Recovered From Princess Jaka's Room

 Yes, it is a Thursday. Yes, there is no notebooks post today. I've got something else and if you were on the Cerebus FaceitsuxBook you'd have seen this:

Cerebus #138: The Aftermath

Yes, that is the teapot and other items from the cover to Cerebus #138:

Dave getting finger prints on all that black ink of a Cerebus #138

Well, you can kind of see the cover to Cerebus #138, thanks for holding that up to show everyone Dave. And yes, those are the stairs down to the Off White House's basement. If you're like me - yes, you should be able to click all of these pictures to enlarge and SEE MORE - you noticed the boxes above Dave's left shoulder. . .those boxes should look familiar we saw them back at the start of August - clicky here.

Yes, boxes of correspondence. If Dave would move we could see. . .

Dave pointing and saying "We don't have the space, send it to Margaret."

Well, that little teapot, tea cup and platter, et al weren't sitting there in other pictures - so I don't know if this is where it had been stored since Gerhard used it for the photoshoot for the cover some 36 years ago, but I think it was the spot. Why you ask? 

Oh dear AMoC reader who lives rent free in Matt's head, this stuff wasn't stored in any way that resembles how I'd store silver items at work (yes, sometimes I work with silver):

Filthy. Yes, the marmalade holder and the teapot are both at least silver plated. If you're wondering, these items were brought specifically for the cover according to Gerhard. I don't think the Princess of Palnu would eat off of these filthy dishes - the small spoon appeared to be stuck to the marmalade holder when I got it and there were tea leaves? I dunno, some black gunk at the bottom of Jaka's tea cup. . .so perhaps cinnamon remains? 

I will never have Ms Tavers over for tea and biscuits, but I figured I'd give it the ole FanGirl go, and here is round one so far:

Damned reflections! The teapot needs a bit more help to really shine, but I'd drink out of the teacup now.

If this is the gold plated spoon Dave was talking about, it is really small.

Yeah, not the gold plated spoon. So small.Glad Corky found the right spoon.

Danged reflections. Yes, my hair is now blue. It has been for a while. Go Sharks!

And that tea pot is pretty large in real life as the kids would say. It sits in my sink, but I needed a bucket to be able to do part of the initial cleaning:

It is a pretty cool looking teapot even if I can't take its picture.

No, the platter and napkin holder were not included. There was nothing in the teapot, which was fairly clean. There is nothing blocking the spout, and it still pours just fine. It must either be for teabags or really large leaf tea (or just hot water) as I didn't see any type of filter to prevent tea from being poured into a glass. But dang, it is heavy. A two handed lift. At least for me. I didn't want to drop it. Like Corky almost did that one time. Danged kid.

Oh, if you're curious: The teacup and platter say this on the bottom: Royal Albert Bone China England Regina Series Ruby (c) 1988 Royal Albert Ltd. And the bottom of the tea pot and little marmalade dish say: Marlboro Plate by Morton-Parker Canada E/P.Copper ?40 mounts 845

"What IS Cerebus the Aardvark?" AMOC Day 2025

Hi, Everybody!

Mondays!

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And as it is the seventeenth of  November, we must celebrate Tim W's founding of A Moment of Cerebus.

To celebrate (and to tee up Jen), I was gonna run Dave's The Strange Death of Alex Raymond pages that are in YEET Presents #68, but Mike Jones still has 30 copies of the second printing available, and I'm not stepping on his toes until they are gone. Ya gotta back them on Patreon to get it.

Speaking of, I just got the submission guidelines for YEET Presents, and since some of youse are of the artistic type, I thought they may be of interest:

YEET is always looking for talent. We have been giving artists and writers the opportunity to see their work in print for over 35 years.....and what a thrill it is to see your work in print for the first time. If you have a story or maybe just a pin-up, we'd like to see it. Not every submission makes it into the book for different reasons. Mainly, they get lost in my computer but sometimes they don't fit our "mold".

