Cerebus the Aardvark, or simply Cerebus (pronounced "Sehr-uh-bus"^[1]), is an award-winning independent comic book, written and illustrated by Canadian artist Dave Sim, with backgrounds by fellow Canadian Gerhard. Aardvark-Vanaheim is a Canadian comic book company most known for publishing Dave Sims Cerebus the Aardvark and also the titles Journey by William Messener-Loebs, The Puma Blues by Michael Zulli, Flaming Carrot Comics by Bob Burden, Jim Valentinos normalman and Neil the Horse. ... This is a list of comics-related events in 1977. ... This is a list of comics-related events in 2004. ... David Victor Sim (born May 17, 1956 in Hamilton, Ontario) is a Canadian comic book writer and artist, best known as the creator of the 6,000 page graphic novel Cerebus the Aardvark. ... Gerhard is the professional name of a Canadian comics artist known for the elaborately detailed background drawings in Dave Sims series Cerebus the Aardvark, on which he has worked since that comics 65th issue. ... For the publisher Alternative Comics, see Alternative Comics (publisher). ... David Victor Sim (born May 17, 1956 in Hamilton, Ontario) is a Canadian comic book writer and artist, best known as the creator of the 6,000 page graphic novel Cerebus the Aardvark. ... Gerhard is the professional name of a Canadian comics artist known for the elaborately detailed background drawings in Dave Sims series Cerebus the Aardvark, on which he has worked since that comics 65th issue. ...

Now complete, it marks the longest-running originally English-language comic book series ever by a single creative team; Sim refers to it as the "longest sustained narrative in human history."^[2][3] Sim began the series in 1977, running for 300 issues and 6,000 pages, through March 2004. As of 2007, it leads its closest challenger (Erik Larsen's The Savage Dragon, still ongoing) by over 150 issues. A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... This is a list of comics-related events in 1977. ... This is a list of comics-related events in 2004. ... Cover to The Savage Dragon (original miniseries) #1. ... Cover to The Savage Dragon (original miniseries) #1. ...

Title character

Cerebus is a misanthropic three-foot tall bipedal gray aardvark.^[4] Through both his own actions and the schemes of others, Cerebus becomes intricately tied to the religious and political fate of the fictional world of Estarcion. At various points in the storyline, he is a mercenary, a prime minister, a Pope, a houseguest, a bartender, and a messiah. Cerebus refers to himself by name, in the third person, with occasional exceptions in the early issues. The name was originally an accidental misspelling of Cerberus. Sim has described Cerebus's voice as sounding like George C. Scott's. Misanthrope redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Aardvark (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mercenary (disambiguation). ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... For the song by Dave Matthews Band, see Bartender (song). ... Heracles and threatened Cerberus, Attic black-figure neck-amphora, ca. ... George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 - September 22, 1999) was a stage and film actor, director, and producer. ...

Cerebus is an amoral character, at times sympathetic, at others unpalatably callous.^[5] He is often foul-mouthed and uncouth, has a vicious temper, and loves getting drunk, to the point where he could be considered an alcoholic. In the Guys story arc, Cerebus is described as having "a self-absorption that borders on the pathological." In Church and State, Cerebus, after becoming Pope, uses brutal methods to teach twisted morality lessons. After a mother begs Cerebus to bless her baby, he does so and then hurls it away (to illustrate the point that "you can get what you want and still not be very happy"), and later kicks an old man off the roof of a hotel. However, he is brave, crafty, and can show genuine affection to those he considers equals or those he has feelings for. He is a skilled tactician and strategist, is very proficient at hand to hand combat, and has a knack for improvisation and manipulation. He also has some skill with magic, although his talents lie mainly in recognizing magic and dealing with it rather than using it. See also Morality and Ethics. ... This article is about the emotion. ... The Drunkenness of Noah by Giovanni Bellini Drunkenness is the state of being intoxicated by consumption of alcohol to a degree that mental and physical facilities are noticeably impaired. ... Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ... Look up blessing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Military tactics (Greek: Taktikē, the art of organizing an army) are the collective name for methods for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. ... A strategy is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal, most often winning. Strategy is differentiated from tactics or immediate actions with resources at hand by its nature of being extensively premeditated, and often practically rehearsed. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Close Quarters Combat. ... Improvisation is the practice of acting and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of ones immediate environment. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... A skill is an ability, usually learned and acquired through training, to perform actions which achieve a desired outcome. ... Not to be confused with Magic (illusion). ... Look up talent in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

It is revealed in the Reads story arc that Cerebus is a hermaphrodite, possessing both genders' genitalia and reproductive systems. Theoretically he is capable of impregnating himself; however, a childhood injury to his uterus makes this impossible. For other uses, see Hermaphrodite (disambiguation). ... A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, as narrowly defined, is any of those anatomical parts of the body which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in a complex organism; in mammals, these are: Female: Bartholins glands, cervix, clitoris, Fallopian tubes, labia, ovaries, Skenes... A pictorial illustration of the human female reproductive system. ...

For most of the series' run, Cerebus possesses an innate "magnifier" ability. This ability, which he shows little (if any) conscious awareness of, is a quasi-magical tendency for events occurring around him to become unusually focused and ordered, sometimes with effects that appear to be paranormal, then fall out of place into chaos in his absence. This ability also affects the people around him to varying degrees, amplifying their personality traits and abilities, and also amplifies any magic that is present. Paranormal is an umbrella term used to describe a wide variety of reported anomalous phenomena. ...

A running gag in the early storylines was that if Cerebus' fur got wet, it gave off a horrible stench, which even he could barely tolerate.

