Tuesday, 31 March 2020

The Mystery Picture, but first: Thus Copy Edited Zarathustra

Hi, Everybody!

Attractive Cousins!

VARK WARS: WALT'S EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

The four different High Societys.

But with Diamond being closed, I don't know how any of that works.

But, if you wanna read a free issue of Cerebus in Hell?, "Hare Krishna"...or something......

And there might be a sequel soon.
___________________________________________

Down there on yesterday's post, our ol'...(buddy? pal? acquaintance? yeah, that one) acquaintance David Johnson came down from the mountains to dispense his wisdom to us. Ya know, as one does

And instead of answering him in the comments, I'ma do it here and kill two birds with one stone. (Plus Margaret gave me something to post, so I'll throw that at the bottom for the people who aren't interested. Just keep scrolling until you see the Muppet.)

Alright, let's go. My answers are in Bold.

David Johnson:
Let me clarify what I think would really happen, if Matt asked Dave if he wanted the floor so to speak for however long to read John on the phone. Dave would probably laugh, be polite, agree with Matt and others that I'm often wrong and long winded on such things (How long has Dave's commentaries and essays been in comparison to my longest 13 page letter or so?)
The Genesis Question commentaries are a 368 page Word document. 
, and conclude that it would be rude to even suggest to Matt in any way that he'd rather in any way spend the 60 minutes or so reading scriptures aloud, because it's Matt's phone call and time and such.
Dave calls me. He can talk about whatever he wants. I fax up any questions I get beforehand. 

That's the deal... 
And, so, as Matt has implied before how Dave's scripture commentaries are TL:DR,
DAVE is the one who said the commentaries are "TL:DR". DAVE. Not me. 
and how Matt has rightly also implied that AMOC is his blog and his opinions and not Dave's, yes, all of these things are indeed right.
Yup. there's a lil' thing over on the right near the top of the page that says "I'm NOT Dave Sim." 
Therefore, my suggestion to Matt who asked for them to ask Dave about, was to ask him, What if Matt did offer to give him the floor for that purpose?
Again, Dave can talk about whatever he wants. I don't really tell him what he can or can't say. 
And, if so, would Dave do it? It wasn't to me about anything else. It's about, after 40 years are you or are you not ever going to tell your friend,
One: I'm forty. Dave's only known me by name for sixteen years(? or less...). 
Two: I'm sure Dave would agree that we're not friends. I'm not sure there exists a word in the English language to describe our relationship.
"Dave, I love you.
DAVID'S WORDS! NOT! MINE! 
Do you want to read John aloud with me for however long today for our call? I want to humor you because I love you more than I love myself.
DAVID'S WORDS! NOT! MINE! 
It's not about what I think is or isn't true about your faith divided from your work. It's about me doing unto others as I'd have them to do unto me."
Again, again: Dave can talk about whatever he wants... 
And, that's been Dave giving all of you what you've wanted for 40 years. 42+ years. 45+ if you followed him before Cerebus.
Well, yeah. but we ALSO gave Dave what he wanted during that time (up to a point), namely Cash, Grass, and Ass (well, only a select few gave the last two.) So, it was a fair transaction. 

