Keith Giffen, Nexus issue 23 page 17 (First 1986)

I picked up a few interesting Nexus items recently. While this is issue 23, chronologically the events depicted follow those of issue 6. This is a flash back to when Horatio, Judah and Norbert (the Badger) first went to the bowl-shaped world.

This issue "False Prophets" was published in March of 1986 and was the first Nexus issue not drawn by Steve Rude (not counting back up stories). The Dude had been penciling every issue since the black & white number 1 in January 1981 and, with his aim of meticulous perfect storytelling, was increasingly unable to meet the monthly publishing requirement. With issue 23 began a run of interesting substitutes, the first of which was Keith Giffen. Giffen's grittier style was quite a change from the Dude's Kirby like penciling, but it works well within the story line of grubby travelers.

The story fills in some gaps from the first bowl-shaped world visit, and finds the three journeyers mistaken by a native tribe as the prophesied "Heroes of Legend" and feted as Gods. As usual, each person has their own reaction to being a God, with Horatio being the most uncomfortable. The bowl-shaped world journeys were nothing if not tests of inner character under stressful situations.

Ultimately, of course, new travelers arrive and the natives realize that our subjects are false prophets, as is depicted on this page with three "new Gods." We then see that this is an endless cycle of arrival, mistaken worship, disillusionment and then rejection (or in this case, cooking and eating them). Our heroes battle the new false Gods, and after killing them escape and find a portal exit to return home.

I first saw this page on eBay more than 10 years ago and always regretted passing it up, so I am pleased to have a second chance to add it.