is left alone to count the cost of his heroics - Worldmind's still offline. He asks the User Support for a list of distress calls, and picks one.
Notes:
Wasn't Galactus' ship destroyed (in Secret Wars, at least) and reconstructed after the Trial of Galactus? Seems like a goof...
The whole arc took about twelve or thirteen hours, since the "twelve hours" estimate from #13 seems to have been held to.
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NOVA v4 #16
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves and Geraldo Burges
"Green for Danger: A Secret Invasion story"
Cast:
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER (last in Nova v4 #15)
SUPER-SKRULL/K'LRT (last in Annihilation: Conquest #6)
Other characters:
Many unnamed super-skrulls
Summary:
pg1-14
"Dendron, vicinity of 320 Leonid"
"Nineteen hours" after the Worldmind went offline, Rich feels alone, and guilty over what happened on Orbucen.
He's following a distress call, and finds a dying cat-like old man, and four cat-like children. The old man, calling himself "Botanist Maow", apparently dies, and Rich attempts CPR... when he explodes into a mass of sand, and the "children" reveal themselves as super-skrulls.
Slowed by the need to manually select his weaponry, the Sandman-skrull pins him, and a skrull with Wolverine claws prepares to execute him... when one of the Super-Skrulls reveals himself as Kl'rt and starts attacking his ostensible comrades to save Nova. While Kl'rt has most of them distracted, Rich breaks free from the Sandman-skrull, and the two quickly rout the newbie super-skrulls, with Rich destroying their ship and pilot.
pg15-17
Kl'rt discusses what's going on with Nova, apparently decrying the "planned skrull invasion" as "a vile, jihadist fervour... ill-concieved and overzealous". Once he finally gets round to mentioning that the invasion target is Earth, Rich freaks out, and orders User Support to open a Stargate to Earth.
Kl'rt asks to go with him, and points out that he's stranded. Nova says that he'll drop him off somewhere else, but Kl'rt says he has an estranged daughter on Earth (Jazinda from She-Hulk) that he wants to see. Rich eventually says fine, and they take off.
pg18-22
"Five minutes later..."
They arrive in Earth orbit, and are confronted by the skrull invasion fleet. Kl'rt tells Nova to fly towards the atmosphere before they're picked off... but as they dodge the ships' fire, a series of super-skrulls fly toward them.
At which point Kl'rt promptly changes sides, and starts throttling Nova.
Notes:
As mentioned, it's been "nineteen hours" since the previous issue, and the issue takes only an hour or so. The timeframe relative to SI is set in the following issue...
"K'lrt" is consistently rendered as "Kl'rt".
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NOVA v4 #17
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves and Geraldo Burges
"Brothers In Arms"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #16 except where noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
SUPER-SKRULL/K'LRT (next in She-Hulk v2 #32)
DARKHAWK/CHRIS POWELL (last in Marvel Holiday Special 2007/2)
RYDER, ROBERT (last... uh...?)
NECKER, DR. EVELYN (first MU appearance)
GRUENWALD, MARK (uh... see notes)
QUASAR III/WENDELL ELVIS VAUGHN (last definitively in Annihilation: Nova #4, possibly last in Annihilation: Conquest - Quasar #4)
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND-BTS (last in Nova v4 #15)
Other characters:
RYDER, CHARLES (last in Nova v4 #3)
RYDER, GLORIA (last in Nova v4 #3)
Many unnamed super-skrulls
Guardsmen cannon fodder
Summary:
pg1-3
Kl'rt appears to vapourise Nova with a blast of fire, and demands to be taken to Echelon command to be given a battlefield role.
As the super-skrulls fly off, Nova reappears - Kl'rt protected & hid him using the Invisible Woman's powers. He wonders what Kl'rt's real agenda is briefly, before flying off to...
pg4:1-5:3
"Long Island, New York"
Nova touches down in his parents garden, and walks in on them watching the Skrulls' "Good Morning, Earth. It is a new day..." broadcast. When they see him, they hug him.
pg5:4-6:5
A few minutes later, the TV is off, and Nova's drinking coffee and trying to answer his parents' questions about the skrulls. He says he came back to check they're all right, and his dad was worried he'd driven him away for good.
