NOVA: CENTURION #3 (MARVEL COMICS)
Richard Rider’s new stat quo is sucking the life out of him. Literally.
Rider is the last Nova left. The Xandarian Worldmind, which gives him his powers, needs replenishment. Filling up the power source is not cheap. This has led him to get Pip the Troll as his “agent” in paid cases.
Fate would play a turn in his latest job. Ravenous is the one who killed the Nova Corps. Rider goes in for revenge but is caught off-guard. With his powers being drained away, getting that paycheck is the least of his problems.
NOVA: CENTURION #3 by Jed MacKay, Álvaro López, Matteo Della Fonte Mattia Iacono & Joe Caramagna comes in hot for this long-awaited rematch!
Let’s take a closer look at how events play out.
NOVA: CENTURION #3 by Jed MacKay, Álvaro López, Matteo Della Fonte Mattia Iacono & Joe Caramagna (Marvel Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
MacKay delivers on an emotionally charged fight. Knowing Rider’s stake in this bout, his actions become careless. This plays right into ravenous’ hands. The writing shows how clouded Nova is. Luckily, he gets an assist from Yr-kett to bail him out of dying. This allows for pacing to slow down and capitalize on some much needed strategy. It results on a heavily fueled finish.
Readers watch as the dialogue gets to business very fast. It is a moment that reminds all Nova’s alliance and loyalty to the Corps. Even when blinded by rage, this theme sinks in to guide. Ravenous answers as defiant as ever. There will be no loss without a fight. MacKay sneaks in a clever plan to tip the odds in Nova’s favor. What is really catching is how the conflict is resolved. The pent-up feelings start unloading from Rider’s persona. At times, it teeters on being uncomfortable. In the end, it puts a full stamp on the fight’s end. The epilogue goes back to the more reckless and humorous side of Rider’s life. It ties up events while leaving a few building blocks for more. A solid landing for a very climbing ride.
WATCH LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW HERE!
López & Della Fonte divide up art duties again for this issue. The opening shot of Ravenous draining Nova gets the full page treatment. This moves panels to start bringing in the supporting cast of Rider’s crew. There’s a few close-ups at how they’re going about business. It helps their side-plots but this issue is all about the rematch at hand.
The fight begins again with Nova giving Ravenous his rights via full page. It sends a direct message to what’s about to go down. Ravenous’ response is blunt and unapologetic. The art gets a great close-up on his grin before Nova commences on his plan. The move leads to a more intimate look at how personal this fight is. Caramanga’s “KLUDD” lettering haunts these panels. Readers watch as the violence is unforgiving. Even in defeat, Ravenous refuses to give Rider his satisfaction. A full page walk-off ends this round before kickstarting the final pages. The finish is more carefree in its’ presentation. There’s some humorous interactions until the final panels tease more. Steady and effective work.
FINAL GRADE: 8.4
Richard Rider attempts to cash in before checking out on his dangerous grudge match in this issue. MacKay’s writing gets right to business with a straight-ahead approach. The art team takes Rider to the edge with the fighting images. The new stat quo of Nova balances the action and drama while going for that paycheck. Check it out!
Let me know your thoughts on NOVA: CENTURION #3 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
