A draft of my next article at www.whaletime.net
SARAH-BUS! SARAH-BUS! Will you do the Fandango?
(or A Boy, A Void, and His Aardvark)
CEREBUS (pronounced SARAH-bus) is both the name of an anthropomorphic aardvark and the self-published comic book that chronicles his life (and, eventually, his death). Dave Sim began the series back in 1977 and is
now within 12 months of completing its epic run (issue 288 was just released this month).
The first issue I purchased off the stands (from the now defunct Saint Paul Comics) was #44 (coverdateNovember 1982) at the tender and impressionable age of thirteen 1 and I have been hooked ever since.
That's twenty years of devoted reading (more or less) and, obviously, I must 'suffer' from a bit of 'fan-boy-ant' enthusiasm for the title; manifesting itself in a variety of different ways as I currently own:
Original issues from 12 to 288
Reprints of issues 1-25
The complete Trade Paperback collection (called 'phonebooks' due to their size) which collects 'arcs' of the storyline; currently on Volume 14 (taking the story-thus-far through issue 265)
Several posters, statuettes, and a bumpersticker (which reads FIGHT LIKE AN AARDVARK)
Yes, I am a bit of a completist...blame my Obsessive-Compulsive tendencies.
*Inexplicably*, the female of the household took Notice of this 'obsession' of mine and, in a collision of 'hobbies,' decided that the 'Little Grey Bastard' would make a suitable knitted gift for the resident 'Cerebite'
and added it to her extensive 'to-do' list of 'crafty' pursuits 2.
Hidden away in her 'Knitting Room of Needle-y Doom' and secure in the knowledge that she had married one of the most oblivious lads in the Five County area, Sarah toiled away on this endeavor for over two years
eventually springing it upon me just a couple of months ago.
I was stunned.
Sarah: Well...pick it up.
Tony: When did you find time to make this?
S: I've been working on it off and on for the past couple of years.
T: While I was home?
S: Yes (stifled laugh). Now pick it up.
T: Damn...this is cool.
S: Squeeze him.
T: Why?
S: You'll see (more stifled laughter).
T (...the Fuck?): Okay (squeeze).
Knit Cerebus Simulacrum: Hee hee hee.
T: Er...why does Cerebus sound like a Muppet?
S: Squeeze him again (snickering intensifies).
T (more confused and mildly frightened): Sure (squeezes gingerly).
KCS: Hee hee hee hee hee hee. Oh Boy! That tickles (doll begins to shake violently)!
T (slow dawning of recognition): Holy shit. You put an 'Elmo Box' in Cerebus!!!
S & KCS (together): Hee hee hee (and so on).
That's right, kids...my wife had knit a stuffed Cerebus doll with, for lack of a better term, an 'Elmo Box' hidden inside 3.
Remember the 'Tickle-Me-Elmo' craze from 96/97?
The 'Elmo Box' is the device that 'powered' the voice, laughter, and seizures of Sesame Street's little red Muppet doll 4 that drove children and adults, alike, into a Toy craze unseen since the days of the
tuddley-mud-wallowing Cabbage Patch Kids.
Flash Forward to April 5th.
Sarah had accompanied me on my planned trip to Columbus, Ohio for the SPACE (Small Press and Alternative Comics Exposition) con; a 'vacation' geared around the Guest-of-Honor of this show-- Dave Sim. Seeing that this would be his last public appearance before the End of Cerebus (both the comic book
and his character; it has been long known that the Aardvark will die with
issue 300) it was too great an opportunity (for a fan such as I) to pass up 5.
The 'Tickle-Me-Cerebus' was also along for the ride. I felt Sarah's handiwork was impressive enough that it needed to be shown to Dave Sim in order to get his reaction to it (whatever it might be).
SPACE was great great fun. Spent lots of money on small press books, talking to the artists and writers, meeting and hanging out with other members of the Cerebus Yahoo Group 6, and--most importantly-- the
entire horde of us hanging out and conversing with Dave Sim as he signed autographs, drew sketches for everyone, and answered all of the inherently Cerebus-centric questions we threw out to him (a truly patient and
genial gentleman).
*Moment of Truth*
As the day drew to a close I fetched the Faux-Cerebus from our nearby hotel room 7, weaved through the assembled crowd about Dave's table, politely interjected a "You're going to get a kick out of this" and plopped t
the Elmo-ized Cerebus in front of him.
An odd look crossed his face as he took in the knitted version of his
creation.
Dave Sim: Nice.
Doll Boy: It gets better (squeezes KCS to show off the 'Elmo Effect').
There's a Tickle-Me-Elmo box inside.