The conversation turns to his brother, and the answer machine message he left from work, ending in "What the blue blazes is-- tzzzttt-klk". Rich says he's on it, and asks where Robbie's working.
pg7-11
"The Adirondacks, Upstate New York"
Nova fies towards Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S., Robbie's place of work. As he enter flies through a hole in the roof, he sees dead bodies - at least one of them Skrull - scattered about.
Then he's clocked by Darkhawk.
Rich tries to tell "Chris" that he IS Nova, he knows him. Darkhawk says he's been attacked by "Captain America, Thor AND Dick Cheney" already and refuses to believe anything he says. Eventually, Nova swats him away, and raises a glowing fist, asking him to ask a question only Nova would know.
A brace of Guardsmen appear around, pointing guns at him. Nova holds his hands up, saying he only came to find his brother. Robbie runs out from a corridor against the instructions of the Guardsmen, and tells them all to stand down after he says the first robot Robert built was called "Sherlock".
pg12-13
"Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S. sub level 1"
Darkhawk's apparently the security chief of PP now, as Robbie explains the Skrulls' attack. The Starktech disablement took out their main power, many of the computers and the Guardsmen armour.
When they reach "Control One", Robbie introduces Rich to Project Director Gruenwald, and his line chief, robotics head Dr. Necker. Director Gruenwald explains that 117 staff, and 16 children (in the daycare centre) are trapped, while Dr. Necker adds that they managed to beat back the skrulls' first attack, and they had to lock down the vaults to stop the skrulls getting in. They only have one potential weapon, and they can't make it work.
pg14
"10 minutes later..."
The Ryder brothers chat - Robbie's bitter because, having "turned down jobs from Microsoft and Apple" because he wanted to be a super-hero; SHIELD, Stark Industries and the Baxter Building then turned him down. He wound up in a "back room line job" on the Minion Project. He also has a crush on his boss.
The lights go out.
pg15:1-17:4
The Skrulls attempt to get in, and Nova and Darkhawk manage to beat them back temporarily. Nova demands to see the device they mentioned.
pg17:5-18:4
A couple of minutes later, Dr. Necker shows Nova the "Quantum Flask... containing... a form of exotic radiaton [they] extracted from the Negative Zone six weeks ago."
With the computers down, they can't activate or control it. Dr. Necker's convinced that if they can harness it, they can use it, commenting that "it almost seems--well, alive".
Rich takes the chance to tear himself up over breaking the Worldmind again. Dr. Necker asks if they could examine him, and as he starts to object, asks for five minutes.
pg18:5-20:2
Cut to him on a CAT scanner. Having located it, Robbie and Dr. Necker are convinced they can extract the Worldmind and, hopefully, reboot it. As Director Gruenwald shouts that life support has gone down, Rich tells them to do it.
pg20:3
"Sub level 11"
Darkhawk and the Guardsmen are fighting skrulls. And losing.
pg20:4-22
Dr. Necker and Robbie are amazed at the Worldmind, as it wakes up the Quantum Flask. The energy starts bouncing around, and Nova yells to be unstrapped.
A voice starts asking for Richard, and Rich asks frantically if it's the Worldmind. He rips out of the restraints... just in time to see Quasar reform himself. He's appropriately shocked.
Notes:
The Skrulls' broadcast as Rich lands is apparently intended to line up the timeframe with the main SI mini.
Does Project Director Gruenwald get included under the current "Gruenwald, Mark" entry? The likeness of the late Mr. Gruenwald IS used.
A footnote directs those wishing to follow Kl'rt to look at She-Hulk #32 and #33.
As far as I can tell, this is Dr. Necker's first MU appearance, but an alternate version played a key part in Death's Head II's origin (written by one D. Abnett). The references to the Planet Hulk Death's Head Guards as "Minions" are apparently a further reference in that direction.
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NOVA v4 #18
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves and Geraldo Burges
"Reborn"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #17 except where noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
DARKHAWK/CHRIS POWELL
QUASAR III/WENDELL ELVIS VAUGHN
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND
RYDER, ROBERT
NECKER, DR. EVELYN
GRUENWALD, MARK
NOVA CENTURION/MALIK TARCEL [SHI'AR] (first appearance)
NOVA CENTURION/IRANI RAEL [RIGELLIAN] (first appearance)
NOVA CENTURION/QUBIT [MANUFACTURED HARMONITE] (first appearance)
NOVA CENTURION/FRAKTUR [MAKLUAN] (first appearance)
NOVA CENTURION/MORROW [MEPHISTOID] (first appearance)
Other characters:
Many unnamed super-skrulls
Guardsmen cannon fodder
Summary:
pg1-4 + 5:1:1
[Project: P.E.G.A.S.U.S.]
