Nova #11 *Spoilers*

[drwho]

Overall this issue was a decent read especially with the return of Warlock, but not what I would call great.

The Good
1. The art
2. New readers are brought up to speed on Warlock's history and what the technarchs are.
3. We learn that things aren't gonna be resolved as easy as I was thinking. Warlock says that the only way he can save Nova is by giving him all his life force and he refuses to do that because he wants to ensure the survival of his race. It introduces a technarch orphan named Tyro that Warlock adopted and is trying to teach him to be like him. It is a little annoying and boring, seeing a new maturer version of Warlock with some actual goal because in the past he was just fun. The dialogue between Rich and Warlock in debating about giving his life force is done well.

Also in this issue Drax and Gamora show up and turn into a babel spire which will summon an adult technarch to the planet of kvch that has been mostly abandoned. I'm still a little confused why they would merge into a babel spire though.

[Enigmanaut]

I think Warlock may yet be of some help. His particular form of the Transmode virus is non-aggressive. If Warlock can convert the transmode in Rich to his own form of virus, then Rich (while still Transmode positive) will no longer get worse, and the Nova power may even be able to put it completely in remission.

[Samuraixsithlord]

I think Warlock may yet be of some help. His particular form of the Transmode virus is non-aggressive. If Warlock can convert the transmode in Rich to his own form of virus, then Rich (while still Transmode positive) will no longer get worse, and the Nova power may even be able to put it completely in remission.


i figured that to. that Warlock would merge with Rich like he did with Cypher and absorb the virus and convert in into more of his own matter or something. Rich only has about 2 hours til the virus kills him or takes control.

I wonder if Warlock and Cosmo will be the 2 support characters in GotG.

[Pixie_Solanas]

WTF? I just bought this issue as my jumping-in point to Nova, but your synopsis sounds like I might be in over my head here.

[Expletive Deleted]

WTF? I just bought this issue as my jumping-in point to Nova, but your synopsis sounds like I might be in over my head here.Nah, it's fine. All the Warlock-related stuff is new this issue, and there's a good amount of exposition relating to it. As for the Phalanx and all that, the intro/recap page does a decent job of summing it up.

[Somebody]

Rich only has about 2 hours til the virus kills him or takes control.

Warlock knocked it back into remission... mostly (he's still in trouble, but not immediate danger of death).

[mdg1]

The pieces of Rich's cure are all in the issue.

Warlock says that it would take lifeglow to drive out the infection, but he doesn't have enough.

OTOH, the being that showed up at the end of the issue looks to have plenty to spare.....

[Enigmanaut]

The pieces of Rich's cure are all in the issue.

Warlock says that it would take lifeglow to drive out the infection, but he doesn't have enough.

OTOH, the being that showed up at the end of the issue looks to have plenty to spare.....

Well, the Nu-Kree who are being Ultron Warlocked certainly could just be the cannon fodder needed.

[XPac]

I'm still a little confused why they would merge into a babel spire though.

Maybe that's a clue on how Guardians of the Galaxy will work. When there's trouble that is too big for any of them to handle individually, they can merge to form a babel spire. Merging seems to be an effective tactic in Japanesse comics.

[Expletive Deleted]

I'm still a little confused why they would merge into a babel spire though.I'm thinking it's just a side-effect of Phalanx landing on Kvch. With, y'know, the unintended consequences of also alerting a Technarch.

Or something like that. Or not. I'm sure it'll be explained.

[CyberCoyote]

Yeah, the Spire really kufoozed me. And as this was my jumping on point, although I remember Warlock's story from the original days (that New Mutants image was awesome).. the Phalanx are an offshoot of the Techs? Are they aggressive to one another? Could the Phalanx infect Warlock or that full grown death machine that just showed up?

Oh, Drax and Gams'll be okay, same kinda thing happened to Tony a while ago and he seems fine for it :)

[DMike]

I find it interesting that Warlock's memory of the New Mutants had an image of Karma in it, but not Dani. IIRC, Xian was in and out of the team pretty frequently, while Dani was co-leader for a good portion of the time.

