Nova #1

Sep 1976 · Marvel · 0.30 USD

📊 ~80,857 copies sold its debut month

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“Nova”

★ 1st appearance — Richard Rider★ 1st appearance — Charles Rider★ 1st appearance — Mike Burley

About this Issue

Nova #1 marks the debut of Richard Rider as the Marvel Universe's 'Human Rocket' — the first appearance of a character who would grow from a Bronze Age Spider-Man analog into one of Marvel's defining cosmic heroes. The issue simultaneously introduces the entire Nova Corps mythology, laying the conceptual groundwork for Xandar, Rhomann Dey, and the Nova Force that would underpin dozens of later cosmic storylines, including the Annihilation War. Wolfman's deliberate throwback to early Silver Age sensibilities — an everyman teen randomly gifted godlike power — gave Marvel a new entry point for younger readers at a time when the publisher was otherwise pivoting toward darker, more complex Bronze Age material. The character's eventual role in the 2006–2007 Annihilation event cemented Nova #1 as the origin point of one of Marvel's most consequential modern cosmic franchises.

writer Marv Wolfman · artist John Buscema · artist, inker Joe Sinnott · colorist Michele Wolfman · letterer Joe Rosen · letterer Gaspar Saladino · cover Rich Buckler, Joe Sinnott

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (Fine) $23

CGC 9.8 · 653 in census $584

CGC 9.6 · 1421 in census $235

CGC 9.4 · 1500 in census $159

CGC 9.2 · 1109 in census $117

CGC 9.0 · 1050 in census $111*

CGC 8.5 · 923 in census $95*

Show all 22 grades ▾

CGC 8.0 · 694 in census $95

CGC 7.5 · 493 in census $69*

CGC 7.0 · 387 in census $69*

CGC 6.5 · 258 in census $69

CGC 6.0 · 189 in census $69

CGC 5.5 · 115 in census $45*

CGC 5.0 · 114 in census $45

CGC 4.5 · 63 in census $45

CGC 4.0 · 39 in census $45

CGC 3.5 · 24 in census $35*

CGC 3.0 · 22 in census $33

CGC 2.5 · 8 in census $26*

CGC 2.0 · 2 in census $23*

CGC 1.5 none in existence

CGC 1.0 none in existence

CGC 0.5 · 2 in census $20*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

More listings for this title

NM $5.19 VG $18.75 Direct $20 GD $21 VG $29.95 VG+ $29.99 VG · Newsstand $33.99 FINE $37.95

Related listings we couldn't confirm as this exact issue · 66 total · seen 30 days ago

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History

Richard Rider's roots stretch back to 1966, when Marv Wolfman created a proto-version of the character in issue #3 of his fanzine Super Adventures, later reimagined with Len Wein before Wolfman brought a fully reconceived version to Marvel. Working with artist John Romita Sr. to refine the costume design, Wolfman then wrote the published debut alongside penciler John Buscema, inker Joe Sinnott, colorist Michele Wolfman, and letterer Joe Rosen, under editor-in-chief Len Wein. The issue includes a direct 'Memo from Marv' on the letters page openly acknowledging that Nova was a conscious homage to the early Stan Lee/Steve Ditko Spider-Man, down to the alliterative name and working-class teenage protagonist. Wolfman later contested Marvel's ownership of the character in a 1997 lawsuit, arguing he had not signed work-for-hire contracts, but a 2000 ruling found in Marvel's favor.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance and origin of Richard Rider as Nova (the Human Rocket), a New York high school student chosen at random by dying Xandarian Nova Corps Centurion Rhomann Dey to inherit his powers.
First appearance and death of Rhomann Dey — the Xandarian Nova-Prime who transfers his cosmic powers to Rider before dying; Dey was later portrayed by John C. Reilly in the MCU's Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
First appearance of antagonist Zorr the Conqueror, the intergalactic warlord whose destruction of Xandar sets the entire Nova Corps origin in motion; Zorr also dies in this issue.
First appearances of supporting cast members Charles Rider (Richard's father), Robert Rider (his younger brother), Ginger Jaye, and classmate/bully Mike Burley — all introduced in this single origin issue.
Creative team: written by Marv Wolfman; penciled by John Buscema; inked by Joe Sinnott; colored by Michele Wolfman; lettered by Joe Rosen; cover by Rich Buckler; edited under editor-in-chief Len Wein.
This issue also marks the first appearance of the Nova Corps as a concept — the intergalactic peacekeeping force from the planet Xandar that became a cornerstone of Marvel's cosmic universe.
The original series ran 25 issues (September 1976–May 1979); its unresolved storylines were later wrapped up in Fantastic Four #206–214 and Rom: Spaceknight #24, both also written by Wolfman.
A Disney+ streaming series centered on Richard Rider's Nova was confirmed in development by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige in 2024, with Ed Bernero as showrunner, though the project was paused in February 2025.