User blog:M(G)P/New Nova

I was wondering about the new Nova - Sam Alexander and I have a few points/questions to make and I would love to see your opinions:

1) Does anyone know anything about this guy past the precious little that is on the Wiki?

2) Why didn't they use an established Nova character? I understand that Richard Rider is a) presumed dead (or is he?) b) powerful enough to upset the balance of AvX. However, if these were the reasons, than they could have just as easily used Robbie Rider. He is part of the Nova Corps and is appropriately inexperienced.

3) Is Richard Rider dead? Thanos and Starlord have both reappeared in Avengers Assemble (even if they don't seem to be entirely themselves), so what happened to Nova?

4) Why does Sam operate alone? Where is the rest of the Nova Corps (what little is left of it)? Even without Rider they still exist, don't they?

5) If Richard Rider is gone, so is the Nova Force. So what powers Sam?

6) Why is his uniform black? Could it signify a connection to Garthan Saal, the Dark Nova (or Nova Omega), who resurfaced in War of Kings and seems to have an agenda?