"Cerebus heard the Panrovian 'March of Virgins' had to be cancelled..."

Hi, Everybody!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

It's NOT Deja Vu, I HAVE done this gag before...

Anyway, This.

Then:

Rigamarole:

THINGS ARE TOUGH ALL OVER: It seems like EVERYBODY has a crowd funding campaign type thing going on:

Friend to the Blog, Steve Peters has launched his latest campaign: Comicverse #6. He's got all sorts of neat stuff on offer, some of it from previous campaigns, meaning "there's Dave Art in them there add-ons!" I dunno, click around and see what he's offering. The campaign has met it's goal, but he followed KickStarter's advice and lowballed that. So more money would mean he doesn't lose money on the deal.

I'm selling bootleg Cerebus trading cards featuring my art, coloring by Hobbs, and unused art of MY characters by Dave. $10 a set for 11 cards plus TWO HANDDRAWN cards (by me). Email momentofcerebus@gmail.com and I'll explain how to pay.

Larry Shell could use a hand to keep his house.

The Help Out Bill Messner-Loebs Go Fund Me, or buy Rodney Schroeter's book with proceeds going to Bill. More on this as I'm allowed to post stuff...

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!).) 

The current thinking is that CAN12/The Varkdalorian will launch in June. Dave has ideas, more on this as I figure out what the hell Sim is planning...

______________

The AMOC TeePublic Shoppe

Up to 35% off May 11, 21-26.*

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

______________

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...)

_______________

Heritage has:

• And a collection of prints including Matisse and Bacchus and SDOAR preliminary art.

_______________

The Last Day Without nothing.

   "      "     "        "  Dave's signature.

   "      "     "        "  an Old Cerebus Remarque

   "      "     "     Auction catalog for the Panoramic Remarques 

_______________

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".

_______________

Next Time: The Monday Report, and Dave sent a bunch of stuff. So, that or glamourpuss pages...

Please Hold For the last of the Please Hold For Dave Sim 5/2025 videos...

Hi, Everybody!

Parts 1-7.

Part 8-12.

And now the third:
Part 13: Why was Dave excluded from Eclipse's 1992 Famous Comic Book Creator cards,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 14: We remember Spogz...which leads to a discussion of Creator's rights and collaboration,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 15: The origins of Dirty Fleagle McGrew and his brother Dirty Drew,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 16: At the request of Joe Gabbard, Dave and I discuss lettering,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 17: Will Gray had a question about specific page from Women,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 18: Dave answers question Taylor S. sent him,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Rigamarole:

THINGS ARE TOUGH ALL OVER: It seems like EVERYBODY has a crowd funding campaign type thing going on:

Friend to the Blog, Steve Peters has launched his latest campaign: Comicverse #6. He's got all sorts of neat stuff on offer, some of it from previous campaigns, meaning "there's Dave Art in them there add-ons!" I dunno, click around and see what he's offering. The campaign has met it's goal, but he followed KickStarter's advice and lowballed that. So more money would mean he doesn't lose money on the deal.

I'm selling bootleg Cerebus trading cards featuring my art, coloring by Hobbs, and unused art of MY characters by Dave. $10 a set for 11 cards plus TWO HANDDRAWN cards (by me). Email momentofcerebus@gmail.com and I'll explain how to pay.

Larry Shell could use a hand to keep his house.

The Help Out Bill Messner-Loebs Go Fund Me, or buy Rodney Schroeter's book with proceeds going to Bill. More on this as I'm allowed to post stuff...

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!).) 

The current thinking is that CAN12/The Varkdalorian will launch in June. Dave has ideas, more on this as I figure out what the hell Sim is planning...

______________

The AMOC TeePublic Shoppe

Up to 35% off May 10-11, 21-26.*

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

One of those is the Mother's Day Sale. Show Mom you care with a T-Shirt of the comic she doesn't understand why you like so much...

______________

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...)

_______________

Heritage has:

• And a collection of prints including Matisse and Bacchus and SDOAR preliminary art.

_______________

The Last Day Without nothing.

   "      "     "        "  Dave's signature.

   "      "     "        "  an Old Cerebus Remarque

   "      "     "     Auction catalog for the Panoramic Remarques 

_______________

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".

_______________

Next Time: Cerebus.

The Mocker--Steve Ditko--a true hero (Dave's weekly update #590)

Hi, Everybody!

Like it says on the Logo:

The little bit on the bottom there...

It's Friday, so that means:

Dave's Weekly Update:

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

 

I don't see The Mocker listed on Robin's site. But here's the Amazon link.

