Friday 28 August 2015

Weekly Update #97: The Great Cerebus Back-Issues Give Away!


The warehouse where the back issues of Cerebus have been stored is closing. So, if you are willing to drive to Leamington, Ontario, you can hang out with Dave and get pretty much as many copies of as many issues of Cerebus as you want, for free. More details in future updates.

UPDATE
The giveaway of Cerebus back-issues has been scheduled for October 23rd, 24th, and 25th in Leamington, Ontario. Dave has reserved a block of rooms for Cerebus fans at the Comfort Inn in Leamington. To register for one of the rooms in the block, call the Comfort Inn at 519 326 9071 and cite the name of the event: CEREBUS 2015. Book now!

THE LEAMINGTON WAREHOUSE CEREBUS INVENTORY

35 comments:

DJ said...

I'm there!

Tim said...

That's very generous. I wish I could, but I'm in the UK, and I'm only missing the 2nd printing of 165. Would it be possible to ship to the UK? Id pay of course. I suspect the answer is No. Email me at tkp1978 at outlook.com. Cheers, Tim

Jason W. said...

I might be able to make it. Depends on the specific date.

Really need to look now and see which issues I'm missing.

Anthony Kuchar said...

I live in (relatively local) Niagara, and I would love to volunteer!

Zidders Roofurry said...

I wish I lived near! :(

Sandeep Atwal said...

I think people outside the area who want to get some copies will probably be accommodated in some way....

Anonymous said...

I'd be willing to drive from New York and collect copies for people.

Dave Philpott said...

Count me in! If anybody wants to ride along I will be driving from Detroit area.

Anonymous said...

Funnily enough, the ones I would be most anxious to have ...

#90 (My first time reading the comic)

#100 (My first letter)

#266 (Another letter and a great stand-alone story that I've given away to people as a taste of the books' humor), and

#300 (Dave mentioning me joining the Army after his persuasive essays about the War on Terror)

... are all gone!

Anyone going with an eye toward getting new people hooked on Cerebus and familiar with his world (or looking to do so themselves) would do well to grab copies of the Biweekly comics.

#91 (Cerebus and the Glowing White Strange Thing) in another fun story that stands up well on its own. It is bound to make people wonder what in the world is going on, but be sucked in by the sense of intrigue. Well worth sharing or hunting down for yourself.

#289/290 is Dave's third and final take on a Creation story. A masterpiece. It won't shed much light on the overall narrative but it does offer a rich, multi-layered take on what MIGHT have occurred at the birth of the universe, as well as a sense of the search for truth that served as the foundation of the book.

I wish I could afford to go, if only to see what all those comics look like in one place!


--Claude Flowers

Jeff Seiler said...

Dave, you asked for suggestions as to what to do with the landfill copies...

Schools and libraries. You know I've pushed that for many years. Most middle and high schools would be very happy for their classrooms to receive such donations, especially in bulk, where the kids could get individual copies.

Plus, if someone wanted to get really industrious, he could slap a Cerebus Downloads sticker on every giveaway copy. Talk about a captive audience.

Remember, a few years back, I donated multiple copies of Cerebus to the crazy Canadian lady's classroom. And, she and I did that seminar presentation together, on using comics in the classroom.

As to the adult-audience content, you may recall that you could search the archive of letters to find the one I wrote to you several years ago which details exactly what adult content is in which issues. Then take those issues out of the donation pile, at least for schools. Libraries really don't mind the filthy stuff, I've found. Maybe that's why the sexy librarian fantasy is so popular...

Anyway, that's my suggestion. Schools and libraries.

Unknown said...

Hi Dave
Very sorry to hear about the problem.

although it is a bit of a drive from Burlington. depending on the day and how much advanced time to plan I could try and make it.

and god (which ever one you want) willing your hand will be ok.

Glen

Glen said...

Once you have a time and day in mind for the "Great Cerebus Back Issue Give-Away" you need to advertise. There's probably quite a few comic book shops in Toronto, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Kitchener/Waterloo, Windsor, and Detroit that would love to get there hands on some back issues. Not to mention collectors in those areas.

Placing an ad on Kijiji website under "collectables" might be a good place to start and it's FREE.

Steve said...

And for all you fans out there hoarding your extra issues of Cerebus, just waiting for the market tide to turn in your favor:

DUMP 'EM NOW!!

Phil S said...

I live in Toronto, I would be happy to come down and help organize and go through the issues.

As for an idea for where to distribute some of these, there is a library near me in Toronto called the Lillian H Smith library. It hosts the The Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy, which "is a non-circulating research collection of over 72,000 items of science fiction, fantasy and speculative fiction, as well as magic realism, experimental writing and some materials in 'fringe' areas such as parapsychology, UFOs, Atlantean legends etc."

Have been into it many times and it is very impressive - graphic novels, tons of books, manuscripts, etc. I have to think they would be very interested in a collection of Cerebus issues. I can certainly pop in and ask them.

Veggiedogsaturn said...

Long time fan and comic book retailer who would love to get copies to pass out to new readers at my store! If you're letting people know the specific date (or dates) when sorting help is needed please keep me posted by emailing me at veggiedogsaturn@gmail.com
Thanks!
Jason

bignothing00 said...

i'm very interested in helping here.
there's more than a few issues i'd like to get for myself and a fellow devotee and some for my boss Tim Simms who has been a great supporter of CEREBUS throughout the years with his shop UNICORN COMICS ( now WORLDS COLLIDE)
i'd love to come Thurs or Friday this week. the 3-4th and help sort for a bit before i away with my prizes.
please let me know if this is possible.
brian annan
bignothing00@gmail.com

Jeff Seiler said...

