When I talk with people who work in the comics industry, I’ll often ask them where they think we’re going. Will we end up all digital all the time? No digital at all? A mix? Honestly, nobody knows at this point.
Well, one of my very favorite comics is back, this time as a comic strip. And I couldn’t be happier!
NEXUS: THE COMIC STRIP #1
Writer: Mike Baron
Artist: Steve Rude
Publisher: Rude Dude Productions
Cover Price: $1.99
Previously in NEXUS: This is the best place to start. Contains a 4-page retelling of the Origin story! Also includes the original writer’s script, some of the pencils, and other extras only found in the paper edition!
ONE OF THE ALL-TIME BEST COMICS IS BACK
Way back in 1981 (Yes, I’m that old!), a three-issue black-and-white sci-fi miniseries hit the stands called Nexus. And comics would never be the same again.
Granted, Nexus has had something of a bumpy ride since it began, often changing companies and the like, which caused those of us who had discovered this amazing title to pay attention and make sure we followed it. But it was more than worth the effort!
What matters now is that the series is back, and being created by those who brought it to us in the first place. Mike Baron’s intelligent writing matched with Steve Rude’s incredible art make Nexus a must-read for me and many others.
There are twists and turns in these stories that make my head spin in a good way. The characters shine and breathe like few others in comics. And the art … did I mention how incredible the art is?
What’s important to know is that Nexus is really Horatio Hellpop (a perfect example of how Baron and Rude mix serious storytelling with humor), who was granted powers by an alien called the Merk. The dark side to this is that Horatio dreams about mass murderers, and it’s his job to follow up on these dreams by executing these same villains. Horatio is a very good guy, and killing always is difficult for him, but he has to do it.
Horatio’s girlfriend is Sundra Peale, who originally was a spy sent to learn his secrets. She fell in love with him, and the two are one of the best couples in comics, in my opinion.
Entire columns could be written about the wonderful supporting cast in Nexus, including Judah Maccabee (otherwise known as The Hammer of God), his father Dave, manipulating Ursula and her two daughters via Horatio Sheena and Scarlett (long story), merchant Vooper (who resembles Ross Perot), the Heads (decapitated sentients who gained telekinetic powers) and Tyrone, the ruler of Ylum, the planet Nexus operates from. That last character lost a leg and now has a mini-rocket keeping him standing these days. Really!
Baron’s scripts all chock full of energy and magic. I always tries to figure out where a story is going, but I’ve never been able to anticipate what will happen in Nexus. That’s one of the things I love about the series.
Based on how this initial book has been put together, thr magic is back, and I can’t wait for more!
‘THE DUDE’S’ ART
I don’t know of many artists who can make his work pop off the page like Steve Rude (nicknamed “The Dude”) can. It’s dynamic, it’s powerful and it even handles both action and character like few others as well.
His command of alien appearance as well as human expression is truly compelling. It doesn’t matter who is feeling an emotion – we get it and sympathize with them as it happens.
I keep going back to the one word that describe Rude’s artwork – incredible!
THE BOTTOM LINE: Gripping Sci-Fi
Sometimes I’m baffled by high-octane comics that don’t have as big an audience as I believe they should have. It’s true that this series was years ahead of its time, what with continuing storylines and concepts that other sci-fi would examine later. This book could always use more fans supporting it, in my opinion!
So, how to get Nexus: The Comic Strip? You can order the individual strips digitally each month by going to this link. You can get them in paper format by going here. You can also go to comixology.com and subscribe there as well. For more information, you can go to RudeDudeProductions.com. You’ll learn more about what these creators have in store.
Please don’t be daunted by the fact that there has been a good amount of Nexus produced in the past. This first issue gives you all you need to know about Horatio and his friends. If you really get into this series, by all means, go back and read these timeless stories! I’ve read every one of them, and I cherish them all!
Need more powerful sci-fi in your reading diet? Then Nexus is the series for you!
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