The Worldmind voices over, saying that it expects the skrulls to take less than 14 minutes to kill every human in the lab complex, while Darkhawk and the Guardsmen will die long before that "...unless new variables are added to the proceedings", as Nova and a glowing Quasar appear.
Darkhawk's confused where Quasar came from. Quasar says that, according to Nova, he's back from the dead. A quip about reports of his demise being exaggerated is met by Nova saying how he'd seen him die. Quasar says he can't explain it - but since he's made out of energy, he's not exactly human anymore. He goes on to check that they won the war against Annihilius, and this is "a whole 'nother alien war". Nova confirms both.
pg5
Director Gruenwald's a bit confused over what's happened. Dr. Necker and Robbie Ryder fill him in as best they can - but the Worldmind popping up in holographic form, asking them to be quiet while it figures out what's going on, doesn't really help.
pg6-8
Quasar pops into Hulk-construct form for a moment to pound a Thing-based super-skrull, while he tries to reconstuct the last thing he remembers - which turns out to be Annihilus, and realising he was about to die. He'd tried to Quantum Jump away... and he thinks his mind escaped, even though his body didn't. He doesn't remember anything else until he woke up at the end of last issue. He also notes the change in Nova's attitude since ANN:NO 4, with the confidence he's gained.
When Nova says they need to regain the upper hand, Quasar agrees, and tells Richard to shield himself, Darkhawk and the Guardsmen. With the skrulls surrounding them, Darkhawk asks Rich frantically what Quasar's going to do... and then Quasar explodes, vapourising the skrulls. In the aftermath, he's nowhere to be seen.
pg8:3:4 + 9-22
The Worldmind asks where he is, and who reactivated him. It then links itself to PP's systems, and notes that Quasar's returned to the Quantum Flask to recharge. It calls Nova, who's happy to hear from him. He asks if the Worldmind can track the skrulls, and the WM says they're on level 12G. Nova says they're on 12F, just before super-skrulls burst through the wall.
Over Director Gruenwald's objections, the WM searches PP's inventory, and finds the PH Death's Head Guards the facility has stored (and presumably constructed, considering how few there were left by the end of WWH:Aftersmash). He unlocks the vaults and activates the "Minions", powering them with a small amount of Nova Force and siccing them on the skrulls.
With the DHGs/Minions' help; Nova, Darkhawk and the Guardsmen drive the skrulls' back, while the WM closes the shutters behind them as they go.
The skrulls' begin to retreat, but the WM warns him that they've decided that if they can't take PP intact, it must be destroyed.
The skrull ship begins to bombard them, and Nova asks the WM if he can boost his power levels to shield the facility... when the ship suddenly catches fire and explodes.
Nova asks how the WM did that, and the WM says it didn't - as five silhouettes descend. Rich mutters that it's kidding him, as they reveal themselves as Nova Centurions.
Notes:
There's apparently been time for Nova and Quasar to exchange a few words about the immediate situation between issues, but that's about the limit.
Quasar apparently doesn't remember throwing the Annihilus "psychic residue" out of the quantum bands in ANNCONQ:Q 4, and the scenario presented mitigates against it being the same copy of his mind. Presumably, that was some "psychic residue" of him as well.
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NOVA v4 #19
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (hereafter "DnA")
Art: Wellinton Alves
"Corps Vallies"
Cast: (last in Nova v4 #18 unless otherwise noted)
NOVA/RICHARD RIDER
NOVA CENTURION/MALIK TARCEL [SHI'AR]
NOVA CENTURION/IRANI RAEL [RIGELLIAN]
NOVA CENTURION/QUBIT [MANUFACTURED HARMONITE]
NOVA CENTURION/FRAKTUR [MAKLUAN]
NOVA CENTURION/MORROW [MEPHISTOID]
DARKHAWK/CHRIS POWELL
RYDER, ROBERT
NECKER, DR. EVELYN
GRUENWALD, MARK
XANDARIAN WORLDMIND
QUASAR III/WENDELL ELVIS VAUGHN-BTS
Other characters:
COPPERHEAD
BLACK MAMBA
SIDEWINDER
FER-DE-LANCE
DEATH ADDER
ANACONDA
RYDER, CHARLES (last in Nova v4 #17)
RYDER, GLORIA (last in Nova v4 #17)
JUSTICE/VANCE ASTROVIK (last in New Warriors v4 #?)
