In the final issue of his self-published Glamourpuss, Dave Sim included an essay reflecting on the end of the series, and the possible end of his professional involvement with comics. The reaction online was widespread, and soon turned to a discussion of the future of Sim's earlier work, Cerebus.
On a comments thread at TCJ.com, Fantagraphics co-publisher Kim
Thompson expressed his potential interest in republishing some of Sim's Cerebus material.
Sim, arguably the most iconic self-publisher in
comics history, responded to that 'open offer' in a lengthy article at TCJ.com, and indicated his willingness to negotiate with Kim on a possible publishing deal for Cerebus,
albeit in the public forum of the comments section at the TCJ.com
website. Got all that? Now read on for highlights from the latest
postings...
JEET HEER:
It really seems like the discussion has gone off the rails, so perhaps it would be useful to return to some first principles.
It really seems like the discussion has gone off the rails, so perhaps it would be useful to return to some first principles.
- An archival Cerebus project would be great to have whether from Fantagraphics for another publisher...
- As a matter of good negotiating strategy, Gary is exactly right that you guys should settle the big questions (format, terms, which books to reprint).
- I’m not sure what Kim had in mind in terms of contextual material but I would think it wouldn’t be the type of historical background available in the Annie books, the Carl Barks library, the Floyd Gottfredson library, the Rip Kirby books etc...
- I’m not sure what the point of all the political discussions we’re having here is... But if we think about it, there is no necessity for politics and publishing to be in alignment in this way...
- For that matter critics and other readers don’t have to be in sympathy with a writer’s politics to enjoy it, especially if we are talking about a work of imaginative literature. Simply as a matter of fact, a critic or historian or analyst can be fair to an artist despite ideological disagreement...
- ...I suspect that if Cerebus doesn’t have the audience Dave Sim would like, it’s not primarily because of politics. It may very well be because of format and accessibility...
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