History of the book

A comic defying easy categorization, Cerebus was self-published by Sim under his Aardvark-Vanaheim, Inc. publishing banner. For the first few years the company's publisher was Deni Loubert, Sim's girlfriend (the two would marry and divorce during the comic's run). Sim's position as a pioneering self-publisher in comics inspired numerous writer/artists after him, most notably Jeff Smith (Bone), Terry Moore (Strangers In Paradise), and Martin Wagner (Hepcats). For Wikipedias categorization projects, see Wikipedia:Categorization. ... Self-publishing is the publishing of books or other media by those who have written them. ... Aardvark-Vanaheim is a Canadian comic book company most known for publishing Dave Sims Cerebus the Aardvark and also the titles Journey by William Messener-Loebs, The Puma Blues by Michael Zulli, Flaming Carrot Comics by Bob Burden, Jim Valentinos normalman and Neil the Horse. ... Jeff Smith is an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of the self-published comic book series Bone. ... Bone is a popular independent comic book series by Jeff Smith. ... Terry Moore: (born 1929) a film actress Terry Moore: (1912-1995) a Major League Baseball player [1] Terry Moore: a comic books writer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Strangers in Paradise volume 3, issue 1 alternate cover. ... Hepcats #9 Martin Wagner (born April 27, 1966) is an artist, cartoonist, and filmmaker currently living in Austin, Texas. ... Hepcats was an independent comic book self-published in the 1990s by artist Martin Wagner. ...

Inspired in some ways by the Steve Gerber character Howard the Duck, the earliest issues of Cerebus took the form of a parody of the sword and sorcery genre, particularly Conan the Barbarian. The series developed artistic sophistication and originality very quickly. Citing as his self-originated commandment, "Thou shall break every law in the book," Sim has done everything from flipping the page from horizontal to vertical and all stages in between to alternating comics with prose narrative, to including real dead or living people (himself included) in the storyline, all in an effort to explode the conventions of the North American comic book in every conceivable way. Stephen Ross Gerber (born 20 September 1947, St. ... This article is about the character and comic book series. ... This article is about a fantasy sub-genre. ... This article is about the fictional character. ...

In 1979, Sim, who was at the time a frequent marijuana user, experimented with LSD, taking the drug with such frequency that he was eventually hospitalized. It was this incident that Sim claims led to the inspiration to produce Cerebus for 300 monthly issues. The episodic adventures strayed further and further from heroic fantasy, and the twenty five-issue graphic novel High Society segued the narrative into a complex political satire and drama. Sim was joined by Gerhard after issue #65; Gerhard's intricately rendered backgrounds became a visual hallmark of the comic. Cannabis, also known as marijuana[1] or ganja (Hindi: गांजा),[2] is a psychoactive product of the plant Cannabis sativa L. subsp. ... Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly called LSD, LSD-25, or acid. ... Heroic fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy literature which chronicles the tales of heros and their conquests in imaginary lands. ... 1867 edition of Punch, a ground-breaking British magazine of popular humour, including a good deal of satire of the contemporary social and political scene. ... For other uses, see Drama (disambiguation). ...

When Sim published the first Cerebus "phone book", a paperback collection of the High Society graphic novel (issues #26-50), he angered retailers — who felt that their support had been instrumental in his series' success in an industry generally indifferent to small publishers — by offering the first printing via mail order only.^{[6] [7]} The decision was a financial windfall for Sim, however, grossing over $150,000 in sales.^[7] Sim became known for picking up hotel tabs for self-publishers and helping other self-publishers by paying for meals and limo service between stops.^[8]. Negotiations regarding DC buying Cerebus took place over the course of 1985 to 1988, offering $100,000 and 10% of all licensing and merchandising, which Sim rejected. ^[7] DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ...

In the 1990s, Sim became an outspoken advocate of creators' rights in comics, and used the editorial pages of Cerebus to promote self-publishing and greater artist activism. Sim was also the biggest individual supporter of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund; when he guest-wrote the 10th issue of Todd McFarlane's best-selling Spawn, Sim donated his entire fee — over $100,000 — to the fund. During this same period he started publishing his and others' experiments with 24-hour comics in the back of his issues, which created greater awareness of this challenge, now the subject of an annual event for creating them. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a United States non-profit organization created in 1986 to protect the First Amendment rights of comics creators, publishers, and retailers covering legal expenses. ... Todd McFarlane (born March 16, 1961 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) is a Canadian comic book artist, writer, toy manufacturer/designer, and media entrepreneur who is best known as the creator of the epic religious fantasy series Spawn. ... Spawn is a fictional comic book character created by Todd McFarlane. ... A 24-hour comic is a 24 page comic book written, drawn, and completed in 24 hours. ...

Jaka's Story (issues #114-136), a tragic character study dealing with gender roles and the political suppression of art, is generally cited as the series' pinnacle of narrative achievement. However, later issues of the series became highly personal and began to alienate many long-time fans, his female readers especially. Issue #186 (collected in Reads) contained a lengthy prose section that was roundly attacked by some readers and critics for what they perceived as overt misogyny, but which Sim describes as "anti-feminism". During this part of the story, the storyline consisted of a textual treatise written by Viktor Davis, a fictional "reads" author, interspersed with the main Cerebus storyline. In Davis' material, he refers to the "creative male light" and the "emotional female void", a reversal of the gender-based view of creation espoused by the Judge at the end of Church and State (namely, the "female light" being raped by the "male void" and shattering into the physical universe). As Sim himself says in an interview with The Comics Journal, "Cerebus #1-200 [is] the completion of the story. The yin and yang. The ultra-female reading. The ultra-male reading. I'm attaching an allegory to the Big Bang. You make up your mind which one's the pit and which one's the top of the mountain."[5] By the end of the series, the Void is again male and identified as God, and the Light is female, now identified with YHWH. Issue #186 was followed by an even harsher essay in the back of issue #265 called "Tangent", in which Sim identified a "feminist/homosexualist axis" that opposed traditional and rational societal values. This material appeared as Sim was retreating from public life and becoming more marginalized by his peers in the industry. Jakas Story is a graphic novel written and drawn by Dave Sim, with background art by Gerhard. ... This article is about the philosophical concept of Art. ... This box:      Misogyny (IPA: ) is hatred or strong prejudice against women; an antonym of philogyny. ... Feminists redirects here. ... The cover of TCJ #115 (April 1987) celebrated their court victory in defending a libel suit. ... Japanese name Kanji: Hiragana: Vietnamese name Vietnamese: In Chinese philosophy the yin and yang (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) are generalized descriptions of the antitheses or mutual correlations in human perceptions of phenomena in the natural world, combining to create a unity of opposites in the theory of the Taiji. ... For other uses, see Big Bang (disambiguation). ...