[LungerTony]

I found this to be the worst issue of Nova thus far.
I was just completely confused. I didn't understand the Drax/Gamora babel spire, but I guess that will be explained later.
But I am really confused on the relationship between the Phalanx and regular Technarchs? They tried to explain it in the comic, but I just wasn't getting it.
Are Phalanx and Technarchs on the same side? Are Phalanx like the ugly step-son of Technarchs or something? I don't really get it.

[Enigmanaut]

I found this to be the worst issue of Nova thus far.
I was just completely confused. I didn't understand the Drax/Gamora babel spire, but I guess that will be explained later.
But I am really confused on the relationship between the Phalanx and regular Technarchs? They tried to explain it in the comic, but I just wasn't getting it.
Are Phalanx and Technarchs on the same side? Are Phalanx like the ugly step-son of Technarchs or something? I don't really get it.

So, your inability to grasp this fairly straightforward concept means it's a bad issue? In this case, methinks, the flaw lies in the reader, not that which is read.

[drwho]

I found this to be the worst issue of Nova thus far.
I was just completely confused. I didn't understand the Drax/Gamora babel spire, but I guess that will be explained later.
But I am really confused on the relationship between the Phalanx and regular Technarchs? They tried to explain it in the comic, but I just wasn't getting it.
Are Phalanx and Technarchs on the same side? Are Phalanx like the ugly step-son of Technarchs or something? I don't really get it.

What I recall is the phalanx were developed in a lab messing around with techno organic dna from the Technarchs. For some reason they later threw in the they form a babel spire to contact the Technarchs I guess cus they look at them as their superiors. I'm not sure where the whole Technarchs eat phalanx things ive seen around the board come from. its hard cus i dont remember the exact issues so well.

http://www.marvel.com/universe/Phalanx

[LungerTony]

So, your inability to grasp this fairly straightforward concept means it's a bad issue? In this case, methinks, the flaw lies in the reader, not that which is read.

I just need to erspond with, DUH. I said "I found..." Obviously stating it was my opinion - not a universal law of nature or something.
And obviously, when I was stating my confusion with the comic, that was why I didn't like it.
Maybe I should insert a sentence at the bottom of my post literally painting that for all the people who take every chance to post an arrogant dick response.
And no, this is not straightforward. Walk up to a person walking down the street and try explaining this alleged "straightforward" concept to them.

[XPac]

What I recall is the phalanx were developed in a lab messing around with techno organic dna from the Technarchs. For some reason they later threw in the they form a babel spire to contact the Technarchs I guess cus they look at them as their superiors. I'm not sure where the whole Technarchs eat phalanx things ive seen around the board come from. its hard cus i dont remember the exact issues so well.

http://www.marvel.com/universe/Phalanx

Here's how I understand it.

The Phalanx we saw on earth came about from people in a lab messing with Warlock's remains, but Phalanx normally occur when something or someone organic is infected with the Technarchys transmode virus without their lifeforce being drained.

But the Phalanx are sort of programmed to build those spires, which summons to Technarchy to basically kill them. So normally the Phalanx problem ends up taking care of itself (though the cure is worse than the discease since the technarchy are potentially a bigger problem than the Phalanx).

[Lombardo!]

i'm a bit concerned that the final Nova tie-in and the final Conquest are slated for the same release date. hopefully the stories will make sense

[CyberCoyote]

Okay, thanks for the explanations. Really helps out. Since I'm waiting to get Conquest in Trade.. Ultron is using the Phalanx, correct? Has he addressed the possible threat of the Technarchy in Conquest, or is this looking like a possible solution to Ultron, pitting him against them?

From what I remember of Warlock's sire.. Magus?.. he was pretty much one seriously bad mo-fo, but the X-Men handled him, so he wasn't the end all be all Galactus like threat you'd think'd be required. A cure for the virus seems more likely, right?

