Reading Cerebus #5

Hey look kids! It's "READING CEREBUS" time!

Kevin Kimmes:

Welcome back to “Reading Cerebus”, a new weekly column here at A Moment of Cerebus. The goal of this column is to bring a fresh perspective to the 300-issue saga of Cerebus as I read through the series for the first time and give my insights into the longest running independent comic book series of all time. Think of this as part book club, part lit-crit, and part pop culture musing. Oh, and they told me Dave Sim himself may be reading this, so I hope I don’t screw this up. Let’s continue.

Issue #5: “Bran Mak Mufin”

Since last we left our Earth-Pig Born:

“After leaving Serrea, Cerebus drifts west into The Red Marches where he enters the employ of Turan Genn, a mercenary captain! The summer rains are at their peak and the Earth-Pig executes his tasks amid much grumbling about sub-tropical rainfall…”

I gotta admit, I love making Kevin's text superfluous with images from CerebusDownloads...

Thanks, Dave!

“It Stinks!”

This issue has one joke built off of the “summer rains” mentioned above: Cerebus stinks when he gets wet! Much like the smell of Sex Panther in the original “Anchorman” film, the smell of a wet Earth-Pig “stings the nostrils” and is described by Bran Mak Mufin and his followers as:

• “The plains dwellers must be burning their ceremonial skunks again…”
• “…the smell of a thousand dung worms mating in the noon sun…”
• “Smells like someone’s loin-cloth is on fire…”
• “I would guess that the cesspool is draining into the air vents again.”
• “Smells like someone brought a dead goat with them…”

Pulp Fiction

Yes, this weeks title character, Bran Mak Mufin, is again a play on another of Robert E. Howard’s pulp creations, Bran Mak Morn, last king of the Picts. Unlike his Conan stories, Bran Mak Morn was more grounded in the history of Europe, with some exceptions taken for story’s sake.

For Cerebus, Dave has taken the Picts and changed them to the Pigts and has changed their leader’s name to that of healthy breakfast fare. Discovered by a small group of Pigts, Cerebus is hastily asked to accompany them back to their camp. But something seems afoot…their initial reaction to Cerebus is that of shock!

Upon arrival at their lair, Cerebus is introduced to their leader, who is quick to deal out questions for the Earth-Pig Born, most notably, “How old are you?”

“Guess.”

“You’re twenty-six, aren’t you?”

“…”

“I Am a Golden God!”

Image of later importance to the series from CerebusDownloads

Well, clay really, but that “Almost Famous” reference was too good to pass up. Unable to sleep and playing off of instinct and intuition, Cerebus follows a “bump in the night” which quickly becomes the chanting of the Pigts. You see, Bran has them energized with prophecy:

“…time we have awaited is at hand. Our redeemer walks among us… “in his twenty-sixth year he shall come to us…” For a thousand years, the Pigts have been without their god-king. Now, he has been restored. Now, empires will be trampled beneath our feet. Now, we need no longer content ourselves with an idol in his image! All hail!”

Idol? Yup! And like Billy, this thing is all “Ready, Steady, Go!”

To Cerebus bewilderment, there in front of him stands a fifteen-foot-high idol in the image of…well…Cerebus! So, that explains why Mak Mufin was so interested in him, he’s convinced that Cerebus is the reincarnation of some Pigtish god-king from days past.

Kill Your Idols

With the Pigts now gone and the auditorium empty, Cerebus is presented with a decision to make: To portray the Pigts’ redeemer, or not. Deliberating over the opportunities that this ruse could afford him, in the end Cerebus decides that this is not his destiny and begins demolishing the soft material that makes up the idol. He is no Pigt…he is unique…HE IS CEREBUS!

More Later relevance from CerebusDownloads 

Emerging from the Pigts’ lair, Cerebus begins to march toward Iest, feeling once again drawn to the city.

Join me back here next week as we look at Issue 6: “The Secret”.

Currently Listening To: “Generation X” by Generation X

Kevin Kimmes is a lifelong comic book reader, sometime comic book artist, and recent Cerebus convert. He can be found slinging comics at the center of the Multiverse, aka House of Heroes in Oshkosh, WI.

Reading Cerebus #4

Hey look kids! It's "READING CEREBUS" time!