David continued (after another comment that I got nothing to add/correct to):
Dave K, good question.
Oh yeah, that's in response to a question Dave Kopperman asked:
I got one: is there anything that Dave regarded as a creative sacrifice when he went from the issue-by-issue mindset to the serialized novel format? I'd say the shift starts to happen in the middle of High Society but really starts to kick in during the C&S II and then becomes complete with Jaka's Story.
Like it's clear that the long-form approach gave him access to some major benefits from a narrative, visual, and formal perspective - but opening a window shuts a door, as it were, so some things that were part of the more discrete issues approach were lost. The individual issue titles, for one, a thing that Dave had a real gift for. So, again: was there anything he regarded as a deficit to making comics in that shift?
Back to David Johnson (do I gotta link to the Daves again?)
I'm sure Matt will ask Dave and he'll answer it.
That's kinda how this works... 
I'm thinking Dave might say the shift began around Cerebus #11 around the time he was on cocaine
LSD. Not cocaine. LSD. A psychedelic, not a stimulant. It may SEEM like no big deal, drugs is drugs... But Dave got high as F### and decided to do 300 issues of Cerebus, if he got high on coke, he would have drawn them all in a weekend.
he has said before, when he's said before that his mind was open and he got all these ideas, including to end Cerebus with #300. He's before kind of blaming Dani
Deni, with an "e". 
for not be open to his new thoughts at the time.
He thought that with JFK assassinated, Jackie should have become president. He admits he was high as F###.
I also believe, this is about the time that Dave expanded on Haka
Jaka. with a "J". 
as a character, with the letter he got concerning her, where beforehand, I think Dave just would've kept doing single stand alone stories.
The change from bi-monthly to monthly is where the stories stopped being stand-alone and shifted to a more rolling narrative.  Palnu being the start.
I think one has to at some point start telling stories in these cases, that follow the course of a beginning to an end, where the characters age and life continues. A film director once gave a good speech on, how a good story teller must begin with the sum of the story's point and finish. He said the story is about how the characters get there.
To me, like some other stories, Cerebus until about #11, was simply an issue to issue story.
Eh. Year two (7 to 13? if I'm remembering right,) is a LOT tighter in continuity and storytelling. The return of Elrod to the Conniptins to Imesh to The return of Sophia to The Roach to Silverspoon to Palnu. (heck, now that I think about it, issue six starts that ball rolling...)
If Dave hadn't changed to making it have an ending and a beginning, then it never would've been a story, but only entertainment.
Sure. 
A story like the director spoke of, is one that is advice.
To me, interestingly is that the Bible as explained by Dave concerning how Genesis 1 in relation to John 1, isn't a book by book stand alone story in-between, but a story with a beginning to an end, because John clearly shows that Genesis 1 wasn't stand alone, but an analogy pointing to John 1 concerning how Christ would fulfil all things. That, even if one does or doesn't agree, is good story telling. I like the Bible as a story. Without Jesus's advice, I wouldn't know salvation.
Okay.

And then Brian West commented:
Well, Matt, looks like this month's "Please Hold" ought to be pretty interesting.
I'd like to find the guy who cursed me to live in interesting times...and punch him in the dick. 

And David Johnson came back with:
You're welcome Brian! As for this month's Please Hold, there's always I agree interesting, but in relation to me, I know Matt's going to ask your question, the others asked here, and anymore to come. But, if or if not you meant that anything at all that I suggested will ne apart of it, it will not because I've never specifically asked him to ask him a question in regards to it.
Well, you did. Under your latest pseudonym. But, whatever. I'll send it all up to Dave. That's the gig.
I've suggested, but Matt will not do that.
Wanna see the Vegas odds? 
He may out of anger or for fun or such bring me up collaterally, but any way, Dave and he would only make fun and light of me, and never specifically address my simple point.
I'll send it all up, but there are a number of questions here, and over on the Faceybooks. So, I imagine Dave will want to answer them. But ya never know. 
Even if, now Matt did, it is still going to be something like I said it would be. I don't think they're going to read John and I think that is that.
Dave read the beginning of John a few months back. 
Ok. I could pay Dave and Matt each a $100.00 probably and I think they'd still decline.
No, for money, Dave would probably do it. I would. 
For me, people who say they need support because they're supporting each other, who would still decline that, shows me they've made a choice as I've said.
I've never asked for money for myself. I do AMOC out of a bizarre sense of duty... 
Ok.
You'll see, with those like Grubauh, Birdsong, Matt, and such, they such much about much, and have all said to ignore me because I haven't been short or correct in my responses, or mysterious and a liar using cloak and dagger, that now as I've done before, when I say, Ok, here I am (even if it's after one of them has said they'll address me if I simply do so), they'll still ignore me and ignore my simple statements or such.
Yup, ya got me... 
So, it isn't that they're ignoring people who call themselves an elf, or liars, or lunatics, or such.
I suspected it was you. You have a very distinct  writing style.
It's simply choosing to love the one, while hating the other. All of us see God is judging the entire world.
Uh... 
The entertainment world is being hit the hardest because God is destroying the false God's.
Uh... 
Our comics distribution has stopped. Our comics are ceasing.
Sorta. Kinda. Not really. 
CIH? is nearing its finish.
Dave's a year ahead. A YEAR. So, no. 
And, so on. Yet, some of us are still hoping for the impossible that we can indulge in one more issue of CIH? where we again make fun of such and such.
It's a HUMOR comic. Making fun is kinda the idea. 
I advise such, let God win the chess game. If not, He'll win either way. It's better to admit He's better than us, than calling Him a liar. But, yes, it's one's choice. I choose Jesus.
(Don't do it Matt. Don't do it Matt. Don't. Do. It. Matt!)
...
(Ah $#!*, I'm gonna do it.) Me too! (I apologize for nothing...)
______________________________________________________
And now, Mags thing:
______________________________________________________
Margaret Liss:
In last week's Cerebus Around the World entry Oliver put in the picture I won on eBay:


So guess who called me right as my annual review was about to start? Yup, Dave. I listened to the voice mail on the way home, and at the end he said I could share it with the AMoC crowd:

I've never seen this version Before. These were the photographs that Ellen Finlay did of me back in 1992 to promote the 92 Tour. So this photograph would've gone to the Houston Chronicle from our PR firm in Chicago, Lekas and Levine, Joanne and I can't remember the other one's name. Who were the publicists, and they asked for clear professional black and white photographs that they could send to newspapers and Ellen Finlay (Margaret: Dave spelled out the last name, I took a guess with the first) took the pictures.
That isn't a fire place, that is the door into what was then the rectangle office and is now my bedroom with a small step down in the doorway. And I don't think that is Gerhard, I think that might have been Eric Hanek who was Ellen's boyfriend, live-in boyfriend and charter member of Gerhard's out to lunch bunch. And I think the idea was she was trying to bounce the light on that side of the picture. and she needed a large sheet of illustration board which we had and needed someone to hold it up. So I'm pretty sure that is Eric Hanek holding it up.
I have no idea why the Houston Chronicle would've got an uncropped photo that showed somebody's feet on the right hand side. And I can't imagine that the Publicity firm would've gotten in the photos and not have noticed. You really can't send something that has somebody's feet just off on the right. That is pretty obvious that's what in the picture, that should've been crop before it went out. And I'm sure that Ellen would've cropped it because all of the copies I have are cropped, they don't show the pair of feet.
That is the best I can do to explain that.
And that, I think, is a pretty good explanation. Here is what the picture looks like cropped:

______________________________________________________________________

Thanks Mags! And Thanks Dave!

Next Time: Hobbs. Cerebus. Hell? (That's usually how we roll on Wednesdays...)

Monday, 30 March 2020

"WHY'N TH' HELL DINYA ASK FER MONEY, HUH?!"

Hi, Everybody!

Attractive Cousins!

VARK WARS: WALT'S EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

The four different High Societys.

But with Diamond being closed, I don't know how any of that works.

But, if you wanna read a free issue of Cerebus in Hell?, "Hare Krishna"...or something......

And there might be a sequel soon.
___________________________________________

Okay, This.

Then:






And Dave's calling on Thursday, so get your questions to momentofcerebus@gmail.com, or post them here. Whatever.

Next Time: I dunno...

Sunday, 29 March 2020

Cerebus Around the World and Web #21 by Oliver Simonsen

Hi, Everybody!

Attractive Cousins!

VARK WARS: WALT'S EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

The four different High Societys.

But with Diamond being closed, I don't know how any of that works.

But, if you wanna read a free issue of Cerebus in Hell?, "Merry Christmas!"...or something......

And there might be a sequel soon.
___________________________________________
Oliver Simonsen:

This week 16 years ago was the last issue of "Cerebus" and now this week possibly the last hardcopy issue of "Cerebus in hell?", the parody themed "Varking Dead"...eerily fitting for the times.


