Marvel Legends Infinite Series: Guardians of the Galaxy - Nova

This summer fans everywhere were treated with the surprise hit movie of the summer, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.  I go back to 1990 with the Guardians thanks to their first title Marvel Comics series. Even though that team of Guardians was different than the movie, it didn't matter to me as I have been following the current team in the comics for several years now. I don't think Marvel every imagined the movie doing as well at the box office as it has done, but you had to know they knew they'd have a hit on their hands. Otherwise they wouldn't have green lit a sequel right out of the gate, nor would retail shelves be so full of licensed items. Enter Hasbro and their Marvel Legends series of figures.

I was thrilled to hear there would be a Guardians of the Galaxy movie tie-in series of Marvel Legends figures. I was even happier when I heard Nova was going to be included in the series. I know he wasn't in the movie, but neither was Iron Man who also was included in the series of toys.

Nova has been absent from the pages of any Marvel comic for the past year or so...or I should say this version of Nova. To me, Nova will always be Richard Rider. I first came to know the character when Marvel's New Warriors #1 debuted the summer of 1990. A lot has happened since then and Nova is much more powerful and better used in the comics. Now why is he here you may ask? Well prior to the current cosmic events in the comics, Nova and Star-Lord willingly trapped themselves in an alternate universe called the Cancerverse along with the mad titan, Thanos. At the time they both thought it was the only way to finally contain Thanos once and for all. Well somehow Thanos and Star-Lord were able to return to the proper Marvel Universe, but Nova mysteriously has been missing. Marvel is about to finally tell the story of what happened to Nova and I for one can't wait. I am enjoying the adventures of the current Nova, Sam Alexander, but I can't wait for Richard to finally return.

Previous to this release, Nova also had a figure in the now defunct Marvel Universe series of 3 3/4" figures. That version too wore the post-Annihilation armor. Scroll down and you'll see some comparison pics.

I believe Nova was shortpacked in the series as I had an awfully hard time finding him at retail. In fact outside of Star-Lord and Iron Man, most of the figures seemed to be hard to find. Nova comes packaged with the right arm of the Build-A-Figure subject, this time Groot.

Who ever sculpted this figure did an excellent job in my opinion. Its almost as if Nova jumped right off the pages of a comic book. The metallic blue costume combined with the gold armor bits is near comic perfection.  The toy sports the modern articulation you've come to expect out of a Marvel Legends figure. I ask for your forgiveness for not posting awesome posed pictures as my creativeness just doesn't seem to work that way.

He even looks good from the backside.

Wait a minute, that didn't come out like I meant it to!

If it weren't for the inclusion of the Groot BAF part I wonder how many people would have bought this figure. Nova isn't the most known character in the Marvel Universe, but I'm so glad Hasbro included him in the Guardians of the Galaxy series. Now let's just hope Nova appears in the next Guardians movie!

Marvel Universe vs. Marvel Legends

New vs. Old
Nova's last Marvel Legends was part of the Walmart exclusive Nemesis Build-A-Figure series

My attempt at humor

Nova Corps