Sim himself has appeared as a character in Cerebus, most notably to berate his creation in the Minds story arc. A writer entering his own fictional universe is not an original idea either in comics or conventional writing (see Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Fantastic Four, Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, Paul Auster's New York Trilogy and Grant Morrison's comic Animal Man), although he claims to have planned the encounter as early as 1979, more than a decade before it actually took place.^{[citation needed]} For the fictional character of this name, see Stan Lee (Judge Dredd character). ... Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg, August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was one of the most influential, recognizable, and prolific artists in American comic books, and the co-creator of such enduring characters and popular culture icons as the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, Captain America, and hundreds... For other uses, see Fantastic Four (disambiguation). ... Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. ... For the breakfast cereal, see Wheaties. ... Paul Auster Paul Benjamin Auster (born February 3, 1947, Newark, New Jersey) is a Brooklyn-based author. ... The New York Trilogy is a series of novels or long stories by Paul Auster. ... Grant Morrison (born January 31, 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer and artist. ... Animal Man (Buddy Baker) is a fictional DC Comics superhero. ...

He reportedly cut all ties with his family and virtually all of his industry colleagues apart from Gerhard in order to finish the work. He has had very public fallings-out with both Terry Moore and Jeff Smith, the latter of whom Sim challenged to a boxing match in an editorial published in the comic. Sim claimed Smith lied about an argument the two had had over the notorious essay in issue #186, during which he allegedly threatened to give Sim a "fat lip". Sim also developed an adversarial relationship with Gary Groth, the confrontational publisher of The Comics Journal, an independently published comics magazine known for punishing criticisms and a decidedly non-mainstream editorial slant. Terry Moore is a comic book author and illustrator. ... Jeff Smith is an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of the self-published comic book series Bone. ... Gary Groth (born 1954) is an American comic book publisher, critic, editor in chief of the Comics Journal and co-founder of Fantagraphics Books. ... The cover of TCJ #115 (April 1987) celebrated their court victory in defending a libel suit. ...

Sim's religious beliefs heavily influenced the latter half of Cerebus's storyline. Once an atheist, Sim became a believer in God while gathering research material for Rick's Story. However, rather than following one religion, Sim believes that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all equally valid and has formed his religious practices from aspects of all three^[9], although he described himself in issue #8 of Following Cerebus as "mostly Muslim". A 2003 magazine interview describes Sim as reciting a prayer of his own devising five times a day (which was published in the back of issue #300), and as having sold much of his furniture to donate the money to charity as an act of religious asceticism. In an editorial contained in issue #297, Sim stated that he regards the production of Cerebus as of secondary importance to his religious practice. Sim's religious beliefs tie into his views on the genders, and the bulk of the Cerebus storyline after Guys deals with this, especially Rick's Story, Latter Days, and The Last Day. “Atheist” redirects here. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The publication in March 2004 of issue #300 was met with a muted, rather than celebratory, response from the comics industry. Though Sim reports the print run for #300 was doubled from that of recent issues, that would still only come to around 16,000 copies, a far cry from the series' high of 30,000 copies around issue #100.^[10][11]

A new quarterly publication, Following Cerebus [6], followed in August 2004, featuring correspondence, essays, and previously unpublished artwork from Sim, as well as interviews with other comic writers and artists.

Sim was once quoted as saying that, had he died or otherwise chosen not to complete Cerebus prior to issue 300, that however many remaining issues there were left were to either consist of blank pages, or Gerhard was to have drawn his backgrounds only, leaving Sim's contribution blank.^{[citation needed]} It is not known if this plan was ever serious, and it was never put into effect. He has also confirmed that once he and Gerhard die, Cerebus will fall into the public domain.^[12][13] In the meantime, he has granted a general license for other creators to use the character of Cerebus in their own works.^[14] The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

Story arcs and plot summaries

Titles of the book collection in which given story elements occur are marked in bold.

Cerebus. This first volume, uniquely in the series, consists of one to three-issue storylines with only occasional back-references. Cerebus is introduced as an amoral barbarian mercenary, fighting (and betraying) for money and drinking it away. In one issue he meets and falls in love with the tavern dancer Jaka. The stories in this volume are primarily parodies of sword and sorcery fantasy, especially Conan the Barbarian, with comic appearances by parodies of Red Sonja, Elric/Foghorn Leghorn, Groucho Marx, and Batman. The series takes a sharp change in direction with issue 20 which is the first of the "Mind Games" issues that are a feature of the comic and introduces the Cirinists. Red Sonja, a warrior woman out of majestic Hyrkania, is a low fantasy sword and sorcery heroine created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. ... Stormbringer (Lancer, 1967) Elric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock. ... Foghorn Leghorn is the name of a character appearing in numerous Warner Brothers animated cartoons, especially Looney Tunes. ... Groucho redirects here. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ...

High Society. Sim's first venture into long-form comics, this is a continuous 25 issue-long storyline. In the wealthy city-state of Iest, Cerebus finds himself being manipulated into the fast-paced world of business and politics, especially at the hands of the mysterious Astoria, who takes him under her wing for unclear reasons of her own. Comic tension is built through Cerebus's simple barbarian ignorance of the "high society" machinations going on around him. Eventually Cerebus finds himself elected Prime Minister of Iest, and launches a war that causes him to lose everything.

Church & State I. First half of a two-part storyline. After some travels, Cerebus returns to Iest and is manipulated into again becoming Prime Minister, now under the thumb of Adam Weisshaupt, who is promoting a federation of states as a bulwark against the Cirinists. Weisshaupt over-reaches himself when he has Cerebus appointed Pope of the Eastern Church of Tarim. Finally out from under anyone else's control, Cerebus lets absolute power go to his head and demands that all the citizens must give him all their gold or face the end of the world. Cerebus also discovers that Jaka is married and pregnant. He is finally ejected from the Upper City by the sudden invasion of the giant stone Thrunk, a character previously seen in Cerebus. First half of a two-part storyline. ...

Church & State II. Cerebus returns to Iest's Upper City amidst portents and magical signs. He is forced to try Astoria for the assassination of the Western Pope, a trial that has echoes of events long past. The trial is interrupted when Cerebus makes the predicted Ascension to the Moon, where he meets the Judge, a timeless, godlike being who has watched over history from the very beginning. The Judge explains his version of the Creation Myth of Cerebus's Universe, before warning Cerebus that he will live only a few more years before dying "alone, unmourned and unloved." Cerebus is finally told to remember his second marriage (when, as Pope, he married himself to the imprisoned and shackled Astoria, raped her, and then granted himself a divorce) if he ever questions his suffering. Cerebus then falls back to earth, where he discovers that the Cirinists have invaded, and his empire has collapsed.