Kevin Kimmes:

Welcome back to “Reading Cerebus”, a new weekly column here at A Moment of Cerebus. The goal of this column is to bring a fresh perspective to the 300-issue saga of Cerebus as I read through the series for the first time and give my insights into the longest running independent comic book series of all time. Think of this as part book club, part lit-crit, and part pop culture musing. Oh, and they told me Dave Sim himself may be reading this, so I hope I don’t screw this up. Let’s continue.

Issue #4: “Death’s Dark Tread”

Issue #4: "Death's Dark Tread" 

Since last we left our Earth-Pig Born:

“Using Henrot’s gold, Cerebus bribes his way onto a merchant vessel on the Sofim river. A week later, he is within the Sepran Empire’s boundaries, posing as a trader in textiles! At Serrea, the informal capital of the loosely-knit and militant empire, the Earth-Pig sees his chance for a much-needed vacation! He loses himself amid the bustling crowds and, with the last of his Borealan gold, sets about the serious business of drinking, eating and gambling…”

Image courtesy of Cerebus Downloads, Apricot Brandy courtesy of Henrot's gold...

Thanks, Dave!

In what is a rather simple plot, Cerebus discovers a shiny gem only to suddenly become the object of Death’s attention. See, Death want’s the gem to add to his collection (he has a dozen, but clearly is in search of a baker’s dozen) and will use anything in his power to get it. And by anything, I mean Lovecraftian beasts from the dawn of creation, and a Foghorn Leghorn talking parody of Michael Moorcock’s Elric! What, you say, what? Well good reader, you are in for a treat.

Death’s first attempt at retrieving the gem is to sick a Lovecraftian horror (a Crawler) on Cerebus. This thing is straight up nightmare fodder: all tentacles, mouths and eyeballs! Death explains that the Crawler is, “A creature from the dawn of time, a creature of sorcery…” It is also no match for Cerebus, as he makes quick work of the beast.

Another Pulp Icon: H. P. Lovecraft

Howard Phillips (H. P.) Lovecraft is the second major pulp author that Dave borrows from in Cerebus. Lovecraft, best known for his Cthulhu Mythos, was a contemporary of Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan and Red Sonja (see last week’s column for the twisty tale of Sonja’s genesis). Drawing heavily on gothic horror, Lovecraft created his own version of both terrestrial and cosmic horror, taking influence from author’s such as Edgar Allan Poe, Ambrose Bierce, and Arthur Machen.

Two things stand out in the exchange between Cerebus and the Crawler that play into the over-arching themes of Lovecraft: Death’s description of the creature and the idea of “sanity”.

As mentioned above, Death refers to the crawler as “A creature from the dawn of time, a creature of sorcery…”, making it wholly possible that this is a Lovecraftian hell-beast of some sort. In much of Lovecraft’s work, cultists and those versed in the black arts attempt to awaken the slumbering “Elder Gods” of the universe. With this description, it is not hard to suppose that what we see here is some sort of lesser deity.

Additionally, upon initially besting the beast, Cerebus quips, “And to think that Cerebus came south to seek sanity…!” Sanity is another reoccurring theme in Lovecraft’s work, with many a protagonist losing their minds at the exposure to these creatures from beyond time and space. Not Cerebus though, his mental fortitude is about to be tested in new and wholly tortuous ways by Death’s next trap: Elrod The Albino!

A Third Pulp Icon: Michael Moorcock

Borrowing from the pulp/horror/sword and sorcery pantheon of authors is now clearly a running theme in these early stories as the introduction of Elrod further proves. Based on the albino swordsman, Elric of Melnibone, who first appeared in the 1961 novella, "The Dreaming City", Elrod gets a tweak from another famous pantheon: Loony Tunes, specifically the cartoons featuring Foghorn Leghorn!

To paraphrase Bob Dylan’s “Outlaw Blues”: “Well, I might look like Johnny Winter, but I feel just like a’ Foghorn Leghorn, I say boy, I say!”

 

Image, I say image courtesy of Cerebus Downloads. Dotcom, that is...

