Conference paper about Nexus

[Sir Tim Drake]

http://www.angelfire.com/comics/cbr/Nexus_essay.doc

I presented this paper (http://www.angelfire.com/comics/cbr/Nexus_essay.doc) at the University of Florida's 2007 English Graduate Organization conference. As far as I know, this is the first scholarly paper anyone has ever written about Nexus, though it's really more about comics authorship, using Nexus as an example or case study. I might eventually try to publish this paper or another paper incorporating some of the same research.

Any thoughts?

(EDIT: Somehow the link doesn't work when I click on it, but it does work when I type it into my browser. Weird.)

[Sir Tim Drake]

Here's a link that will work: http://www.angelfire.com/comics/cbr/nexus.html

[Roquefort Raider]

Good job, Aaron, and covering a character worthy of wider recognition. It was however brave of you to select a comic-book character that happens to be a serial killer, as that is such an easy target for stereotyping from a non-comic reading crowd.

There are many teams where the mutual influence of writer and artist were clearly synergistic, and the limit of each one's input hard to define. One that I find very intriguing (even if it's been rehashed to death) is the Claremont-Byrne duo during its X-Men days. Most readers agree that these two men, working together, produced some of the finest comics of the latter 20th century; however, to hear them talk about the period (well, mostly Byrne, really) you get the impression that each half of the duo saw the other as something of an impediment.

The team I found the most amazingly integrated was the Sim and Gerhard pair on Cerebus. Granted, the writer (Sim) also took care of the storytelling and of drawing the characters, but the backgrounds (supplied by Gerhard) meshed flawlessly with Sim's work; and given the importance that mood and lighting had on the series, this is far more than a case of simply filling out the back of the pictures.

[Sir Tim Drake]

Oops -- I accidentally hit "edit" instead of "quote" when I was responding to your post. I tried to restore the post to its original condition. Sorry if I changed it by accident.

Good job, Aaron, and covering a character worthy of wider recognition. It was however brave of you to select a comic-book character that happens to be a serial killer, as that is such an easy target for stereotyping from a non-comic reading crowd.

I tried to read that part of the paper in a funny tone of voice, so as to make it sound humorous rather than terrible (although it's both at once, really).

There are many teams where the mutual influence of writer and artist were clearly synergistic, and the limit of each one's input hard to define. One that I find very intriguing (even if it's been rehashed to death) is the Claremont-Byrne duo during its X-Men days. Most readers agree that these two men, working together, produced some of the finest comics of the latter 20th century; however, to hear them talk about the period (well, mostly Byrne, really) you get the impression that each half of the duo saw the other as something of an impediment.

Interesting. There are lots of examples of productive collaborations between people who didn't like each other very much -- and really, neither Claremont nor Byrne seem like the most likable of people. I wonder if the mutual dislike results in a heightening of the creative energy, maybe because each partner is trying to outdo the other. This is worth thinking about more.

The team I found the most amazingly integrated was the Sim and Gerhard pair on Cerebus. Granted, the writer (Sim) also took care of the storytelling and of drawing the characters, but the backgrounds (supplied by Gerhard) meshed flawlessly with Sim's work; and given the importance that mood and lighting had on the series, this is far more than a case of simply filling out the back of the pictures.

They were a pretty unique collaboration. There are probably other cases of pencilers and inkers who worked quite closely together, but Gerhard was much more than an inker.

[Roquefort Raider]

I wonder if the mutual dislike results in a heightening of the creative energy, maybe because each partner is trying to outdo the other.

The case of Lennon and McCartney comes to mind, although I never read their comics.

[founder81]

Congratulations.

You are awesome. Yes, I am biased since you used Nexus as your basis.

I will read the paper when I have more time, but I fear it's going to be over my head.

I'm sure this will be mentioned mutliple times, but Kirby/Lee FF is another example of where you can't tell who thought of what.

[Aaron King]

I'd have liked to see you wax academic about how, after Rude left the book, a new person was appointed Nexus. It seems to support your Rude/Horatio connection and, I believe, is referenced in one of the text pieces at the back of an issue: someone (Paul Smith? Mike Baron?) talked about the entire genesis, right?

I had never thought about the creator/character parallels in Nexus, but having just met Steve Rude at Fallcon, I could easily see him falling into a zag-consuming depression if he was deprived of his fusion-drawing powers. "The Dude is a melancholy guy," he said.

