Thursday 30 September 2021

Why Cerebus Wants To Make The Ascension

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.

We last saw Dave Sim’s eleventh notebook this past April in The Accurately Inexplicable. The notebook covers Cerebus #96 through #102 and had 129 pages scanned. There are many pages of layouts and sketches, but a few of text. The text on page 9 seemed pretty interesting:

Notebook #11, page 9

The text from the page:

You are aware of this history of the Black Tower. . .?

Aye.

Then you that the your death and the deaths of many countless of your followers is imminent.

Nay. Cerebus knows the secret of the tower. All those others would be [unknown] That’s what they addressed. . .said exactly the same thing.

Why do you want to do this anyway? You have your wealth, your notoriety, your power. Why throw it away so needlessly

(walks away) Cerebus was

Cerebus?

Cerebus is going to show Weisshaupt. Cerebus is going to rise up into Vanaheim and prove show to Weisshaupt that Cerebus is the redeemer. That Cerebus was always the Tarim on Earth and that Weisshaupt was never anything but a big phony.

Wherever he is Weisshaupt doesn’t think Cerebus can do it.

Cerebus is going to prove him wrong.

That’s insane.

The spirits of men die with their bodies. Only woman lives again and again.

Looking through Church & State II, I can’t see this dialogue anywhere. Cerebus is one of the people talking, and if I had to guess, I’d say the other one is  Astoria. That this dialogue was intended to be when she was locked up in prison. 

Since there is obviously some stuff on the back side of this page, here is page 10:

Notebook #11, page 10

A sketch of the throne with Most Holy, Powers, and Posey. Another sketch of Most Holy with his pope hat. Looks like Dave wrote down an accelerated schedule for shipping Cerebus #92 through 100. Plus a sketch for the cover to Cerebus #98. Which is pretty close to the final cover:

Cover to Cerebus #98

Wednesday 29 September 2021

BATVARK: CORONAVIRUS #1... On sale NOW!

 Benjamin Hobbs:

The pre-launch page for SWORDS OF CEREBUS IN HELL? Hardcovers Volume 5 and 6 is now LIVE! You can sign up HERE and will be notified when the campaign launches on October 13th!

It's the last Wednesday of the month, and that means there's a newly printed CIH? waiting for you at your LCS! This month, BATVARK CORONAVIRUS #1 is available! In PRINT for the FIRST time!

Also out this week, SWORDS OF CEREBUS IN HELL? VOLUME 6!


Now available to order from Diamond, CORONAVIRUS BOOK #1 and SWORDS Volume 9!

Next Week: The pre-launch page for SWORDS 5 and 6 Hardcovers is LIVE! I'll preview some of the fun, new add-on!

Tuesday 28 September 2021

Dave's Ditko moment (one of 'em...)

Hi, Everybody!


"Yeah, yeah, that's great, but this ISN'T A Moment of Dave's Fax Machine! Where's the kid in the bunny suit?"

Geez you guys are grouchy...





_____________________
Cerebus in Hell?:
_____________________
Get that sweet, sweet Gerhard art, Greg Hyland's Monster Atlas Volume 2 part 3. (Greg hit the four grand, so Gerhard is in the book. (Ends in 15 days.))
_____________________
Heritage, is gonna be auctioning off the original art to the Cerebus #2 covers (5 of them,) and the NEW Cerebus #1 (just 1 of them.) And a Regency Edition.
_____________________
And your friend and mine, Sean Michael Robinson has made an album
https://seanmichaelrobinson.bandcamp.com/releases
https://music.apple.com/us/album/mismenagerie/1586540064...
_____________________
New sale in a few days...

Next Time: Hobbs'll have Cerebus. His column IS called "Cerebus and Hobbs"...

Monday 27 September 2021

Jeff Seiler: We hardly knew ya...

Hi, Everybody!


Okay, where to begin...

Jeff Seiler tributes:
Eddie Khanna:
And Dave Sim's response:
Thursday was the last time I talked to Jeff as well. He had just come out of the movie.

And when I let Gerhard know, he said:
Hi Matt,

Thanks for letting me know.
I thought that he'd been a little too quiet lately.

