Nexus by Steve Rude

This year was not only a challenging one for artist Steve Rude, but it also marked the 30th anniversary of his and Mike Baron’s Nexus. So it’s great that it is ending with a bit of good news for the artist — Dark Horse Comics announced this week that the Eisner Award-winning duo will bring their popular creation back to comics next May in Dark Horse Presents #12.

“Nexus has never been a stranger to different publishers. Last seen under the Rude Dude banner in 2009, Nexus has stayed in limbo, never quite knowing when to return, or if he ever would return. Things come together in strange ways. With the backing of Mike Richardson of Dark Horse Comics, Nexus will return to comics,” Rude said in a press release. “We especially look forward to the response of Nexus’s devoted fans, and thank them for the wonderful support and encouragement they’ve given us since the book’s debut in 1981!”

Nexus was first published in 1981 by Capital Comics. Since then, it’s been published by First Comics, Dark Horse and Rude’s own Rude Dude Productions. Dark Horse has collected most of the material in several archive editions.

Courtesy of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

Prices of Steve Rude’s artwork have been reduced in an effort to raise money for bail and legal fees following his arrest late Monday in what’s characterized as a dispute with neighbors.

“Steve has had a back and forth with the neighbors for quite some time now that started over their barking dogs,” states a message on Rude’s website titled “Help Bail the Dude Out.” “Last night Steve got hauled in.”

While details are scant, the Maricopa County (Arizona) Sheriff’s Office lists the Nexus co-creator as being held on charges of assault and failure to comply with a court order.

Rude’s art auctions can be viewed on his website and on eBay.

Update (Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 6:50 a.m. PT): Rude’s wife Jaynelle wrote last night on his Facebook page that he was able to post bail, but that they’re still in need of financial assistance: “Now we have to pay for the legal counsel so he doesn’t end up back doing hard time for trying to keep his sanity. All he wants is to be left alone to create his art, not harassed by people who call the police on our kids because a frisbee ended up in their yard.”

The news last week about the return of First Comics makes me happier than it has any right to. Although I haven’t read an incredible amount of the publishers’ 1980s/1990s output–which included a couple of gems, which I have read: American Flagg! Nexus! Those two alone feel like they should earn First a place in most comic lovers’ hearts–the publisher holds a weird place in my heart for being, I’m pretty convinced, the first American indie publisher I ever bought a comic from, way back when.

Even stranger, that comic was the third issue of a crossover series–the only crossover series I think First ever did, in fact? They were, after all, a publisher that specialized in creator-owned books, so it wasn’t like there was much of a shared universe going on on a regular basis–that featured two characters I knew absolutely nothing about. So, why did I buy Crossroads #3, starring Luther Ironheart (Robot cop from Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg!) and Mike Baron’s Badger? Well, because it just looked kind of awesome.

The cover that so impressed me at age 13

Okay, there was a little more to it than that. My memory is fuzzy, because I was only about 13 or 14 when this happened, but I seem to remember picking up the issue in Futureshock, my local(ish) comic store–and suddenly any Scots of a certain age are nodding their heads in agreement, remembering the small, cramped store with stacks and stacks of random comics on shelves with little-to-no order or reason whatsoever–because I loved the cover (A Steve Rude painting, although I don’t think I even knew who Rude was at that point; I just thought it was a cool image, and that the two characters looked like fun), and because I had read something in some fanzine somewhere that said that Badger had been created by Mike Baron, whose Flash run at the time was proving to exert a curious fascination for me (One that, even years later, I can’t quite work out whether I actually liked it or not. But I did pick up every issue). I remember reading it excitedly –New characters! New publisher! I was branching out!–and enjoying it, but apparently not enough to go and pick up any other Badger comics; to this day, I’ve never read an issue of any solo Badger title, something that I still kind of regret.

(American Flagg!, as I said, I have read, but even that came years later, and through a curiosity about Chaykin and whether the series stood up to the hype; it really does, if you’re curious.)

Like I said, I really haven’t read enough of First’s comics to really have any idea of their place in comics history, but that issue of Crossroads got me to pick up some Nexus–don’t ask me how that worked–as well as some Dreadstar, E-Man and even some Classics Illustrated (Kyle Baker’s Cyrano De Bergerac is still one of my favorite comics), and from those, I ended up having this idea of First as a wonderful magpie publisher, picking up gems of books from other publishers and giving them a home and place to thrive –or, at least, exist. There wasn’t necessarily a connective thread between the books other than their being good, but somehow, that was enough, you know? I have an enormous amount of goodwill toward First Comics as a company and, maybe, as a concept as well; I have no idea what to expect from the reborn version of the publisher, but if it ends up being as winningly random and utterly fun as the original, it feels like a welcome addition to an increasingly conservative comics industry. Here’s hoping there’s an audience out there for it.