Yes, Elrod has all of the vocal mannerisms of that loveable rooster, including a penchant to never shut up. This, quickly becomes an issue as Elrod bounces from referring to Cerebus as a kid in a “bunny suit”, to mistaking Cerebus’ lack of interest for insult, resulting in a challenge to sword fight (where have we seen this before *wink, wink*).

Elrod’s black sword, Seersucker (a joke five-thousand years in the making and a parody of Elric’s sword, Stormbringer) proves no match for Cerebus as it shatters on impact with Cerebus’ own steel. As Cerebus notes, the black color was a byproduct of an abundant rust buildup, thus making the sword as frail as it’s wielder.

Losing the fight, Elrod continues to follow Cerebus, all the while letting his big mouth run. It’s not long before this again leads to conflict, this time with the city garrison, resulting in both Cerebus and Elrod being thrown in prison, after Elrod’s might in battle is again proven to be, I say be, a bunch of hot air.

Chained to the wall with “Chatty Cathy”, Cerebus turns his full attention to trying to break his bonds despite the protestation of Elrod. Eventually snapping both manacles, Cerebus leaves his fast-talking companion to rot in the dungeon and goes in search of someone capable of removing what remains of his bonds.

But, there is one nagging thing that must be done first: Get rid of that cursed bad luck gem!

Cerebus opts to chuck it down a well (good riddance to bad rubbish), as it has brought him nothing but problems since he found it. In the end, no one wins with Cerebus none-the-richer, and Death still baker’s dozenless on the gem front.

 

This image is courtesy DC Comics. J/K, it's another Cerebus Downloads one.

Join me back here next week as we look at Issue 5 as Cerebus faces the terror of “Bran Mak Mufin”.

Currently Listening To: Garcia Live Volume 9: Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders August 11^th, 1974 Keystone Berkeley

Kevin Kimmes is a lifelong comic book reader, sometime comic book artist, and recent Cerebus convert. He can be found slinging comics at the center of the Multiverse, aka House of Heroes in Oshkosh, WI.

Reading Cerebus #3

Hey look kids! It's "READING CEREBUS" time!

Kevin Kimmes:

Welcome back to “Reading Cerebus”, a new weekly column here at A Moment of Cerebus. The goal of this column is to bring a fresh perspective to the 300-issue saga of Cerebus as I read through the series for the first time and give my insights into the longest running independent comic book series of all time. Think of this as part book club, part lit-crit, and part pop culture musing. Oh, and they told me Dave Sim himself may be reading this, so I hope I don’t screw this up. Let’s continue.

Issue #3 – “Song of Red Sophia”

Cerebus #3: Song of Red Sophia

Issue 3 introduces us to the busty Red Sonja parody, Red Sophia. Just like her titular counterpart, Red Sophia is a fiery warrior, but unlike Sonja, this gal knows how to shake a tail-feather! Before I get too far into this weeks plot, let's throw the switches on the WABAC machine and look at the history of Red Sonja. And away we go!

"Gee Mr. Peabody, isn't this gonna get somebody sued?" "QUIET YOU!"

Is it Sonja or Sonya?

Well, it depends on if you ask Conan creator Robert E. Howard, or Marvel's Roy Thomas. See, technically they are two separate characters, each with their own unique spelling and era of existence.

In 1934, Howard created a female swashbuckler named “Red Sonya of Rogatino” for his story “The Shadow of the Vulture”. This story takes place in the 16^th century and features a fiery, red haired gun-slinging woman warrior protagonist.

Years later, Roy Thomas would adapt Sonya for addition to his and Barry Windsor-Smith's run on Conan, moving her out of the 16^th century and placing her squarely in the Hyborian Age. A quick name change to Sonja and the addition of a chainmail bikini, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Thanks, Mr. Peabody!

Now Back To The Preceding Column Already In Progress

As our issue opens, we find Cerebus has made his way to the coastal port of Temza where the Borealan gold mines are failing, leading the local government to press mercenaries into service on pain of death. Desperate to find safe passage east, Cerebus heads to Tansubal where he meets Henrot the Wizard and takes on a new assignment: Torture, then assassinate the man who besmirched his daughter's honour. The daughter in question? Red Sophia.

Henrot sends Sophia along with Cerebus so that she may see the man die slowly for his transgressions, but it doesn't take Cerebus long to figure out that something foul is afoot. See, while Sophia is handy with a sword and seems to be more than capable of taking care of herself, she is also bat-shit crazy!

