One thing I really wanted to do with RetroSmack is explore a heap of stuff that I otherwise never would have. Our interests and hobbies are so often guided by our upbringing, and moving away from built up comfort zones can be tough going. When it comes to comics, my only experiences have been with the big brands, such as DC, Marvel, Image and IDW. There’s literally a lifetime of stories and characters to explore within the universes those publishers have created, so what need did I have to take a risk on something relatively unknown? Reading through 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die made me realise that neglecting independent comic publishers would be to my own detriment. One particular comic grabbed my attention, not solely because it was first conceived in 1977, but also because it sounded pretty damn intriguing. That comic was called Cerebus, and believe it or not, it followed the exploits of a misanthropic anthropomorphic 3-foot-tall bipedal grey aardvark. I was determined to add it to the RetroSmack list for 1977, but there were a few issues that stood in my way…
If you want any hints about what comics I’ll be covering in future, this is a good place to start.
The first thing I needed to confirm was whether or not Cerebus should be considered a fantasy, science fiction, horror or superhero themed comic. A little bit of research told me that it at least initially started as a parody of Conan the Barbarian, so regardless of what direction(s) it would take over the course of its 300 issue run, I felt I could safely start at the beginning. The second question that needed to be answered was whether or not I could actually get my hands on the issues I needed. I wasn’t likely to find it on ComiXology or other such online comic sources. Looking up the value of issue 1 ended any ideas I might have around trying to track down physical copies, as a decent copy goes for close to $1000. I soon stumbled upon a website run by the author himself, Dave Sim. All Cerebus issues are available to purchase there for reasonable prices. Sim even states that he gives permission to anyone who wants to download any of his works for free from other sites, merely giving fans the option to pay for them if they want to. So now I’d confirmed that Cerebus was, at least initially, part of the fantasy sword and sorcery genre of comics, and also that I could acquire it legally without much trouble. The only other issue I had to contend with was that there was only a single issue released in 1977. I got over this pretty quickly though, and made the decision to read the first 7 issues, all of which were published in 1977 and 1978.
Cerebus Issues #1 to #7: The covers should give you a good idea of the tone.
So who’s this Dave Sim guy that now seems quite content for his work to be torrented ad nauseam? Well for starters, like our good friend @canageek, he’s Canadian. He became a fan of comics very early on in life, particularly the superhero works from DC Comics. At the age of 15, Sim was inspired to become a professional comic artist by the works of Barry Windsor-Smith and Berni Wrightson. Dropping out of school a couple of years later, Sim began writing for various fanzines while continuing to hone his drawing craft. He had some minor victories in 1975 and 1976, when a comic strip he developed was printed, and he produced the artwork for a couple of comic books called Phantacea and Revolt. He quickly became disillusioned with editors and publishers, so figured he’d avoid all the trouble by starting his own publishing banner with his girlfriend Deni Loubert. The couple weren’t finding it easy to come up with a suitable name for their new venture, eventually combining the suggestions of Deni’s brother (Vanaheim Press) and sister (Aardvark Press). Aardvark-Vanaheim was born, and what better way to launch it than to make a new comic series about an aardvark.
Bernie Wrightson’s Badtime Stories: It was this anthology of Wrightson’s work that made Sim devote himself to being a comic artist. Each of its stories were drawn in a different medium (ink wash, tonal pencil drawings, duoshade paper, screen tones, etc.)
Image Credit: Cap’n’s Comics
Dave Sim: Proved that it was possible to make a successful career as an independent comic creator.
Image Credit: Comic Vine
You might wonder why Sim thought making a comic about an Aardvark was a good idea. The answer is that he saw a gap in the market, and figured there was little point trying to directly compete with the likes of DC and Marvel for typical comic fare. The main inspiration is obviously Conan, but Sim was also a fan of Mad magazine and Marvel’s Howard the Duck. He decided to mix the sword and sorcery genre that he’d grown up reading with the parodic essence of the many popular comedy series’ of the time. The character of Cerebus was actually created a year or so earlier as a logo for Deni’s comic book fanzine of the same name. She’d misspelt the word Cerberus when making the title, so Sim had come up with the idea of creating a mascot with the name to make it appear that the discrepancy was intentional. So it was that in December 1977, the first bi-monthly Cerebus comic was published, single-handedly written and drawn by Sim.
