Issue(s): Nova #12
Cover Date: Aug 77
Title: "Who is-- the man called Photon?"
Credits:
Marv Wolfman - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Frank Giacoia - Inker

Review/plot:
A murder mystery plot, and a team-up with Spider-Man. Not very good.

The murderer (of Rich Rider's uncle, a scientist) was a super-villain named Photon.

Of the suspects in the murder, one is a member of the Maggia, one is an agent of AIM, and one is just a ruthless businessman.

All were interested in acquiring a weapon the uncle developed. Peter Parker was also a suspect since he was studying with the uncle on the recommendation of Doc Connors when the murder occurred. Despite the fact that Peter keeps disappearing to become Spider-Man, he's not considered one of the prime suspects.

Nova and Spider-man get into the standard Misunderstanding Fight.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This is continued directly in Amazing Spider-Man #171.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

The cover to this issue was featured in How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way.

Perhaps there's a very, very slight bit of interest in the way the story uses some standard Marvel villain groups as suspects rather than just sticking to a standard, self-contained "locked room" mystery. But this isn't even as good as a standard, mediocre issue of Nova.