Steve Rude, Nexus issue 20 splash (First 1986)

I took the opportunity at OAX 2026 to get a number of Nexus pages signed by Steve Rude. It was great to see Steve there, be able to speak to him and watch him paint a large superman on the moon piece.

This is one of the pages I had Steve sign. While there, someone asked me to explain what Nexus was about - I was actually flabbergasted and sputtered a few words out before collecting my thoughts. It would be hard to summarize any series of over 100 issues done over four decades, but the depth and quality of Nexus is especially hard. Baron calls it a "space opera," which is a good a start as any. I mentioned the art as a cross between Kirby and Space Ghost, which also provides a view of the allocation between action and silliness present - there is a lot of humor in a series about an executioner killing serial killers.

But ultimately Nexus is about how life is lived, and the constant interruption of critical issues breaking one's ability to move life forward. Much in the way the Simpsons covered so much ground it has predicted many future events, so does Nexus anticipate themes of critical importance in the 21st Century.

Issue 20 starts off a cycle of revenge, immigration overload, slavery and the lure of power. I post a second page now which picks up these themes.