When the last surviving member of the planet Xandar's elite Nova Corps, Rhomann Dey is dying he selects New York high school student Richard Rider to replace him. Rider is given the helmet and powers of a Nova Centurion but little instruction on how to use them. Calling himself Nova, Rider becomes a superhero, fighting costumed supervillains such as Condor, Powerhouse, Diamondhead, the Corruptor, and the Sphinx. He initially hides his identity, but later reveals it to his family.