[The Lucky One]

the Phalanx are an offshoot of the Techs? Are they aggressive to one another? Could the Phalanx infect Warlock or that full grown death machine that just showed up?

I'll try to explain, but mind you, I haven't read Annihilation or any of Nova until this issue... this is purely based on information from Warlock's solo series and earlier.

Basically, there are two kinds of Phalanx, "natural" Phalanx and the manmade version created on Earth from Warlock's ashes. "Natural" Phalanx are simply creatures that have been infected with the transmode virus by a Technarch member, but have for whatever reason not had their lifeglow drained. They're considered an abomination by the Technarchy, kind of like undigested food that continues to walk and talk. The Phalanx have a genetic imperative such that whenever there are enough of them on a planet, they come together to form a giant tower that signals the nearest Technarch member to come to the planet and wipe them out, eliminating the infestation... in that way, they're kind of like mice who call the exterminator on themselves. The manmade version also contained this biological imperative, but luckily the X-Men managed to destroy the tower in the Phalanx Covenant before they could signal any Technarchs.

So, clear? The Technarch are the "pure," far more powerful members of the race; the Phalanx are a kind of bastardized offspring who are prone to destroying themselves in large numbers, and who the Technarch eliminate whenever possible.

EDIT: Whoops, didn't see XPac's explanation. D'oh!

-D

[XPac]

EDIT: Whoops, didn't see XPac's explanation. D'oh!

-D

No D'oh's required.. Your explanation was better than mine.

[MichealBond]

I thought the issue was great, although, I've been reading Annihilation: Conquest each month, and the pieces fit together better having read that series.

The art was beautiful, I only wish Pelletier would stay on the book, but he's going to be doing the GotG book in may,

I can only guess next Issue Nova and Warlock will be heading to Hala for the final showdown...Warlock's gonna cure the Kree and somehow separate Adam Ultra-lock from each other. I don't they will completely kill the Phalanx off, but they'll probably be weakened enough to not be an immediate threat for a while.

Either that, or Baby Annihilus is gonna come and eat Ultron!!

[Pixie_Solanas]

Nah, it's fine. All the Warlock-related stuff is new this issue, and there's a good amount of exposition relating to it. As for the Phalanx and all that, the intro/recap page does a decent job of summing it up.

You're right. It was fine, and I loved it. I'm hooked.

[Joe Acro]

This was a great issue (but so are they all). It needed a little more action, maybe, but since the issue was designed to reintroduce (or introduce to some) Warlock, I don't really mind.

A couple of interesting twists and some spectacular art, and this was one of the best comics this week.

[Shadow ES]

Ultron is using the Phalanx, correct? Has he addressed the possible threat of the Technarchy in Conquest, or is this looking like a possible solution to Ultron, pitting him against them?


I think fear of the Technarchy is why Ultron sealed off Kree space from the rest of the universe.

[Brother Zag]

I'm thinking it's just a side-effect of Phalanx landing on Kvch. With, y'know, the unintended consequences of also alerting a Technarch.

Or something like that. Or not. I'm sure it'll be explained.

Guys, it's right there in the book, Warlock Self explains it to Nova, telling him the proximity to the Technarchy excites the transmode virus, it's the same reason Nova erupted with the virus before Warlock Self found him.

[Brother Zag]

And the Phalanx are indeed food to the Technarchy. The mature Technarchs devour lifeglow at a rate somewhere short of Galactus, but at such a rate that they can't keep up with their hunger, so they created artificial life, the Phalanx, as kind of ready made snacks.

The Phalanx worship the Technarchs, but the Technarchs view their sentience as an unfortunate side effect... course, that's now changed with Ultron's Phalanx...

[Expletive Deleted]

Guys, it's right there in the book, Warlock Self explains it to Nova, telling him the proximity to the Technarchy excites the transmode virus, it's the same reason Nova erupted with the virus before Warlock Self found him.Well, yes. But why a Babel Spire?

[XPac]

Well, yes. But why a Babel Spire?

Phalanx are actually suppossed to create Babel spires... they're kind of hardwired to do that.

