Hi, Everybody!
*sniff* *sniff* Do I smell money?
SOMEBODY WITH A LITTLE HAMMER by MARY GAITSKILL PB signed by DAVE SIM
SOMEBODY WITH A LITTLE HAMMER by MARY GAITSKILL HC signed by DAVE SIM
And check the bonecrusher86 on the eBays to see when the next thing is up.
So a little over a month ago, somebody posted on The Cerebus Facebook group a tweet from Todd McFarlane about Spawn #286, and how he was looking forward to breaking Dave's record of 300 issues. And there was much discussion of if it even COUNTS, since Todd didn't write and draw all 300 issues.
So, I faxed up to Dave and asked:
Hi Dave,
So, I joined the Cerebus Facebook group (incognito, so as
not to arouse their suspicion if they’re bitching about AMOC since the regime
change,) and Oliver Simonsen shared a tweet from Todd McFarlane:
And people were discussing the various aspects of Spawn
hitting #300, and it got me thinking.
As the “founder” of the 300 club, how do you see Spawn
hitting #300?
Is it closer to Cerebus hitting #300, or closer to Batman
hitting #300?
I assume that while an achievement, Erik Larsen hitting #300
with Savage Dragon will be closer to Cerebus hitting #300, than Spawn hitting #300,
right?
I guess, I’m wondering: What exactly IS the record?
300 issues from a non-Marvel/DC title?
300 issues by the same creative team?
300 issues of a creator owned title?
300 issues self-published?
Some combination of the four?
I can see the case for an asterisk for the second and fourth
for Cerebus. Yes, you wrote and drew 300 issues, but Gerhard didn’t come on
board until #65, which means you guys were only (ha! “Only”!) a team for 235
issues. (Which beats the Lee/Kirby FF run, and are the leaders for “Longest run
by a single creative team” (as far as I know,).) And Deni was listed as the
publisher for the first 70 issues, so was it truly “Self-publishing”? (I’d say
yes, since you and her were a team (again, as far as I know…) right?) which
means Cerebus was only (ha! again,) self-published for 230 issues (if Deni
doesn’t “count”).
I mean, Cerebus IS a monumental achievement. It’s like
you’ve described it, “climbing Mt. Everest”. I just wonder if publishing 300
issues of a comic you created, and had a partial hand in its production (ie:
Spawn,) is the same, or more like “climbing Mt. Hood”, still a difficult task,
but not the exact same thing. Yes, they’re both mountain climbing, but ya know,
Everest is Everest, and Hood is just Hood…
Also, tangentially, what are the parameters for “same
creative team”? The Lee/Kirby FF benchmark IS a benchmark, but how many
different inkers and colorists did they have? I mean, Erik Larsen has written
and drawn 235 (tying you and Ger, how about that?) issues of Savage Dragon. But he’s had a
number of letterers and colorists (no more than a dozen guys I think). Does
that mean he isn’t tied with you and Ger? And when he hits #300, will it
“count”?
I dunno, just some stuff rattling around my head. Made me
wonder what your opinion was.
Matt
And Dave responded thusly:
Which is nice and gracious, and a TOTALLY reasonable response.
But seeing as how this is a blog dedicated to a comic that ended FOURTEEN years ago(!), nice and gracious, and reasonable aren't really our "forte".
We're more about the nitpicking, sniping, and being petty little bitches.
So, "Yay" to Todd for almost hitting 300 issues. But much like Barry Bonds record breaking home run ball, I say there needs to be an asterisk. While Spawn is gonna hit 300 issues, it's more in line with Batman hitting 300 issues, than Cerebus hitting 300.
Erik Larsen hitting 300 with Savage Dragon is light years closer to Dave and Cerebus than Todd and Spawn. No asterisk required.
Okay, start yer bitchin' in the comments, I'm out!
Next Time: I mean, COME ON, Spawn has had how many different creative teams?
