Steve Rude

Finally collected in a deluxe hardcover: the complete adventures of Jet Powers, hero of the cult sci-fi comics by legendary artist Bob Powell in which the Captain of Science battles the diabolical Mr. Sinn. Collects stories from Jet Powers #1#4 and The American Air Forces. Introduction by Steve Rude (Nexus) and essay by James Vance and John Wooley.

<p>The true-life story of Playboy centerfold Suzie Owens serves as the source for the inspirational origin tale of Flaxen, America's newest super-glamour gal. From her "real" identity as a nurse lacking in looks and self-confidence through her transformation into the most powerful pinup in the nation, Flaxen is a woman of the nineties. Witness her incredible metamorphosis, not unlike the real-life tale of Suzie herself.</p>

Horatio Hellpop has been chosen to be the conscience of his race: haunted by dreams of mass murderers, as Nexus he is forced to seek the killers out and assassinate them. His superpowers, granted by an ancient alien and derived from the stars, are almost limitless, but they are his only because he dreams and then kills. And, while the men and women he destroys are guilty of crimes against humanity, sometimes the effects of their deaths can threaten a world -- or Nexus' fragile peace of mind. Here are the first five issues of the original Nexus color stories, collected for the first time with new material by creators Mike Baron and Steve Rude.

Who is Nexus? Galactic assassin or planetary savior? A unique scientific phenomenon, or an awesome source of power to be controlled and exploited? The man called Nexus is these things and more. Fueled by the force of raging suns, driven by tortured dreams of murder and vengeance, Nexus hunts the ruthless killers in the universe -- while hoping to someday find the peace he craves. Now a close encounter with a black hole strands Nexus on a bizarre alien world where he must overcome dangers both mental and physical -- and come face-to-face with the most psychotic superhero of all: The Badger!

When Nexus and his buddy Dave journey to Dave's home planet in search of long-lost friends, they find that things have changed for the worse since their last visit: the once-thriving world has been ravaged by pollution and famine that seem to be spreading from a mysterious factory. Is this merely another case of industry run amuck, or do ancient Thune legends of a planet-devouring creature somehow figure into the picture? All this plus one big, four-armed surprise, courtesy of writer Mike Baron, penciller/cover artist Steve Rude, inker Gary Martin, and colorist Nöelle Giddings!

In the second issue of this new miniseries, the Merk -- the alien source of Horatio's powers as Nexus -- decides to commission four new Nexi from four different species. Unfortunately, it turns out they're almost as crazy as the Merk, and they immediately set off to fry everyone on their own personal hit lists! Meanwhile, Ursula Imada's political machinations take an increasingly lethal turn, Horatio and Sundra stop by the Crystal Ballroom to change history, several old friends (and enemies) resurface, and Sundra cuts her hair!

After his alien Nexi were thoroughly trounced, the ever-madder Merk commissioned four new human Nexi -- who, of course, have also turned out to be complete psychos and are leaving trails of fusion-induced death behind them. Now it's up to Horatio, Sundra, and their fun-loving pal Judah "Hammer of God" Maccabee to stop these stellar scourges and get rid of the Merk. It's a titanic task, but our hardy heroes do have a little help from a friend -- one who bears a striking resemblance to the Merk!

When Nexus and his buddy Dave journey to Dave's home planet in search of long-lost friends, they find that things have changed for the worse since their last visit: the once-thriving world has been ravaged by pollution and famine that seem to be spreading from a mysterious factory. Is this merely another case of industry run amuck, or do ancient Thune legends of a planet-devouring creature somehow figure into the picture?

On the distant moon of Ylum, an enigmatic man is plagued by nightmares. He is forced to dream of the past. He dreams of real-life butchers and tyrants, and what they have done. And then he finds them, and kills them. The year is 2841, and this man is Nexus, a godlike figure who acts as judge, jury, and executioner for the vile criminals who appear in his dreams. He claims to kill in self-defense, but why? Where do the visions come from, and where did he get his powers? Though a hero to many, does he have any real moral code? These are but some of the questions that reporter Sundra Peale hopes to have answered. Collecting Nexus #1-3 (Vol. 1., black and white) and Nexus #1-4 (Vol. 2, full color), from Capital Comics.

