New Nova series is actually good.

[gaz973]

Anybody else picking up the new series of Nova? I gave it a try and it's actually well written and the art isn't bad, well worth picking up.

The first Nova series was readable to start with but went to the dogs, the second series was ok in a 90s kind of way but they didn't really have much in the way of stories to tell and the third series was just pretty naff. fourth time lucky .

I picked up the second issue expecting a no-brainer fight with Iron Man (seeing Iron Man getting smacked around is always fun these days) but it was more of a character driven issue and was good for us fans of the early days of the New Warriors.

Issue 3 has Penance .

[Rodey]

I dig it. But I've always had a soft spot for Nova

[Jeffro.]

I find it interesting that Marvel keeps trying to revive characters that they have proven are incapable of sustaining their own titles for very long. Why not create new characters instead of trying to rehash the old ones that failed?

[MightyBeanComics]

I didn't know anything about Nova, but this series really made me start picking up all the back issues.

[fastballspecial]

I find it interesting that Marvel keeps trying to revive characters that they have proven are incapable of sustaining their own titles for very long. Why not create new characters instead of trying to rehash the old ones that failed?

 

Bingo!

[jordanscott]

I find it interesting that Marvel keeps trying to revive characters that they have proven are incapable of sustaining their own titles for very long. Why not create new characters instead of trying to rehash the old ones that failed?

 

Brand recognition.

 

Sure Nova never does well as its own title and generally fails to hold readers long term but the name has been around for 30 years.

 

Generic Mutant X or Super-Soldier Y that has to be built up and written well to keep interest...that's much harder and has no immediate $$ payoff.

[jonjesper]

I bought the Annihilation HCs (BTW...what a fantastic read and the keep putting out the HCs in succession!) and loved the NOVA stuff, even though I had little to no interest at all in the character over the years. I plan on picking up the series if it is as good as the Annihilation mini!

[gaz973]

I find it interesting that Marvel keeps trying to revive characters that they have proven are incapable of sustaining their own titles for very long. Why not create new characters instead of trying to rehash the old ones that failed?

 

I think Nova and Iron Fist are good examples of it not being the character that is incapable of sustaining their own titles but poor or mediocre writing/art/etc being the problem. Both characters had their last series fail because they just weren't good reading. Now both of them have good series going, I'm picking them up and very much enjoying them. Most characters can be made interesting if the creative team has good ideas and talent.

[gaz973]

I find it interesting that Marvel keeps trying to revive characters that they have proven are incapable of sustaining their own titles for very long. Why not create new characters instead of trying to rehash the old ones that failed?

 

Also, there have been so many new characters introduced over the years (most of them, no better than the failed characters who preceded them) that I think it's good that Marvel actually makes a serious attempt to make good use of the existing ones.

[Jeffro.]

 

Also, there have been so many new characters introduced over the years (most of them, no better than the failed characters who preceded them) that I think it's good that Marvel actually makes a serious attempt to make good use of the existing ones.

 

 

In general I agree. Good writing will make me buy comics featuring characters that do not interest me. Peter David on Supergirl was a good example of that.

 

However, when they keep trotting out the same thing and it fails time after time, I think that's a good indication that the character might not be made for its own title.

 

Many comic characters make great support players in other books but really aren't capable of sustaining their own books. I believe Nova is one of these. Cloak & Dagger is a prime example of another. Hell, even Rom Spaceknight had more success than Nova ever did.

[gaz973]

 

Also, there have been so many new characters introduced over the years (most of them, no better than the failed characters who preceded them) that I think it's good that Marvel actually makes a serious attempt to make good use of the existing ones.

 

 

In general I agree. Good writing will make me buy comics featuring characters that do not interest me. Peter David on Supergirl was a good example of that.

 

However, when they keep trotting out the same thing and it fails time after time, I think that's a good indication that the character might not be made for its own title.

 

Many comic characters make great support players in other books but really aren't capable of sustaining their own books. I believe Nova is one of these. Cloak & Dagger is a prime example of another. Hell, even Rom Spaceknight had more success than Nova ever did.

 

I'm not convinced that it's down to the character still. I think that it's more due to the fact that after a character has had a failed series, potential readers think "this series won't be very good because they couldn't sustain their first series" and so they don't buy the book and sure enough the book fails because a lot of people make the same assumption.

Jeffro, have you read issue 1? After this conversation, I'm curious whether you would like the book or not. I enjoy the book so far so I think if you read the first issue or two you would want to know what happens next. If you get to read it, let us know what you thought . Do you think Iron Fist is unsustainable? I think he has a similar amount of popularity to Nova but people have been trying it because Ed Brubaker is involved, so far the feedback has sounded pretty good.

[piper]

Iron Fist (much like Captain America) will be successful as long as the writing continues at its current high standard. Very few titles can survive bad witing. Exceptions? Maybe ASM, Detective, Batman, X-Men...

 

 

Also, there have been so many new characters introduced over the years (most of them, no better than the failed characters who preceded them) that I think it's good that Marvel actually makes a serious attempt to make good use of the existing ones.

 

 

In general I agree. Good writing will make me buy comics featuring characters that do not interest me. Peter David on Supergirl was a good example of that.

 

However, when they keep trotting out the same thing and it fails time after time, I think that's a good indication that the character might not be made for its own title.

 

Many comic characters make great support players in other books but really aren't capable of sustaining their own books. I believe Nova is one of these. Cloak & Dagger is a prime example of another. Hell, even Rom Spaceknight had more success than Nova ever did.