Hadn't heard from him or seen a comment posted in quite a while.
I know he wasn't exactly in the best of health at the best of times.
May he rest in peace.
Thanks again.
-Ger
And Shelley, Ger's lady friend, sent (via Margaret who said) :
Matt -
Shelley sent me some pictures on FB of Jeff S and Ger at cons and some of just Jeff S, thought if you wanted to use them in a tribute post - Shelley said you could:
Ger and Jeff

Jeff and Ger

Jeff and Ger 2

Jeff and his cat.

Jeff and... ya know, he's lucky he's dead, because I have a TON of questions...

Gerebus by Gerhard for Jeff

And you people thought we were kidding...
The Watercolour

The Second One




This is a stretch goal that has been unlocked...

 
HEY! I got those!

_____________________
Cerebus in Hell?:
_____________________
Get that sweet, sweet Gerhard art, Greg Hyland's Monster Atlas Volume 2 part 3. (Greg hit the four grand, so Gerhard is in the book. (Ends in 16 days.))
_____________________
Heritage, is gonna be auctioning off the original art to the Cerebus #2 covers (5 of them,) and the NEW Cerebus #1 (just 1 of them.) And a Regency Edition.
_____________________
And your friend and mine, Sean Michael Robinson has made an album
https://seanmichaelrobinson.bandcamp.com/releases
https://music.apple.com/us/album/mismenagerie/1586540064...
_____________________
Up to 35% off site-wide:
September  27
Tell your fans! Remind them that everything will be up to 35% off -- that means $13 tees, $20 phone cases, $30 hoodies, and way more!

Next Time: Probably more Jeff Seiler. He DID just DIE ya know...

Sunday 26 September 2021

Cerebus Around the World and Web #99 by Oliver Simonsen

Oliver Simonsen:
My mother-in-law passed away so a half week this time.

Backed the current incredible Cerebus Kickstarter
https://twitter.com/Micolso/status/1440311648258977798

Marc Laming says The Strange Death of Alex Raymond is a mammoth work - the work of a master storyteller at the top of his game
https://twitter.com/monkey__marc/status/1440492804988276736

Pete calls Dave Sim a genius and says "Strange Death of Alex Raymond" is the greatest
metaphysical experience in comics history
https://twitter.com/PeterGBell25/status/1440536185596612614

Kurt Busiek about to embark on "the Strange Death of Alex Raymond"
https://twitter.com/KurtBusiek/status/1440524098547773449

Dave Sim a favorite comic artist
https://twitter.com/frankleemydear/status/1439754595853504516

"Cerebus in hell?" is "top Tuesday variant"
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUFsJI2LZXd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus called pinnacle of independent comics (in French)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUCNzrBsGV6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus the Musical
https://twitter.com/KeithAlanMorgan/status/1439547452990771205

Cerebus Mural restoration in progress
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUAss3vluqU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUArbpej7zA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
(video in link below)
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CUAUCMmN1Fw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus purchases shared
https://youtu.be/i5H1XOmU4DQ

Cerebus the Pope lies (click link for more)
https://twitter.com/avram/status/1440559862585311241

Brian Bolland draws Cerebus - click link for more (in Spanish)
https://twitter.com/BaptistaCohei/status/1440055662734569472

Cerebus panel shared
https://twitter.com/jlr_1969/status/1439370076159758336

Cerebus comics highlighted (click link for more)
https://twitter.com/EHTcomics/status/1439658919677284356

Cerebus #18 in Russian

Cerebus, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Asterix
https://twitter.com/Spiderkib/status/1439476488928055301

Matisse the Unknown Turtle print shared. Signed by both Kevin Eastman and Dave Sim.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CT7UiJuqzjS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle commissions for Joshua Even below:

by Leonardo “LaGonza” Gonzalez
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUHCZY3MGKv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

by Rodney Buchemi (click link for slideshow)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CT7TDEUr1UV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Cerebus and Howard the Duck
https://twitter.com/AndrewRilstone/status/1439965485894971397

Cerebus and Ducks of Runequest
https://twitter.com/TinStarGames1/status/1440651235707658247