In this second volume of the acclaimed and multiple Eisner Award-winning series, reluctant vigilante Nexus-AKA Horatio Hellpop-sets out with the gregarious warrior Judah Maccabee for a drinking man's tour of the galaxy. They are soon waylaid when Judah, well past the legal blood-alcohol limit for operating a spacecraft, gets the pair sucked into a black hole! But instead of meeting their untimely end, they meet Ö the Badger?! Meanwhile, back on the moon Ylum, the plot thickens with mysterious ruins, a coerced presidential election, and Ursula X. X. Imada's relentless espionage. The last thing this refugee population needs while Nexus is out of commission is the reappearance of mass murderer Claudius the Slaver, and guess who's coming for dinner! • Printed on high-quality paper stock, and features a new painted cover by Steve Rude. • Collects issues #5 and #6 of Nexus Volume 2 from Capital Comics and issues #7 through #11 of Nexus Volume 2 from First Comics.

This latest collection of the landmark sci-fi series re-presents the original Nexus issues twelve through eighteen from First Comics-an indispensable storyline in the history of Horatio Hellpop's plagued existence. Wracked by inescapable, visceral nightmares of the grave misdeeds of his next targets, the executioner Nexus turns to the only solution he can-a life-threatening procedure that places an implant in his brain! This implant will prevent the dreams that Horatio has endured for years, but at what price? His behavior changes, and the ensuing emotional isolation pushes Sundra and her booming solar sailcraft business back to Mars. Spy Ursula X. X. Imada resurfaces with Horatio's twin daughters, and Clonezone the Hilariator is up to his usual mischief and misadventures! This collection also features a story about the Hammer, Judah Maccabee, illustrated by the famed Oz artist Eric Shanower. • Relive the series that defined the careers of both Steve Rude and Mike Baron, collected in a handsome hardcover format for the first time. • A multiple Eisner Award-winning series that defined the careers of acclaimed creators • Printed on high-quality paper stock, and features a new painted cover by Steve Rude. • Collects issues #12-18 from Volume 3 (First Comics).

Every once in a while a creation appears that both reinvents and epitomizes its genre. 1981 marked the beginning of such an event with the first issue of Nexus, a playful adventure series that paid homage to the best of classic science fiction while introducing an unforgettable antihero. Countless readers around the world followed his action-packed exploits over the next two decades, visiting alien realms and fascinating creatures through the wit and verve of his youthful creators. Dark Horse invites you to relive the series that defined the careers of both Steve Rude and Mike Baron, collected in a hardcover format for the first time. In this volume, Sundra discovers the source of Nexus' powers and the cause of his headaches-the Merk is revealed! Space pirates pillage Ylum's orbital community, and the Sovs declare war, but Nexus is without his powers . . . so the Heads create the most devastating weapon in the galaxy. • This handsome archive collects issues nineteen through twenty-five of Nexus volume II, originally published by First Comics.

In this volume, the enigmatic executioner meets his match in the evil Clayborn. If that weren't enough, Horatio's uncle, a religious anti-technology zealot, arrives on the moon of Ylum with the mission of destroying the Gravity Well-the same well that Ursula X. X. Imada, spy and mother to Horatio's twin daughters, hopes will soon suck in the 400 billion people of the Web! Uncle Lathe incites a riot and has his eye on a deadly, Head-designed battle cruiser to further his crusade. Judah takes on the task of training Scarlett, Nexus's extremely powerful young daughter, and Dave and Nexus travel to the library at Alexandria . . . in 47 B.C.! Plus, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola kicks off a series of stories with guest artists, including Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Rick Veitch, Jackson Guice, and more. Vootie! * A multiple Eisner Award-winning series that defined the careers of acclaimed creators Steve Rude and Mike Baron, Nexus is a modern classic not to be missed.

