Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1977-06-01 00:03:10 |
| Previous: Howard the Duck #28 | Up: Main | Next: Defenders #48-51 |
Nova #10-11
Issue(s): Nova #10, Nova #11
Cover Date: Jun-Jul 77
Title: "Four against the Sphinx!" / "Nova no more!"
Credits:
Marv Wolfman - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Frank Giacoia - Inker
Review/plot:
Nova wraps up a battle with a villain called Firefly...
...and then gets mixed up in a fight between Diamondhead, Condor, Powerhouse and the guy they've been alluding to all year, the Sphinx.
Condor's mind is wiped by one of Sphinx's lackeys before Sphinx can pluck it, so Sphinx turns Condor into a bird.
The Sphinx is an immortal who seems to be searching for a way to kill himself. He's been draining people's brains in order to find that secret, but none have had the answer. Nova, it turns out, does (possibly due to his connection with the Xandarian computer mind?). However, Nova is able to fight off the Sphinx enough to earn his respect, and the Sphinx leaves him alone for the time being.
It's unclear why the group of villains (Condor, Diamondhead, and Powerhouse) have been spending all this time working to overthrow another bad guy who is clearly on another (cosmic) level altogether.
In his civilian form, Rich continues to have major troubles. He's failing his classes, he's picked on at school, his father is out of work and unable to make mortgage payments, and his friends are becoming suspicious of his disappearances and strange behavior.
Quality Rating: C-
Historical Significance Rating: 2 - first full appearance by Sphinx
Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A
References:
- After helping out with Firefly, Nova settles up with the police over the fact that he was wanted for breaking and entering in Nova #7.
- Nova was given maps by the Computer Prime (later to be called the Xandarian World Mind) in Nova #8.
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: N/A
Inbound References (4): showCharacters Appearing: Bernie Dillon, Caps Cooper, Charles Rider, Condor, Diamondhead, Donna-Lee Dover, Firefly, Ginger Jaye-Firestone, Gloria Rider, Mike Burley, Nova (Rich Rider), Powerhouse, Robbie Rider, Sayge, Sphinx Previous:
Howard the Duck #28Up:
MainNext:
Defenders #48-51
Comments
This storyline seems like a big shift in the book: Condor and Powerhouse are unceremoniously written out, despite promises earlier that readers would learn their backstory, and Diamondhead is taken out, too. And then the Sphinx sort of wanders off on his own at the end as well.
The next several issues will have entirely distinct villains, some borrowed and some new. I'm not sure if it was a complete shift in direction or just Wolfman setting aside some of these plots so they wouldn't wear thin.