[Somebody]

Well, yes. But why a Babel Spire?
Because that's what they do - Phalanx-Transmode is designed to trigger Babel Spire formation at critical mass. Given what Warlock said here, Technarch-Transmode proximity lowers that critical mass to almost zero.

[DnA have, unlike JGM on Wraith, clearly done their homework...]

[Enigmanaut]

Actually, I think I sussed it: The full grown Siredam Technarch that is coming to Kvtch is brimming with lifeglow. The battle with him will somehow allow Warlock to use that Siredam's lifeglow to cure Rich, Drax and Gamora.

[Cthulhudrew]

Actually, I think I sussed it: The full grown Siredam Technarch that is coming to Kvtch is brimming with lifeglow.

BTW, it wasn't completely clear to me from that final picture if the Siredam was on another planet and being summoned or just came up from beneath the surface of Kvch. Anyone else have any thoughts on it?

[Somebody]

BTW, it wasn't completely clear to me from that final picture if the Siredam was on another planet and being summoned or just came up from beneath the surface of Kvch.
Neither. It was LANDING on Kvch, and it's so huge that the ground caved beneath it.

[CyberCoyote]

Methink's Warlock's little pal there is gonna get slaughtered and it'll change his mind.

The Tech looked pretty huge, but was it really that big compared to what the other two were doing before? Can't get to the book so I can tell :(


Actually, I think I sussed it: The full grown Siredam Technarch that is coming to Kvtch is brimming with lifeglow. The battle with him will somehow allow Warlock to use that Siredam's lifeglow to cure Rich, Drax and Gamora.

That too :)

[Somebody]

Methink's Warlock's little pal there is gonna get slaughtered and it'll change his mind.

(Conquest #6 SPOILER)
Tyro's safe - he's in the Conquest #6 preview, along with Warlock, Nova, Drax & Gamora

[drwho]

(Conquest #6 SPOILER)
Tyro's safe - he's in the Conquest #6 preview, along with Warlock, Nova, Drax & Gamora

I have this bad feeling in conquest that Warlock is gonna be severely wounded and die and ask for them to teach Tyro how to be good and adopt him God I hope not, but could happen cus marvel has done stuff like this before.

[CyberCoyote]

Yeah, saw those images right after my terribly wrong idea :)

I hope DrWho's worries are unfounded, I like Warlock more than you know who :(

[The Lucky One]

The Tech looked pretty huge, but was it really that big compared to what the other two were doing before? Can't get to the book so I can tell :(

Size is kinda meaningless when it comes to the Technarch... any one of them can grow to be as big as a solar system or as small as a dust mite or something. It's really more experience and power that matters.

Granted, the Magus was usually pretty huge, but he chose to be that size, probably to intimidate others... he was able to pass himself off as a human when necessary. Warlock was always able to grow to be just as large, he just could never beat the Magus in a straight fight.

-D

[Cthulhudrew]

Neither. It was LANDING on Kvch, and it's so huge that the ground caved beneath it.

Doesn't look like that from the way the action lines are drawn (that, and it's tentacles are extending beneath the surface).

[zinderel]

Any chance of a scan of that last page with the Siredam Technarch? I can't get to my comic shop for a while and I'd love to see it.

[Trey]

Great Issue! Amazing art. Look at the coloring job they did! Fantastic.

[Brother Zag]

I'm kinda averse to scanning current issues (sorry zindarel), but I did find a good explanation of the Babel Spire and Phalanx tech in Issue #2 of the 1999 "Warlock" series (Technarch Warlock's 9 issue series). Louise Simonson wrote the series and Pascal Ferry provided the art. Funny, the first Annihilation event led me to collect all the old Adam Warlock books I could (be nice to have trades... sigh. Well, there is that Masterworks, but I bought the books for less...). Now the sequel has me buying the other Warlock's back issues. I've become a big fan of Ferry's work, first through Adam Strange: Planet Heist and then, briefly on Mister Miracle (where I was thoroughly blown away). He's got me buying Ultimate FF, now. Cool to go back and see his earlier stuff:
http://glow-in-the-dark-radio.com/warlock2page.jpg
I'm kind of liking the fact I skipped comics from 1988-2000. It's fun to find good book runs from the era to go back to collect and read.