Ylum shakes with the Merk's rage! Nexus sent Gucci-trained Quatro assassins Kreed and Sinclair to do his work of killing mass-murderers, but since then they've butchered over three thousand people in pursuit of two hundred! Now afflicted with a Quatro disease that will not allow them to stop, the pair are demolishing Mars and Nexus must intervene before the planet's authorities go nuclear. Sundra joins an intrigue in the Crystal Ballroom's library, Nexus infiltrates a Chernenko prison, and the "young" chairperson of the Central Committee-Konstantin-escapes captivity with Clausius the Slaver. Meanwhile, General Loomis's daughters plot their revenge! * This next handsome book in the series presents issues 33 through 39 of Nexus Volume 2, originally published by First Comics in 1987 and long out of print. Scanned from the original film and personally checked by artist Steve Rude, this hardcover is a Nexus fan's dream. * A multiple Eisner Award-winning series that defined the careers of acclaimed creators Steve Rude and Mike Baron, Nexus is a modern classic not to be missed.

The Merk is restless, dissatisfied with Nexus's performance as champion and executioner since the massacre on Mars. The fallout from that incident is just beginning: Of the two Quatros responsible, Sinclair has disappeared, and Kreed is being tracked by two Gucci assassins hired by the Martian government. The Merk now psychically reaches out to Michana--the youngest daughter of the late General Loomis, bent on revenge. Nexus doesn't have the luxury of worrying about any of this, though . . . the artificial black hole known as the Gravity Well is on the verge of collapse, which endangers the entire solar system! He and Judah Maccabee set out to appeal to the one creature who can manipulate black holes . . . Ashram, resident of the Bowl-Shaped World. The only time the duo encountered this strange world, they were with the likewise bizarre Badger! And speak of the devil . . .

Horatio, Judah, and the Badger have survived their reentry of the Bowl-Shaped World. As they head from outer rim to inner city, the threat that prompted this journey worsens: the Gravity Well is nearing collapse. The Web's population is evacuating in a panic, hoping to escape the artificialblack hole. By the time this installment of Baron and Rude's celebrated sci-fi series comes to a close, the desperate trio will fight a powerful, fusionkasting tyrant in mortal combat, Kreed the Quatro will be sentenced to death for the Mars massacre, and Horatio will hang up the Nexus mantle once and for all! A multiple Eisner Award-winning series that defined the careers of acclaimed creators Steve Rude and Mike Baron, Nexus is a modern classic not to be missed. * Collecting issues 47 to 52 of Nexus Vol. Two and issue #1 of the Next Nexus miniseries, wherein we learn what the vengeful Loomis sisters have been up to.

Horatio has resigned his duties as Nexus, and the Merk has reassigned them . . . but to the Loomis sisters, who have been out for vengeance ever since Horatio assassinated their father. However, the staggering power that comes with being fusionkasters corrupts quickly, and Lonnie is so unnerved by her sisters' homicidal behavior that she escapes to the planet Procyon -- home to none other than the always-scheming Ursula X. X. Imada and her and Horatio's twin daughters, Scarlett and Sheena. And when Sundra learns that Stacy and Michana are gunning for Horatio with Nexus powers, she decides to kill the Merk and damn the consequences . . . even if that means dooming Ylum. * Collecting issues #53 to #57 of Nexus Vol. II and issues #2 to #4 of the Next Nexus miniseries.

History professor Stanislaus Korivitsky has been chosen by the Merk to inherit the role of Nexus, fusionkasting executioner of mass murderers. Far saner than his predecessors, Stacy and Michana Loomis, Stan immediately kills his first target and then sets off for A.J. Cronin -- megalomaniacal CEO of a massively influential (and less than ethical) multiplanetary company, the Scorporation. But when A.J.’s terrifying single-mindedness outlives his own body, Stan, Horatio, and Sundra will face off with an unstoppable hunter/killer in a high-speed subzero chase . . . and if they survive, the antitechnology zealots of the Elvonic Order have a serious bone to pick with the new Nexus. * Collects Nexus vol. 2 #58-#65, originally published by First Comics.