Saturday, 26 December 2020

Is The Boss Man Back Yet? I'm So Tired. . .

Well, the AMoC Assistant Editors Week™© is drawing to a close here at a Moment of Cerebus. We hope you've enjoyed Matt being gone as much as we didn't.  Trying to keep up with daily content makes me glad we have him as the big Boss Man. Even if he doesn't pay us. 

Wait, who is that in the window?

Is that who I think it is?

Nope. That isn't who I thought it was. Is that even the same window?

Wait. Who is that behind Fred Hammer? Is that DJ Aardvark?

That appears to be DJ Aardvark, but sorry, he has his shirt on in this picture. And Fred appears to have his "Most Holy" costume on for some odd reason. 

Well here is the band - part of it, DJ Aardvark was indisposed at the time - waiting for their flight back home.


Umm. And what do they get to return to? Wasn't Fred supposed to clean up this mess? Or was that the artist chap's duty?

Ahh, the home office. Wait. Fred? Get up and help clean up, Boss Man is about to return! Yeesh.

Friday, 25 December 2020

Christmas 2020

Luke 1 : 8-20






Merry Christmas.  Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday to everyone.

from Dave Sim and the entire team

Thursday, 24 December 2020

Introducing Small Square Dull Black Everyday Void

And now with some holiday music, AMoC's house band, SSDBEV:

Fred Hammer as Lead Singer and on guitar

Viktor Davis on Drums and Tuba

Mr G. Hard on bass, beer bottle, and back-up vocals

And introducing DJ Aardvark

Matt really left us in charge. Can you believe it? Teehee.

Misprinted, 2nd Printing & Halloween Edition Comic Books Signed + Name This Penguin

 More bonus content for Christmas week:


It's cold in Canada Land, eh?

Dave sacrifices his lower back for the fans


Dave's copies of Cerebus In Hell? 2021 came in.  (Is it a calendar?  Is it a comic book?  Yes.)


Actual orders were the lowest this year.  It's all new content, not just previews,
so your collection is ruined if you didn't order one.  Don't blame the messenger.


Or did they?


Infinity cover on the upper left, a CIH? first!


As much as we would have loved to sell this many copies the actual order was a bit lower.  And then there's the cover.   It's on backwards.  Yes, again.  For the second time this year there's a backwards edition.  Unlike the earlier misprinted The Amicable Spider-Vark, only the copies sent to Dave and his collaborators will be saved.  The other 2000-and-something copies are being destroyed.


Again he ruins the low back and the wrist for his art

All New Cover Blurb and Genitalia!


Also in from the printer, Batvark XXXXX 2nd Printing.  This cover has been bound correctly.  If you bought a copy of the Spawn 10 Halloween Edition on October 31st you will receive a copy of both of these comics as well as a copy of the Spawn 10 Halloween Edition AP (Artist Proof).  There were 54 copies sold on October 31st.  This will be a rare but welcome late Christmas present for those buyers.  They have shipped but Dave asks you to keep in mind that the Canada Post is running slower than usual due to incompetence... err Covid-19.  The Spawn 10 AP (just-sold-by-themselves-copies) have shipped as well.  The Waverly Press edition has a different color theme and was sold separately.


All New Dave Sim Art with color by Sean Michael Robinson!


Combined there are 160 copies of this comic.  Pretty dang rare,  but still not the rarest Spawn 10, but that's for another day.  What?  What's the blurred message?  Sorry, it's too controversial for a family blog.  Ask someone who bought one.


And finally...


Dave Sim, penguin lover


Name this Penguin.  Dave will pick his favorite and the winner will receive a copy of Cerebus In Hell? 2021 Misprinted Edition.  Dave will sign it or not sign it (unless he forgot to not sign one in which case this is your semi-official disclaimer).  Try to get your suggestions in by the next time Dave and Matt talk in early January so the big reveal can happen during January 2021's Please Hold for You Know Who.


Later today:  Margaret isn't done yet

Tomorrow:  Christmas message from Dave and Saint Luke


Notebook pages on Mind Game

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.

The first Mind Game took place in issue #20 and was the first issue to be included in one of Dave Sim’s notebooks. We last saw notebook #1, which covers Cerebus #20 through 28, this past June in The Notebook Pages for The Challenge. The notebook was also called Albatross One and had 194 pages out of 200 pages scanned.

It looks like the first 23 pages of this notebook cover Cerebus #20, and the huge poster that can be made from its pages isn’t shown until page 21. Before that is page after page of text. Either dialogue or Dave doing some world building of who these different fractions are.