But THAT'S not the big Update this week:

Hi Matt,

Here is the big news from Dave. Dave's landline is NOT working right now. His phone and fax machine do NOT work either. I have tried calling him and leaving a message, but he does not get the message and he has no dial tone either.

Bell Canada is upgrading the old wiring system in his neighbourhood and older homes with the older wiring will be affected (Dave is one of those houses), however it might not fix Dave's phone and fax problems. He is waiting to see on a week by week basis to see if the landline works again or not.

*** Any messages that you need to send to Dave, please send them to SCP and tell them to print it out for Dave. I will pick up the printed-out messages from SCP and give them to Dave. ***

So, unless something changes, next month's Please Hold will be done entirely in semaphore.

____________________

A Moment of Cerebus runs Saturday through Friday.

The Week in AMOC:

• Saturday: Please Hold For Dave Sim 5/2025...PART 1!
• Sunday: Please Hold For Dave Sim 5/2025...PART 2! 
• Monday: The Monday Report, and Dave's answer to the question we missed in Please Hold For Dave Sim 5/2025 and NOT PART 3 (See, the Audio was like four and half HOURS and I had a funeral to go to, my wife wanted to spend time with me, and it was FOUR AND A HALF HOURS of audio I had to edit into (so far) sixteen different videos. (I'm not done yet, I think there's at least two more to go. I'm working on them as soon as I finish this...))
• Tuesday: Jen's posted all the Dave and Carson pages of The Strange Death of Alex Raymond, and has moved on to the mock-ups Dave produced after that. Donate to The Strange Death of Alex Raymond GoFundMe to see Dave's mock-ups for the next 400 pages (eventually). $150 until page 113 of Dave's POST-Carson SDOAR mock-up pages unlocks. AND GoFundMe has a MONTHLY option now, so you can schedule a reoccurring donation. And AND, Birdsong has donated a Carson Grubaugh original SDOAR painting (it was gonna be a cover for an early version.) Jen has all "the deets".
• Wednesday: Hobbs posts the next three of nine trading cards that will be offered for the next Kickstarter. Dave would like to know if it's TOO SOON for the next KS to launch? Thoughts party people?
• Thursday: Margaret's IS done with Albatross One. If you click that link, you can see all the pages of the notebook, OR, you can get a PHYSICAL copy here, anyway not knowing where to head next, Margaret has decided to go with the LAST notebook, from page one to the end. Currently: Issue #294-296. And she also shows some tracing papers from her collection *psst Jen: HEIST!*.
• Friday: that's this post. You're reading the Friday post right now. This is STILL like that bit in Spaceballs. (Should I link to LAST WEEK'S Update in these things?)

Okay, so that was the past week in AMOC. You're welcome.

Rigamarole:

THINGS ARE TOUGH ALL OVER: It seems like EVERYBODY has a crowd funding campaign type thing going on:

Friend to the Blog, Steve Peters has launched his latest campaign: Comicverse #6. He's got all sorts of neat stuff on offer, some of it from previous campaigns, meaning "there's Dave Art in them there add-ons!" I dunno, click around and see what he's offering. The campaign has met it's goal, but he followed KickStarter's advice and lowballed that. So more money would mean he doesn't lose money on the deal.

I'm selling bootleg Cerebus trading cards featuring my art, coloring by Hobbs, and unused art of MY characters by Dave. $10 a set for 11 cards plus TWO HANDDRAWN cards (by me). Email momentofcerebus@gmail.com and I'll explain how to pay.

Larry Shell could use a hand to keep his house.

The Help Out Bill Messner-Loebs Go Fund Me, or buy Rodney Schroeter's book with proceeds going to Bill. More on this as I'm allowed to post stuff...

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!).) 

The current thinking is that CAN12/The Varkdalorian will launch in June. Dave has ideas, more on this as I figure out what the hell Sim is planning...

______________

The AMOC TeePublic Shoppe

Up to 35% off May 9-11, 21-26.*

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

One of those is the Mother's Day Sale. Show Mom you care with a T-Shirt of the comic she doesn't understand why you like so much...

______________

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...)

_______________

Heritage has:

• And a collection of prints including Matisse and Bacchus and SDOAR preliminary art.

_______________

The Last Day Without nothing.

   "      "     "        "  Dave's signature.

   "      "     "        "  an Old Cerebus Remarque

   "      "     "     Auction catalog for the Panoramic Remarques 

_______________

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".

_______________

Next Time: 

FOR THE LAST DAMN TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Notebook 36: Cerebus – 294 - 296

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.