DS (after a lengthy pause): I cannot think of a better punishment for Cerebus.
Crowd: LAUGHTER.
DB: Yep. She made it (points to Sarah who was desperately trying to
avoid detection).
DS (turns to Sarah): How did you get that inside?
Sarah (brightening up): There's a flap on his bottom and I stuffed it up inside.
DS (mulling the answer over...a grin slowly growing): So, you fisted Cerebus?
S: Er...er...yes?
Crowd: HUGE LAUGHTER
DS: You did nice work (shakes Sarah's hand...the one that did the fisting).
S: Thanks.
Shortly thereafter, as I related this tale to the Cerebus Group, Sarah was christened with yet another alias:
Sarah-Fist
or, in keeping with the Aardvarkian-slant of the day,
Cere-Fist
Appropriate enough as it was her hands that crafted the
'Tickle-Me-Cerebus'.
To quote the late George Peppard (as Hannibal Smith) from the A-Team:
"I love it when a plan comes together."
Many other things happened the night following the con 8 but I'll leave
those Cerebus-related and unrelated tales for another time.
Geekily yours,
T
1. The same day is also notable for the fact that our Whale Time Web
Guru
and Master of Ceremonies, Gregory Sax, purchased the first few issues
of the
newly released NEW MUTANTS-- the first spin-off title from Marvel
Comics'
THE UNCANNY X-MEN. These Nerd Pools can run pretty deep, eh?
2. See my previous article, BROWN CHARLIE, for more on how the
Knit-Mistress of the Norsk is enabling my Nerdly-Self via her craft.
3. Generously donated by the also-deviously-inclined Ms. Stephanie
Wirka.
4. I am almost 100% positive that the Elmo seen on the Children's
Television Network is 'powered' by the business end of some guy's arm
and
the same gentleman's impish vocal talents.
5. This was the third year in a row that Dave Sim was the
Guest-of-Honor
and my second year attending. He also awards his annual Eugene Day
Memorial
Award for outstanding Small Press comics...an award named in memory of
his
late mentor.
6. A Mailing List dedicated to the discussion of the comic.
7. Yeah...yeah...yeah...you thought I was carrying the doll around
*all*
day, eh?
8. Including the executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense
Fund
(CBLDF), Charles Brownstein, and I closing a bar down (with the
able-bodied
assistance of Chris W).
SARAH-BUS! SARAH-BUS! Will you do the Fandango?
(or A Boy, A Void, and His Aardvark)
CEREBUS (pronounced SARAH-bus) is both the name of an anthropomorphic aardvark and the self-published comic book that chronicles his life (and, eventually, his death). Dave Sim began the series back in 1977 and is
now within 12 months of completing its epic run (issue 288 was just released this month).
The first issue I purchased off the stands (from the now defunct Saint Paul Comics) was #44 (coverdateNovember 1982) at the tender and impressionable age of thirteen 1 and I have been hooked ever since.
That's twenty years of devoted reading (more or less) and, obviously, I must 'suffer' from a bit of 'fan-boy-ant' enthusiasm for the title; manifesting itself in a variety of different ways as I currently own:
Original issues from 12 to 288
Reprints of issues 1-25
The complete Trade Paperback collection (called 'phonebooks' due to their size) which collects 'arcs' of the storyline; currently on Volume 14 (taking the story-thus-far through issue 265)
Several posters, statuettes, and a bumpersticker (which reads FIGHT LIKE AN AARDVARK)
Yes, I am a bit of a completist...blame my Obsessive-Compulsive tendencies.
*Inexplicably*, the female of the household took Notice of this 'obsession' of mine and, in a collision of 'hobbies,' decided that the 'Little Grey Bastard' would make a suitable knitted gift for the resident 'Cerebite'
and added it to her extensive 'to-do' list of 'crafty' pursuits 2.
Hidden away in her 'Knitting Room of Needle-y Doom' and secure in the knowledge that she had married one of the most oblivious lads in the Five County area, Sarah toiled away on this endeavor for over two years
eventually springing it upon me just a couple of months ago.
I was stunned.
Sarah: Well...pick it up.
Tony: When did you find time to make this?
S: I've been working on it off and on for the past couple of years.
T: While I was home?
S: Yes (stifled laugh). Now pick it up.
T: Damn...this is cool.
S: Squeeze him.
T: Why?
S: You'll see (more stifled laughter).
T (...the Fuck?): Okay (squeeze).
Knit Cerebus Simulacrum: Hee hee hee.
T: Er...why does Cerebus sound like a Muppet?
S: Squeeze him again (snickering intensifies).
T (more confused and mildly frightened): Sure (squeezes gingerly).