[tunasammiches]

So I guess they're just totally gonna ignore the fact that Warlock was Docklock for a little while and was a member of Excalibur? That sux.

[Cthulhudrew]

So I guess they're just totally gonna ignore the fact that Warlock was Docklock for a little while and was a member of Excalibur? That sux.

How are they ignoring it?

[Brother Zag]

I don't see how they're ignoring Warlock's "Douglock" phase... the page I posted earlier was from his solo series after that Excalibur run, for example, after Warlock came back to "life" so... whadya mean?

[Enigmanaut]

IMO, ignoring that Douglock nonsense is one of the best decisions they could have made. That **** was retarded.

[XPac]

IMO, ignoring that Douglock nonsense is one of the best decisions they could have made. That **** was retarded.

You can't completely ignore Douglock though... Douglock is the reason Warlock returned to the ranks of the living in the first place.

[DaeJi]

I don't see why Douglock needs to be mentioned. This is a comic, not a documentary on the Warlock character.

[Expletive Deleted]

You can't completely ignore Douglock though... Douglock is the reason Warlock returned to the ranks of the living in the first place.Sure you can, as long as you're also glossing over his death.

Status Quo #3 and Status Quo #1 are roughly equivalent. So, unless something specifically pertaining to it comes up, there's no real need to mention Status Quo #2.

[Brother Zag]

I don't see why Douglock needs to be mentioned. This is a comic, not a documentary on the Warlock character.

QFT! ...and because you made me laugh out loud. I mean, for real, not LOL...

[Comet Man]

I don't see why Douglock has to be mentioned when it has absolutely nothing to do with this story.

Keep the damn mutants as far away from this as possible, as far as I'm concerned. Those freaking roaches are crawling around in too many titles as it is.

We need more cosmic titles!

[stingerman]

I don't see why Douglock has to be mentioned when it has absolutely nothing to do with this story.

Keep the damn mutants as far away from this as possible, as far as I'm concerned. Those freaking roaches are crawling around in too many titles as it is.

We need more cosmic titles!

LOL! Wolverine is going to be in, like, 20 titles or so by June!

[Enigmanaut]

LOL! Wolverine is going to be in, like, 20 titles or so by June!

All but two of them are Skrulls. One is a doombot.

[tunasammiches]

I don't see why Douglock has to be mentioned when it has absolutely nothing to do with this story.

Keep the damn mutants as far away from this as possible, as far as I'm concerned. Those freaking roaches are crawling around in too many titles as it is.

We need more cosmic titles!

Look, I think that if they're gonna have a flashback scene to his time with the New Mutants, they should include his time with Excalibur. It wasn't mentioned at all. It makes it seem like the last time he was on earth was during his New Mutants run...and as much as people don't lke the Douglock experience, it happened. For years. Which led to his mini series in '99. Lots of important cahracter growth happened to him in those titles and that annual when the Red Skull kidnapped him.

[Brother Zag]

Look, I think that if they're gonna have a flashback scene to his time with the New Mutants, they should include his time with Excalibur. It wasn't mentioned at all. It makes it seem like the last time he was on earth was during his New Mutants run...and as much as people don't lke the Douglock experience, it happened. For years. Which led to his mini series in '99. Lots of important cahracter growth happened to him in those titles and that annual when the Red Skull kidnapped him.

Yeah, you're right, it shouldn't have been a Nova issue, just a series of Warlock flashbacks... you're kidding, right?

In the Warlock 1999 series, they provided flashbacks to his Excalibur days, even had a little picture of the Red Skull, but they did not flashback to his New Mutants days... so that was bad, too, then, right?

