By demand:
We started talking about time, and then moved on to a question Dave got on his phone from Ralph S. Then Michael R. asked:
Hi Matt!
Questions for Dave.
Hi Dave!
I have read VOL. 1 of SDOAR. Once. So far. ...and while reading the book, which had me thinking was, how far did you research when you FINALLY said, " hey, I need to draw the next page?"
Also, a fun question. While creating SDOAR is there any "secret" images or messages to decipher in VOL.1?
BTW--- I loved the book! It was definitely worth the wait. Sigh --- then it was over. I want MORE!
All that research felt right. The book had a good flow to it. Carson is fabulous! His bridging artwork is seamless with yours.
Michael R.
Then Steve B. asked:
Before it was 300 issues, it was 26 years, and that wouldn't even have been a round number (I believe 156 was the original goal) - so obviously there is something important about 26 years. What was it? Why was it important to do Cerebus for 26 years?
(If he's already answered this somewhere and I missed it, please point me in the right direction)
Then Margaret asked:
Does Dave have any of those unauthorized Citadel miniatures? And if he doesn't, would he like some?
He does:
Then Sean Robinson asked:
If Dave could own one single piece of original art-- any time period, any medium-- what would it be? With the caveat that it can’t be sold, or viewed taken outside of the Off White House ...
For the sake of discussion, let's say it can be a grouping of original art instead. Say, every page of a certain comic story, for instance, or a sculptural group, etc. etc.
Then John G. asked:
This letter was in the last issue of the first Mage series in 1986. Does Dave know what Matt Wagner meant when he wrote “Dave Sim and I have been talking...”? Was there a planned collaboration that never happened?
Then Dave K. asked:
I got one for Dave: what was the meaning behind his use of the (modified?) ‘Song of Amergin’ as the epigraph for Mothers & Daughters?
Jeff S. asks:
Questions for Dave: Why so many versions of "High Society", other than the obvious answer/s. I mean, I have (I think) three versions, including the first printing copy with (as you noted when you signed it for me) "a rare intact cover". And, I will definitely buy a Regency Edition.
But, I mean, we're up to around six or seven versions now, if you count the Red, Blue, and neutral election versions. And that count doesn't include the hardcover, foreign-language editions.
Not to be a thorn in your side which, (obviously) I have been at times over the years, but when do you move on to more remasters?
Which leads into David B's reply to Jeff/question for Dave:
Jeff, my suggestion is that High Society is the biggest selling volume and is in need of reprinting more often and is the obvious choice for the first deluxe hardcover treatment. I hope it won't be the last.
Question for Dave:
I have a very good working relationship with some fine men I would have never known of if I hadn't first read Cerebus and then written you that first letter in the 1980s. With today's technology it is now possible for Cerebus fans to have an almost instantaneous connection and you are the reason why. Did you ever think about that any time since 1977? If so, would you be willing to share your thoughts? You're no Keith Richards, but you do have fans, followers, haters and not a few groupies over the years.
TMI bit: In that first letter I mentioned that I hoped to pass on my Cerebus trades to my son some day. As it turns out he is not
likely to read it, but he is a big fan of Cerebus In Hell? as is my daughter (well, Baby Yoda Cerebus at least). Who would have thought?
And my other notes are here.
__________________
So, F. Paul Wilson and Divers Hands' Other Sandboxes which has a cover by Gerhard is now available.
Signed copies of Vark Wars: Walt's Empire Strikes Back (Signed by Dave, Signed by Dave and me, Signed by me after I scribble out Dave's name, Pretty much available Signed only...). If you've emailed me about it and haven't heard back, it's because I'm a lazy prick and haven't gotten around to taking care of that. I'ma do that this weekend...
Check out the new Cerebus masks and whatnots. If people want the Donald J. Cerebus of Joe Cerebus stuff, let me know and I'll add 'em to the store.
As you all know, Wilf Jenkins was the Aardvark/Vanaheim lawyer for years, and during that time he was on the comp list. Wilf saved all his copies. Dave and Wilf have signed them, and there's a certificate of authenticity. The books will be available from Looking For Heroes, for $10 (CAD) plus $4 dollars shipping to Canada and $5 dollars shipping to the USA. All the money goes to the Food Bank of the Waterloo Region.
And on the last Wednesday of the month (the 28th), pick up the Vault of Cerebus.
Buy Batvark: PENIS (in stores NOW! (Possibly along with the "Censored For Grandma" Variant, Batvark: XXXXX.).) If you're in the market for a "Virgin" Batvark: Penis (limited to ONLY 253 copies!), there's one on the eBays. It's Birdsong's Auction, and ALL the money is going to charity, which I hope explains why it's going for...$227.50 (Otherwise I'll be eBaying a copy with all the profits going to the "Feeding Matt Dows" Fund...)
