FUNDED IN 31 HOURS! TWO GOALS ON THE BOARD (SEE COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS BELOW FOR DETAILS) $65K UNLOCKS A CAMPAIGN-EXCLUSIVE STICKER IN EVERY BOX + VIP REWARD 500 BACKERS UNLOCKS ASK STEVE ANYTHING, LIVE
He dreams of mass murderers. Then he has to kill them. Nexus turns 45 — and WHAT IT IS finally tells the whole story. Unseen art, untold history, one oversized 9×12 volume. New to Nexus? Back now for immediate access to our new Nexus Reading Library.
He dreams of mass murderers. Then he has to kill them.
That's Nexus. It isn't what Capital Comics asked for either.
Before 1981, Mike Baron and Steve Rude pitched Capital a set of short stories about an encyclopedia salesman working a ruined, post-apocalyptic world. Capital passed. Give us a superhero, they said. Make it science fiction. So Baron and Rude came back with Horatio Hellpop, a man who gets headaches from the worst people alive and can't sleep until he's ended them. It should never have worked. It's still going.
The comic was only half of it. The other half never got printed. How two guys made it. Why it almost died more than once. What it cost.
This is Nexus: What It Is! The True Story Behind Mike Baron and Steve Rude's Groundbreaking Comic. One oversized 9 × 12 inch (23 × 30 cm) art book, told by the people who were there.
We're funding the print run right here. Back it and you're the reason it goes to press.
Years ago a major publisher signed on to make this exact book. They never finished a draft. It just sat there. So Steve stopped waiting. He laid out the framework and the chapter basics himself, then brought in a former Dark Horse editor who knew Nexus cold, and she got it back on track. Ten-plus years and a lot of digging later, it's real.
We talked to editors, collaborators, and friends from all across the life of the book. We went back through the drawn scripts, the letters, the clippings, the fan club mailers, the ads, and the art that never made it to press. Some of it has never been in print.
Followed Nexus since 1981? This is the stuff you always wanted.
Over 350+ pages of Nexus history, art, and interviews, from the people who were there
9 × 12 inches (23 × 30 cm), so the art gets room
Printed by a top-tier printer, locked in after the campaign
Discord access and every campaign update
The Nexus Reading Library Card (Digital). Instant download the second you back. It's your link and access code to the Nexus Reading Library, where we're putting the whole run online. Every early book is in there now, and we keep adding toward 105+. You get in early, and you get everything we add. Never read Nexus? Start tonight.
Same pages in every edition. The cover, the signature, the slipcase, and the extras are what change.
One book. Every edition has the same pages. What changes is the cover treatment, the signature, the slipcase, and the extras. Nobody gets less book than anybody else.
Full details live in the Pledge Levels menu, but here's the quick version:
Steve's said it for years: comics changed his life. They gave a kid from Madison, Wisconsin something to believe in. That's why we send books to ComicBooks For Troops, the nonprofit that puts comics into the hands of service members deployed far from home.
This year ComicBooks For Kids gave Steve their 2026 award. He couldn't make it to the ceremony, so his friend Mark Weiss read his speech for him. The line that stuck with us: "You are giving a moment of relief, a spark of imagination, and a reminder that somebody cares."
Here's how you can pay it forward.
Book for the Troops: $20 You don't get this book. A service member does. Twenty bucks covers printing it and getting it there. We box the copies up after the print run, ship them to ComicBooks For Troops, and post the receipt so you can see they landed. You still get the Nexus Reading Library Card, Discord, and every update, so you're in the family either way.
Here Mike and Steve are discussing the next issue of Nexus. (Original caption. Nobody was harmed.)
Steve Rude is the artist who has drawn Nexus since the very first issue in 1981, and the reason this book exists. Eisner and Harvey Award winner, painter, teacher, and every Saturday at 1:30 Arizona time, live on YouTube drawing in front of whoever shows up. This book is his archive opened up: the sketches, the layouts, the rejected covers, the stuff that never left the studio until now.
Mike Baron is the writer who co-created Nexus alongside Steve. Baron built the world, the history, and the voice that made Nexus stand out from everything else on the shelf, and Nexus doesn't exist without him. It only felt right that he gets a place of his own in this book.