FREE COMICS!!!

It brings everyone out of the wood work!

And that's a good thing!!!

Phil S.? The Lillian H. Smith is my new favorite library of all time.

Jason, or veggiedogsaturn, and Brian, or bignothing00, Dave is gonna love you guys!

Steve, I've got a really good deal on some back issues, if you're interested...

And, finally, Sgt. Claude, or is it Major by now(?), nice ta see ya again!


Travis Pelkie said...

Ooh. I doubt I'd be able to get there (I'd need a passport, right?), but 225 is the one issue of the last 200 that I still haven't laid hands on. Hope someone who is going can get one to me somehow! I'll have to check and see what other biweekly issues I need, too!

CerebusTV said...

Why not a weekly release via select retail outlets, with appropriate PR, like Menachem's Escape Pod? Just a thought on how to support Dave's Off White expenses, which by the looks of those eaves, are mounting due to disrepair!

Anonymous said...

Just a quick scan and it looks to me like that is over 60,000 comic books. Even if those books are worth only a buck each, that is over $60,000.00 being given away. Mind you, probably a daunting task to try to sell all of those issues, but still.

- Reginald P.

Sandeep Atwal said...

Lots of great ideas here. I don't think any of us wants to see even one copy sent to a landfill. I think we can make sure that's not the case. Stay tuned for more updates...

Jim Sheridan said...

Send bundles to stores for Free Comics Day. Maybe a number of readers could be responsible for the transaction. As an example, I'd be happy to send Dave the fee for postage and I'd give him the address of my local comics store. On Free Comics Day, they could offer back issues of Cerebus for free.

Patrick Lemaire said...

I live in France but I'd love to get them all. I consider Dave Sim one the three best comics writers of all time (along with Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman). The correspondence issues 217-220 are a highlight.
Anyway, if someone plans to come to Paris...

Wasted Genius Comedy said...

I have a complete set - but would be more than willing to help (volunteer) with loading, picking, boxing, coffee slinging, or anything else that would be helpful.

It's a quick flight to Detroit and a drive down so no problem for me. Just need dates - and a confirmation that I would be helpful!

Unknown said...

My suggestion though a little bit of work - would be to pull 1 copy of every issue available from #91 to #299 and maybe sign a couple issues and then list the set as is on ebay starting at one penny and let the bidders pay for this. You could list this set every week over and over again. Who knows what price you might get for 200 issues? Lets just say $200.00 - if you sold a set a week for the next 10 weeks that would bring in $2,000.00 possible revenue.
OR do a buy it now and make about 50 sets available with some autographs
and let people pick off the remainders of whats left after those 50 sets
Good luck Dave !!
I'm in Saskatchewan so I dont think i can get there but wish I could.

Unknown said...

This is just nuts!!!! If you want to make a real event out of it let me know and I'll set it up so some bands play! I have friends in Chatham Ont. so I'm going to work towards being there (with our without a guitar!)....as for your critter problem... MOTHBALLS!!!! Trapping an animal and taking the away from their home just makes them race back once released....making it an environment they don't want to be in gest them to leave on their own. Two dollars worth of moth balls can solve your problem! I've used that trick to get squirrels out of my attic and even worse racoons out of my chimney!!!! Trust me it works!

Don Alsafi said...

Might be willing to drive from Chicago (about 5 hours?) to pick up as many as could take. Will watch for details!

Unknown said...

i live too far i'm in MD but i can pay shipping :)

Mike Rhode said...

I've just spoken with Randy Scott at Michigan State University's Comic Art Collection. Their collection of Cerebus is listed at http://magic.lib.msu.edu/search~S23/?searchtype=Y&searcharg=cerebus&searchscope=23&sortdropdown=-&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBMIT=Search&searchlimits Note that they have a complete set of Cerebus, and he's been working on overseas foreign language editions lately.

Randy needs just a few issues and would love it if someone would consider picking up 2 copies each of these, and mailing them to him. He can pay postage. He can be reached at

The Library needs: Cerebus Bi-Weekly 7, 8, 10-15, 17, 19, 21.
A complete set of Church & State Bi-Weekly.
A complete set of Hi Society Bi-Weekly.


Mike Rhode said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mike Rhode said...

scottr at msu.edu is his email.

Unknown said...

I live in the area and would love to volunteer to help out, depending on when you plan on having the event.
I will keep an eye out for updates but please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance.

-Craig Cap
Enatcap@gmail.com

Tim Grimm said...

CEREBUS is a series I always wanted to get in on but was way late to the table. I'd love to have one copy of each of these. Unfortunately, I live in Seattle. I'd love it if there'd be a way to get these comics out to those of us who want them but live far away.

Tim Grimm said...

After thinking about it a bit longer, I could possible fly back east to visit my family in western Pennsylvania and drive up from there. I'd volunteer to help with the sorting and whatnot. I'd like to get 1 to 3 copies of each issue, one to keep and one or two to sell to help defray travel expenses.

I look forward to hearing more info in terms of dates, times, etc.

Love your work Dave!

Unknown said...

Hey everyone, I'll be posting regularly about this on twitter and facebook, you can also email me at cerebusonline@gmail.com if you have any questions! There was a question about time, pretty much anytime Friday should be fine, Dave should be in Leamington about 6pm Friday. Looking forward to seeing anyone who can make it! Thanks!

- Sandeep Atwal