KCS: Hee hee hee hee hee hee. Oh Boy! That tickles (doll begins to shake violently)!
T (slow dawning of recognition): Holy shit. You put an 'Elmo Box' in Cerebus!!!
S & KCS (together): Hee hee hee (and so on).
That's right, kids...my wife had knit a stuffed Cerebus doll with, for lack of a better term, an 'Elmo Box' hidden inside 3.
Remember the 'Tickle-Me-Elmo' craze from 96/97?
The 'Elmo Box' is the device that 'powered' the voice, laughter, and seizures of Sesame Street's little red Muppet doll 4 that drove children and adults, alike, into a Toy craze unseen since the days of the
tuddley-mud-wallowing Cabbage Patch Kids.
Flash Forward to April 5th.
Sarah had accompanied me on my planned trip to Columbus, Ohio for the SPACE (Small Press and Alternative Comics Exposition) con; a 'vacation' geared around the Guest-of-Honor of this show-- Dave Sim. Seeing that this would be his last public appearance before the End of Cerebus (both the comic book
and his character; it has been long known that the Aardvark will die with
issue 300) it was too great an opportunity (for a fan such as I) to pass up 5.
The 'Tickle-Me-Cerebus' was also along for the ride. I felt Sarah's handiwork was impressive enough that it needed to be shown to Dave Sim in order to get his reaction to it (whatever it might be).
SPACE was great great fun. Spent lots of money on small press books, talking to the artists and writers, meeting and hanging out with other members of the Cerebus Yahoo Group 6, and--most importantly-- the
entire horde of us hanging out and conversing with Dave Sim as he signed autographs, drew sketches for everyone, and answered all of the inherently Cerebus-centric questions we threw out to him (a truly patient and
genial gentleman).
*Moment of Truth*
As the day drew to a close I fetched the Faux-Cerebus from our nearby hotel room 7, weaved through the assembled crowd about Dave's table, politely interjected a "You're going to get a kick out of this" and plopped t
the Elmo-ized Cerebus in front of him.
An odd look crossed his face as he took in the knitted version of his
creation.
Dave Sim: Nice.
Doll Boy: It gets better (squeezes KCS to show off the 'Elmo Effect').
There's a Tickle-Me-Elmo box inside.
DS (after a lengthy pause): I cannot think of a better punishment for Cerebus.
Crowd: LAUGHTER.
DB: Yep. She made it (points to Sarah who was desperately trying to
avoid detection).
DS (turns to Sarah): How did you get that inside?
Sarah (brightening up): There's a flap on his bottom and I stuffed it up inside.
DS (mulling the answer over...a grin slowly growing): So, you fisted Cerebus?
S: Er...er...yes?
Crowd: HUGE LAUGHTER
DS: You did nice work (shakes Sarah's hand...the one that did the fisting).
S: Thanks.
Shortly thereafter, as I related this tale to the Cerebus Group, Sarah was christened with yet another alias:
Sarah-Fist
or, in keeping with the Aardvarkian-slant of the day,
Cere-Fist
Appropriate enough as it was her hands that crafted the
'Tickle-Me-Cerebus'.
To quote the late George Peppard (as Hannibal Smith) from the A-Team:
"I love it when a plan comes together."
Many other things happened the night following the con 8 but I'll leave
those Cerebus-related and unrelated tales for another time.
Geekily yours,
T
1. The same day is also notable for the fact that our Whale Time Web
Guru
and Master of Ceremonies, Gregory Sax, purchased the first few issues
of the
newly released NEW MUTANTS-- the first spin-off title from Marvel
Comics'
THE UNCANNY X-MEN. These Nerd Pools can run pretty deep, eh?
2. See my previous article, BROWN CHARLIE, for more on how the
Knit-Mistress of the Norsk is enabling my Nerdly-Self via her craft.
3. Generously donated by the also-deviously-inclined Ms. Stephanie
Wirka.
4. I am almost 100% positive that the Elmo seen on the Children's
Television Network is 'powered' by the business end of some guy's arm
and
the same gentleman's impish vocal talents.
5. This was the third year in a row that Dave Sim was the
Guest-of-Honor
and my second year attending. He also awards his annual Eugene Day
Memorial
Award for outstanding Small Press comics...an award named in memory of
his
late mentor.
6. A Mailing List dedicated to the discussion of the comic.
7. Yeah...yeah...yeah...you thought I was carrying the doll around
*all*
day, eh?
8. Including the executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense
Fund
(CBLDF), Charles Brownstein, and I closing a bar down (with the
able-bodied
assistance of Chris W).
posted by Tony at 11:14 PM
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