6 Thoughts on Thanos Imperative #6

WARNING: That image right below may spoil The Thanos Imperative #6 for you (hopefully it didn’t already…sorry).

But anyhow, that my friends, is what I call a sendoff.


Some quick thoughts on what went down, since you knew I was gonna have some:

1. Did I know this was coming? Yeah, for a little while now, though not the full details. Why not? Because…

2. …even though my job in comics requires me to more or less know what’s going on and what’s ahead when it comes to Marvel, I do try to keep some suspense and avoid advance knowledge when I come, particularly in regard to my favorite character. Thus…

3. …no, I don’t know what’s next for Nova (if anything). However, the fan in me would reckon you can’t get much more ambiguous than that ending, and were I a betting man, I’d say we haven’t seen the last of the Human Rocket and that return’s gonna be a doozy.

4. If that was it, like I said, what a way to go. If you’re a fan of a character and they’re going to make the ultimate sacrifice, you can’t ask for much better than what Nova got. Willingly putting it all on the line for not just the universe, not just the galaxy, but all of reality. Not facing oblivion alone, but with one of your best buddies by your side. Literally laughing in the face of the living embodiment of death, quipping right down to your last moment. My boy got better treatment in his “demise” than a lot of characters get when they’re alive and kicking.

5. It was if nothing else an appropriate capper to the recent renaissance of Nova under the collective pen of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. Keith Giffen made Rich Rider one of the coolest heroes in the Marvel Universe a few years ago when he had him rip Annihilus’ guts out, and DnA bookended it with the average kid from Queens charging guns blazing Butch and Sundance style with Star-Lord at no less than Thanos himself as the world crumbled around them. In the interim, Nova got to ascend to the A-list, getting the kind of visibility he’s never before. People who never who he was or just liked his costume dig the character now—or just like his costume even more—and for a life-long fan like me, you can’t ask for much more. I’m so grateful and thrilled with what Dan and Andy have done that it feels write for them to be able to close out their chapter definitively.

6. If you’re like me and you still need your monthly Nova fix, make sure you’re picking up Paul Tobin’s Marvel Adventures Super Heroes!