Notebook 21: Victor and His Works

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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I can’t put this post off to Wednesday again as there is a blizzard outside and I don’t know how long I’ll have power. And if it goes out – pleasepleasePLEASETarimTerimLeaveThePowerOn – then it won’t be on for another 3 to 5 days according to the electric company. So a quick one from blizzardy New England.

Last week we saw a couple sketches of M Zulli and Beth, and we had several “walls of text” pages of Oscar and Victor talking about their books and talking to publishers. This week? Yes, you’ve guess it: no sketches and more text. This is of Victor’s work for House of Shadows and how he was going to a Reads Trade Show:

Notebook #21, page 133

The next page of the notebook is a . . .rewrite? Another go at the same text that was on the prior page:

Notebook #21, page 134

The next page continues with Victor going over how he got to this point with five hundred crowns left from the advance payment for Ascension, his other work Forever Palnu being “way unfinished”, and Cole d’Azur “seductive – ignoring it was like ignoring Beth. 

Notebook #21, page 135

The next page is. . .you guessed it: more of Victor going over the position he is currently in. There is some talk of the Palnu series, Astoria, Lord Julius, et al. 

Notebook #21, page 136

pleasepleasePLEASETarimTerimLeaveThePowerOnBlessMyBabyPleasePLEASEPLEASE