Jaka's Story. Under a brutal Cirinist dictatorship (which lasts until half-way through Latter Days, most of the remainder of the comic's run), the fallen Cerebus runs into his love Jaka again. She is illegally working as a dancer in her landlord's tavern; he treats Jaka kindly but secretly spends his days lusting after her. Cerebus agrees to live with Jaka and her husband Rick as their houseguest. That story is interwoven with unreliable tales of Jaka's childhood told by a writer, representing Oscar Wilde, using notes and stories provided by Rick. In the end Cerebus disguises himself and travels to the Lower City, and Jaka and Rick are captured and jailed by the Cirinists. Jaka is made to sign a confession of immoral behavior, and is reunited with Rick; however, the Cirinists reveal to Rick that Jaka aborted the son that Rick always wanted. He strikes Jaka and is allowed to divorce her, but not without consequences. Jaka returns to Palnu. Cerebus returns to the inn to find it in ruins. Jakas Story is a graphic novel written and drawn by Dave Sim, with background art by Gerhard. ... Oscar Fingal OFlahertie Wills Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and author of short stories. ...

Melmoth. Believing Jaka to be dead, a catatonic Cerebus spends his days mourning on the patio of a café. Meanwhile a fictionalized telling of the death of Oscar Wilde is given. At the end, Cerebus overhears a conversation by two Cirinist jailers rudely discussing Jaka. In a fit of anger, he violently murders one of them.

Flight. Cerebus's slaughter of Cirinsts leads to a very brief failed revolution. Cerebus ascends into darkness and speaks with Suenteus Po. Meanwhile, Cirin works to manage her sect and arrange her own ascension. The Cockroach also stages his own impromptu revolution, under his new persona, PunisherRoach, a parody of the Marvel character The Punisher.

Women. Cerebus crashes back to earth. He is assisted by a mysterious old woman who is being openly spied upon by the Cirinists; she sends him to a bar to hide. This series includes a parody of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, with The Roach playing "Swoon" (a parody of Dream) and Elrod playing "Snuff" (a parody of Death). Astoria and Cirin symbolically duel in a dream realm. The book includes excepts from books written by Astoria and Cirin that describe their differing beliefs. Cerebus flies across the city to slay Astoria, but is interrupted by the physical arrival of Suenteus Po. Neil Richard Gaiman (IPA: ) (born November 10, 1960[2]) is an English author of science fiction and fantasy short stories and novels, graphic novels, comics, and films. ... The Sandman was a comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics for 75 issues from 1988 until 1996. ... Cover of The Sandman #1, by Dave McKean. ... Death is a fictional character from the DC comic book series, The Sandman (1988 - 1996). ...

Reads. This book primarily consists of two long text pieces. The first revolves around an author of "reads", heavily illustrated books in Cerebus's world. In this story, there is a strong thread about the dangers of commercial success and "selling out". It is generally viewed to be Sim's treatise on why independent comic publishing is preferable to publishing houses. The series moves from this storyline to a long essay attributed to Viktor Davis, a fictional "reads" author. This essay puts forth a theory on the nature of the genders, describing "the Female Void" focused on feeling, and "the Male Light" focused on reason. These two stories are accompanied by a long discussion between Cirin, Astoria, Cerebus, and Suenteus Po. Po gives information about aardvarks, including that all aardvarks have Cerebus' "magnifier" quality, and attempts to convince each of the others to abandon their pursuits of power and return to what they enjoy doing most, then leaves them to their fates. Astoria is convinced and also leaves, but not before giving Cerebus information about her history with Cirin and also informing him of his hermaphrodite nature. Cerebus and Cirin then engage in a long and brutal fight, which leads to the beginning of another ascension.

Minds. Cerebus and Cirin ascend, then are separated by a mysterious force. As Cerebus flies through the solar system, he is shown images from his past and is forced to reconsider his past and his faith. He then encounters a disembodied voice calling itself "Dave" that acknowledges itself as Cerebus's creator. "Dave" shows Cerebus the history of the Cirinist movement, revealing that Cirin is actually named Serna and was the best friend of the real Cirin (the old woman Cerebus encountered in Women), but usurped Cirin's leadership and effectively exchanged identities with her. "Dave" then gives Cerebus information about his past, showing that Cerebus unwittingly ruined his original destiny, causing chaotic repercussions which have influenced most of his adventures. Cerebus demands that "Dave" make Jaka love him; in response, "Dave" shows Cerebus visions of possible futures between himself and Jaka, all of which are disastrously flawed for both of them due to Cerebus' nature. After a period of penance and self-reflection on Pluto, Cerebus asks "Dave" to place him in a bar he remembers from his mercenary days. For other uses, see Pluto (disambiguation). ...

Guys. Cerebus hangs out in and eventually becomes bartender in one of the Cirinist's bars. Various characters come and go while Cerebus remains stationary. One of these characters is a woman named Joanne, who was first introduced in one of the possible futures with Jaka that "Dave" showed Cerebus in Minds. Enjoyed by a number of fans as a return to the "earlier, funnier" Cerebus.

Rick's Story. Eventually Jaka's ex-husband Rick arrives at the bar. He has significantly aged, become a heavy drinker (he could barely tolerate alcohol in Jaka's Story), and it is gradually revealed that the mental and emotional scars from the events at the end of Jaka's Story have left him somewhat insane. Rick is working on a book about his life, which gradually becomes a religious work in which Cerebus is a holy figure and Rick his follower. Joanne returns and taunts Cerebus by courting Rick. At the end of the book, Rick departs, for reasons not entirely clear, and tells Cerebus that he will see Rick only once more in his life. After Rick has left, Jaka shows up at the bar, and she and Cerebus depart together, heading for Sand Hills Creek.

Going Home. After Jaka arrives at the bar and Cerebus leaves with her, they travel across land, then on a river boat. Cerebus is eager to make as much time as possible, as he fears being trapped in the mountains near Sand Hills Creek by winter, but instead he indulges Jaka's desire for shopping and public appearances. Along the way, they encounter veiled hostility from the Cirinists. Cerebus and Jaka's relationship begins to show signs of deterioration, and Jaka is almost tempted away by F. Stop Kennedy (a fictionalised F. Scott Fitzgerald), a writer who has accompanied them on their river boat. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940) was an American Jazz Age author of novels and short stories. ...