Accused of besmirching her honour (See a pattern here?) mere yards into their journey, Cerebus is forced to match metal with his companion. Seizing on “ample” opportunity, The Earth Pig Born connects the flat of his sword with the buxom posterior of Red Sophia sending her sprawling into the bushes nearby.

Image courtesy CerebusDownloads 

Bested, Sophia throws herself at Cerebus and declares, “I am yours to command! Let me do your bidding, oh short grey master...my body is yours!” Not one to miss an opportunity, Cerebus takes Sophia up on her offer and saddles her with the task of carrying the party's supplies. 

That evening the pair decides to visit an inn where, wait for it, Sophia again has her honour besmirched. While all Cerebus wanted was to drink an ale in peace, Sophia manages to drag him into a skirmish with Thugg The Unseemly, a fight that Cerebus ends with one well placed bonk of his sword hilt. Seeing this fight as finished Cerebus grabs Sophia and leaves the inn, but Sophia has other ideas, you know, because of the besmirching and the honour and what-not. She heads back in and puts a whupping on Thugg, after which the two travelers head off to make dinner and pitch their tent for the night.

One thing worth pointing out at this point is the increase in humor in this issue, in contrast to the more grim storytelling of the first two issues. While issue two offered up a few laughs, this issue sees jokes-a-plenty surrounding Sophia and her delicate disposition, as well as her lust for Cerebus and his indifference in return. We also get some good gross-out humor regarding Cerebus and his carnivorous appetite, and Looney Tunes style physical comedy as Cerebus and Red Sophia make their way to their destination.

Upon reaching the besmircher, Tanes Feras, Sophia flies into a tizzy attempting to kill him herself, but knowing that gold is on the line, Cerebus does the only thing he can do at this point and knocks Sophia out with his sword. A short interrogation later, we find out that Tanes gazed upon Sophia while she was bathing causing her to feel besmirched, and him to fall madly in love with her. Cerebus, always the opportunist, decides to use this situation to take care of both of his problems at one.

In the epilogue, Cerebus returns to Henrot to tell him that his quest is complete and that Feras has been sufficiently punished. When pressed on how, and the whereabouts of the absent Sophia, Cerebus tells him the following: “I told her she would make Cerebus very happy if she married Feras...” He goes on to say, “I have no doubt that the marriage of your daughter and Feras will last many years and if you can think of greater suffering than that, you are welcome to try them on your new son-in-law, Henrot...”

Image courtesy CerebusDownloads 

A few final notes regarding this issue of Cerebus: 1) The likeness of Henrot is based on Frank Thorne, who is one of the best known illustrators of Red Sonja, and someone who Dave corresponded with regularly. 2) This issue marks the point at which Dave had committed to doing Cerebus as a bi-monthly comic. Up to this point, the plan was, “We'll put out three issues and if it doesn't go so good, we can always back out and I'll have three sample issues of a comic book when I look for work.” Thankfully, for us, it all worked out.

Join me back here next week as we look at Issue 4: “Death's Dark Tread”.

Currently Listening To: “Bald” Bill Hagan and his Trocaderons “Music to Strip By”

Kevin Kimmes is a lifelong comic book reader, sometime comic book artist, and recent Cerebus convert. He can be found slinging comics at the center of the Multiverse, aka House of Heroes in Oshkosh, WI.

Reading Cerebus #2

Hey look kids! It's "READING CEREBUS" time!

Kevin Kimmes:

Welcome back to “Reading Cerebus”, a new weekly column here at A Moment of Cerebus. The goal of this column is to bring a fresh perspective to the 300-issue saga of Cerebus as I read through the series for the first time and give my insights into the longest running independent comic book series of all time. Think of this as part book club, part lit-crit, and part pop culture musing. Oh, and they told me Dave Sim himself may be reading this, so I hope I don’t screw this up. Let’s continue.

Issue #2 – “Captive in Boreala”

Cerebus #2: Captive in Boreala

Issue 2 opens an indeterminate amount of time after the events of issue 1. With his money gone, we find Cerebus has fled the cities of the south and has joined a Tansubal warband headed for Boreala and the countries to the north-east.