So we went from pages of walls of text as I like to call them to three blank pages last week. Well, not completely blank, they had the issue number box in the top left corner. We’re looking at Dave Sim’s last Cerebus notebook which covers Cerebus #265 through 300. The notebook only had 58 pages scanned – as I didn’t bother scanning in all of the blank pages – and we’ve seen almost all of them. Only a couple of weeks left. Use the Notebook 36 tag to get caught up with all the fun.

And if you thought, well, it is probably more blank pages again. You’d be right. Nothing but blank pages for Cerebus #294, 295, and 296:

Notebook #36, page 85

Notebook #36, page 88

Notebook #36, page 91

Yes, Dave would leave three pages per issue for any notes he might have. Which, as you can see, were none for these issues.

So what about some more of those tracing paper preliminary drawings? Which were more likely used in the production of the original art. Dave can explain it better than I can, from his notes on the tracing paper drawings for Cerebus #300:

During one of these phases, I also began to use tracing paper as a means of correcting imbalances and inaccuracies in the drawings. This technique involved getting a close approximation of how I intended the finished drawing to look and then flipping the tracing paper over and either drawing a finished version of the figure directly on the other side of the sheet or putting another sheet of tracing paper over the first one and doing the finished version on that separate sheet. When a final version of a figure was achieved (in reverse), the finished drawing was then turned face down on the artboard and by tracing over the image in pencil a light pencil impression of the finished drawing was transferred to the artboard which could then be tightened up in pencil and inked.

The tracing paper this week shows us four panels for Cerebus #98. Three of those panels are for page 6 of that same issue (aka Church & State II page 942:

Cerebus #98 page 6: tracing paper and actual issue

Yes, you can zoom in to see the regular pencil over the blue pencil. Dave even penciled in the word balloon for Posey. Okay, okay, here is a more zoomed in picture of just that final panel for page 6:

Close up of Cerebus #98 page 6: tracing paper and actual issue

Here is the other side of the tracing paper:

Flip side of the tracing paper for Cerebus #98 page 6

Yes, there is a four panel on the tracing paper. It looks like the panel of Bishop Powers for the next page – the first insert panel. Now I’m wondering where the tracing paper for the first two insert panels on page 6 is located. Hopefully not a garbage bin. . .

MORE Varkdalorian Trading Cards!

Benjamin Hobbs:

The upcoming Varkdalorian Kickstarter campaign will feature a set of 9 trading cards. These are the next three:

All 9 cards are designed by David Birdsong.

Next week: The final three!

SDoAR 3.17: Strange Death of Alex Raymond Trailer? New Raffle Item?

Did you all know that Dave Sim did an eight-page trailer for The Strange Death of Alex Raymond? And that it's published in Hermitage Awesomes Silicon Session, a parody book by Dave Sim and Carson Grubaugh? Well, it's true - and I'm adding a proof of that very parody book into the raffle that ends next week. So what are you waiting for? Get your raffle tickets today. Only 20 have sold so far! $25 a pop at SDOAR GoFundMe -->> https://www.gofundme.com/f/sdoar-2023

And that trailer? Well, here are the first four pages ...

SDOAR GoFundMe -->> https://www.gofundme.com/f/sdoar-2023

Raffle VII Continues ...

Also included in the raffle is a set of four Cerebus bookplates, signed by Dave Sim.

As a reminder, David Birdsong generously donated Carson Grubaugh's painting from an early version of The Strange Death of Alex Raymond. Note that the frame was damaged and there was no glass in it so he removed the art. The marks made by the frame can be seen below. 16 x 20 inches, acrylic on board.

Rules to win the Carson Grubaugh SDOAR Painting

Entries (or our equivalent of raffle tickets) cost $25 each and can be donated via lump sum to the Strange Death of Alex Raymond 2024 GoFundMe campaign through Monday, April 27, 2025 May 13 at midnight, PST. I will then randomly assign numbers to each entry and have Dave pull another Karnak, and I'll announce the winner on April 28, 2025 May 14, 2025. Cool? Cool.

SDOAR GoFundMe -->> https://www.gofundme.com/f/sdoar-2023

Just the GoFundMe Facts, Ma'am

• $17,650.00 raised to date from 305 donations (Seiler?!)

• 112 pages released so far as mocked up and/or drawn by Dave Sim through 12 Jan 2022.
  
• $150.00 away from unlocking page 113

• If you have not donated, a $5+ donation grants you access to all 112 pages and all unlocked pages moving forward >> https://www.gofundme.com/f/sdoar-2023

• GoFundMe now offers automated monthly donations! >> https://www.gofundme.com/f/sdoar-2023/donate?source=btn_donate 

SDOAR GoFundMe -->> https://www.gofundme.com/f/sdoar-2023

The Strange Death of Alex Raymond New Mockups Preview 

If you haven't read The Strange Death of Alex Raymond before, now is the perfect time to dive in, four pages at a time, and read the story as presented in the hardcover. 