Form and Void. Cerebus and Jaka continue their journey towards Sand Hills Creek, in the company of Ham and Mary Ernestway, characters based upon Ernest Hemingway and his fourth wife, Mary. On the trip, Mary tells them about some of her and Ham's journeys (this material is based on Mary Hemingway's journals about Ernest's last African safaris before his death). Ham kills himself, and Cerebus flees in panic, taking Jaka with him. They discover that they have been traveling in circles without making any significant progress toward Sand Hills Creek, and nearly die in a blizzard. They finally arrive in Sand Hills Creek only to find that Cerebus' parents are dead and the rest of the community considers Cerebus an outcast for his perceived abandonment of his family. Cerebus drives Jaka away, blaming her for keeping him away too long. Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. ...

Latter Days. After a prodigious leap in time over two issues, Cerebus returns from the north intent on provoking the Cirinists into killing him. Instead, he is captured by a trio of characters based on the Three Stooges, who await a religious revelation from him. While Cerebus was in the north, a religious movement developed out of the teachings of Rick and his writings about Cerebus. Once Cerebus supplies the required revelation, he inspires a successful anti-Cirinist rebellion and a subsequent reordering of society. Much of the second half of this chapter consists of Cerebus giving a highly idiosyncratic analysis of the Torah. Lasting nearly a year (in publishing terms), this section, called "Chasing YHWH" (presumably a reference to the Kevin Smith film, Chasing Amy) threatened to alienate even more of Sim's followers. This section was presented almost entirely in text format, with minimal art. This story arc is unusual in that disembodied thought balloons give the impression that Cerebus is speaking directly to the reader at times. It is revealed in the last issue of the arc that Cerebus has been talking to a woman reporter who bears a striking resemblance to Jaka. He eventually falls in love with the woman and marries her. The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the mid 20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. ... Template:Jews and Jewdaism Template:The Holy Book Named TorRah The Torah () is the most valuable Holy Doctrine within Judaism,(and for muslims) revered as the first relenting Word of Ulllah, traditionally thought to have been revealed to Blessed Moosah, An Apostle of Ulllah. ... This article is about the American screenwriter and film director. ... Chasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Kevin Smith about two comic book artists: Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), a heterosexual male, and Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a lesbian-identified woman. ...

The Last Day. The conclusion of the series. In the first 40 pages Cerebus has a dream or vision in which cosmology is seen as a reflection of theology, complete with explanatory footnotes by Sim. Upon waking Cerebus — now incredibly aged, decrepit, pain-ridden, and mildly senile — makes the laborious trek to his writing desk to write down his new revelation. He then hides the manuscript, and it is implied that nobody will find it for two thousand years (a possible homage to I, Claudius in which the dying Claudius does the same thing). Cosmology, from the Greek: κοσμολογία (cosmologia, κόσμος (cosmos) order + λογια (logia) discourse) is the study of the Universe in its totality, and by extension, humanitys place in it. ... Theology finds its scholars pursuing the understanding of and providing reasoned discourse of religion, spirituality and God or the gods. ... I, Claudius is a novel by Robert Graves, (ISBN 067972477X) first published in 1934, dealing sympathetically with the life of the Roman Emperor Claudius and the history of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty and Roman Empire, from Julius Caesars assassination in 44 BC to Caligulas assassination in 41 AD... For other persons named Claudius, see Claudius (disambiguation). ...

Cerebus spends most of the rest of the book trying to persuade his chief of security, Walter O'Reilly (named after Corporal Walter (Radar) O'Reilly from M A S H) to admit his son, Shep-Shep, with whom he remembers sharing an idyllic father-son relationship. However, the Sanctuary is under lockdown due to opposition from a new and even more rabidly "feminist-homosexualist" group — ironically led by Shep-Shep's mother, whom Cerebus refers to as "New Joanne" — which favors such "rights" as pedophilia, zoophilia, juvenile recreational drug use and lesbian motherhood. As a result, social values have undergone a complete breakdown. Corporal Walter Eugene Radar OReilly is a fictional character in the novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, the movie M*A*S*H, the television series M*A*S*H, the television movie W*A*L*T*E*R and two episodes of the series After M... M*A*S*H is an American television series developed by Larry Gelbart, inspired by the 1968 novel M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker (penname for H. Richard Hornberger) and its sequels, but primarily by the 1970 film MASH, and influenced by the... Pedophilia or paedophilia (see spelling differences) is the primary or exclusive sexual attraction by adults to prepubescent youths. ... This article is about zoophilia, the emotional and (optionally) sexual attraction of humans to animals. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about homosexual women, not inhabitants of the Greek island of Lesbos A lesbian (lowercase L) is a homosexual woman. ...

Cerebus finally goes to bed despairing of seeing his son again, but Shep-Shep — or more correctly, Sheshep Ankh — sneaks into Cerebus' room late that night. Their subsequent conversation shatters Cerebus' last illusions about his son, who is planning to have himself cloned with a lion's body, marry his mother, and rule Egypt as a sphinx-like god. The Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt The Great Sphinx of Giza is a large half-human, half-lion Sphinx statue in Egypt, on the Giza Plateau at the west bank of the Nile River, near modern-day Cairo. ... For other uses, see clone. ... For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Sphinx (disambiguation). ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

As he leaves Cerebus grabs a knife, intending to kill him, but falls out of bed and dies of a broken neck, alone, unmourned, and unloved, just as the Judge had predicted. His life flashes before his eyes in a series of flashback panels and his ghost sees many of his old friends (and enemies) waiting for him in "the Light". At first he eagerly rushes to join them, thinking they are in Heaven, but then he notices the absence of Rick and realises that the Light may in fact be Hell. He calls out to God for help, but is dragged into the Light nonetheless. For other uses, see Ghost (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Heaven (disambiguation). ... This article is about the theological or philosophical afterlife. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

Supporting characters

Astoria 

A beautiful political manipulator, Lord Julius' ex-wife, and the main driving force behind Cerebus' campaign to become Prime Minister in High Society. She is the leader of the Kevillists, a feminist sect which opposes Cirin. The Kevillists mirror the Cirinists' philosophy, but would prefer power in the hands of daughters instead of mothers. She is named for actress Mary Astor, and is inspired in some ways by Sim's ex-wife Deni Loubert.

