Daughter of Palnu

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.

Dave Sim's 12th notebook contains 108 pages, 98 of which I scanned, and 4 pages blank pages not scanned (pages 94, 95/96 and 97). It covers issues #118 to 122, the early issues of Jaka's Story. Throughout this portion of Jaka's Story, we see young Jaka with Nurse, with one memorable incident happening at the park with Thunder, the magic pony.

On pages 22 though 24 of notebook #12, Dave sketches out another picture of young Jaka's time at the park. A peaceful moment sitting on a park bench with nurse:

Notebook #12, page 22

It looks like they are both sitting there looking at Thunder.

Notebook #12, page 23

The next page shows Dave sketching out how the page would look, with them on the park bench looking at Thunder, the story text to the right hand side.  There are also some quotes, none of which look familiar other then than the "practicing art without a license".  I do like the "the radiant joy one feels of the creation of something splendid is merely the muse travering one's soul...lingers but her passing is exquisite."

Notebook #12, page 24

The next page shows the same scene, nurse and Jaka sitting while looking at Thunder, but this time nurse appears to be knitting. Dave also lists some items that could make up the story of young Jaka.

As this scene of Jaka and nurse sitting on the park bench looking at the wooden horse didn't seem familar to me, I looked though Jaka's Story in hopes of finding it. I did not. If you know where it is, please tell us in the comments. However, I'm thinking it was Dave just trying out some ideas that he didn't put to use.