Nova #4

Nova #4 (December 1976) throws the young Human Rocket headlong into one of Marvel's most formidable matchups, as the cover — penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Joe Sinnott — depicts a hammer-wielding Thor, red cape flying, squaring off against Nova streaking through the skies above a city street filled with fleeing bystanders. The cover copy warns of a "Thunder God Gone Mad," and the sheer dynamism of Kirby and Sinnott's composition makes that threat feel utterly convincing. Written by Marv Wolfman with interior art by Sal Buscema and Tom Palmer, this issue also promises a confrontation with the Uncanny Corruptor — a packed installment for any fan of Marvel's 1976 lineup.