After being ambushed by a group of savage marauders (no, not the 1980’s X-Men villains), Cerebus finds himself outnumbered and proving his worth as a “sword for hire” in the sacred “Duel of the Long Knives”.

Some of you are saying, “What’s this “Duel of the Long Knives” of which you speak?” Well, I’m glad you asked. In the “Duel of the Long Knives” two competitors, each armed with long knives (surprise, surprise) fight with a two-foot length of cloth between their teeth. That is how “sacred tradition” dictates the fight is supposed to transpire. However, due to a height disparity between Cerebus and his opponent, Klog, this fight features a six-foot length of cloth in order to be “more - - uh sacred”.

Sacred tradition demands I caption this image from the first phonebook... courtesy of CerebusDownloads

This test is meant to favor the physical attributes of the man-mountain, Klog, and plays out as such in the early going. Cerebus is quickly thrown from his feet and his knife flies several feet away. This would be the doom of less qualified warriors, but only a momentary distraction for Cerebus. See, he has a secret weapon at his disposal, his snout.

As mentioned in last week’s column, the Cerebus of the early issues has a long snout and is a bit “off-model” in comparison with the look that most comics fans of the last 40 years would recognize, but in this week’s tale, this strangely pays off for “The Earth-Pig Born”. With, Klog’s attempt at a charge foiled, Cerebus draws him in close and unleashes a dreaded “Earth-Pig Snout Punch”. Yes, sometimes being a bit off-model pays off in ways you wouldn’t necessarily expect.

Sadly, poor dumb Klog learns a harsh lesson from this contest: Don’t piss off Cerebus!

While Klog lays unconscious in the snow, the Borealan chieftain quips about how as a southlander Cerebus doubtlessly has a moral code that prohibits the execution of an unconscious foe. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as Cerebus picks up his knife and plunges it deep into Klog’s skull. Again, repeat after me, kids: Don’t piss off Cerebus!

Cerebus soon finds his time as a Borealan marauder short lived as on the third day of their march they run into fatal opposition from an ensorcelled army of fifty warriors. Cut off from the Borealans, Cerebus soon finds himself herded toward the precipice of a cliff with two options presented: fight against unfathomable sorcery or face the unknown danger of what lies below. Cerebus chooses the unknown.

As it turns out, the unknown holds two things: 1) “The Eye of Terim”, 2) An artistic shortcut. We’ll get back to “The Eye…” in a moment, but let’s talk about this shortcut for a minute. In his introduction to issue #2 in “Swords of Cerebus” (later re-printed in “Cerebus Bi-Weekly” #2), Dave admits that drawing twelve pages of Cerebus and rocks was a lot more appealing to the artistic part of him at the time, than the alternative of spending the next two weeks drawing Barry Windsor-Smith people and buildings and snow. Thus, we get the heavy blacks of the poorly lit resting place of “The Eye of Terim”.

“The Eye…” is said to be guarded by the demon Khem, but as Cerebus is soon to learn, legends can be deceiving, as can appearances. As with the “Flame Jewel” of issue #1, “The Eye…” is not actually “The Eye…”, but instead the trappings of a succubus!

As the succubus attempts to attack Cerebus for seeing it for what it is, an interesting twist is uncovered: “The Earth-Pig Born” may have no soul. Explained as “…his unusual nature” on the last page of the story, this is something I’ll be keeping eye out for in later stories. For now, this lack of or difficulty in finding a soul, has just saved Cerebus’ grey hide.

This issue ends with Cerebus realizing that his battle with the succubus has released the ensorcelled army, leaving a battle field of skeletons as proof. Finding himself broke and hungry again, Cerebus heads to the nearest port twenty-plus miles away where he plans on enjoying the finer things in life like ale and brawling.

Join me back here next week as I discuss the “Song of Red Sophia” which features the introduction of Red Sophia, based on another Robert E. Howard creation, Red Sonja. Take care.

Currently Listening To: “Sunshine Daydream: Veneta, Oregon, August 27, 1972” by Grateful Dead

Kevin Kimmes is a lifelong comic book reader, sometime comic book artist, and recent Cerebus convert. He can be found slinging comics at the center of the Multiverse, aka House of Heroes in Oshkosh, WI