Publishers Weekly
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In the second volume of Dark Horse's reprint series, we see Nexus, the intergalactic executioner of mass murderers, ending up in a black hole with his hard-drinking friend Judah and dealing with teenage killers. Baron's scripting balances humor, philosophy and emotion by creating a supporting cast that's just as fascinating as the eponymous hero. The final story doesn't even feature Nexus that much. It's just Judah and a bunch of disembodied heads up against a space pirate, a story as exciting and funny as the tales preceding it. Baron's imagination and wit go along perfectly with Rude's superior draftsmanship. Rude is one of genre comics' finest artists, and every page features his mastery of figure drawing, panel structure and line work. He creates a sleek and elegant look for both explosive action sequences and small character moments. Perfectly melding the elements of humor, high adventure and stunning artwork, Nexus feels like the continuation of the great newspaper adventure strips of the mid-20th century, with a larger than life feeling to match. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Nexus is Horatio Hellpop, a young man who grew up in isolation after his parents fled to a planet filled with mysterious technology. As he matures, he begins to have unbearable nightmares that drive him to kill mass murderers-of whom this galaxy has an endless supply. A flashback reveals how Nexus's first dream compelled him to kill his own father, and this larger-than-life tale takes off from there. In the present day, reporter/spy Sundra Peale comes to write a story about Nexus, now a godlike but mysterious celebrity, and ends up helping him liberate thousands of decapitated, telepathic heads, collected by the slaver Clausius to power his plans of domination. Space opera at its finest, the initial story line spins off into a dozen other plot threads, fueling this book's original 100-issue run in the '80s and '90s. Baron's sweeping yet quirky stories recall Alfred Bester, Heinlein and Sturgeon. Rude, one of the most accomplished comics artists of his era, captures nuances of tragedy, comedy and everything in between. Although these earliest issues have rocky moments, like those other writer/artist duos Lee/Kirby and Morrison/Quitely, the Baron/Rude team surpasses anything they have done separately, and Nexus is a masterwork deserving the archive treatment. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Horatio Hellpop's terrible dreams of the galaxy's mass murderers will destroy him unless he eliminates their cause-so he becomes the dreaded Nexus, and uses his mysterious fusion powers to kill the killers. An intensely private figure, he lives on the moon of Ylum with a variety of political refugees he has rescued during his grim errands. When journalist Sundra Peale arrives on Ylum intent upon learning Nexus's secrets, she is drawn into his world far more strongly than she had planned. This hardcover collects the series' inaugural episodes from the early 1980s. The first stories, in black-and-white, are somewhat crude but inventive, introducing the bizarre use of networked, telekinetic amputated heads in jars as a power source. The bright full colors of the later stories contribute to a partial lightening in tone, as Rude's artwork quickly matures (gaining a look reminiscent of Russ Manning's Magnus, Robot Fighter), and Baron adds some comic relief. The supporting cast-including Judah the Hammer, a boisterous, apelike "independent adjudicator" who models his exploits after Nexus's-begin to come into their own. Winner of multiple Eisner Awards, this series is recommended for teen and adult fans of science fiction adventure. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

In the 1983-85 issues collected here, sf-based superhero comic Nexus began to hit its stride. Scripter Baron's plotlines shucked off standard space operatics and grew wildly original, while his dialogue achieved the archness he had aimed for earlier. Rude's artwork became sleeker and more confident, his storytelling more accomplished. In these tales, Nexus and friend Judah Maccabee embark on a drinking tour of the galaxy, and Judah drunkenly steers their ship into a black hole. Stranded on a bowl-shaped artificial world, they meet another of Baron's creations, the Badger, a costumed crime fighter with a strange but entertaining multiple-personality disorder. Meanwhile, back on Nexus' home world, Ylum, a presidential campaign is underway, and intergalactic spy Ursula seeks out the secret of Nexus' vast power. After returning to Ylum, Nexus considers risking an operation to release him from dreams compelling him to execute intergalactic mass murderers, and Judah sets off into space again in pursuit of Claudius the Slaver. It may sound rather ponderous, but Baron's deft humor enlivens things considerably. --Gordon Flagg Copyright 2006 Booklist

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Sf-based superhero Nexus was one of the initial successes of the early-1980s independent comics movement. Raised on a distant a moon, Nexus is haunted by dreams of intergalactic mass murderers that become so unbearable that he is compelled to use his godlike powers to seek out and kill the culprits. The first stories of the reluctant vigilante, reprinted here, show how he acquired his dreadful curse and his abilities, and introduce his supporting cast: girlfriend Sundra Peale, trusted friend Dave, and Dave's son, Judah Maccabee. These early efforts by Nexus' then-young creators are a bit rough. Baron's dialogue can be unironically melodramatic, and Rude's style, an amalgam of classic magazine illustration and superheroic dynamism, has yet to acquire its appealing sleekness. But their powerful concept, which propelled the series for two decades, is firmly in place. Despite a loyal cult following, Nexus was never a huge popular favorite. Perhaps this lavish showcase of the character's earliest exploits sets the stage for a revival. --Gordon Flagg Copyright 2005 Booklist

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Nexus brings one of the longest-lasting independent superhero comics to the novel format. Ylum, the world from which Nexus operates, takes in evacuees from a planet eaten by Gourmandu, a creature somewhat fashioned on Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s Galactus of Fantastic Four fame. It comes complete with Gnosis, a gold-plated, cosmic motorcycle-riding herald, who is sympathetic to victims but is a victim himself. Baron expands his canvas from a focus on the heroes to various well-rounded supporting characters with responsibilities on Ylum. For 500 years, Nexus has been hunting down and executing serial killers across the galaxy. On a mission in New York City, he comes across two young killers who are especially troublesome. The decisions he makes in the course of the story will affect how he confronts the impossible being that is Gourmandu. The writing style is inventive, madcap, and fast-paced, with enough pop culture references from all over the universe that for every one you get, there’s a dozen you missed. A loyal fan base will welcome this book.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

These 1987 stories see intergalactic executioner Nexus overcome family loyalties to confront his uncle, who leads an antitechnology cult, then journey to the planet Guccis for a gathering of interplanetary assassins; get involved, against his better judgment, in a rebel uprising; and--in his most daring act--defy his ex, Ursula, by sneaking onto her planet to visit his twin daughters. Unfortunately, original Nexus artist Steve Rude disappears after two of the seven issues collected here, and although the various guest artist replacements, including a pre- Hellboy Mike Mignola, are game, they only confirm how integral Rude's sleek illustrations are to the series' distinctiveness. --Gordon Flagg Copyright 2007 Booklist