Every writer has to balance main action with any exposition, including flashbacks. Expecting every incarnation of every character to be covered every time they show up doesn't just make for bad comics, it's bad writing. Your expectations seem unrealistic and nit-picky, IMHO... sorry.

[tunasammiches]

Yeah, you're right, it shouldn't have been a Nova issue, just a series of Warlock flashbacks... you're kidding, right?

In the Warlock 1999 series, they provided flashbacks to his Excalibur days, even had a little picture of the Red Skull, but they did not flashback to his New Mutants days... so that was bad, too, then, right?

Every writer has to balance main action with any exposition, including flashbacks. Expecting every incarnation of every character to be covered every time they show up doesn't just make for bad comics, it's bad writing. Your expectations seem unrealistic and nit-picky, IMHO... sorry.

Wow, did I just piss off a fan boy? Thanks for the explosive harshness. I was just disappointed about something, not criticizing the writing.

Also, I don't want every incarnation flashback featured in a Nova book. I was just thinking that Warlock's most current team would make sense for him to flash back to considering it was the most recent. Maybe if they flashed back to his '99 mini, that woulda made some sense and shown the readers that the writers were acknowledging canon. Excalibur storylines just seem to constantly get swept under the rug, so it woulda been nice to...whatever. I shouldn't have to work this hard to explain myself.

[nova64]

Look, I think that if they're gonna have a flashback scene to his time with the New Mutants, they should include his time with Excalibur. It wasn't mentioned at all.

I certainly respect your opinion and understand your feelings on it. However, I can understand why they didn't show any scene with Excalibur. It wouldn't have added anything to the story or have any real relevance to Nova (imo). Showing the New Mutants made sense since that was the introduction of Warlock. Also, Nova had teamed up with the New Mutants once while he was with the New Warriors and it gave them a common frame of reference.

And as Brother Zag mentioned, the writers have to kind of pick and choose scenes for flashbacks. Look at Nova's Annual. It's his book and the only reference to his past was his origin. No mention of the New Warriors (in any form of the team). It doesn't mean it wasn't important. Just wasn't necessary for the story.

Doug

[Brother Zag]

Wow, did I just piss off a fan boy? Thanks for the explosive harshness. I was just disappointed about something, not criticizing the writing.

Also, I don't want every incarnation flashback featured in a Nova book. I was just thinking that Warlock's most current team would make sense for him to flash back to considering it was the most recent. Maybe if they flashed back to his '99 mini, that woulda made some sense and shown the readers that the writers were acknowledging canon. Excalibur storylines just seem to constantly get swept under the rug, so it woulda been nice to...whatever. I shouldn't have to work this hard to explain myself.

You mistake pissing for laughing... I just thought it was a nit-picky unreasonable, illogical fan boy whine, sorry if I harshed your mellow, dude.

[Brother Zag]

You mistake pissing for laughing... I just thought it was a nit-picky unreasonable, illogical fan boy whine, sorry if I harshed your mellow, dude.

Man, what a dick... oh wait, that was ME! I just read it again and had to post an, "okay, sorry..." We're all fans of the same character. My apologies for being kind of a dick just then.

[40yearoldnovafan]

I certainly respect your opinion and understand your feelings on it. However, I can understand why they didn't show any scene with Excalibur. It wouldn't have added anything to the story or have any real relevance to Nova (imo). Showing the New Mutants made sense since that was the introduction of Warlock. Also, Nova had teamed up with the New Mutants once while he was with the New Warriors and it gave them a common frame of reference.

And as Brother Zag mentioned, the writers have to kind of pick and choose scenes for flashbacks. Look at Nova's Annual. It's his book and the only reference to his past was his origin. No mention of the New Warriors (in any form of the team). It doesn't mean it wasn't important. Just wasn't necessary for the story.

Doug
I agree. Nuff said.

Jimmy

[bd2999]

Just a huge fan of this series so far

[tunasammiches]

I just read it again and had to post an, "okay, sorry..."

I'll make sure you never work in this town again!!

Nah, I'm just kidding. S'all good man. No worries. Thanks for that.