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Comic book artist Steve Rude will put his acclaimed comic-book series “Nexus,” which he creates with writer Mike Baron, on hiatus following the conclusion of the “Space Opera” storyline.

As announced in an e-mail from Rude Dude Productions, Rude will focus on gallery paintings and continue to put out books in trade paperback format every few years. Though readers may be at the end of new “Nexus” for now, it’s easier than ever to catch up on the original series.

Rude Dude recently reprinted “Nexus: Origin,” the Eisner Award-winning origin of Nexus, a man in the year 2814, plagued by nightmares of mass-murderers. Nexus, given powers by a mysterious force, is compelled to find these killers and execute them. The original adventures of “Nexus” will be released in an affordable black-and-white format this month. “Nexus: As It Happened” Vol. 1 reprints seven issues of “Nexus”: Vol. 1, 1-3, and Vol. 2, 1-4.

Eight hardcover volumes of “Nexus” have been released by Dark Horse Comics, with the ninth scheduled for August.

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