Bear 

Cerebus' best friend from his mercenary days and main drinking buddy.^[15] In Guys there are hints Cerebus is suppressing a homoerotic attraction to him.

Cirin 

Leader of the Cirinists, a matriarchal fascist sect which conquers Estarcion at the conclusion of the Church and State storyline. Originally named Serna, she took the name and effectively exchanged identities with the real Cirin, whose views were much less militaristic. The sect honors mothers primarily, also giving high honors to daughters (potential mothers) and children. Men are tolerated. Like Cerebus, she is an aardvark.

Elrod the Albino (Elrod of Melvinbone)

Essentially Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone with the voice and personality of Senator Claghorn (or Foghorn Leghorn), Elrod is an almost purely comic character whose main purpose is to frustrate and enrage Cerebus. In Women it is revealed that he was created by Cerebus' proximity to a magic gem, and after learning this he vanishes from existence.^[16]

Joanne 

Introduced in a possible future for Cerebus and Jaka by "Dave" in Minds, Joanne is a bored housewife who has an affair with Cerebus, prompting Jaka's suicide. After Cerebus returns to Estarcion, Joanne reappears and becomes Cerebus's lover, only to be spurned by Cerebus. She later seduces Rick as a way to taunt Cerebus. Joanne is in many ways an opposite of Jaka, and Cerebus bases much of his post-Guys views on how to deal with women on his experience with her. After Sheshep's mother leaves Cerebus, he labels her "New Joanne."

Lord Julius 

Grandlord of the city-state of Palnu, who exercises control by making the bureaucracy incredibly dense and incomprehensible. Julius is crafty and intelligent, but often plays the fool to confuse and baffle opponents. His character design and behavior is based on Groucho Marx, including snappy insults, a constant cigar, the chicken walk, and a painted-on mustache.^[17]

Bran Mac Mufin

Originally a barbarian warlord whose people worshiped an idol who looked remarkably like Cerebus (and which the aardvark destroyed). He later turns up quite unexpectedly, in civilized clothing, to act as an adviser to Cerebus in two separate occasions, first in Cerebus' campaign and first reign as Prime Minister of Iest and then arriving after Cerebus is Pope to observe the miracles and give Cerebus advice, though he seems to have a hidden agenda. During the Iest campaign Cerebus states that he trusts Mac Mufin's military advice more than anyone else's. When Thrunk deposes Cerebus, Mac Mufin commits suicide by stabbing himself in the chest with a sword. Mac Mufin is a parody of Robert E. Howard's celtic barbarian Bran Mak Morn.

Rick Nash 

First introduced as Jaka's husband in Jaka's Story, Rick is a friendly, gentle ne'er-do-well, whom Sim described in the introduction to the "phonebook" of Jaka's Story as "the nearest I will ever come to the portrayal of a good and thoroughly decent human being; completely without guile or malice." After his marriage to Jaka is dissolved, he becomes somewhat insane. He eventually goes on to become the prophet of a religion centered around Cerebus.

Suenteus Po

Estarcion's third aardvark, who has lived several lifetimes and has shaped the history of Estarcion. It is also a very common name and several people named "Suenteus Po" appear in the story in various roles — one as an enigmatic illusionist and another as a historian who narrates a sizable portion of Cerebus' first reign as Prime Minister of Iest (though it is very strongly implied that both these Pos are the aardvark). It is mentioned in High Society that some of the followers of the original Suenteus Po named their children after him. The name may be a playful mis-spelling of the name of Roman historian Suetonius.

The Regency Elf 

A childlike, playful spirit who inhabits Cerebus' rooms at the Regency Hotel in High Society; at first, only Cerebus can see her. She helps Cerebus with some of his political scheming, though, as innocent as she seems, it's all just a game to her. It is discovered later that the Regency Elf who appears to Cerebus is a fake created by Cerebus' subconscious. The Regency Elf is inspired in part by Elfquest and its creator Wendy Pini.^[18]

The Roach 

An incompetent superhero character. Sim used the Roach to satirize popular mainstream comic characters or industry publishing trends, beginning with Batman. His other guises have included Captain Cockroach (Captain America), Moonroach (Moon Knight), Wolveroach (Wolverine), the Secret Sacred Wars Roach (Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars series and Frank Miller's Batman from The Dark Knight Returns), Punisherroach (The Punisher), Swoon (Sandman), and Sergeant Preston of the Royal Mounted Iestan police (the main character of the radio series Challenge of the Yukon).^[19]

Jaka Tavers 

The love of Cerebus' life. A dancer by profession, she is the niece of Lord Julius and (ex-)wife of Rick Nash.^[20]

Adam Weisshaupt 

Introduced in High Society, he is a ruthless political opponent of Cerebus throughout the Church & State storyline. His manipulations of both Cerebus and the Roach lead to his pawns eventually growing more powerful than he ever hoped to be. Weisshaupt is named after the historical Adam Weishaupt but drawn to look like George Washington (a connection well known to Illuminati conspiracy theorists).^[21]