 

I'm not convinced that it's down to the character still. I think that it's more due to the fact that after a character has had a failed series, potential readers think "this series won't be very good because they couldn't sustain their first series" and so they don't buy the book and sure enough the book fails because a lot of people make the same assumption.

Jeffro, have you read issue 1? After this conversation, I'm curious whether you would like the book or not. I enjoy the book so far so I think if you read the first issue or two you would want to know what happens next. If you get to read it, let us know what you thought . Do you think Iron Fist is unsustainable? I think he has a similar amount of popularity to Nova but people have been trying it because Ed Brubaker is involved, so far the feedback has sounded pretty good.

[Jeffro.]

Jeffro, have you read issue 1? After this conversation, I'm curious whether you would like the book or not. I enjoy the book so far so I think if you read the first issue or two you would want to know what happens next. If you get to read it, let us know what you thought . Do you think Iron Fist is unsustainable? I think he has a similar amount of popularity to Nova but people have been trying it because Ed Brubaker is involved, so far the feedback has sounded pretty good.

 

 

I'll see if I can hunt up copies of Nova 1 & 2.

I don't see Iron Fist as being sustainable either.

 

Again, good writing can make any character sustainable for a period of time, but when the writing isn't good then inevitably the book dies. That, to me, is an indication that some characters can only succeed if they have good writers. I'm not saying the character is inferior, but maybe the character just cannot sustain its own title and is better used as a support player in other books or only in mini series.

 

I guess I'm one of those people who would rather see a writer create a new character rather than resurrect one who has failed so many times. Maybe some writers look such characters as a challenge.

[gaz973]

Jeffro, have you read issue 1? After this conversation, I'm curious whether you would like the book or not. I enjoy the book so far so I think if you read the first issue or two you would want to know what happens next. If you get to read it, let us know what you thought . Do you think Iron Fist is unsustainable? I think he has a similar amount of popularity to Nova but people have been trying it because Ed Brubaker is involved, so far the feedback has sounded pretty good.

 

 

I'll see if I can hunt up copies of Nova 1 & 2.

I don't see Iron Fist as being sustainable either.

 

Again, good writing can make any character sustainable for a period of time, but when the writing isn't good then inevitably the book dies. That, to me, is an indication that some characters can only succeed if they have good writers. I'm not saying the character is inferior, but maybe the character just cannot sustain its own title and is better used as a support player in other books or only in mini series.

 

I guess I'm one of those people who would rather see a writer create a new character rather than resurrect one who has failed so many times. Maybe some writers look such characters as a challenge.

 

I do agree with you in that as soon as Nova or Iron Fist or similar level of character gets poor writing or artwork on their book, it will be the end of them again. It's kind of sad really that it's pretty much just the old guard of characters that will ever have long running series regardless of creative quality.

Oh well, I guess the moral is to enjoy any decent obscure series for as long as they last.

[gaz973]

Iron Fist (much like Captain America) will be successful as long as the writing continues at its current high standard. Very few titles can survive bad witing. Exceptions? Maybe ASM, Detective, Batman, X-Men...

 

 

I think all the established books from the 60's can and have survived bad writing. My knowledge of the DC universe is limited but I know that all 9 of the surviving 60's Marvel books have had some really poor writing at times in my opinion (I'm counting Thor as it's about to be relaunched).

[camera73]

I find it interesting that Marvel keeps trying to revive characters that they have proven are incapable of sustaining their own titles for very long. Why not create new characters instead of trying to rehash the old ones that failed?

 

 

 

Judging by some interviews with top writers (and sometimes artists) - it seems that once they build a following and some clout with the company, they come off of a successful run with a top character, and when asked what they would like to write next, ask for a second tier character that they can stir-up some s$@*t and not get reigned in as much by the editors. Of course, any and all examples of this have just vacated my brain...

[gaz973]

I find it interesting that Marvel keeps trying to revive characters that they have proven are incapable of sustaining their own titles for very long. Why not create new characters instead of trying to rehash the old ones that failed?

 

 

 

Judging by some interviews with top writers (and sometimes artists) - it seems that once they build a following and some clout with the company, they come off of a successful run with a top character, and when asked what they would like to write next, ask for a second tier character that they can stir-up some s$@*t and not get reigned in as much by the editors. Of course, any and all examples of this have just vacated my brain...

 

Good point. Writers aren't often allowed to shake anything up too much on the well established heroes but they can do what they like with less iconic characters. I think Blade is an example of a character that Marvel has changed as they went along to try to make more popular. I think he has a lot of potential for a decent series but Mark Guggenheims writing didn't do it for me .

[akaSteveRogers]

I bought the Annihilation HCs (BTW...what a fantastic read and the keep putting out the HCs in succession!) and loved the NOVA stuff, even though I had little to no interest at all in the character over the years. I plan on picking up the series if it is as good as the Annihilation mini!

 

jonjesper...

 

I'm real interested on this Annihilation series...hearing a LOT of good things about it. Always had a soft spot for the Nova character. But I'm confused on which HC or TPB to pick up?

 

Annhiation Nova, Surfer...Book 1 Book 2...then someone told me those are prologues... the real stuff is in the Annihilation book 3

 

Maybe I should pick all of them up? They're like $30 each so I want to be sure...

 

Marvel drives me with all the side stores and crossovers and prologues and prologues to prologues.

 

[gaz973]

I thought that I'd revive this thread because Nova is still going and it's still good. I think that it will last as long as Abnett is writing it.

[Marvelguy34]

I really enjoy reading Nova, something different from what's going on Earth, so is Guardians of the Galaxy.