Nexus: As It Happened

The numbers for the last two books are in and they don’t look good. We have been told that Nexus: As it Happened V1 will reach Diamond by the 9th which should be in time for the 13th in stores date. Around June 16th we will receive our Diamond order for 101/102.

Steve has only the cover to 101/102 to complete then the artwork is complete for all of the books as he inadvertently did the trade paperback cover before the 101/102 cover.

Steve is then turning his focus to gallery paintings. Steve is a brilliant artist and we’ve been living hand to mouth for the past 3 years. Losing over $5,000 in the last 2 printings we have been unable to pay our mortgage have have no desire to lose our house.

Steve does plan to continue in comics putting out a book direct to trade every few years and using gallery painting as a means to finance his comic endeavors.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us by ordering commissions or purchasing artwork.

Nexus, co-created by Rude with writer Mike Baron, first appeared in 1981 and has been published over the years by Capital, First Comics and Dark Horse. Rude started self-publishing Nexus in 2006, with issues 99 and 100 of the series.

Blogger John Jakala shares his reaction to the news:

It bums me out to think of a dedicated comic pro losing money and not being able to pay his mortgage due to pursuing his dream of putting out comics. Luckily, Rude is able to support himself through other means, but it’s a bummer to think that an incredible talent and industry legend like Rude isn’t able to make a living via comics. I don’t know if self-publishing was part of the problem, if that made it less likely for fans and retailers to see or order his work if it wasn’t up at the front of the Previews catalog under one of the major comic publishers?

Jakala suggests heading over to Rude’s website and purchasing some Nexus comics, which sounds like a fine idea to me.

R.E.B.E.L.S. #3

Tony Bedard is a writer I’ve interviewed several times regarding various projects over the years. I greatly enjoyed his work years ago with CrossGen and since then I’ve often viewed a project more favorably if I found his name was attached. So when I heard he had a new ongoing series for DC, R.E.B.E.L.S. (core concept: Vril Dox [Brainiac 2] recruits a team to regain control of his L.E.G.I.O.N. police force), I contacted him for an email interview. This Wednesday, April 15, marks the release of the third issue in the series. (A preview of the first issue is available from DC here.)

Tim O’Shea: The first issue opens with a reference from the Encyclopedia Galactica, a nod to past incarnations of Legion books (as well as the works of Isaac Asimov and Douglas Adams). When launching a new series that references the past but wants to make its own mark in the present (while telling tales from the future) how careful does a writer need to be in referencing the past with certain aspects while giving readers a fresh twist?

Tony Bedard: I want R.E.B.E.L.S. to be completely accessible to a new reader, and yet I want it to be loaded with references and “Easter eggs” for readers who are familiar with Legion lore. I guess the trick is not to make those bits essential to understanding the story. They’re in there as a bonus (and, yeah, the encyclopedia caption is a total homage to LSH stories of the past) but they’re not the point of the book. We’re just telling a fast and furious space saga, and everyone’s invited to join us.

O’Shea: As judged by the first two issues, you’re taking your time in building the team’s roster. Too often some series rush to get the whole cast set in the first issue or two, without allowing the creative team to experiment with the dynamics of characters. How did you come to the decision to set the pacing (in terms of cast building) as you have? Was there any editorial discussion or concerns on the pacing?

Bedard: From the start, I wanted to do a gradual building of the team so that we could get a chance to meet each character and get a sense of who they are. That structure also seemed to make sense since there’s a mystery for Vril Dox to unravel: the identity of his new foe. But I won’t take too long – the complete team is together by issue 4.

O’Shea: Many discussions about this book are quickly followed by a mention of your past fanbase built through the CrossGen Negation series. Some writers do well writing space adventures, while other series can falter once the characters leave the Earth, why do you think you are so successful in writing space adventures?

Bedard: Well, I know Negation worked because we had a real collaboration on the creative team. Penciler Paul Pelletier, inker Dave Meikis and colorists James Rochelle and Wil Quintana all contributed vital ideas and enthusiasm to the mix. It also helped that we got to build the book from the ground up. I later wrote a 6-issue stint on LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES that met with mixed reactions, but that was on a long-running book that people already have strong opinions about, and I wasn’t really supposed to change much before the new writer took over. So, not the best circumstances. Now, on R.E.B.E.L.S., I can essentially start from the beginning and go wherever I want, and the results are closer to what we had going on Negation. Most importantly, I’m working with Andy Clarke, an absolutely astounding artist who is going to be a major star in the industry.