Bleeding Cool spotlights the first ever Coronavirus themed comic: "Cerebus in hell? Crisis In Infinite Quarantine #1" - available digitally now for free!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-LSZMtIgBC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://twitter.com/bleedingcool/status/1243560410650992641
https://twitter.com/bleedingcool/status/1242964944297082882
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2020/03/25/dave-sim-publishes-free-coronavirus-cerebus-in-hell-digital-comic/
https://twitter.com/screamfix/status/1243598660358656002
https://twitter.com/TheREALBenjami5/status/1243371488088141825
[Hi Hobbs!-Matt]
https://twitter.com/iguanavsbeer/status/1242930363112009728
[Hi Me!-Matt]
https://twitter.com/BigBWest/status/1243916607728103424
[Brian, always a pleasure.-Matt]
https://twitter.com/arturhenriques0/status/1243204434689249284
https://twitter.com/Comicreport/status/1243036339546640386
https://twitter.com/FirstComicsNews/status/1242973471774330883
Translated from Portuguese (thank you Google translate)
https://twitter.com/realcanalbang/status/1243706612596047872
Mikey Dugan asks: "Is this Cerebus’ Most Lethal Enemy Yet?"
https://twitter.com/Mickey_Dugan/status/1243017735690428418
Nice review from Chad Bilyeu in Amsterdam, creator of the critically acclaimed indie comic "Chad in Amsterdam": "Shit is hilair, sun."
https://twitter.com/CHADinAMSTERDAM/status/1243148724471320576
[Click for bigger -Matt]
Commission request: Cerebus fighting Covid-19
https://twitter.com/Gebatronski/status/1242058689676271617

"Cerebus Syndrome" part of vernacular
https://twitter.com/blazinggamer122/status/1242179420397371396
https://twitter.com/Firemaster1992/status/1242172756172648455
https://twitter.com/BecomesStar/status/1243937351660945408

Early Cerebus cracks him up
https://twitter.com/EricLabRat/status/1242152950388142085

Cerebus back in the day tops list of anti establishment comics
https://twitter.com/Blackmoor_Film/status/1241962493724917762

Khary Randolph (Boondocks, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, X-Men, Spider-Man, Teen Titans etc) draws Cerebus and Michel fiffe (Copra) shares his take on Cerebus
https://twitter.com/kharyrandolph/status/1241806351686406146

K Woodward (X-men Origins:Beast, Star Trek/Doctor Who, City on the Edge of Forever & co-creator of Star Trek: Mirror Broken) shares framed drawings on his wall of Cerebus, Lord Julius and MoonRoach by Alex Robinson (Too Cool to Be Forgotten, Box Office Poison, Our Expanding Universe etc)
https://twitter.com/JK_Woodward/status/1242194148762898433


James A. Owen (StarChild, MythWorld, Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica etc): "Dave Sim mentored me on doing signings, and taught me that if I could draw for people on the spot, I’d always have a successful signing, because even if it was for just one person, they’d be happy I cared enough to do it, and the store would be happy. I still do it to this day."
https://twitter.com/CaveoPrincipia/status/1242294836088041473

Dave Sim and balloon placement
https://twitter.com/sdal74/status/1241560673324163072

Dave Sim lettering
https://twitter.com/CoryFoster/status/1241533687218356226

Cerebus is the David Bowie of comics (thank you Spanish google translate)
[There was no link included -Matt]

Tommie Kelley in Ireland spotlights Cerebus
https://twitter.com/THE_skrauss/status/1241869166338101248

B.R Yeager publisher and author has full collection of Cerebus
https://twitter.com/BRYeager/status/1242490367964000256

