Nova (Sam Alexander)

Nova (Sam Alexander) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, a space-faring member of the intergalactic police force known as the Nova Corps, was created in 2011 by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuinness, based on the original Nova Richard Rider. The Sam Alexander version of the character first appeared in the "Marvel Point One" one-shot in November 2011 before starring in his own series beginning in February 2013.
Publication history.
Sam Alexander first appeared in "Marvel Point One" #1 (November 2011), created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Ed McGuinness. The character was named after Loeb's son, who died after a three-year battle with bone cancer at the age of 17.
Fictional character biography.
Sam Alexander is a thirteen-year-old living in Carefree, Arizona with his father, mother, and little sister. His father is always drunk and often talks about his supposed life as a Nova Centurion, and shirks his duties as janitor at his son's school. Sam's mother is a Latina homemaker. When Sam comes home from school to find his father missing, Sam accidentally injures himself and wakes up in a hospital. There, Rocket Raccoon and Gamora reveal Sam's father really was in the Nova Corps. After putting on his father's helmet, Sam travels to the moon, meeting Uatu the Watcher, who reveals an invasion fleet of alien ships belonging to the Chitauri. Upon returning to Earth, Rocket Raccoon and Gamora train him and tell him to scout the fleet.
Sometime later, Sam is on a mission to warn planets in its path that Dark Phoenix is coming for them. He crashes on Earth, but is able to deliver the warning to the Avengers. After recovering, Nova joins the Avengers and the X-Men against Cyclops, who has become the new Dark Phoenix after Jean. Thor asks Sam to join the Avengers, and Sam eventually accepts. Afterwards, he encounters the previous Nova's recurring enemy Diamondhead, but easily defeats him.
During the events of "Infinity", Sam learns from his crush, Carrie, that she knows he is Nova. Shocked, he flies into the sky, but accidentally removes his helmet and lands in a coma. He wakes up to Justice and Speedball, who offer him a spot on the New Warriors. He next faces off against Kaldera, an agent of Proxima Midnight and defeats her in combat. Sam becomes cocky and prideful and begins to feel above the New Warriors and disregard his mother's rules. He gets into an argument with Carrie and gets mad at Justice and Speedball. He eventually speaks to Uatu who gives Sam some advice and he returns to Earth to agree to his mother's rules and joins the New Warriors.
During a day of training with Uatu at the Watcher's moon base at the start of the "Original Sin" storyline, Uatu reveals that Sam's father Jesse Alexander is alive. Sam leaves where he is happy with the information he just learned.
Following the "Civil War II" storyline, Sam leaves the Avengers to join the Champions. The team heads to Lasibad, Sharzad to rescue a group of women and girls being attacked by terrorists.
Powers and abilities.
Sam Alexander wears a helmet that gives him access to the Nova Force, which grants him superhuman strength and durability, flight, energy projection, telekinesis, force fields, universal translation and the ability to breathe underwater and survive in space.
In other media.
Books.
In the children's book "Spider-Man: Attack of the Heroes", Nova is among the heroes replaced by the Chameleon in an attempt to frame him as a supervillain. However, Nova is later freed by Spider-Man.
Reception.
The first issue of "Nova" debuted to positive reviews, including a perfect score at IFanboy.com. Reviewing for Multiversity Comics, Matthew Meylikhov called the series a "rather exciting prospect" and gave the issue a "Buy" rating, but derided its pacing.