[Sir Tim Drake]

I'd have liked to see you wax academic about how, after Rude left the book, a new person was appointed Nexus. It seems to support your Rude/Horatio connection and, I believe, is referenced in one of the text pieces at the back of an issue: someone (Paul Smith? Mike Baron?) talked about the entire genesis, right?

Yeah, that's a good point I didn't think of. Perhaps I didn't think of it because I've only read a few of the issues with Stan as Nexus, and I don't enjoy those issues nearly as much as the ones drawn by Rude.

Does anyone know which issue included that text piece?

I had never thought about the creator/character parallels in Nexus, but having just met Steve Rude at Fallcon, I could easily see him falling into a zag-consuming depression if he was deprived of his fusion-drawing powers. "The Dude is a melancholy guy," he said.

Heh. That fits well with my impression of him. In what context did he say that?

[Sir Tim Drake]

Congratulations.

You are awesome. Yes, I am biased since you used Nexus as your basis.

I will read the paper when I have more time, but I fear it's going to be over my head.

I'm sure this will be mentioned mutliple times, but Kirby/Lee FF is another example of where you can't tell who thought of what.

Lee and Kirby are the key example of collaborative authorship in mainstream comics. What's interesting is not just their actual creative practice, but the way that fans talk about it. As we all know, there are endless debates about which of them deserves more credit, which one of them was the primary auteur (As far as I can tell, the current majority opinion among hardcore fans is that it was Kirby.) But why are people so emotionally invested in this debate?

[Aaron King]

I just scoured every issue of Nexus I have past #28 for the piece I was talking about. I could've sworn it was a little text piece that was included in lieu of "What It Is," but I couldn't find it. I even checked my Next Nexus TPB... I'll continue looking on Thursday when I have a bit more time, but basically it was about how Baron wanted to take Nexus down a certain path that would end in ruin and didn't want to do it with Horatio. Then a new artist came on and suggested they make a new Nexus for the story so that Horatio would still be intact.

As for Rude's melancholy comment, he had a "philosophy hour" in the conference room and was talking about how everyone has inborn faculties and traits. His included drawing and a certain pessimism or sadness. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't just go singing through life.

[Sir Tim Drake]

I just scoured every issue of Nexus I have past #28 for the piece I was talking about. I could've sworn it was a little text piece that was included in lieu of "What It Is," but I couldn't find it. I even checked my Next Nexus TPB... I'll continue looking on Thursday when I have a bit more time, but basically it was about how Baron wanted to take Nexus down a certain path that would end in ruin and didn't want to do it with Horatio. Then a new artist came on and suggested they make a new Nexus for the story so that Horatio would still be intact.

You didn't have to go to all that trouble, but thanks for trying! Now that I know what the text piece says, I'll be on the lookout for it.

As for Rude's melancholy comment, he had a "philosophy hour" in the conference room and was talking about how everyone has inborn faculties and traits. His included drawing and a certain pessimism or sadness. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't just go singing through life.

A "philosophy hour"? Was it just Rude who did this, or did they ask various other guests to talk about their philosophy?

[Aaron King]

Here's the full story on my Steve Rude Experience--

Prelude: I was browsing at his table at the convention... only his wife was present, which disappointed me a little, but I was entranced by the various sketchbooks for sale. Looking through one, I felt this huge presence behind me. "Is that the one with the rabbits and hippos in it?" I turned around to view this crazily tall skinny guy behind me. "Most people put half-naked women in their sketchbooks. Only the Dude draws rabbits and hippos." This was the first time I'd met Steve Rude.

The Panel: In the con schedule it was billed as a career retrospective of Rude's 20-some years in the business. I came in a few minutes late to find Rude standing on the floor (leaning up against the stage) with a microphone in hand... and no moderators or the like present. "That about brings me up through my childhood," he said. He went on to talk about his entire belief system, his penchant for making up words, and so many other crazy things. "The smart ones'll have to keep up here... and the dumb ones'll have to keep up, too." His Wisconsin accent was familiar but I never expected it from him. He talked about how his real name was Steve Rude and backtracked to say that his real name was Knudson. Then he waxed nostalgia about how his son was the last of the Rudes.

The End: The hour ended and the inkers for the next panel, "Without a Trace," came in. "Looks like I have to go," the Dude said, "but if anyone wants to keep talking philosophy, I'll be down at my table. I'm off in the corner."

I wish I'd written down all the crazy things he'd said. I believe he referred to one of the X-Files protagonists as "Agent No-Neck." I have no idea who he was talking about.