This, 

This, this, 

This, this, this, 

This, this, this, this, 

This, this, this, this, this, 

This, this, this, this, this, this, 

This, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, 

This, this, this, this, this, this, this, 

This, this, this, this, this, this, 

This, this, this, this, this, 

This, this, this, this, 

This, this, this, 

And this.

If you want to see how Carson Grubaugh finished the hardcover, well, you're going to need to purchase a copy of your own. HOWEVER, if you want to see how Dave Sim continued the story in the blue pages -- bring me the blue pages -- mockups that appeared in blue ink in final section of the hardcover can be found here...

This, 

This, this,

This, and this.

Then in June 2021, Dave picked up the story again and it continues here, here, here, here, and here.

If you enjoy the journey, you can join us for all the new pages on Dropbox by donating $5 or more. 

SDOAR GoFundMe -->> https://www.gofundme.com/f/sdoar-2023

Jen x 

Treasures, I say, TREASURES from the Please Hold Editing Suite.

Hi, Everybody!

Mondays!

Still working on the last of the Please Hold videos, so here's a couple of "gems" from the process:

Okay "moment".

I'll finish the videos as FAST as I can, and we'll be done with this by the weekend... (I think I may have SERIOUSLY screwed up the Audio, so THAT'LL be fun...)

Okay, okay put down the pitchforks

Please Hold For the answer to the question we missed (well, I didn't miss it, I just didn't say nothing to Dave 'bout it...)

Canyon Frost asks:

My comic shop said both their distributors were totally out of Cerebus vol 1! Any word on a new print run?

And Dave sez:

So know we know...

Next Time: I'm in the editing suite, so "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn..."

Please Hold For Dave Sim 5/2025 (part 2 of maybe 3?)

Hi, Everybody!

Continuing from yesterday:

Part 8: Daniel F. has a question about Funny Pages,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Michael R's report from the set can be found here.

Part 9: James Banderas-Smith had a couple questions,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 10: Dave and I talk about my kid's dance team and the Pud's Tavern campaign,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

If you want a set: email me at momentofcerebus@gmail.com

Part 11: Michael R. has a question about AV in 3D,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 12: Kirk had a question about the cover coloring process in early Cerebus issues,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

I went and saw Thunderbolts*, it was pretty good. The rest of the videos will (hopefully) be up tomorrow (four and a half's of audio will do this to me...).

Next Time: The Monday Report, more of these...

Please Hold For Dave Sim 5/2025 (probably Part one of two...)

Hi, Everybody!

Audio:

Videos

Part 1: Dave has a question for all the CAN backers,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 2: I explain last month and this month's Please Hold strips. And we discuss the Medieval Spawn part of the Todd/Neil feud,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 3: Dave and I remember Jeff Seiler,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 4: Dave answers @creative_fey's questions for her podcast, 

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 5:

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 6: Dave answers MJ Sewall's questions, has an idea for a book about Mike's restaurant, and I reveal one of my childhood tramas,

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

Part 7: Anonymous has a REAL "inside Baseball" question:

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

And that's all I got processed today (I had to go to a memorial service (I do TO have a life outside Cerebus...).)

All get the rest up tomorrow. (Besides, parts four and five are over forty minutes long apiece...)

Next Time: More of this $#!*...

Cerebus action-figure w/ removable head (Dave's weekly update #589)

Hi, Everybody!

Like it says on the Logo:

The little bit on the bottom there...

It's Friday, so that means:

Dave's Weekly Update:

Problems viewing this video? Watch directly on YouTube...

 

I dunno if Josh is doing another run of them, I'll ask on the Facebooks (or YOU can ask him yourself...)

____________________

A Moment of Cerebus runs Saturday through Friday.