Various other characters in the series were designed to resemble famous actors, politicians, and other personalities and comic in-jokes, including British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Professor X (with a bit of Chris Claremont thrown in), Canadian Member of Parliament Sheila Copps, director Woody Allen, Alan Moore, Rick Veitch, Oscar Wilde, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Norman Mailer, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Chico Marx. Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. ... Mary Astor (May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... Matriarchy is a gynocentric form of society, in which power is with the female and especially with the mothers of a community. ... Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, was the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. ... Michael John Moorcock (born December 18, 1939, in London, England) is a prolific English writer primarily of science fiction and fantasy who has also published a number of literary novels. ... Stormbringer (Lancer, 1967) Elric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock. ... Senator Claghorn, as portrayed by Kenny Delmar, in scene from Its a Joke Son, the Senators only film appearance Senator Beauregard Claghorn was a popular radio character on the Allens Alley segment of The Fred Allen Show beginning in 1945. ... Foghorn Leghorn is the name of a character appearing in numerous Warner Brothers animated cartoons, especially Looney Tunes. ... Groucho redirects here. ... Robert Ervin Howard (January 22, 1906 – June 11, 1936)[1] was a classic American pulp writer of fantasy, horror, historical adventure, boxing, western, and detective fiction. ... Bran Mak Morn is a hero of several pulp fiction short stories by Robert E. Howard. ... Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus ( 69/75 - after 130), also known as Suetonius, was a prominent Roman historian and biographer. ... Elfquest #5, 1979. ... Artist, creator of the well-known ElfQuest series of comics (or graphic novels). ... For other uses, see Superhero (disambiguation). ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... This article is about the superhero. ... Moon Knight (Marc Spector) is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. ... For other uses, see Wolverine (disambiguation). ... Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is the name of a twelve-issue Marvel Comics comic book limited series produced between 1984 and 1985, and a Mattel toy line that reflected the series. ... The Dark Knight Returns (commonly abbreviated to DKR) is a superhero comic book story published by DC Comics between 1985 and 1986, starring Batman and was written and drawn by Frank Miller. ... This article is about the Marvel Comics character. ... The Sandman was a comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics for 75 issues from 1988 until 1996. ... Challenge of the Yukon was a long-running radio series that began on Detroits station WXYZ (as had The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet). ... Adam Weishaupt Johann Adam Weishaupt (6 February 1748 in Ingolstadt - 18 November 1830 in Gotha) was a German who founded the Order of Illuminati. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... For other uses, see Illuminati (disambiguation). ... A conspiracy theory is a theory that defies common historical or current understanding of events, under the claim that those events are the result of manipulations by two or more individuals or various secretive powers or conspiracies. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and only woman to hold either post. ... Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, known as the leader and founder of the X-Men. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sheila Maureen Copps, PC, HBA, LL.D (hc), (born November 27, 1952, in Hamilton, Ontario) is a Canadian journalist and former politician. ... Woody Allen (born Allen Stewart Königsberg on December 1, 1935) is a three-time Academy Award-winning American film director, writer, actor, jazz musician, comedian, and playwright. ... For other persons named Alan Moore, see Alan Moore (disambiguation). ... Rick Veitch is an American comic book artist and writer who has worked in mainstream, underground, and alternative comics. ... Oscar Fingal OFlahertie Wills Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and author of short stories. ... Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940) was an American Jazz Age author of novels and short stories. ... Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. ... Norman Kingsley Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007) was an American novelist, journalist, playwright, screenwriter, and film director. ... Sir Michael Phillip Mick Jagger (born July 26, 1943) is a English rock musician, actor, songwriter, record and film producer and businessman. ... Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English guitarist, songwriter, singer and a founding member of The Rolling Stones in 1962. ... Leonard Marx, known as Chico, (March 22, 1887 – October 11, 1961) was one of the Marx Brothers. ...

Cerebus collections

The various story arcs have been reprinted in collected omnibus editions of usually 200-400 pages each, all of which are presently still in print. They are generally referred to by fans and retailers as "Cerebus phone books" due to their size and the fact they are printed on similar paper to telephone directories.

1. Cerebus (ISBN 0-919359-08-6) Collects issues 1-25 (1977-1981)
2. High Society (ISBN 0-919359-07-8) Collects issues 26-50 (1981-1983)
3. Church and State I (ISBN 0-919359-09-4) Collects isses 52-80 (1983-1985)
4. Church and State II (ISBN 0-919359-11-6) Collects issues 81-111 (1985-1988)
5. Jaka's Story (ISBN 0-919359-12-4) Collects issues 114-136 (1988-1990)
6. Melmoth (ISBN 0-919359-10-8) Collects issues 139-150 (1990-1991)
7. Flight (Mothers and Daughters vol. 1) (ISBN 0-919359-13-2) Collects issues 151-162 (1991-1992)
8. Women (Mothers and Daughters vol. 2) (ISBN 0-919359-14-0) Collects issues 163-174 (1992-1993)
9. Reads (Mothers and Daughters vol. 3) (ISBN 0-919359-15-9) Collects issues 175-186 (1993-1994)
10. Minds (Mothers and Daughters vol. 4) (ISBN 0-919359-16-7) Collects issues 187-200 (1994-1995)
11. Guys (ISBN 0-919359-17-5) Collects issues 201-219 (1995-1997)
12. Rick's Story (ISBN 0-919359-18-3) Collects issues 220-231 (1997-1998)
13. Going Home (Going Home vol. 1) (ISBN 0-919359-19-1) Collects issues 232-250 (1998-2000)
14. Form and Void (Going Home vol. 2) (ISBN 0-919359-20-5) Collects issues 251-265 (2000-2001)
15. Latter Days (Latter Days vol. 1) (ISBN 0-919359-22-1) Collects issues 266-288 (2001-2003)
16. The Last Day (Latter Days vol. 2) (ISBN 0-919359-21-3) Collects issues 289-300 (2003-2004)

A 17th collection, "Collected Letters" (ISBN 0-919359-23-X), collects Sim's responses to readers' letters (the original letters are not included) after the publication of Cerebus #300. Another collection of letters followed. Jakas Story is a graphic novel written and drawn by Dave Sim, with background art by Gerhard. ...

Miscellaneous stories not appearing in the above collections have been reprinted in the short collections Cerebus World Tour Book and in Cerebus Number Zero, which reprints issues #51, 112/113 and parts of issues #137 & 138. A few standalone, uncollected stories have appeared in various collections and magazines over the years, and Cerebus has made cameo appearances on the covers of magazines such as Comics Revue. Sim also marketed a set of "Diamondback" cards (based upon a game seen in early issues) in the 1980s. Comics Revue is a monthly small press comic book published by Manuscript Press. ... // Diamondback is a card game created by Canadian author/illustrator Dave Sim in his 6000-page graphic novel Cerebus the Aardvark. ...