O’Shea: How did you decide to incorporate the Omega Men in the story?

Bedard: That was actually suggested by editorial. We took a look at some of DC’s other cosmic characters to see who we could sweep up in our tale, and the Omega Men made sense. They have history with Vril Dox and they started out as cosmic freedom fighters, which fits the direction of our saga. Plus, they are just plain fun characters.

O’Shea: What are you enjoying most about the collaboration with Andy Clarke–can you point to a scene that you wrote that was improved beyond your initial intentions thanks to Clarke’s art?

Bedard: Almost every scene he draws comes back better than I envisioned it! Mostly it comes down to the wonderfully subtle expressions he gives people. The scene in Starhaven was one that surprised me with how well he brought that place to life. Loved the opening scene to issue #1, as well. I keep printouts of Andy’s pages that I show to friends and colleagues all the time…like baby pictures.

O’Shea: Is issue 2, Wildstar’s eyes are so seemingly wise and weary at the same time, was that a request you gave for Clarke is this something he added to the character?

Bedard: That’s a perfect example of the x-factor Andy brings to the book. When you write a script, you hope the artist will breathe that sort of life into the characters, but you’re not always sure. I have supreme confidence with Andy that he’ll deliver that level of subtlety and impact.

O’Shea: Am I correct in thinking this is the first series you’ve launched (from relative scratch) at DC? How daunting and/or exciting is that for you?

Bedard: I guess it is my first ongoing launch at DC (and hopefully not my last!). So far, I’ve either inherited books from madly talented people like Gail Simone and Mark Waid, or I’ve filled in for short stints on books where I couldn’t really make my mark. So this is a very welcome opportunity, as I feel like DC readers still haven’t seen my best work.

O’Shea: Issue 4 features art by Claude St. Aubin and Scott Hanna, will Andy be getting breaks every few issues or what is the long-term plan for the series (feel free to ignore this question, if you want)?

Bedard: Andy is a meticulous artist, but the downside of that is that he is not the fastest guy out there. That’s fine by me – I’ll wait for his work. But in the meantime we have a monthly book to put out, so in Claude we’ve found a penciler who can really do the book justice and maintain the high level of detail and expressiveness that Andy delivers. But let’s make no mistake, Andy is still our principal artist, and he’s on the book for the long haul. That said, Claude is no slouch, and he’s turning in the best work of his career.

O’Shea: I like your use of humor in the series–can you discuss some of your humor influences?

Bedard: I think a lot of it goes back to Mike Baron and his series Nexus and Badger – two of my all-time faves. They taught me that when you laugh with a character, they become real to you. I had a lot of humor in Negation, too, and a book like R.E.B.E.L.S. provides lots of opportunity for very grim humor, which is often the best kind.

O’Shea: Would you say trust (or a lack of it) is at the heart of this series?

Bedard: Hunh, there’s a thought. See, I don’t think anyone trusts Vril Dox for long. They’d be foolish to. And yet they’re counting on him to save the day. Maybe that’s what drives the book: that nobody trusts each other, and yet they are forced to rely on one another. It’s a situation rife with conflict and conflicted feelings.

O’Shea: Care to give a hint to readers of what surprises you have coming up in future issues?

Bedard: We’ll soon find out who the big baddie is who stole L.E.G.I.O.N. from Dox, and it’s much bigger than anything Dox expects. We’ll also check in with Dox’s son (the villain from the original R.E.B.E.L.S. series).

O’Shea: Who has been the most challenging character to write for you so far? I ask that, as I find in many instances the hardest “voice” to find ends up being one of the strongest cast members.

Bedard: I haven’t felt a great deal of difficulty yet, but the character I’m still looking for a voice for is Bounder, who shows up in issue #3. I’ll nail it down, once I have a moment to focus on him.

O’Shea: What do you think R.E.B.E.L.S. offers to potential readers?

Bedard: In an age dominated by crossovers and publishing events, DC offers a handful of books like Jonah Hex and Secret Six that stand on their own, driven by a heartfelt creative vision. I hope readers will find R.E.B.E.L.S. is like that, because it’s totally a labor of love for myself and Andy (and Claude!).