The city of Tokyo is synonymous with the cyberpunk genre. Author William Gibson cited the aesthetics and culture of 1980s Tokyo as the primary influence on his novel, Neuromancer. This makes it all that odder that the Blade Runner franchise (which drew from the same influences) has never utilized the city of Tokyo. Titan Comics plans to address that oversight, with a new series, Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus.
Set in 2015 — four years before the original film — the comic will center around two soldiers, Stix and Mead. Stix is a combat model Replicant. Mead is a battle-hardened Marine. The two travel to Tokyo, in search of a traitor to their unit who left them to die. This leads them to start a detective agency, as a cover for their private manhunt. It also leads them into a three-way battle between the Tyrell Corporation, a rival corporation called Cheshire, and the Yakuza.
Three unlettered pages from Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus #1 can be viewed below.
The Creative Team Behind Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus
TItan Comics has been publishing books based on the setting since 2019. They have been acclaimed by fans of the franchise, as well as comic book critics. The new series will team veteran Blade Runner writer Mellow Brown with up-and-coming author Kianna Shore, and Cable artist Rodolfo Taibo.
The first issue of Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus will also feature a number of covers by various artists. Fan favorite Christian Ward will be producing the main cover. Other covers will be provided by Paul Pope, Andy Belanger, Mariano Taibo, and Fernando Dagnino.
All of these finished variant covers, except the Paul Pope one, can be viewed below.
Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus #1 arrives on-line and in comic shops everywhere on July 31. 2024.
