What If? Vol 1 15

What If? Vol 1 #15 Published July, 1979 Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter Cover Artist Rich Buckler Joe Sinnott Irv Watanabe "What If... Someone Else Had Become Nova?" Writer Marv Wolfman Penciler John Buscema Inker Joe Sinnott Colourist Michele Wolfman Letterer Michael Higgins Irv Watanabe Editor Roy Thomas Marv Wolfman "What If Helen Taylor Had Become Nova?" Penciler Walt Simonson Inker Bob Wiacek Colourist Nel Yomtov "What If Jesse Had Become Nova?" Penciler Carmine Infantino Inker Frank Springer Colourist Roger Slifer "What If Peter Parker Had Become Nova?" Penciler Ross Andru Inker Frank Giacoia "What If a Criminal Had Become Nova?" Penciler George Perez Inker Tom Palmer Previous Issue Next Issue What If? #14 What If? #16

Appearing in "What If... Someone Else Had Become Nova?"

Featured Characters:

• Uatu the Watcher (Host)
• Nova (Earth-616) (Only in flashback)

Supporting Characters:

• Mike Burley (Only in flashback)
• Ginger Jaye (Only in flashback)
• Nova-Prime (Only in flashback)
• Thor (Only in flashback)
• Spider-Man (Only in flashback)
  
  

Synopsis for "What If... Someone Else Had Become Nova?"

Uatu tells the stories of four realities where the power of Nova was randomly given to different people.

Appearing in "What If Helen Taylor Had Become Nova?"

Featured Characters:

• Nova (Helen Taylor)

Supporting Characters:

• Fantastic Four (First appearance)
  • Mr. Fantastic (First appearance)
  • Invisible Girl (First appearance)
  • Human Torch (First appearance)
  • Thing (First appearance)

Antagonists:

• Kingpin (Only appearance; dies)^[1]

Other Characters:

• Sam
• Gannon (Mentioned)
• William DuBrow
• Frank Taylor (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Rhomann Dey

Locations:

• Earth-79715 (Reality)

Items:

• 
  

Vehicles:

• 
  
  
  

Synopsis for "What If Helen Taylor Had Become Nova?"

The power of Nova is given to a vengeful woman determined to find her husband's killer. She goes on a murderous rampage throughout the criminal underworld, finding no leads, until the Fantastic Four manage to defeat her and imprison her in the Negative Zone. Ironically, the killer she was searching for is revealed to have died in a car accident before she even began her quest.

Appearing in "What If Jesse Had Become Nova?"

Featured Characters:

• Nova (Jesse)

Supporting Characters:

• Jesse's cat
• Miss Cathy

Antagonists:

• Skrulls
  • Commandant
  • Blythmerc
  • Sarakar

Other Characters:

• Henry
• Mikey
• Jonathan

Locations:

• Earth-15797 (Reality)

Items:

• 
  

Vehicles:

• 
  
  
  

Synopsis for "What If Jesse Had Become Nova?"

The power of Nova is given to a hobo on an Earth that has no super-powered beings, so he doesn't think to do anything with his powers and continues to wander from place to place exchanging work for hospitality. When Skrulls invade and attempt to abduct Jesse for his hidden power source, he allows himself to be captured only to sacrifice himself to destroy the Skrull invasion fleet.

Appearing in "What If Peter Parker Had Become Nova?"

Featured Characters:

• Nova (Peter Parker)

Supporting Characters:

• Aunt May (Death)
• Uncle Ben (First appearance)
• Betty Brant (First appearance)
• Professor Miles Warren (First appearance)

Antagonists:

• The Burglar (Death)

Other Characters:

• 
  

Locations:

• Earth-51977 (Reality)

Items:

• 
  

Vehicles:

• 
  
  
  

Synopsis for "What If Peter Parker Had Become Nova?"

The spider that bites Peter Parker renders him paralyzed rather than granting him super powers. The news of her nephew's condition is too much for May Parker's weak heart and she dies, leaving Peter with immense guilt. Years later, he randomly receives the power of Nova and is exhilerated by the newfound strength and freedom. He goes to show it to his Uncle Ben, and arrives just in time to deflect a burglar's bullet. The bullet ricochets into the man that fired it, killing him. Though Ben argues it was justifiable self-defense, Peter is distraught that someone else died because of him and immediately abandons the Nova costume.

Appearing in "What If a Criminal Had Become Nova?"

Featured Characters:

• Nova (Only appearance; dies)^[1]

Supporting Characters:

• 
  

Antagonists:

• Doctor Doom (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• The Red Skull (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Sphinx

Other Characters:

• Mr Fantastic (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Invisible Girl (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Human Torch (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Thing (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Scarlet Witch (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Thor (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Valkyrie (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Nighthawk (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Captain Marvel (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Silver Surfer (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Cyclops (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Falcon (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Iron Fist (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Sub-Mariner (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Spider-Man (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Ghost Rider (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Giant-Man (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Ms. Marvel (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Hulk (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Captain America (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Daredevil (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Howard the Duck (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Iron Man (Only appearance; dies)^[1]
• Rohmann Dey (Mentioned) (Deceased)

Locations:

• Earth-97751 (Reality)

Items:

• 
  

Vehicles:

• Nova Prime Ship
  
  

Synopsis for "What If a Criminal Had Become Nova?"

The power of Nova is given to a megalomaniacal criminal, who assembles Doctor Doom, the Red Skull, and Sphinx aboard Rhomann Dey's ship to team up and destroy all of Earth's superheroes. No sooner do the villains succeed than they start to turn on each other over who reigns supreme. In the end, only the Sphinx is left standing and intends to use the ship's computer to find the answer to ending his immortality among Earth's remaining populace, little knowing that he already killed Nova, the one man that held that answer.

Notes

• Cover art: Buckler signs himself Validar.

See Also

• Write your own review of this comic!
• Discuss What If? Vol 1 15 on the forums
• 53 Images from What If? Vol 1 15

Footnotes

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