Here are a few guidelines that will assist you in getting in to our little comic book.

1. We are mostly black & white but occasionally we will print in color. If you submit a story in color, don't be disappointed if it appears in grayscale.
2. Page size is 6.7" x 10.25". Page numbering (at the bottom of each page) is very helpful. I like PNG files but PDF, TIFF and others will work. I use GIMP to edit most pages so I can always covert. Dropbox or google files are a headache. I prefer downloading files on wetransfer. Send it to: yeetpresents@gmail.com
3. Keep it old school. We like hand drawn work. NO A.I. Computer lettering is fine, but personally I like to see the flaws of hand lettering. Keep your lettering font and size consistent.
4. We try to spread the word of YEET and the comic book hobby in general. Getting young readers involved is a priority. Keep your material PG13ish rated. A great story doesn't need excessive violence, language or ....well you know. NO politics!
5. Material is printed as needed. We don't have a schedule, or a deadline so take your time. Make sure your submission is just the way you want before sending it. Getting updated files piecemeal is a real pain. You may be asked to submit everything as a total package again. We like to keep our stories under 12 pages. If you have more, try to break it down into parts. Page count may be a deciding factor if it makes it into a specific issue. All genres are accepted, superhero, western, horror, etc.
6. This is a one-man-show. If you send me something and you don't hear from me or it's not printed....shoot me a reminder.
7. All characters should be original or Public Domain....no Batman.
8. If you are not sure how to go about making a comic book story, we can help. Our FB Group has many pros and amateurs willing to lend a hand. Don't be afraid to ask. If you have a story and need an artist or if you’re a penciller or letterer or inker and want to contribute, just ask.
9. Get involved. Join our FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/236613970397789 Check out our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yeetpresents7707 subscribe to the book: www.patreon.com/yeetmagazine
10. Have fun and keep on YEETin’!

I hope this helps and feel free to reach out with your questions.

So with NEW Dave Art off the table, I figured why not "remaster" a classic?

Which means it's:

Cerebus #1 (December 1977)

Art by Dave Sim

DAVE SIM:
(from the introduction to Cerebus #0)

Easily the most common (and difficult) question I'm asked about Cerebus is to describe what the book is about. In an age when most movies, novels and television shows can be distilled to a sound byte (High Noon In Outer Space, West World Done With Dinosaurs), a description of Cerebus becomes an ever-more daunting task.

Put as simply as possible, Cerebus is my attempt to document a life for twenty-six years and three hundred issues. Cerebus began in December 1977 and concludes in March 2004 at issue 300, with the death of the title character. It is my attempt to by-pass one of the major faults of comic books (and strips, for that matter); the fact that the characters never age or change and that most attempts at change can be summed up as gimmicks and temporary modifications introduced for the purposes of boosting sales.

Sometimes the Cerebus story-line is funny.

 

Sometimes it is sad.

Sometimes it crawls along month to month with very little happening

and sometimes it flies by at breath-taking speed with everything happening at once.

I create the book consciously this way because this is the way I see life; my life and the lives of those people that I know. In some story-lines, Cerebus is a central figure and a driving force behind the events taking place.

At other times he is a secondary figure, observing rather than participating.

Again, this is very much like my own life and the lives I see around me.

...Cerebus is a six thousand page story-line, documenting the ups and downs of a single character's life (as well as those around him). Cerebus, like Howard the Duck,

is a funny animal in the world of humans. Everyone, whoever they are, feel themselves to be unique and, more often than not in the last half of the twentieth century, feel themselves to be out of place where ever they are. Documenting that, to the best of my abilities, seemed (and still seems) a worthwhile use of twenty-six years of my life. Cerebus is not a hero, a villain, an anti-hero, or an everyman. He is capable of being each of those and he is most often none of those.

He's Cerebus. An aardvark in the world of humans.