Howard the Duck / Conan the Barbarian: Two of the major influences behind Cerebus, at least initially.
A lot of the praise for Cerebus appears to be directed towards its second “volume”, which was called High Society and began with issue #26. With that in mind I promised myself that I’d push through the first 25 issues, no matter how good or bad they were. It turned out that I didn’t have to force myself at all. Right from the get go Cerebus is an easy, entertaining read. It took me a little while to get past the mishmash of styles, with the cartoonish aardvark standing out dramatically against the otherwise realistic (well, comparatively realistic anyway) surroundings. But once I did, the furry little guy grew on me rapidly. Like Conan, Cerebus is so competent with a sword that there’s never any doubt about who will come out on top in battle, but the fact that he’s a small, nocturnal mammal, somehow makes the whole thing very funny. The motives of the main character may change over time, but the seven issues I’ve read make him out to be interested in nothing more than getting rich. He cares little for anyone else, and actually finds it annoying when beautiful women try to vie for his attention.
Cerebus the Aardvark: Driven by selfish motives apparently.
I still laugh at this scene every time I read it. “Mayhap Cerebus has been too hasty in denouncing torture.”
Sim draws from various influences, most obviously when it comes to secondary characters. He doesn’t hide the fact either, slightly changing famous fantasy hero names and taking their most easily picked upon attributes and running with it. Issue #3 is called Song of Red Sophia, and is an obvious parody of Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith’s Red Sonja. She’s still the buxom red-haired “She-Devil with a Sword”, but in Sim’s hands she’s inanely stupid, and looking to have sex with any male that can defeat her in battle. Cerebus’ rejection of her advances, along with her housewife attempts to gain his favour, make for great comedy. Following this issue was “Face to Waist with Elrod”, a story that introduces the albino Elrod of Melvinbone, a clear piss-take of Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné. This motor mouth character proved very popular with readers, and would reappear in dozens of future issues. I’ve not read any Moorcock novels, so I don’t know how closely Elrod resembles Elric, but Sim’s character’s cowardice and tendency to speak like Foghorn Leghorn work really well alongside the furry hero’s relentlessness and solemnity. It was these silly issues that I enjoyed the most out of the seven. I could appreciate the change of pace of the more serious Bran Mak Mufin (issue #5), but Cerebus clearly works better the more outlandish Sim allowed himself to be.
I had to laugh at Red Sophia’s constant attempts to “serve” Cerebus.
Can anyone tell me whether Elric comes across in any way like Foghorn Leghorn in Moorcock’s books?
As a taster for things to come I can definitely say that I’m on board for Cerebus. It doesn’t merely add a well-needed comedy element to my DC years, it also appears to be a thoroughly entertaining comic that’s a delight to read. It’s clear that Sim was still finding his feet as an artist at this point, just starting to move away from the Barry Windsor-Smith cloning that let him get off the ground in comfort. I look forward to seeing him forge his own path and start to break the conventions of comic book design. I’m also very intrigued to see how this series ends up covering such a wide array of genres, including political satire, drama and spirituality. Interestingly, the term Cerebus Syndrome, which is used to refer to a series that starts out comedic or superficial before taking on much more serious content matter (not just in the world of comics), comes from this series. Who knows how far into the 300 issue run I’ll get before it moves too far away from RetroSmack criteria, or whether I’ll continue to enjoy it as much when that transition begins. I’ve read that things get preachy and weird when Sim starts taking drugs in the eighties, and then even moreso when he finds God in the nineties. For now, ignorance is bliss.
It goes without saying that good use of black is important in any black & white comic. Thankfully Sim knows how to use it.
In fact, the artwork became more intricate and creative with each issue, hinting at things to come.
The Cerebus (1977) RetroCard has now been added to the RetroCard Shop. It’s a rare card, so therefore costs 60 smacks and has a limited release of 20.
Featured Image: Cerebus Collection Cover
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