Page seven caught my interest as Perce, the Cirinist, examines Cerebus, and written down is ‘not male or female’. Perhaps she was confused by the fur pouch that Cerebus’ penis hid in when not erect or perhaps the aftermath of the kitchen knife incident. Or both.

Notebook #1, page 7

Note that the space where Cerebus is in issue #20 is called the ‘seventh circuit’ on this page. The paragraph with the asterisk: “He’s either a random factor with immense capabilities of disruption or a small green plant with purple flowers” made it into the final issue, albeit slightly altered: “It would seem to indicate that Cerebus is a random factor with immense and disruptive capabilities. . .or else he’s a small evergreen plant with purple flowers.”

And that small glimpse of what Dave was doing with the artwork for Cerebus #21, this is all that I can see in the notebook for it:

Notebook #1, page 21

That is it, the last five pages of the issue, showing the overall Cerebus sketch. We also see what appears to be some dialogue for page 20:

All black except for small area of grey. Cerebus?

It’s him. I’m pretty sure of it.

You sure?

Look, mate – how many others fit the description, eh?

If it is him, he’s seen better days.

Jaka said dead or alive.

Ok, ok. . .give us a hand than. Tarim, he’s a heavy little bugger isn’t he

That dialogue never made the issue, I wonder what Dave had in mind.


Wednesday, 23 December 2020

New Winter Banner Art!

  Benjamin Hobbs:

The new seasonal CEREBUS AND HOBBS banner is complete! Last week I showed this in-progress art:

I wasn't satisfied with the brush work on the tree, so I started over.  This is the new line art:

Note HOBBS is now wearing a puffy winter coat, rather than his traditional striped shirt.  It could probably use another strip or two.... Or some more puffy folds.

Next Week: HERMANN #1 in stores!

Tuesday, 22 December 2020

Boss Man Is Gone Part Deux

 I don't think he realizes just how many shenanigans we can get up to when he is off on vacation. . .




I'd name the photographer for these pictures, but I don't want him to get in trouble with the boss man and / or local law enforcement. 



Bits and Pieces

MARGARET LISS:

Contributor to A Moment of Cerebus with a weekly column on Thursdays that give us a look at Dave Sim's Cerebus notebooks. Since Matt is gone this week, I wanted to do something a bit different for Tuesday. If you've got complaints, wait for him to get back as I don't get paid enough to handle them.

So. . .the Boss Man is away possibly trying to get his elves to make presents faster as Christmas approaches or perhaps Boss Man knows something about how 2020 is going to end so he went to his bunker. Whichever it is, he left the rest of us in charge of the contents. Bwahahahahaha. The power went to straight to my head. Time to pull out the stuff that Matt would probably let me post, but you know, he only gives me Thursday. 

First up, Cerebus the Newsletter. If you haven’t heard about it, go read up on it here and even AMoC got in on it with some of my articles from it. While I do have copies of issues #14 through 21 in print – though you couldn’t tell that from the Friends of Cerebus website. If you want to purchase copies at $2 each plus shipping, just email me – the original 13 issues went out a print a long time ago, so I can't help you with hard copies of those. Occasionally I get requests to reprint them, but who has the time? So instead, here is Cerebus the Newsletter #1 in PDF. Enjoy!

Next, how about some tracing paper preliminaries? Many of Dave’s tracing papers are just black pencil, I’ve only see a few blue pencil ones. He must’ve made the switch at some point to skipping the blue pencil and going straight to the black pencil. This one is on tracing paper that is 14” x 11” and is the cover for Cerebus #97:

Tracing paper prelim for  Cerebus #97 cover

The next piece of tracing paper is 19” x 24”, but I was only able to get a picture of the part of it with the drawing on it:

If you're curious, the yard stick is from my Great-Great-Grandfather's ice scream store

The piece was part of the opening to the Cerebus Art site that is now defunct (unfortunately) that if I remember correctly, Dave sold some of his art at. The opening was an animated opening, which I cannot find in my archives nor is the internet helping out. I did find part of the color art for it on Brian Coppola’s art gallery, labeled Cerebus: Cinematic A (drawing).

And finally, how about the color separations for the cover to Cerebus #59. When I got them, someone had taped them to paper on both the left and top side. The registration of the four layers as to be so good that I cannot tell by eye alone if they are misregistered or not. I’ve since removed the top tape, so they can be flipped like a book. On top is black, then cyan, yellow, and magenta. 