(Man, I should do this to ALL of Tim's stuff... Nah, that sounds like work...)

Happy AMOC Day Everybody!

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Like the logo? I stole it...

And, coming in February, The 1982 Tour Book (click the link to be notified on launch).

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The Help Out Bill Messner-Loebs Go Fund Me, or buy Rodney Schroeter's book with proceeds going to Bill. OR(!) you could buy Bill's book with the Dave backcover. I have discovered links:

Wanderland (Paperback)

Wanderland (Hardcover for the guys who get "hard" for hardcovers...)

Wanderland (Paperback but slightly more expensive...I dunno why...)
The site offers UK shipping, so PRESUMEABLY it's printed and shipped there(?).
And Journey Complete:

Hardcover

Paperback

And if you wanna see how the book looks in Real Time...

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Larry Shell could use a hand to keep his house.

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Dave also wanted me to post this:

Lots of little words, click for bigger.

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Our very own Jen DiGiacomo is part of a film production titled The Day Elvis Died. She'll never ask anybody here, but they're crowdfunding to finish the post production on the movie. (It's set in 1977, will a certain obscure Canadian cartoon aardvark make a cameo? (No. Elvis died in August. Cerebus wasn't published until December. Any appearance in the flick would be an anachronism that would ruin the movie for everybody. EVERYBODY!).) Here's the first trailer. 

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The AMOC TeePublic Shoppe

Up to 35% off November 17-23. And 40% off the 24th-December 2.*

*Sale dates are not final and therefore subject to change.

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You can get all 16 volumes of Cerebus, many of them Remastered for $99CANADIAN at CerebusDownloads.com (More if you want the Remastered Cerebus Guide to Self-Publishing...)

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Heritage has:

• Page 20 of issue #86 (coming soon)
• Page 12 and 13 of issue #102 
• slabbed comics.

And ComicLink (remember ComicLink? Seiler brought us ComicLink. R.I.P Jeff.) has:

• CEREBUS #112 - #113 PAGE 17 DAVE SIM COMIC ART SALE
• Cerebus #39, page 8

Thanks to Steve for sending the links.

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Oliver' Simonsen's Cerebus movie: The Absurd, Surreal, Metaphysical, and Fractured Destiny of Cerebus the Aardvark it's currently available on "Plex", "Xumo", "Vimeo On Demand", "Tubi". If you're in Brazil..., "Mometu", "Nuclear Home Video".

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Next Time: It's been ALMOST three years since Jen started posting, so she's gonna try to ride AMOC Day's coattails...

Old Dave, New Art!

Hi, Everybody!

Yesterday when I made the video for the Lee Thacker portion of Please Hold For Dave Sim, I accidently left out the image Dave was ACTUALLY talking about. (I blame part two being the red-headed stepchild this time (there's ALWAYS a video that breaks the computer and nearly drives me to a homicidal rage. This time it was part two. I got all the way to the end of editing it together, and it wouldn't export. Gave me this weird error. "JSON" was corrupted or something (by the Joker with a crowbar? No idea...). I don't know. I ended up remaking the whole damn thing by copying the layout of the first version, but the timing may be a few seconds off. So if the images don't land EXACTLY when they should, it's because I stopped caring. (It was that or a homicidal rage...) Now you know.).)

 I fixed it, but here it is again:

Click for bigger.

Say, who wants to see some new old Dave art?

Click for Bigger:

So, that's a thing that's gonna happen.

But just for Margaret and Jen:

(Click for bigger)

Hey! Those are the Three Stooges! Latter Days crossover. Nice...

That's right, those are Strange Death of Margaret Mitchell The Strange Death of Alex Raymond pages.

Sorry, I interrupted Dave:

Click for Bigger:

The original strip:

Dave also sent this one, so I assume it's the next cover:

Rigamarole:

Cerebus #1 Facsimile Edition, andCerebus #1 Facsimile Edition Signed

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The AMOC TeePublic Shoppe: up to 35% off:

Your store will be up to 35% off

January 11-14 and January 25-28.*

*Sale dates are not final and therefore subject to change.

