Not Added Avengers: Saving the Day

In 2011, Marvel Comics partnered with Visa for a custom branded comic Avengers: Saving the Day #1 featuring Sam Alexander as Nova teaming up with the Avengers. The comic was released online and in print in 8 different languages as part of Visa’s Practical Money Skills financial education program. Over 100,000 copies were published and distributed for free in anticipation of the first Avengers movie released the following Spring. The comic features artwork by Andrea Di Vito, who took over as regular artist on Richard Rider’s Nova series in 2009. In 2014, Marvel Comics released the comic book again through their digital comics subscription service Marvel Unlimited.

At the time of this issue’s original release, the Sam Alexander version of Nova was still a brand new character, having just debuted in Point One #1. It may even pre-date his television debut in the animated series Ultimate Spider-Man.

In Avengers: Saving the Day #1, Nova appeared on 15 pages. Nova teamed up with the Avengers to stop a mysterious series of bank robberies. To avoid detection at the next bank to be targeted, Giant-Man used his Pym Particles to shrink the entire team down. As they waited, Nova asked the Avengers for advice on what to get his sister for her birthday. Their conversation was interrupted by the Mole Man and a group of subterranean monsters attacking the bank. Nova and the Avengers sprung into action while also telling Nova about banking and budgeting. Nova used a still-shrunken Hulk to knock the last of Mole Man’s monsters out. Some months later, after budgeting and saving up money, Sam took his sister out to dinner for her birthday.

Intentionally using versions of the Avengers similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Saving the Day #1 didn’t fit into the comic book 616 universe of the time. So this will be added to a future overhaul of the Alternate Realities section.

Many thanks to Doug Smith at the excellent Nova Prime Page for tipping me off to this appearance.