Wednesday 19 November 2014

Vacation Time: San Jose

MARGARET LISS:
A few years ago I scanned all of Dave Sim's notebooks. He had filled 36 notebooks during the years he created the monthly Cerebus series, covering issues #20 to 300, plus the other side items -- like the Epic stories, posters and prints, convention speeches etc. A total of 3,281 notebook pages detailing his creative process. I never really got the time to study the notebooks when I had them. Just did a quick look, scanned them in and sent them back to Dave as soon as possible. So this regular column is a chance for me to look through those scans and highlight some of the more interesting pages.

Well, not quite yet. I'm heading to San Jose (yes, I know the way) in a couple of weeks to watch the Boston Bruins take on the San Jose Sharks. Way back in the late 1980s Dave and Gerhard went to San Jose. Dave took notebook #10, which I have notebook #10 listed as issue #112/113.  There is also some scripting for the Roach tale from AARGH #1 and some ideas for the upcoming Jaka's Story.

And also some "vacation sketches" by Dave.

Notebook #10 page 57: "Sid Vicious Lives", small text "Your name here

Notebook #10 page 58: "San Jose Chic"

Notebook #10 page 57: People relaxing - probably at the hotel pool.
Any requests for any other phonebooks, non-phonebook stories or items from the notebooks you'd like to see? Leave a comment with your request, thanks!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like this particular style of Dave's. It's similar to his 24-hour-comic, "a bigger, blacker kiss" style. Kinda wish he would put out stuff in this style again. It would be faster too!

- Reginald P.

Jeff Seiler said...

Yeah, Reginald, I thought of "Kiss", too, right off the bat. It also reminded me the stle used by whoever did the artwork that went along with a lot of Hunter S. Thompson's work. Was that Thompson himself?

Very "warts-and-all" type art. Instantly, I pictured that sad, pathetic-looking woman perched on Mount Barstool...

Sean R said...

YES! Jeff, that was Ralph Steadman-- just came here to comment on exactly that. These really remind me of Steadman, with a technical pen. I wonder if this is an actual influence on Dave, or whether it's some mutual shared influence? Feiffer crossed with Drucker perhaps?

Tony Dunlop said...

Steadman? Really? I'd say compared to his stuff, these sketches are downright...well, photorealistic...

BTW there's a restaurant, Hell's Kitchen, in downtown Minneapolis with original Steadman work on the walls. Apparently the owner is a real fan, so much so that he has copies of Steadman drawings tattooed on his arms...

Jeff Seiler said...

I've eaten there several times, Tony.

Do u live in the Twin Cities area? I live downtown.

Tony Dunlop said...

I live in Longfellow.

Jeff Seiler said...

Wow! We should get together some time. What comic book emporium do u frequent most? I love the College. Not the *best* shop I've ever been to (Titan Comics, Dallas), but good store and friendly service. Plus, one of them really likes all things Sim-ian.

Tony Dunlop said...

I rarely comix-shop these days. When I do, it's Big Brain, downtown at Washington and 11th(? maybe 10th) or, to fill holes in my collection, The Nostalgia Zone at Lake and 36th. (I recently bought a bunch of Steve Englehart Dr. Stranges ffrom the 70s there. Good stuff!)

Jeff Seiler said...

Yeah, tony, I like the Nostalgia Zone quite a bit, too. Bought a bunch of Doc Savage paperbacks there. That's close to your neighborhood, right?

If u want to meet some time, contact me thru Tim, here, who has my email address.

If u like Nostalgia Zone, you might also like Hugo's bookstore on Chicago.