Nexus
Capitol Comics #'s 1-3
First Comics #'s 4-80
Dark Horse #'s 81-98 (don't get confused, these are the limited series, but if you read the fine print, you'll see)

Redeeming Qualities

Mike Baron and Steve Rude weave a fantastic Sci-Fi tale.   The story and art work together effortlessly.   Horatio is neither heartless nor evil, but filled with compassion and the reader gets to feel it.   Each character is a complete person with their own personality and flaws.   Each issue can be enjoyed seperately while adding to the whole of the Nexus Saga.   At no point does Mike Baron forget Nexus is just a person, Horatio Hellpop, who is mortal and flawed like the rest of us.

Plot Synopsis

Nexus is the story of Horatio Hellpop and the people of Ylum.   Horatio is known throughout the galaxy as Nexus, the executioner of Mass Murders.   For some however he is known as Liberator.   He is not an evil man, nor does he like or condone violence.   This is interesting given his "occupation."   He has taken refugees when he feels it is needed.   Some of his earliest refugees were Dave and Tyrone.   Dave has become Horatio's closest friend and confident.   Tyrone decided that the people of Ylum, all refugees, should have a say in the development of Ylum and formed a democratic government, but has always given Horatio a large determining factor in everything.

The Web is Earth and allied planets.   They don't like Nexus due to the fact he has a mysterious form of energy and they are having energy problems.   Sundra Peale, a spy, is sent to Ylum.   Sundra however falls in love with Horatio and defects.   Upon learning this, The Web sends Ursula x.x. Imada, for lack of a better term - a super spy, to bring back Sundra and learn Nexus's secret.   Ursula does just that.   She captures Sundra and sends her back to Earth, but waits for Nexus.

Nexus was off performing one of his executions and meets (what is the last main character) Judah the Hammer.   Upon performing the task, they head back to Ylum and learn Sundra was captured.   Ursula volunteers her services to help Sundra, Horatio does not know Ursula is the one who captured Sundra.   They head to Earth.   On the way to earth Ursula seduces Horatio, which leads to the birth of Horatio's twin daughters.   Upon reaching Earth, the President refuses to let Sundra go.   Nexus breaks her out and leaves Earth and the Web behind.

The following stories explore life on Ylum and Horatio's feelings towards being an executioner.   Horatio gets dreams of the ones he's supposed to execute.   If he ignores the dreams he gets bad headaches.   Sundra and Dave want to know what gives him these dreams.   They find their answer in the form of a giant sleeping alien in deep within the planet, the Merk.   This alien sees itself as the conscience of the human race and decides which murders Nexus goes after.   This creature is also the source of Nexus's power, Fusion Casting.

While Sundra and Dave make their discoveries, Horatio becomes depressed and a bum.   He is "rehabilitated" by two little alien visions he has not seen since a child.   They get him back in shape, physically and mentally to his task as Nexus.   Nexus's duties lead to Gravity Well.   Gravity well is a Web sponsored project to produce energy from a Black Hole, but the project is dangerous and the 1st prototype has already caused a black hole to implode taking the nearby (inhabited) worlds with it.   This gains the attention of the Merk and Nexus must execute the men involved.   The men include General Loomis and the President of the Web.   Nexus goes after General Loomis at the Gravity Well station itself.   Nexus goes as Horatio Hellpop, a scientist.   At the same time, eco-terrorists attack the station and Gen Loomis.   Horatio helps defend the station and the General.   After the attack the General realizes who Horatio is and what he's here for, but before he's executed, the he says he has three daughters and Horatio promises they will be looked after.   Then the General is executed.   When his daughters find out, all three swear revenge on Nexus and work nonstop to find the power to destroy him.

When Nexus goes after the president, Nexus does all he can NOT to kill the troops the president sends to stop him.

MORE TO COME SOON

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