Thursday 6 August 2015

Cerebus Vol 3: Church & State I ~ Remastered Edition

Cerebus Vol 3: Church & State I (Remastered Edition)
by Dave Sim & Gerhard
Aardvark Vanaheim, $35
On Sale: Early November 2015

Thirty years ago, the idea that a genocidal, absolutist "fire and brimstone" faith-based ideology could actually steamroll its way across national borders, financing itself by looting its own citizenry was considered too far-fetched "even for comic books" so that it could only be addressed in the broad confines of the Ultimate Parody Comic, Dave Sim & Gerhard's Cerebus. Says Dave Sim: "Sean Robinson and Mara Sedlins of Living the Line continue their astonishing restoration of the World's Longest Graphic Novel with Church & State I, arguably the most challenging of the 16 books to reproduce accurately, because a good 60 to 80 pages consist of Gerhard drawing for reproduction for the first time, learning what works and what doesn't work. Sean and Mara make it ALL work, bringing out levels of detail never seen before."


LENNY COOPER:
(from a review of Church & State I & II in 'Cerebus The Barbarian Messiah', McFarlane, 2012)
In Church & State Sim ups his game to a higher level and it is exhilarating to see the transformation in both writing and art. The most obvious change is the addition of Gerhard as background artist, making the world of Cerebus more complete and solid, as if everything snapped into focus. This is true, too, for the writing, as Sim constructs a detailed exploration of the relationship between religion and politics, focused through the prism of power. In a story that literally stretches into the heavens, Sim examines political and religious machinations. The Roach returns to lampoon superheroes. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards arrive in fine parody form. Sim introduces the theme of creation as the byproduct of contrasting opposing forces. The exhilarating finale leaves the reader breathless, as Cerebus ponders the meaning of a prophesy that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

3 comments:

Robert said...

Will the digital download be available at the same time or sooner?

Sandeep Atwal said...

Not sure about the digital download timing, will have to discuss with Dave.

Unknown said...

So ... is this only available through Diamond? Can it not be ordered online somewhere? I live overseas, and Google isn't finding me a way to order the book.