Yes, make with the clicky to make it bigger

To get them to show up, I had to put a piece of white paper behind them. I tried different color papers behind the yellow, but white seemed to work the best. And sorry you can see me taking the picture in them, I didn't bother hooking up the scanner for them. So here is another picture of them together:


I don't know if Dave has the rest of the color separations for the covers - I hope so! - but at least one was saved from the garbage bin.



Monday, 21 December 2020

The Monday Report & Order Early & Later In The Day FAX From Dave

The Monday Report #28
click for larger facsimile


Since Friday is Christmas, Diamond will be soliciting for new comics on Wednesday. So watch this space for the latest Cerebus In Hell? issue: Flaming Cerebus Comics. More on Wednesday. 

You're welcome,

Anonymous Assistant Editor.


click for image the larger


Update From Dave: 
Spawn 10 Halloween Edition is shipping!!!




No picture yet, I let Dave know and it will be added as soon as it arrives. 

David "No-Longer-Anonymous-Assistant-Editor" Birdsong






  next: I don't know, probably more pictures, Margaret has enough to embarrass Dave until at least 2024.

Boss Man is Gone! Lets Post Pictures!

 So he leaves the "assistant editors" in charge, eh? Lets see what Cerebus will get up to now then. . .




What else will Cerebus get up to this week? What charges will show up on the boss man's credit card? Where did Cerebus find such a hotel room in hell?

Sunday, 20 December 2020

Cerebus Around the World and Web #59 by Oliver Simonsen

Hi, Everybody!

As always, some of these are click for bigger, and some aren't. Ain't Life a gamble?

Oliver Simonsen:

Still nursing my right arm - not good for much these days except scrolling the internet which is good for this column if nothing else:)

Theodore Trout's Cerebus animation progress for the 2D portion of our film - see gif in links
https://twitter.com/CerebusFilm/status/1338513730133319680
http://www.islandnet.com/~trout/Archive/Cerebus%20rises.gif
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3569078923159457/
Tried converting the gif to a movie clip - worked pretty well I think
CBR article on new hit Image book referencing the Cerebus/Spawn crossover issue https://www.cbr.com/crossover-spawn-easter-egg/

The Bridge season 3 and Cerebus
https://twitter.com/Sadpad21/status/1339173388443668480

Cerebus and Spawn
https://twitter.com/metalgearbeard/status/1340091278961373186

Cerebus and Howard the Duck
https://twitter.com/jlr_1969/status/1338736158088470528

Cerebus graffiti by Mr. Conerski in Sakhalin Island, Russia
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIuIkdbgYtO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link


Cerebus and Wonder Warthog
https://twitter.com/BlackLionAuthor/status/1338873454108413952

Cerebus and Fone Bone
https://twitter.com/onlyizzyjones/status/1338854717045272578

Cerebus the #1 comic for Rock fans
https://twitter.com/Shamele44599621/status/1338456025263960064/photo/2
https://twitter.com/cepmurphy/status/1338853389690576896

She quotes Cerebus Red Sophia comic
https://twitter.com/curiouser_alice/status/1338306770893148162

She lost Cerebus
https://twitter.com/ChristianaJoy/status/1338873739858104320

kollerina draws Cerebus
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIsmCVDlSG9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/CI8SvD7lhqP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus a fav
https://twitter.com/drgonzo369/status/1339905210144223234

Read Cerebus the most
https://twitter.com/CastlesofImagin/status/1340013587839000579

James Smith draws Cerebus
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIyHBEFB_XG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://twitter.com/jimeato/status/1338594830809698308
https://twitter.com/jimeato/status/1338613327862374401

Reading Cerebus
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIngSt3lBTb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Has entire original run of Cerebus
https://twitter.com/ROKiTcomics/status/1339655265033932800

"Swords of Cerebus" coming
https://twitter.com/CastlesofImagin/status/1340102503468306432

First Cerebus Canadian tour. Fun fact: Comic store "Captain Quebec" is now "Institut Métapsychique"
https://www.instagram.com/p/CI9-NxvlQTP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cerebus Syndrome part of the vernacular
https://twitter.com/Lochlan_S/status/1338745901418999810

Literary Hub excerpts new book "Hemingway in Comics" by Robert K. Elder: I’ve discovered that Hemingway by far exceeds other authors in number of appearances. Hemingway casts a long shadow in literature, one that extends into comic books.
https://lithub.com/why-ernest-hemingway-makes-a-great-subject-for-comic-book-artists/