For Auction, currently at $50 to Eric Bahringer:
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| And here it is. |
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| Ya get this too. |
Okay, for those of you keeping score, The mis"printed" (mis-stapled really) Amicable Spider-Vark is Batvark: PENIS #-1, The Virgin Batvark: PENIS (no logos of text on the cover) is #0, Batvark: PENIS #1 is #1, The "Censored-For-Grandma" Variant Batvark: XXXXX is #2, and the upcoming second printing of the "Censored-For-Grandma" VariantBatvark: XXXXX is #3. So five versions in all. Here's your chance to get #0 Larry...
Don't forget cerebusoverload.com BECAUSE:
It's off like a Prom dress!!!
Bid on a slightly used copy of SODAR:
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| Bidding starts at $50 (USD) Anybody? |
Next Time: Oliver?
18 comments:
Off topic, but my YDKJ arrived today. Looks great; a quick flip-through reveals comic fan in-jokes, contemporary social satire, and gorgeous photorealistic/surrealist drawing. Can't wait to sit down and read it!
Thanks to Carson, Sean, and everyone who made sure this thing saw the light of day.
By the way, the YDKJ comic came with a little silver YDKJ sticker, which I don't want. If anyone wants one (or another one), first full mailing address (US/Canada only please) sent to: roxanton (at) comcast (dot) net gets it. I promise I haven't coughed on it, although I have touched it with unsanitized hands. If I don't hear from anyone in a week it's going into the landfill for future archaeologists to dig up ("midden," anyone?) and construct elaborate theories about.
"If I am all of these things, how can I not be God?"
That line seems like it could be an original final line of the poem. One of Dave's great abilities is to mimic the writing style of others.
Sir Matt -
Please check your email inbox, I'd sent in some questions back on Sept. 7th.
Next month is fine too, of course
Steve
OK, to remain off topic:
1. The sticker has been claimed.
2. You know that kind of laughter where you actually have to stop to catch your breath, so you can laugh some more? That's what happened to me when I read the "Avenjaques" pages of "You Don't Know Jack." Great stuff.
"If I am all of these things, how can I not be God?"
Um, because all of these things are created, and therefore contingent, and God is not?
(Orthodox Christian Theology 101. You're welcome.)
Hmm.
Thanks for your kind words about the project Tony! Glad you enjoyed the book.
Hi Tony,
Thank you for helping it become a reality!
Glad you enjoyed the AvenJacques pages so much. I conceived of and fought for those, Dave insisted they were not funny without the in-jokes about the industry. Whatever your reason for enjoying them was I am glad we got to a point where they worked!
Personally, I find Derrida to be an extremely laughable writer, and not in a "laughing with Mr. Derrida" kinda way ;b
I don't want to give too much away, for those who haven't read it - but I found the juxtaposition of that text with those images to be too, too perfect, in a way I lack the complex theoretical apparatus to unpack.
Tony,
That is very gratifying to hear. Knowing that even one other person thinks the combination is perfect makes me so happy! Dave did not like those pages at all.
Thank you so much for the comments! Glad you enjoyed to books!
Well, Dave probably hasn't spent much time listening to insufferable postmodernists take themselves seriously...
Tony,
Are you exposed to it on the regular in your line of work? I sure as hell am!
I always wonder how much of that stuff Dave is read in. Behind everything he is against, and all of he social changes he has predicted, lie these philosophies. I just don't know if it is instinct and an awareness of how the stuff is filtering into society versus direct engagement with the material itself.
Dave's own writing - especially his commentary - heavily displays the postmodernist strategy of over-interpretation. He can also give Derrida a run for his money with headache-inducing sentence/paragraph structures. Cerebus itself is pretty much a masterclass in Postmodernist Pastiche. It is a curious conundrum in Dave's output.
I teach mathematics, so no, I don't get exposed to Foucaulian balderdash very much at work. I'll try to keep this short - about 30 years ago, my mother's employer suddenly decided that her job required a Master's degree, so she went back to school and got one - in literature, since that was her undergrad major. Well, this was the late 1980s and postmodernism was in full flourish in humanities departments; she became mesmerized by the sparkly, flashy verbal contortions of Foucault, and got me to read some of it. Since I found most of it to be largely incomprehensible, I decided Foucault must be some deeply insightful genius. I've since mostly recovered. (I never actually read any Derrida until YDKJ appeared in my mailbox, but it's about what I would have expected.)
I do hope there's less of this stuff in Alabama than in California.
Tony,
Martin Gardner has written about "intellectual" attempts of the staff of Evergreen College to apply postmodernist ahem, thought, to mathematics, to very funny results. Well worth your time (and will give you VERY similar belly laughs!)
If I recall it's in this essay collection:
id Adam and Eve Have Navels?: Debunking Pseudoscience (2001)
I would imagine you can pick it up for two or three dollars at AbeBooks.
Best,
Sean
Ah, Evergreen State - where the Woke Patrol roam campus with baseball bats, looking for thought criminals to put in the hospital.
Incoming email: "Stairs for Dave" [with images], Matt [text:]
For his 'coal entrance' (that he apparently wants to keep but has given up on)
Saw the design on Belmont (street), just now...
Four by fours; stout; handy if a baby elephant drops in? (that's what I thought)
Thanks Matt!
Keep forgetting to tick "e-mail followup comments" - ticked
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