This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero blog post will look at some of the earliest stories of Marvel’s character Nova.
NOVA Vol 1 #1 (September 1976)
Title: Nova
Villain: Zorr
NOTE: This was the very first appearance of Nova and by extension, the Nova Corps of Xandar, the space force that became reasonably popular in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
Synopsis: We meet Rhomann-Dey, a member of the intergalactic Nova Corps of superpowered police/ military forces from the far-off planet Xandar. In his spaceship, Rhomann-Dey pursued the villainous alien Zorr into Earth’s proximity but was mortally wounded in battle with that criminal.
Rhomann settled his Xandarian vessel into orbit around the Earth and summoned test pilot Hal Jordan to become his successor as a Green Lantern hurriedly selected an Earthling to pass his incredible Nova powers on to.
Hempstead, Long Island teenager Richard Rider is Rhomann’s selection and he transfers his uniform and powers to him as he is dying. While Richard learns to cope with his new abilities his Nova uniform makes him a target for Zorr. In the end, Zorr is destroyed and Rhomann-Dey’s ship remains in orbit. Continue reading
ALL STAR COMICS Vol 1 #51 (February 1950) 
After that, the government briefs the team about a top secret project which has been drilling deep down into the Earth. A scientist named Charles Crillion advised against doing this because he theorized the existence of a race of diamond-hard beings who would view the drilling as a hostile act. 
X-MEN Vol 1 #52 (January 1969) 
Synopsis: The recently arrived evil mutant called Erik the Red says he has come to Magneto’s subterranean lair out west to join his forces. Erik demonstrates his powers against the Demi-Men, Magneto’s latest team of mutants intent on conquering humanity. 
ALL STAR COMICS Vol 1 #45 (February 1949) 
MARVEL PREMIERE Vol 1 #20 (January 1975)
For this weekend’s light-hearted, escapist blog post about superheroes, Balladeer’s Blog goes back to the Justice Society of America, this country’s very first superteam.
ALL STAR COMICS Vol 1 #39 (February 1948) 
THE AVENGERS Vol 1 #119 (January 1974) 
The crazed, uncomprehending Loki is kept in custody at Avengers Mansion because this is set during a period when Odin had forbidden him to return to Asgard under any circumstances. Time passes, and at one point the Black Panther pursues with Mantis his wish to learn some of her other-worldly martial arts. T’Challa first got the idea when he saw how well 
For this weekend’s light-hearted, escapist blog post about superheroes, Balladeer’s Blog goes back to the Justice Society of America, this country’s very first superteam. 
ALL STAR COMICS Vol 1 #33 (February 1947) 
DAREDEVIL AND THE BLACK WIDOW Vol 1 #95 (January 1973) 
When the Man-Bull begins rampaging through Frisco in order to flush out our hero, the Black Widow and Daredevil swing into action against him. Eventually the villain renders Daredevil unconscious, leaving the Black Widow alone against him for the cliffhanger ending. 
ADVENTURE COMICS VOL 1 #352 (January 1967) 
The Fatal Five are Tharok, a cyborg whose cybernetic brain makes him more intelligent than Brainiac 5; Validus, a huge purple monstrosity whose insanity drives it to perpetual violence; the Emerald Empress, evil ruler of an entire planet whose populace recently won a war to overthrow her; the Persuader, a killer and plunderer whose armor and Atomic Axe make him unstoppable; and Mano, a mutant whose hand wields energies so powerful that the hand destroyed his entire home planet. 
Balladeer's Blog 