Schluk. Schluck. Schluck.

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 first notebook used in the production of Cerebus started with notes for Cerebus #20. The 194 pages out of 200 pages scanned covered up through Cerebus #28. We last saw this first albatross just this past January in Captain Cockroach Sketches. 

Page 112 of the first notebook made me chuckle. Schluk. Schluck. I can just year it. The pained look on Cerebus face as he lies in bed. It makes me chuckle.

Notebook #1, page 112

The top of the page has some note. “outtakes”? Have we seen the pigeon scene from #21? Skulls from #15.

 Schluk. Schluck. Schluck.