Cerebus best final issue
https://twitter.com/rcall7/status/1242803336363094016

Cerebus and Spawn
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-EqtmPIBP1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-EnZpZoPzW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus and Oscar Wilde
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-DgzdFhvPq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-DMEQuhxgG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-BlWTZhVS6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus and Howard the Duck
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-DG-tJB-90/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus and Red Sophia
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-DF96ZBDbx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus "motion comic"
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-C5JDCgmod/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Dean Westerfield shares: "Been on lockdown doing distance teaching, reading Cerebus, and doing some drawing. Sydney Bechet. Paul Mooney, Orson Welles, and Shelly Duvall. Hope y'all doing fine."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/220928537964384/permalink/3016182155105661/
check out his great comic work here https://westerinocomix.bigcartel.com/

Hugo Award nominated publisher Cirsova considers submission by little girl of a Cerebus knockoff a highlight
https://twitter.com/cirsova/status/1243790729366953984

RIP Uderzo. Commision request Obelix and Cerebus
https://twitter.com/PhilTeChing/status/1243782533889875970

Cerebus fursuit?
https://twitter.com/onealonemouse/status/1243773368400150529

Cerebus and Sandman
https://twitter.com/auraroadsubs/status/1243740409395687425

Cerebus and Krazy Kat
https://twitter.com/lilyydaisyy/status/1243526557991407618

Cerebus and Groo
https://twitter.com/BaroneBuster/status/1243230025786093574

Cerebus and Love and Rockets
https://twitter.com/vandriest67/status/1242977867668942848

Cerebus and Flaming Carrot
https://twitter.com/NBaronian/status/1243936349952135170

Fort Dudak, an indie comic creator making waves and who also took a class at Artist & Craftsman Supply in Seattle WA with our very own Sean Michael Robinson, draws Cerebus
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-PWFVFhucM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
check out his comics here http://www.fortdudak.com/
Cerebus among 4 favorites in France
https://twitter.com/EcoloG3EK/status/1243489257081188357

French comics site shares Dave Sim's comic for Marvel's Epic
https://twitter.com/EcoloG3EK/status/1243938218439053314

Cerebus and Savage Dragon
https://twitter.com/_HostileWitness/status/1243200325177278465

Cerebus soars
https://twitter.com/Shadow1972/status/1243942472822202368

Cerebus Facebook Group

Larry Wooten:
"The Frost Giants' Wedgie has been framed and hung. That is it for the framing for now. I am pretty pleased with this. I wonder if the Fight Like An Aardvark bumper sticker would fill that small space. Hmm. Have to get one first."

"Cerebus magnet that has been on my filing drawer for a quarter of a century."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/2866908690043154/
(Came with Friends of Cerebus Fan Club package #12" http://www.cerebusfangirl.com/fanclub/ )
Susan Dorne shares her's

Julian Foster drew "the Four Aardvarks of the Apocalypse", now made the facebook
group's banner https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/2864240713643285/


Cory Foster asks: "Has anyone ever asked Dave how in the world "Suenteus" is pronounced?"
Jeffrey Tundis says Dave said "swen-shuss"
others:
Trademark Elliott: I say soo-WEN-tee-us, but for a while I said soo-WEN-chuss.
Cal Davis: Anyone else saying "SWEN-chuss"?
William Hoffknecht: I always read it as Swen-tee-us.
Charles Allen: Sue n. Chuss
Joshua Even: Soon-teh-us?
Jon Rice Swintus is how i say it
Cory Foster: When I was a kid, I said "Soo-EN-tee-us". My best guess at this point is "soo-en-TAY-us"
[Here's one of the times Dave pronounces it. I'm sure there are others in the various Please Hold videos.-Matt]

Cerebus of the third kind?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/2864720426928647/

Cerebus and the three kinds?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/2855178801216143/

Cerebus, Fitzgerald and quarantine
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/2857262477674442/

Joe Piechota Jr. reminds us, which i used in the intro - thanks Joe!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/2861819033885453/
_____________________________________________

Thanks Oliver!

Next Time: Of Elves and Aardvarks...

Saturday, 28 March 2020

Fluroc!

Hi, Everybody!

Attractive Cousins!

VARK WARS: WALT'S EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

The four different High Societys.

But with Diamond being closed, I don't know how any of that works.

But, if you wanna read a free issue of Cerebus in Hell?, I got you boo...

