Nova #36: End of the Road

**** (four of five stars)

Favorite Quote #1:  "You're not the hot-headed human rocket I fell for.  And, in my timeline, I only fell for him yesterday, so this is extra weird for me."  "I'm sure I can help you through the transition."  "I'm sure you can get a room."  -- Namorita, Nova, and Darkhawk, in banter that makes me all the sadder that I'm losing this title

Favorite Quote #2:  "Rider!  It's critical you pay attention at this time!  I've got a sudden spike on the exotic energy source, I've restored contact with Darkhawk...and let's not forget I've got your long-lost girlfriend Namorita right here on the ship with me!  Now is probably not a good time to be kissing self-confessed A.I.M. spy Eve Necker." -- Worldmind, with pretty sound advice, actually

Summary
Darkhawk and Nova have flown to Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. after receiving an automated message saying that it was sealed until further notice.  Nova speaks with Quasar, who explains P.E.G.A.S.U.S. quarantined itself after his return from the Fault to be sure he hadn't brought back anything from his scouting trip.  He also reveals that he learned nothing new from said trip.  Rich notes that the two of them share an emphatic bond as a result of his time as Quasar when Wendell was in his head...and informs "Quasar" that he received a message from "our" Quasar the previous night.  Dark Quasar, realizing Nova has seen through his ruse, attacks Nova.  Meanwhile, Darkhawk is in Sub-Vault #77 exploring a mysterious energy source that Worldmind detected; he discovers an enormous creature, who looks like the creature that comprises Dark Quasar's Universe, as seen in the "Realm of Kings" one-shot, sticking through a portal and a possessed Dr. Gruenwald, who orders the Guardsmen to kill him.  In a flashback, Worldmind plays the distress call from our Quasar, who warns Rich that the demonic versions of Earth's superheroes are coming to take over our Universe.  In the present, Nova uses Darkhawk's command-override code (from his days as P.E.G.A.S.U.S.' security chief) to shut down the Guardsmen and encases a possessed Dr. Necker in a grav bubble, taking her with him as he flees Dark Quasar.  The grav bubble kills the creature Dark Quasar used to control Dr. Necker's mind, and she warns Nova that whoever sent Dark Quasar is something deep inside the Fault and coming to our Universe to take it from us.  Worldmind directs Nova to Sub-Vault #77 to help Darkhawk; Eve tells Rich that Dark Quasar was using the Project's facilities to construct a detection instrument he called the "horrorscope."  Upon arriving at the Sub-Vault, Dr. Gruenwald attacks, and Nova also puts him in a grav bubble to break Dark Quasar's control.  Nova joins Darkhawk in battling the creature trying to enter via the horrorscope, but Dark Quasar appears and zaps him.  He informs Nova that the horrorscope found what it was built to find and that Nova can either fight off the creature or stop Dark Quasar from returning to his world to inform the Many-Angled Ones of his discovery.  Nova fights off the creature, instructs Eve to get Chris (who was so rocked by the Dark Quasar blast that he's reverted to Chris), and chases Dark Quasar.

The Review
As sad as I am to know that I just read the last issue of this series, I'm excited that it was a great issue.  After my initial confusion over the fact that "Nova" #32-#35 had nothing to do with "Realm of Kings" (despite carrying its name on their covers), I was glad to see some of my questions following the "Realm of Kings" one-shot addressed in this issue.  I thought DnA did a great job of ramping up the excitement for "The Thanos Imperative" event, once again using the palpable fear that "our" reality's superheroes feel in facing the other reality's "superheroes" to convey just how serious of a threat they are.

Final Thoughts:  Rather than going through my usual review, I'm going to take this chance to reflect on how great this series has been.  From its initial issues in the wake of "Annihilation" to great arcs like the Knowhere story, DnA have shown, to use a cliché that really fits here, Richard's growth from a boy to a man.  Moreover, by having other characters note it (most recently, Namorita and Mr. Fantastic, but also, previously, Darkhawk and Iron Man), DnA have improved Nova's standing in the superhero community.  He's not the hot-headed kid he was, trying to use his powers for no greater purpose than to get into the Avengers.  I can't really think of any similar series that organically changed an established character so successfully and thoroughly as this one.  (Dan Slott is currently trying to engineer something similar in "Amazing Spider-Man," but he hasn't totally gotten there yet.)

Moreover, DnA leave us wanting more.  One of the best parts of "Nova" and the other cosmic series is that they've resurrected from obscuirty characters I loved in the '90s, like Darkhawk, Nova, and Quasar.  I have ever issue of "Quasar," and I think it serves as a good foil for this series.  I remember one of my frustrations with"Quasar's" ending is that it just ended.  Sure, we got a wrap-up issue, where Quasar said his good-byes to everyone on Earth before heading into space, but it felt more or less forced.  Plus, it was a seriously depressing ending:  a defeated Wendell heads into space by himself to save his loved ones from getting hurt because of him, particularly given the sense of guilt he felt over leaving Kayla abandoned on the "New Universe" Earth.  He essentially leaves Earth with no connection to anyone who appeared in the series' sixty-issue run.

This ending couldn't be more different.  Over the course of this series, Rich has always flourished more -- personally and professionally, if you will -- in space than on Earth.  Moreover, he's not in space alone; he's got a full (and awesome) cast of characters with him, from the Nova Corps group (Worldmind, Philo, and the probies) to allies like Darkhawk and the Guardians of the Galaxy.  Moreover, as opposed to losing a girl at the end, like Quasar did, he gains one.

As such, I'm wondering if DnA knew that "Nova" was going to be canceled after this issue.  The status of Darkhawk, particularly given the events of this issue, and Namorita are left in the air.  We don't really get any clarity on where Darkhawk stands vis-a-vis the Fraternity of the Raptors or the Shi'Ar Imperium.  In fact, I'm not entirely sure Chris is alive at the end.  We also just got a sense of which Namorita were getting; she mentions "just" falling in love with Rich, so I'm guessing we're dealing with the version of her we saw in the early days of the "New Warriors."  Unfortunately, I doubt we're going to get too much clarity on them in "The Thanos Imperative," since I'm assuming DnA have bigger fish to fry.  Plus, as I've mentioned before, the Nova Corps group presents such great potential for stories that you got the sense that DnA had a lot more arcs planned.  For example, they (somewhat shockingly) introduced Garthan Saal (Supernova) in issue #31, a character for whom I assume they had some serious plans.  But, again, I doubt he's going to appear in the upcoming cross-over event, so why introduce him if they knew the series was going to end in five issues?  So, although it's still a better ending than we got in "Quasar," one full of hope and possibility, I'm still disappointed that Marvel couldn't find a way to keep it going.  I'm going to have to try to enjoy all my Nova time during "The Thanos Imperative."

In the end, though, I want to thank DnA for taking one of my favorite characters and making him awesome.  The bottom line is that, if you didn't read this series when it was first published, like I didn't, it is seriously worth the investment, particularly if you're even remotely a fan of cosmic stories.  DnA turned Rich Rider into one of Marvel's greatest heroes, and it is a fantastic journey to follow.