By Steve Rude and Mike Baron The day has at last dawned on the return of Nexus. The best heroic fantasy adventure series of the 1980s and 1990s, featuring what is arguably the greatest science fiction super hero of all time, Nexus is back! This issue is, technically, the 99th issue of Nexus, but it is best thought of as the first chapter of the latest in an illustrious line of limited series that are, for all intents and purposes, graphic novellas broken up into chapters. The depth of the wonderfully complex cast of characters as well as each individual characterization is unique in the history of heroic fantasy, and the back story is an epoch spanning galactic history in the grand tradition of classic science fiction, making the total package a truly essential comic book experience.
One of the very few notable achievements made during the 1980 & 90s in heroic fantasy comics, in Nexus Baron & Rude created a wholly original concept and proceeded to put together one of the most elaborate and fully fleshed out comics universes, one that is both fully engaging on its own terms, but that also allegorically corresponds to the history of the twentieth century in many instances – particularly where totalitarianism is concerned. This 424 page edition collects the rare three issue original black & white run published by the short-lived Capital Comics Imprint, and then the first eleven issues of the full color series, the first six issues of which were published by Capital Comics, before handing the series off to the (then) newly formed First Comics, who published the remainder of the original 80 issue run, after which point Dark Horse Comics took over. If you've ever been curious about this series, now is the time to check it out. Volume 2 is already on the schedule for April 2013, so there's plenty of SF flavored heroic fantasy on its way; and Rude's steadily improves along the way, as Nexus slowly but surely develops into a one of a kind epic.
This 424 page full color softcover collects the entirety of 14 consecutive issues – #12 - #25 – of the one and only Nexus, arguably the best classic science fiction heroic fantasy comic book series of the last thirty years. These are the issues where the Nexus backstory is built up and up-to-then-secret origin is revealed. Also introduced in these pages are General Loomis and his daughters, who came to be known as the Loomis sisters and went on to play a large part in the long running Nexus saga, which continues to this day. With one or two exceptions, all the Nexus stories are pencilled by Rude, who is relaly on a roll here. Also included are the numerous "Tales of Clonezone" back-up short stories scripted by Baron, most of which have art by Mark Nelson. Anyone who enjoys heroic fantasy, should give Nexus a try, and these value priced omnibus editions are the best way to do so.