TABOO ("the thing from the murky swamp")
(unnamed reporter)
Summary:
pg1:1-10:3
[Danzig, Ohio]
A shaken Serpent Society have taken hostages and barracaded themselves inside a compound, taking thirty hostages and leaving a message to camera to stay out, since they could all be Skrulls.
Six Novas, however, lead by Rich take them out in 1.86 seconds as he introduces them to the readers, realising they're okay, but wishing that he'd "had some say" in their recruitment.
pg10:4-11:2
As the events are reported, Rich's parents and Justice react to the news.
pg11:3-17:3
"Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S."
Robbie Ryder's on the phone to his dad, reacting to the news on TV, getting jealous over his brother. Darkhawk comes in and is honest about how he's feeling.
Dr. Necker then pokes her head around the door, announcing that "they're back". Robbie & Darkhawk continue to chat for a few minutes, Robbie getting more honest as they go along.
Rich and the other Novas arrive, and Rich asks to see the Worldmind (telling Dr. Necker, after she calls him Nova, she can call him "Richard", much to his brother's distress). Dr. Necker tells him to go ahead, but she doesn't know if he'll be listening.
Rich's narration says that "Worldmind's been active for days now", but they haven't talked properly, since the Worldmind's been "off" - something he attributes to his part in the WM's near death-by-Galactus.
When he asks the WM for a minute, it says it's monitoring the Quantum Flask - noting that he hasn't reformed since his "initial manifestation", and concerned that he might be unable to from loss of power. Rich assumes that means he's "too busy to talk to" him, and the WM states that he didn't say that.
Nova's annoyed that he restarted the Corps without him, and curious about how he managed it - the WM says that he searched for and empowered them while Rich was asleep, and those five were the only ones he'd produced before the Galactus episode. Rich asks if he was ever going to tell him, and the WM answers "Of course. When you were ready to hear."
He further notes, in response to Nova pointing out that he knew he wouldn't like it, that Richard is possibly the finest Nova Centurion ever - except for his utter lack of obedience, risking his life, and its' legacy on numerous occasions while overruling and ignoring it. It deems it vital that the Corps are rebuilt - and the five Centurions were alerted when it went offline, finally catching up with him in the previous issue.
Rich admits they seem like good candidates, but points out what happened to Ko-Rel, and asks it not to create any more until they've talked properly, to which the WM is noticably non-committal. It also says, in response to a question, that they will not be reinstalling it in Rich's head - and when Rich protests that he needs it, pointing out that carrying the WM & whole Nova Force carried a risk of insanity, increasing as time went on.
As Rich protests that he's Nova Prime, Robbie comes in with "another live one".
pg17:4-20:3
The Novas fight "Taboo, the Thing From The Murky Swamp" - a creature apparently left over in NYC from the Mole Man's fight with the Mighty Avengers "last year" (in MA 1). Half an hour later, they have it back in the ground.
pg21-22
When they get back to PP, Darkhawk rushes out, saying he "had nothing to do with it. It just happened." Rich asks him, then the WM what just happened, then walks in... to see dozens of Nova Centurions standing in the hallway - including his brother.
Notes:
Per the narration, it's been "days" since #18. There are no references whatsoever to anything going on in the wider MU.
I've called Quasar a BTS, but that depends on how you consider his state - the Quantum Flask is on-screen, and it's glowing from his energy inside it. That could be a -OP or a full appearance.
Not quite sure how to list the new Novas. For now, I've called them "NOVA CENTURION/", but they may be real name only listings, I suppose. They've not been given Nova numbers yet. Fraktur is from Kakaranthara, Fin Fang Foom's home planet - apparently, his distant cousin (she's not full-grown yet). Morrow is one of Hepzibah's race.
Listings in the next post...