I believe I missed the following two Cerebus art works:

Cerebus statue sculpted with Super Sculpey and acrylic painted by "moonshdw8"
https://www.deviantart.com/moonshdw8/art/Cerebus-857404050

Borgy Borgonia
https://www.deviantart.com/giumabei/art/Cerebus-860151382

And we close off with Andrew Rilstone's Cerebus experience "At college, everyone Andrew knew read Cerebus. They wore t-shirts and had photocopies of their favourite pages on their walls; they referred to each other as Most Holy. Andrew’s flatmate Eddie made Andrew a life sized Cerebus stuffed toy for his birthday."
http://www.andrewrilstone.com/2020/12/2.html

Cerebus Facebook Group

Margaret Liss: Huh. Some how the Cerebus tree I got isn’t quite as good as the one shown here. Umm.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3567995373267812/

Margaret Liss: Dave also did some work that appeared in the fanzine Legion Outpost.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3567260140008002/
(see comments in the link where Margaret shares a letter from Dave published in #8)
From issue 5. That address is his childhood home and not the location of the Off White House. I wonder if anyone won that original art and I’d they still have it.

The back cover to #5.

Illustration from #4. Summer 1973.

The Comic Report. Published by Jeff Zinger in 1976. Dave has work in all these issues, either art and/or articles. https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3567159806684702/


Margaret Liss in the comments: These are all reprints from Jeff Zinger. He has an ebay 'buy it now' type auction up for issues #2 - 7. These are pretty hard to ffind nowadays, and I've never seen 7 outside of his auction for the reprints. They are all in mint as opposed to the hard condition some of my copies are in: https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-1975-1977-56-PG-SET-OF-THE-COMIC-REPORT-FANZINE-DAVE-SIM-GENE-DAY-CEREBUS/293853686088?uPLEV8ZN_LGfv7VSTqk2WWDBt6omk1aweNG_AoCM
I was surprised to see that issue 7 was a regular fanzine size, not the letter size of the other issues.

Margaret Liss: Collection organizing part Fanzine.
Some of the fanzines I have are letter size, so I put them in archival sleeves with a backer board and put them in the three ring binder entitled fanzines.
Some Dave Sim drawings dated 1973.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3567112650022751/
In the first printing Dave’s drawing of Batman is on the back cover.

The original front cover.

Dave’s drawing of Batman made the cover of the second printing of the fanzine. The other drawing didn’t make the reprint.


I wonder if Dave drew the art for this ad.

Colin Sims: Here’s a story, I was at the exchange and found this comic so I bought it like any sane person would. I get home and open it up and see a signature, now I am no professional signature inspector so I can’t tell if it’s printed on there or if it’s actually signed. I assume it’s signed because it’s overlapping the text but not sure. If anyone knows that would be cool
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3567869269947089/

Larry Wooten shares signatures
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3564695493597800/

Christopher Woerner: I got a letter from Dave! And he sent me "Hermann" #1. Yay me!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3570900159644000/

Lee Bentley: Better advice than you'd get from most comic books.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3566096576791025/

Lee Bentley in the comments: As might be evident, I'm doing my own little read-through these days, and it's been my perception that at this point in the series, Dave's expressing some insights that bespeak of an awakening awareness of some larger truths (or "truths" or TRUTHS) and is keen to express them to his readers. I think Po's personality was originally as portrayed in the earlier "Mind Games" issues - comical and irreverent - but at this point Dave "promotes" him in a significant way.

Byron Dunbar: Neil Gaiman puts High Society/Church and State on the same level as Watchmen in terms of how much influence they had on him and how often he rereads them
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3579928172074532/

Larry Wooten: Putting some comics in new bags and boards and noticed Cerebus hanging with the Beavers.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3578215898912426/

Terry Austin expands on his "Squinkeye" parody from Cerebus Jam.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cerebus/permalink/3574390682628281/

Lee Bentley in the comments:
Here's the explanation from Terry Austin:
__________________________
Thanks Oliver!

THAT'S RIGHT!!!

I'm leaving on a jetplane, and won't be posting for the rest of the week. 

But I'ma not gonna leave y'all hangin'. I rounded up the usual suspects and got somebody to post everyday next week.

Or not.

I'ma be on vacation, so if they drop the ball, how'm I gonna know?

Next Time: Beats me... boobs?