We're a small studio, and we're a tribe more than we're a company. Campaigns like this one are how we keep the lights on and keep making the work you love.
When you back this, you're not a customer. You're part of how it gets made. That's the whole point.
$40,000 — Funded. This is the one that matters. Thank you for helping us get this book to press. Everything above it makes the book better — and we'll reveal what's next each time you knock one down.
The book is still in progress, so that May 2027 ship date is our honest best estimate, not a promise carved in stone. We lock in our printer after the campaign. We work with excellent, high quality printers in the USA and Canada.
Estimated Delivery: May 2027
Shipping is collected after the campaign closes, through the pledge manager. We don't guess at shipping up front. These dates are estimates. If anything shifts, you hear it from us first in a backer update.
USA Shipping
For 2026, U.S. shipping will be $15. This reflects the real cost of packing materials, handling time, insurance, and shipping fees, with crowdfunding and credit card processing costs factored in. This helps us ship your books safely and sustainably.
International Shipping
International shipping rates remain unchanged and are calculated by region. All international shipments are sent DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) whenever possible, meaning duties and customs fees are prepaid so your package arrives without surprise charges.
We primarily ship via ePost Global Priority, Global Post, FedEx, and Passport Priority DDP.
Rehoming Orders
Life happens — we get it. If something comes up and you need more time to complete your survey, just let us know. We’re always happy to work with you.
That said, we can only ship rewards after surveys are completed, including payment of shipping. If we don’t hear from you within 90 days after surveys are sent, we’ll make sure your rewards find a good home through ComicBooks for Troops, where they’ll brighten someone’s day.
Survey emails come from [email protected], so please keep an eye out or check your BackerKit account if you don’t see it right away.
After 45 years of Nexus, we’re still here because of you. This book exists because this community exists. Every copy you order keeps the studio running, keeps Steve creating, and keeps this whole thing moving.
So pick your edition, grab your spot, and let’s bring WHAT IT IS! to life together.
We've printed oversized books before, so we know where the hard parts are. The main risks are printing timelines and shipping delays, both of which are outside our control once files are approved. Here's what we do about it: we don't announce a date we haven't confirmed with the printer, and if something slips, you hear it from us first in a backer update. We'd rather tell you a hard truth on time than a nice story late.
This is aPrintopia 2026project 📚 A celebration of books, comics, and graphic novels featuring an amazing lineup of creators crowdfunding together from September 10 – October 1 📅
👀 Explore the Printopia Banners Every project belongs to a banner, so you can discover stories you'll love and creators to follow:
Fantasy: Epic worlds, mythical beasts, and magic systems that defy reality.
Sci-Fi: Futuristic technology, space adventures, and mind-bending science.
Horror & Thriller: Spine-chilling scares, dark mysteries, and high-stakes suspense.
Romance: Heartwarming journeys, passionate bonds, and unforgettable love.
All-Ages: Fun, engaging, and wholesome tales perfect for every generation.
Anthologies & Collections: Curated short stories, diverse art styles, and unique creative voices.
🎁 Printopia Freebies Overview — Check out all the different ways you can get freebies in addition to your pledge rewards!
Banner Digital Zine Freebie — Support 3+ creators per banner to unlock their limited banner digital zine freebie, filled with art, stories, and bonus content from that group’s participants. Collect a new and exciting digital zine from each banner!
Cross-Collab Freebies — Back both projects in a Cross-Collab pair and get freebies from those participating creators (see individual project pages for exact freebie details and unlock requirements).
Sci-Fi
📡 This project is part of the SCI-FI banner
Eight Printopia 2026 creators teamed up under the SCI-FI banner — comics, novels, a novella, an audiobook, a zine, and the true story behind a comic that broke the rules in 1981. Hard SF, science fantasy, and one book that isn't fiction at all.
Back 3+ SCI-FI projects and you unlock the SCI-FI Digital Zine
An exclusive PDF the eight of us built together around this year's theme, Transmission. Artwork, short fiction, and a one-page RPG. Delivered after the event.
You're already here for one of us. Go see who else is on this frequency.