And there might be a sequel soon.
_____________________________________
So the other Day, Paul Slade said...

Wasn't there a Cerebus sequence where he conned The Fleagle Brothers into thinking they were in an area infected by some kind of plague? Or am I dreaming that?
And I replied with:
Issue #18 "Fluroc".

And it was some merchants.
Ya know, this:









Friday, 27 March 2020

ATTRACTIVE COUSINS promo (Dave's Weekly Update #332)

Hi, Everybody!

Heeeeeere's

Great new logo, right? Thanks Sean!



But with Diamond being closed, I don't know how any of that works.

But, if you wanna read a free issue of Cerebus in Hell?, I got you boo...

And there might be a sequel soon.

Next Time: A request?

Thursday, 26 March 2020

Beth the Patio Goddess

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 19th notebook used in the production of Cerebus covers Cerebus issues #141 through 149, the Melmoth notebook. The notebook’s cover says it had 80 pages, but only 47 pages were scanned. There were 14 pages missing from the notebook, and 19 blank pages.

Many of the first pages had sketches of Dino, the tavern owner, and some of which we’ve seen before. Later in the notebook there is a sketch or two of the waitresses in Melmoth:

Notebook 19, page 32

Notebook 19, page 51



Wednesday, 25 March 2020

CRISIS IN INFINITE QUARANTINE: online NOW!


BREAKING NEWS! There's a BRAND NEW FREE issue of CIH? available NOW!

https://cutt.ly/1tnClGQ


Beat the Quarantine blues with this Special Topical Issue! Download the book by clicking on the image or going to 

Please share the link!







For updates about future Coronavirus comics (and other Cerebus news) add yourself to Aardvark-Vanaheim's mailing list!

* indicates required

/ ( mm / dd )

VARKING DEAD... ON SALE NOW?


Benjamin Hobbs:

There should be a big surprise coming later today from the CIH? team, but in the meantime:

If your LCS is open today, VARKING DEAD #1 is ON SALE!  If you can't get to you LCS, consider giving them a call and let them know you'll be in when this crisis has passed.



ATTRACTIVE COUSINS #1 is now available to order from Diamond! (Or it WOULD be, if Diamond was operating. Which it isn't.)


Next Week:Another Surprise?!?

Tuesday, 24 March 2020

Well this is gonna end well...DIAMOND Closing/"Free Comics?"

Hi, Everybody!

The new one: Attractive Cousins

VARK WARS: WALT'S EMPIRE STRIKES BACK FOC is the 26th (I think...)

The four different High Societys.

Although, I don't know why I'm bothering with the links, since this happened.

(In case you don't wanna click the link...):
Steve Geppi Addresses Coronavirus’ Effect on Distribution
A Message from Steve Geppi,
Chairman & CEO,
Geppi Family Enterprises
Founder, Diamond Comic Distributors

CORONAVIRUS EFFECTS ON DISTRIBUTION
As everyone knows, the world faces ever-increasing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its effects on the comics & collectibles and tabletop gaming industries have been felt far and wide.  We are hearing from thousands of retailers that they can no longer service their customers as they have in the past, many of them forced to close by government action or resort to in-person or curbside delivery. Even those still open are seeing reduced foot traffic in most cases, a situation that seems likely to worsen with time.

Our publishing partners are also faced with numerous issues in their supply chain, working with creators, printers, and increasing uncertainty when it comes to the production and delivery of products for us to distribute. Our freight networks are feeling the strain and are already experiencing delays, while our distribution centers in New York, California, and Pennsylvania were all closed late last week. Our own home office in Maryland instituted a work from home policy, and experts say that we can expect further closures. Therefore, my only logical conclusion is to cease the distribution of new weekly product until there is greater clarity on the progress made toward stemming the spread of this disease.
EFFECTS ON DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS
Product distributed by Diamond and slated for an on-sale date of April 1st or later will not be shipped to retailers until further notice.  For the time being, however, we have been able to develop procedures with our teams at the distribution center in Olive Branch, MS to safely continue fulfillment of direct ship reorders for the retailers who are able to receive new product and need it to service their customers. It’s unlikely that orders will be filled on the same day they are placed, and these plans are subject to change if any point we no longer feel that we can safeguard our teams while fulfilling orders.

