cerebus

Now I'm not really a huge comics buff but I do have a soft spot for Cerebus by Dave Sim.

This one grabbed me about 15 years ago and hasn't let up. I own perhaps a third of the series (just drawn to a close at the 300th issue) and just love it to bits. Which is why Sim's controversial and outspoken opinions on religion, sex & women (that last in particular) have confused and saddened me somewhat.

It's hard to know what to think about a work in progress (I'm about 12 years behind on my reading so it's still in progress for me) when the author whom you'd held in such esteem develops ideas and ideals that you find repellent. Cerebus is an extension of himself (as all creative work reflects its creator to some extent) and the concepts that he wrestles with are so obviously one that trouble him down to his core that it's impossible not to get swept up in the philosophising. But it's the conclusions that creep in that are most worrying to me... I just to vehemently disagree with his misogynistic viewpoint that I find it difficult to continue reading, and yet the story & characters are such that I can't stop.

Blah. I shouldn't pre-judge since I've not read the whole thing. I've just read interviews with him over the last few years and articles which have really put me off the man. Right, I'm going to get the next collection tomorrow so I may write more on this. Or not.

But anyway - if you get a chance to read some of his stuff, give it a go. Very funny, great drawings and a half comic half book form that is most interesting. These aren't comics that you can read in 5 minutes flat, some issues have practically no visual action. Check it out.