Notebook 21: Cerebus #165 Book Excerpts

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’re continuing our look at Dave Sim’s 21st notebook used during the creation of Cerebus #164 to 187. We’ll be looking at this notebook, which there were 260 out of 300 pages scanned, until we’ve seen every single page of it. Well, the pages scanned. If you want to see all of the notebook #21 posts to date, just use the Notebook 21 tag. 

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We saw pages 32 through 35 last week, four pages of text. It was dialogue between the Cirinists that was used on a couple of pages in Cerebus #164. Well, guess what is on pages 36 and 37? Yup, more text. Though this time it is either Cirin’s writing in her book The New Matriarchy or Astoria’s book Kevillist Origins.

 

Notebook #21, page 36

And the transcription:

 

The Alcohol Sanction is called into question frequently by the many sincere followers of our creed. It falls into the same category as prostitution in our view. Since it is impossible to eliminate, it must needs be sequestered. The consumption of alcohol, once isolated from the general community, permits those self-destructive and troublesome elements within the male population to hasten their own demise. Since no one is permitted to leave a licensed establishment unless entirely sober, each tavern becomes an effective prison for those unable or unwilling to forgo inebriation as a state of peripheral existence. And since alcohol breeds and violence and destruction,  If a husband is absent for three consecutive days owing to intoxication, his marriage is automatically dissolved and his possessions seized and distributed for the general benefit of his own and other needy families. He then becomes a tavern resident provided with alcohol and a subsistence diet and mean accommodation for the rest of his days. The average life expectancy of one of these individuals is six to eight months. Indisputably, wives find the enforced separation to be a great trial but in a majority of cases they will choose their subsequent life-mate with greater care and less emotion and will find a reliable provider for themselves and their children.

 

Cirin
The New Matriarchy

 Notebook #21, page 37

And the transcription:

 

One of the few pro matriarchal programs with which I heartily concur is the Alcohol Sanction. It should be noted that the Sanction was devised only when a general prohibition proved to be completely unworkable. I also do feel however that the taverns should be open to the female general population as well. Illicit consumption of alcohol among home-makers, the trading of sexual favours for smuggled Upper Felda alcohol as well as a proliferation of illegal distillation in Estarcion’s kitchens is glossed over to an unconscionable degree. Alcoholism is destructive of societal progress wherever it occurs and the sooner the trait can be diminished from separated from every aspect of male and female existence, the sooner true and meaningful progress can be achieved.

Astoria
Kevillist Origins

 Both of these are in Cerebus #165 with the New Matriarchy on page 14 and Kevillist Origins on page 15, also known as pages 60 and 61 of the phonebook Women.  Both are nearly identical to what is on the final pages – which you can read at the links to each book on the Cerebus Wiki: New Matriarchy and Kevillist Origins.