Beyond the Big 2: Sept 2008 Vootie!

by Matt

I love going through the Previews magazine every month. I spend hours going through every page, reading every solicitation and I usually find something that piques my interest. Each month I try to pick up a new book that is NOT part of the "Big 2". Here are a couple of new books that I am giving a try in November from the September 2008 Previews.





I apologize for the lateness of this column but I have a good excuse! It was bound to happen. This month, for the first time in months, I do not have a new series that I am going to try out. So instead I am going to pimp a book that is one of my all-time favorites. NEXUS!

NEXUS ARCHIVES VOLUME #8
By Mike Baron (W) • Steve Rude and Paul Smith (A)
Published by Dark Horse Comics
49.95
Product Code SEP080029
The landmark Nexus/Badger crossover concludes! 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 artificial black 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.

I discovered Nexus later when Dark Horse took over as publisher and I immediately fell in love with the book. Nexus combines science fiction, social problems and political science along with a dash of super heroics. Nexus receives his God-like powers from an entity called the Merk. The Merk then requires Nexus to seek out and execute human mass murderers and killers. Nexus would know who the next target was with dreams that would become stronger and stronger until he fulfilled his duty. Nexus formed a lunar refuge, called Ylum where he would take those he rescued (if he felt they were in danger) but he would not lead them. Nexus has a colorful cast of supporting characters that become friends of his and leaders of Ylum. I highly recommend this series, it is far more than what I described. You get to see what happens when Nexus decides to confront the Merk, and what happens when Nexus decides that he cannot kill anyone and be haunted with dreams if he doesn't sleep. You also get to see Ylum become an increasing power in the universe. Nexus also does not suffer from having to stay in the status quo, you never know where the story is heading and what Nexus will do.

I know that it is hard to plunk down fifty bucks to try out this series and I wish Dark Horse would also reprint this series in their fantastic Omnibus series of trades. I do highly recommend this series but if you want to try just a taste of Nexus, I recommend purchasing Nexus: The Origin and trying out that issue. You can purchase it online here.







I get all my comics, trades and hard covers through Mailordercomics.com. Click on the banner below and you visit their site and you can order these books (and anything else from the September Previews) at huge discounts.




I'll see you next month with some more picks. Make sure you check out my other new column Beyond the Big 2: Preview Review where I will be reviewing picks that I made in earlier columns. Last time I reviewed No Hero #0, Modern Masters Vol 18: John Romita Jr and the first X Omnibus. You can also find reviews for Freddie & Me: Coming of Age, Charlatan Ball #1 and Fluffy here.