Nova #1
The Scoop : The Most popular member of the New Warriors returns in his own ongoing series., written by Erik Larsen.
The Story : Enter the further adventures of Rich Rider, an ordinary college student who just wants to keep a steady job, hang out with his friends and score the occasional date. There's just one problem, he's a hard luck superhero. Join Nova as he blasts into high flying adventure and attempts to save the world - while he tries to keep his life from falling apart!! Issue 1 brings you up-to-date with the Human Rocket, fills you in on his origin, reveals his status with the New Warriors, introduces you to his new supporting cast ans sets the stage for the electrifying things to come! You want heroes? This issue guests stars She-Hulk, Namorita and Speedball while future chapters will star Sasquatch, Doc Samson and the Thing. Dig villians, then get ready for, Bloodaxe, Nebula, the Rhino and Doctor Octopus--and look out for new villians, Reanimater, Maniac and Bloodshed. With plenty of shocks and surprises that Larsen is known for, this book is for fans of the New Warriors, Nova and all out Maarvel action. Larsen (in Wizard #89) had this to say about the Human Rocket, "Nova has many trappings of Spider Man. He's a great teen character. My take is, 'What would the reader do if he got super powers tomorrow.
THE CREATORS
Writer : Erik Larsen
Pencils : Joe Bennet
Inker : Armando Durruthy

"I think all this waiting has made for a better end product,"said Larsen, "Things are such, that nothing is dictating how Rich should look or which direction I should take him......Now I can do the book the way I always wanted to and it's going to be a gas."

Describing the basic tone of the series as 'similar to the best of Spider Man', Larsen thinks Nova's charm is found in his everyman roots. When he says Rich is just a regular dude, he really means it. "The thing that appeals to me the most about this character is that he's a normal guy who's got super powers", said Larsen. "It sems simple but in most comics the characters are super smart or rich or athletic or of such moral standards to be out of touch with the common man, this guys not going to be formulating his own web fluid, thats for sure"

"I mean, look at him!", Larsen continued. "Rich Rider has many friends, he has two parents and a sibling, he's a 'C' student and he' lower middle class, Good Lord man!, this is so common in reality, but pratically unheard of in comics!, and it's not like Nova's powers are pathetic by any means...he's a tough dude with the ultimate wish fulfillment type abilities, flight and super strength. I can't help, but feel there's a awful lot that can be done with all this."

Marvel
"So lets talk about Nova. First off, who is he?"

Erik Larsen
"In his every day life, he's a 21 year old college student named Richard Rider. Fans of the Marvel universe will recognise him as a former member of the New Warriors; new readers will recognise him as a seemingly pretty regular guy...kinda like a Joe six pack!"

Marvel
"Joe Six Pack......?"

Erik Larsen
"He's just a normal kid, you know?, even Peter Parker was a really gifted student ---he invented the web shooters and the spider tracers and he's able to solve some of his problems on a scientific level. Richard is starting college a few years late and he hasn't the faintest idea what he wants to major in. He wants to be famous and he wants to meet girls. He wants to be something bigger, something better than what he is. These are the adventures of a guy who wants to get a date, but just can't make it happen!........As Nova, he kind of wants to be Iron Man or Spider Man....One of the big guys, but he's not. You won't find him out fighting muggers in the street, he's out to fight high profile villians, as many as he can get and quite often, he gets his butt kicked".

Marvel
"What can reders expect to see in the first issue"

Erik Larsen
"There are like, five different fight scenes and tons of character developement. in one scene, Nova goes upto the Rhino and the Rhino justs bats him into orbit. When he finally comes back, the Rhino is in a fist fight with She-Hulk. Nova is like 'uhh, I was kinda of fighting that guy,' and She-Hulk gives him the 'Get Lost' look. There's a couple of those frustrating fights. I'm taking the semi-realistic approach to the super hero. It's pretty goofy".

Marvel
"What or who, have you got planned for future issues?"

Erik Larsen
"I'll be dealing with his old rogues gallery ----- I want to run through all the major ones. I'm so anxious to do some of these stories! In the original Nova proposal!, I'd scheduled a story for the twelth issue, the end of the twelth issue is now in the first issue, I couldn't wait".