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The Strange Death of Alex Raymond Go Fund Me

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Heritage has a few Dave Sim/Cerebus items. Including a thing I didn't realize Dave didn't have..

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The Help Out Bill Messner-Loebs Go Fund Me, or buy Rodney Schroeter's book with proceeds going to Bill.

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Larry Shell could use a hand. (I still haven't heard about where/when Dave's donation is getting sold.)

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The Last Day Without nothing.

   "      "     "        "  Dave's signature.

   "      "     "        "  an Old Cerebus Remarque

   "      "     "     Auction catalog for the Panoramic Remarques. 

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Oliver's Cerebus movie: The Absurd, Surreal, Metaphysical, and Fractured Destiny of Cerebus the Aardvark it's currently available on "Plex", "Xumo", "Vimeo On Demand", "Tubi". If you're in Brazil..., "Mometu", "Nuclear Home Video". 

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Next Time: Monday Report, I find a thing to post...

New old Dave art?

Hi, Everybody!

Last week when I ran the anniversary of Gerhard finishing his work on the monthly Cerebus book, I ran an image that Ger was particularly proud of. Damian said he couldn't see it. I fixed it, but here it is again:

Say, who wants to see some new old Dave art?

There's old Dave. And his new art.

Click for bigger:

What are these?

So, that's a thing that's gonna happen.

But just for Margaret and Jen:

(Click for bigger)

That's right, those are Strange Death of Margaret Mitchell The Strange Death of Alex Raymond pages.

And look at Dave's feet:

Okay, see ya tomorrow for the AMOC year end round-up...

Cerebus #53 Wrap Around Cover Sketch

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.

I was taking a look through Dave’s sixth notebook as we last saw a page from it in June of 2022 in Dave Trying Hal Foster on for Size in a look at pages 14 and 15. The notebook covers Cerebus #49 through 59 and had 158 pages scanned during July of 2005. As I was looking through it, I saw some cool thumbnail sketches of Cerebus #53. I wanted to double check it was #53 and not one of the other Countess issues, and I found a page that stopped me in my tracks.

Notebook #6, page 30

Yes, the sketch of the cover for Cerebus #53 stopped me in my tracks. 

Cerebus #53 wrap around cover

Pretty close to the finished cover. The curtains aren’t there, the chair Cerebus is sitting in turned into a bench, and a few other small differences.  Countess Michelle’s pose changed on the finished cover, and on the notebook page it is right beside the cover. The text is also for Cerebus #53, and next week we’ll see more pages from this notebook used in Cerebus #53.

Cerebus First Crisis

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.

Summit Enchanted Evening Part Three from March of 2022 was the most recent post in which we saw pages from Dave Sim’s fifth Cerebus notebook. With 79 out of 80 pages scanned it covers Cerebus #45 through 49. On page 11 is a huge graphic for Cerebus Six Crisis which starts in Cerebus #45:

Notebook #5, page 11

It looks like Dave started one list for the six crisis up in the top right corner with:

Politicians Crises

Isolation

Misinformation

War

But he crossed that out and wrote down the list on the left hand side:

#1 Bankruptcy

#2 The Summit

#3 Invasion

#4 The Defense of Iest

#5 Unity

#6 Denoument (sic)

Of the cover sketch on the page, Dave said this in the digital High Society: “Original design for CEREBUS’ SIX CRISES I should have gone with instead of the monochrome insert panel motif.”

Cerebus #45 cover

In the Cerebus Cover Art Treasury hardcover, Dave said this about the cover for Cerebus #45 “A good example of choosing a strong illustration concept that’s not really a good cover (i.e., you can’t read the logo from more than a good away). Commercial suicide in the name of. . .I don’t know. Enduring future poverty?”