Cerebus and Groo
https://twitter.com/simonwatts17/status/1440166171915927552

Cerebus and X-Men
https://twitter.com/Sayar_Gyi_/status/1439791405690327054

Cerebus and Batman
https://twitter.com/MarkHSherwin/status/1439645482817622017

Savage Dragon has surpassed Cerebus as longest comic with same creative team
https://twitter.com/nerd_basement/status/1438133737720631305
https://twitter.com/MomentOfCerebus/status/1439703436937895941

The spokesperson speaks
https://twitter.com/AndrewRilstone/status/1440224022814289925
https://twitter.com/AndrewRilstone/status/1440049914747121671
https://twitter.com/AndrewRilstone/status/1439852915645206529
https://twitter.com/AndrewRilstone/status/1439498706831740930

_____________________
Thanks Oliver!
_____________________
(Updates tomorrow. Seriously...)
_____________________
Cerebus in Hell?:
_____________________
Get that sweet, sweet Gerhard art, Greg Hyland's Monster Atlas Volume 2 part 3. (Greg hit the four grand, so Gerhard is in the book. (Ends in 17 days.))
_____________________
Heritage, is gonna be auctioning off the original art to the Cerebus #2 covers (5 of them,) and the NEW Cerebus #1 (just 1 of them.) And has one of the first ten Regency Editions.
_____________________
And your friend and mine, Sean Michael Robinson has made an album
https://seanmichaelrobinson.bandcamp.com/releases
https://music.apple.com/us/album/mismenagerie/1586540064...
_____________________
Up to 35% off site-wide:
September 26 – 27
Tell your fans! Remind them that everything will be up to 35% off -- that means $13 tees, $20 phone cases, $30 hoodies, and way more!

Next Time: Monday and a whole LOT of faxes...

Saturday 25 September 2021

Rest In Peace: Jeffery Alan Seiler

Hi, Everybody!

I got a fax yesterday from Dave:

So I tried to call Jeff, and got the same message Dave got, so I tried a second number Jeff had given me, and, as I faxed Dave:
Dave,
I talked to Steve Moran, XXX-XXX-XXXX, Jeff’s building manager/caretaker.

Jeff died last weekend.

The last time I talked to Jeff was September 15th. He had called the day before to give me more information about who I would need to contact/ who would contact me in the event that he did what he did last weekend.

I got ahold of Susan Sandahl, XXX-XXX-XXXX, the lawyer who was working on Jeff’s will (she told me his was dragging his feet,) and she confirmed that Jeff had died, and promised to send my contact info to Jeff’s sister. But she couldn’t tell me more.

Here’s what I posted to the Cerebus Facebook group (along wth your fax and the image of Jeff you did for Cerebus Readers in Crisis #1, that Jeff used as his profile picture on Twitter):
Jeff Seiler, Longtime Cerebus fan, publisher of Effing Magnifier Publications, Creator of Cerebus Readers In Crisis, frequent letter writer to Dave, the guy who was there when Gerhard took "The Smile of the Absent Cat" job for Heavy Metal, Voice of Elrod in Oliver Simonsen's Cerebus movie, etc. etc...

has..."shuffled loose this mortal coil"...

Jeff is now an "ex-Yahoo"...

Jeff has joined John Lougher in the great Cerebus Yahoo Chat Group in the sky...

"He's, I say, he's dead. Deceased that is. No longer with us. He's found out where Cerebus went at the end of issue #300." as Elrod would put it.

I don't know EXACTLY what happened. All I know is that he contacted me recently to say that he was putting me in his Will, and that he had developed complications to Liver Disease, and that the prognosis was that he'd be dead by the end of 2022. Dave faxed me today (attached), and I called Jeff and got the same message Dave did. Then I called his building manager Steve and he let me know that Jeff died last weekend.

FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This one's for you Shecky...
Anything I hear, I will pass along as soon as I’m able…
Matt Dow
I also called Dave and left a message.

Dave responded: 

Over on the FaceItBook, Jeff Tundis dug up a photo of Seiler in the Carmen Miranda outfit:

I've been posting more pictures over there, if you're interested.

But, of course one of the BEST pictures of Jeff is the one Dave drew:

I'll miss you my friend...

Next Time: Oliver and HIS Death in the family...