Product distributed by Diamond UK and slated for an on-sale date of March 25th or later will not be shipped to retailers until further notice. Further updates with regard to reorders and other Diamond UK-specific information will be communicated directly to their customers as information becomes available.
EFFECTS ON ALLIANCE GAME DISTRIBUTORS
Product distributed by Alliance has been shipping from our Fort Wayne, IN and Austin, TX warehouses. Both are closing at the end of the day on Tuesday, March 24th, in the interest of employee safety and to comply with direction from local governments. Any orders not shipped by that time will not be processed until further notice. Your dedicated sales team will still be working remotely and help you with any orders you’d like to place today or questions you may have.
OUR SHARED PATH FORWARD
With these changes in our distribution strategy, we will work with our publishing partners to develop programs that will address product already in the pipeline and what will happen when we resume distribution. We know that during this time you will face many challenges, and we will direct our energies toward addressing them, rather than fighting on increasingly numerous fronts to get product out.

For those retailers who remain open in various forms, I encourage you let loose your own creativity. For the time being, you will be able to replenish your perennials from Diamond and/or Alliance, but you should also remember the stock you already have in your stores. If your doors remain open, it’s likely you will have customers who will continue to seek diversion from events of the world. Special sales, promotions, and even eBay can help you bring in cash during this trying time. Product for which you’ve already paid may well hold some of your answers. There have been many solid suggestions offered about how to help our retailers, and we will bring many of them together in future communications.

Besides the industry’s most immediate needs, we have been and will continue looking toward the future, when we see stores reopening, bringing staff back onboard, and getting customers in the door. We are looking at issues like debt accrued due to this crisis, what reduced ordering means for your discount tiers, and the availability of credit to help stores through and after this difficult time. We don’t have all those answers today, but we understand the many issues you are facing and look forward to addressing them as partners who all have an interest in the long-term health of the industry we love so much.

As I mentioned in my last update, this industry has been one of the greatest joys of my life, from my days as a collector to a retailer to today. I and my Leadership Team have made these decisions knowing full-well the effect this will have on all of you, as well as our publishing partners and our own team members around the world. At the end of the day, the safety and security of our teams and yours, along with the many customers we all serve, is paramount. I again thank you for your ongoing patience and support.

Thank You,



Steve Geppi
Chairman & CEO, Geppi Family Enterprises

Which means The Varking Dead (which will be in stores tomorrow (the stores that are still allowed to be open, that is...).) is the last issue of Cerebus in Hell? for the foreseeable future...

Except for this:

Which the CiH? team made four days ago (I think it was Hobbs. Might have been Birdsong...) and one thing lead to another, and we got a twenty-four page Coronavirus Super Special* that The Cerebus in Hell? team is going to be offering, FOR FREE, to anybody who wants a new comic. It's gonna be Digital (we're still..."discussing" printing copies. I think this will be how CiH? falls apart.)

So, join:
Eddie "Kunjin" Khanna, Matt "Dengue" Dow, David "Barmah" Birdsong, Benjamin "Hepatitis" Hobbs, Laura "Monkeypox" McFarland, Sean "Rubella" Robinson, and Dave "Sapporo" Sim as they make the most of their State ordered quarantines.

Details coming soon, "How soon?" REAL SOON!

Next Time: Hobbs, then Me/Hobbs/Birdsong/somebody with Free CiH? news!
*Title NOT final!

Monday, 23 March 2020

"OBOY! WHISKEY!"

Hi, Everybody!

The new one: Attractive Cousins

VARK WARS: WALT'S EMPIRE STRIKES BACK FOC is the 26th (I think...)

The four different High Societys.

And Dave Faxed me an update to Saturday's post:

So, yeah...

Anyway, This.

Then:






Next Time: I'll find something...