Nova #1

Malik Tarcel is a former renegade Shi'ar Nova Corps member that lost his membership after he turned on the Corps and stole some of the Nova Force to fuel his own Force, the Shi'ar Force. Malik has been captured by the Watchers and has spent years in their custody. Today, on Xandar, the Nova Corp home planet, Malik stands before the Watchers of the Universe. They have decided to give him another chance. The Watchers of the Universe watch as he recites the oath of the Nova Force. Once the oath is spoken, Malik asks what they have planned for him. One Watcher explains they believe Malik receiving the Force is his chance for redemption and they allow him to leave and only telling him to protect his sector. Egma openly questions the wisdom of this decision. The other Watchers inform him that they are tired of his emotional responses and claim they must be of one mind before attacking him with their mental energies.

In his Boston apartment, Richard Rider is hounded by his landlord for overdue rent. As he looks out the window, Richard notices a woman in the building across the street being threatened. He jumps out his seventh story window, crashes through the window of the woman's apartment, and subdues her attacker. Only then does he look up to see the room filled by a camera crew and realize that the woman and her attacker are actors. Some time later, Lindy Nolan arrives to bail Richard out of jail. She tells him its time to move on with his life and offers Richard a job at Nolan Air. Thinking it over, Richard asks Lindy out on a date.

Elsewhere, Malik has returned to his home planet of Aerie. From orbit, he watches as members of his Shi’ar Corps torture the population. Suddenly, he is attacked by one member who mistakes him for a Nova Corps member. Malik angrily asks him why they were disobeying his command to protect the planet. The corpsman counters that Malik has betrayed them and tries to contact Eric the Red. Before he can reach Eric the Red, Malik strangles him to death.

Back on Earth, Richard and Lindy are dining in a fancy restaurant. Richard tells Lindy he will accept her offer for a job and then says he has something else to ask her, he needs her to co-sign a car lease for him. Lindy throws her drink in his face and stomps off. Richard chases after and tries to apologize, not realizing Lindy was expecting a proposal. Thoroughly mad, Lindy drives off leaving Richard stranded in a growing rainstorm. Soaking wet, Richard finally arrives home only to find an eviction notice attached to his apartment door. The night is not over, however, as Malik is waiting and offers Richard a chance to regain the Nova Force.