The Week in AMOC:

• Saturday: Catching up on the faxes and things Dave has sent me, like Guys Prize winners.
• Sunday: The beginning of issue #9.
• Monday: The Monday Report, and I'm selling bootleg Cerebus trading cards featuring my art, coloring by Hobbs, and unused art of MY characters by Dave. $10 a set for 11 cards plus TWO HANDDRAWN cards (by me). Email momentofcerebus@gmail.com and I'll explain how to pay.
• Tuesday: Jen's back! She's posted all the Dave and Carson pages of The Strange Death of Alex Raymond, and has moved on to the mock-ups Dave produced after that. Donate to The Strange Death of Alex Raymond GoFundMe to see Dave's mock-ups for the next 400 pages (eventually). $200 until page 113 of Dave's POST-Carson SDOAR mock-up pages unlocks. AND GoFundMe has a MONTHLY option now, so you can schedule a reoccurring donation. And AND, Birdsong has donated a Carson Grubaugh original SDOAR painting (it was gonna be a cover for an early version.) Jen has all "the deets".
• Wednesday: Hobbs posts the first three of nine trading cards that will be offered for the next Kickstarter. Dave would like to know if it's TOO SOON for the next KS to launch? Thoughts party people?
• Thursday: Margaret's IS done with Albatross One. If you click that link, you can see all the pages of the notebook, OR, you can get a PHYSICAL copy here, anyway not knowing where to head next, Margaret has decided to go with the LAST notebook, from page one to the end. Currently: Issue #291-293. And she also shows some tracing papers from her collection *psst Jen: HEIST!*.
• Friday: that's this post. You're reading the Friday post right now. This is STILL like that bit in Spaceballs. (Should I link to LAST WEEK'S Update in these things?)

Okay, so that was the past week in AMOC. You're welcome.

Rigamarole:

Narutobus, the Comic Store Version:

Regular

Signed and Numbered

______________

The AMOC TeePublic Shoppe

Up to 35% off May 2-4, 7-11, 21-26.*

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

One of those is the Mother's Day Sale. Show Mom you care with a T-Shirt of the comic she doesn't understand why you like so much...

______________

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...)

_______________

Heritage has

• Turtles #8 in a 9.8 (which means it's slabbed)
• And upcoming a collection of prints including Matisse and Bacchus.

_______________

The Help Out Bill Messner-Loebs Go Fund Me, or buy Rodney Schroeter's book with proceeds going to Bill. More on this as I'm allowed to post stuff...

_______________

The Last Day Without nothing.

   "      "     "        "  Dave's signature.

   "      "     "        "  an Old Cerebus Remarque

   "      "     "     Auction catalog for the Panoramic Remarques 

_______________

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".

_______________

Next Time: 

There's FOUR HOURS of video, so hopefully I can get it all edited and uploaded...

Notebook 36: Cerebus #291 - 293

Last week we saw four pages from Dave Sim’s last Cerebus notebook, notebook #36. Those pages contained a lot of text that appeared to be for Cerebus #289 / 290. We’ve been looking a pages from notebook #36 since January of 2025 and they can all be seen using the Notebook 36 tag. What do we have up this week – more walls of text? One of the few sketches in this notebook? Or just an issue number box and a blank page? 

Notebook #36, page 76

Lovely, another blank page. Well, almost blank page. We see the issue number box in the upper left corner of the page. The text we saw last week is lightly visible on the previous page. And as you can guess, when the first of the three pages allocated to that notebook is blank, so are the rest of them. So the next page is number seventy-nine:

Notebook #36, page 79

Another blank page followed by yes, two more blank pages as the pages for Cerebus #292 were not used. So is there anything on page 82?

Notebook #36, page 82

Nope, more of the same. Another issue number box, and nothing else. Seems that Dave had The Last Day mapped out already and didn’t have much need of the notebook.

So what about some tracing paper preliminary sketches? I went back to look at what older ones I have, and how about one for the cover of Cerebus #97 - and yes, click on all of the pictures for a larger look at them:

Cerebus #97 and tracing paper preliminary sketch

Why was my copy of #97 signed by both Dave and Ger? My checklist spreadsheet says “Signed, LTD to 49 Sim "file copies"”. I still have the envelope which it came in from Aardvark-Vanaheim. Looks like it is dated from 2006. 

Here is the flip side of the tracing paper, you can see that there are pencil marks on this, just over his blue pencil from the other side. 

Back side of tracing preliminary sketch for the cover to Cerebus #97

How about another tracing paper preliminary sketch for Cerebus #97? At first I saw this and thought it was for the cover to Cerebus #100, the way the panel is so tall and narrow. But no, it is for the last page of issue #97:

Front side of the preliminary sketch on tracing paper, Cerebus #97, page 20

You can see it is for the fourth panel of that page. Dave sketched out Cerebus to get how Most Holy’s vestments fall on his body as he is walking up the steps away from the dungeon. And yes, there are pencil marks on the back of the tracing paper, but only the black pencil marks, none of the blue:

Back side of the preliminary sketch on tracing paper, Cerebus #97, page 20

Will next week be more blank pages. . .well, pages of just issue number boxes or will we get some more notes?