Notes

• The "phonebook" of High Society was actually published before that of Cerebus.
• Much of the material in the Cerebus arc was reprinted in smaller collections called Swords of Cerebus before Sim decided on the "phonebook" format.
• Unlike some glossy graphic novels, the Cerebus collections use the same newsprint paper as the original comics.
• Although grammatically incorrect, the titles of books 8 through 11 could be read as a sentence ("women read minds, guys" - the concept of women reading minds is a key plot point). ^[22]
• Beginning with Going Home, the first storyline begun after Sim's religious conversion, the covers of each "phonebook" are printed in full color, with "Going Home" and "Form and Void" using Gerhard's scenic nature photography as covers, rather than the drawings used on past books.
• Issue #51 was not included in any of the phone book collections. Sim stated that because it was a transitional story not associated with either the preceding High Society or the following Church and State I, it had no place in these collections. It was reprinted in Cerebus Number 0.
• Unlike other cartoonists, Sim has refused any official translations of his work, stating that a translation would dilute the original intended meaning of the work and since he only reads English, he could have no way of confirming its correctness. Instead, he had proposed a collaborative fan-based effort as an alternative: [7]

Parodies and appearances

In Marvel Comics' The Uncanny X-Men, Chris Claremont and Brent Anderson created a demonic character named S'ym, a large muscular creature but with a tail, pointed ears, clawed toes, snout, and black vest similar to Cerebus', and who similarly refers to himself in the third person. This article is about the comic book company. ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Brent Eric Anderson (born 1955) is an American comic book artist. ...

In Exhibit A Press' [8] Supernatural Law #33, Batton Lash featured a demon called Huberis the Dybbuk, who discovers religion and retains the legal services of Wolff & Byrd, Counselors of the Macabre to sue for the right to pray in a house of worship. The misogynistic demon runs afoul of female attorney Alanna Wolff as she and her partner Jeff Byrd prepare his case. Sim and Gerhard contributed to the cover art, mimicking the style of their Cerebus covers. Beware the creatures of the night -- they have lawyers! Yes, even monsters need lawyers. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Dybbuk - in kabbalah and European Jewish folklore, is a malicious possessing spirit, believed to be the dislocated soul of a dead person, escaped from Gehenna, a Hebrew term very loosely translated as hell. The word dybbuk is derived from the Hebrew דיבוק, meaning attachment; the dybbuk attaches itself to the body... Supernatural Law previously known as Wolff and Byrd, Counselors of the Macabre is a comics series written and illustrated by Batton Lash. ...

In the first volume of Mirage's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cerebus made a guest appearance in #8. In the story the four turtles are transported to "anyplace on Earth before humans recorded time!". The turtles meet Cerebus, and after a misunderstanding helped the aardvark and a group of mercenaries invade a castle. Sim wrote and lettered the dialogue for Cerebus and he and Gerhard inked/toned the aardvark. [9] An episode of the 2003 cartoon series called "Time Travails" was based on that issue. When the turtles first go into the past an aardvark resembling Cerebus can be seen. Mirage Studios is an independent American comic book company founded in 1983 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. ... TMNT redirects here. ...

In Todd McFarlane's Spawn #10, guest written by Dave Sim, Cerebus guest stars and shows Spawn the hell of comic characters (owned by Marvel Comics and DC Comics) whose creators had "forsaken" them by giving up their rights — unlike Spawn, who was still owned by McFarlane. It was a polemic on the virtues of creator-owned comics. Todd McFarlane (born March 16, 1961 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) is a Canadian comic book artist, writer, toy manufacturer/designer, and media entrepreneur who is best known as the creator of the epic religious fantasy series Spawn. ... Spawn is a fictional comic book character created by Todd McFarlane. ... This article is about the comic book company. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Look up Polemic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In the "Fears" chapter of Jeph Loeb's and Tim Sale's graphic novel Batman: The Haunted Knight, someone attending a Halloween costume party hosted by Bruce Wayne is wearing a Cerebus costume, complete with sword and medallions. Joseph Jeph Siegbert Loeb III is an American motion picture and television producer/writer and award-winning comic book writer. ... Tim Sale (born 1956 in Ithaca, New York) is an American Eisner Award winning comic book artist. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... This article is about the holiday. ...

In Starchild, there is a character named Serbius, a midget with a bulbous nose and Wolverine-style haircut whose personality is just like Cerebus. Starchild was a densely illustrated fantasy comic book self-published in the 1990s by James A. Owen. ... For other uses, see Wolverine (disambiguation). ...

In Savage Dragon #41, Cerebus is one of many comic book characters invited to the wedding of Barbaric and Ricochet. The wedding's guest list rivals that of the Fantastic Four's Sue and Reed Richards. The Savage Dragon is an American ongoing comic book series created by Erik Larsen and published by Image Comics. ... For other uses, see Fantastic Four (disambiguation). ... “Invisible Girl” redirects here. ... Mister Fantastic is a Marvel Comics superhero who is the leader of the Fantastic Four. ...

The limbo story arc of Flaming Carrot shares its character of Beanhead with Cerebus, and features a one-panel cameo of Cerebus. "Adventures in Limbo" (in which Beanhead appears) originally appeared in the Cerebus comic as a back-up in a series called "Unique Stories." Flaming Carrot himself appears in Cerebus #104. Flaming Carrot Comics is a surrealist comic book by Bob Burden between 1979 and 1993. ...

In an issue of normalman by Jim Valentino Cerebus also makes an appearance during a dream sequence. normalman was published by Aardvark-Vanaheim at the time by Dave and then wife Deni. Since the normalman books had parody covers this particular issue resembled a Cerebus cover too. The Guardians of the Galaxy as drawn by Valentino. ...

The Roach, along with Fleagle McGrew and Dirty Drew McGrew, appeared in a Sim-penned story in the anthology title AARGH (Artists Against Rampant Government Homophobia). With the title-sized speech bubbles "Terror in a Turgid Tool!" and "By my Loins- Betrayed!" it indicated the Roach was homosexual. The cover of AARGH, art by Dave McKean. ...

The webcomic Rogues of Clwyd-Rhan features as a secondary character "Scarabus the Earth-Pig," a parody of Cerebus. Rogues of Clwyd-Rhan is a webcomic by Reinder Dijkhuis. ...

In the webcomic Impy and Aevy, Impy directly references a scene from the end of Cerebus.

In Quest for Glory III: Wages of War, while traveling on the over map (usually at night), the character may encounter Arne the Aardvark, who resembles Cerebus. Quest for Glory 5 cover Quest for Glory was a series of hybrid role-playing/adventure computer games designed by Corey and Lori Cole. ...

In Ryan McLelland's independent comic Wise Intelligence Cerebus appears in the story "Spirit Animals" in a dream sequence with Mike Kazaleh's Captain Jack with both characters leading one of the characters. Ryan McLelland is a journalist for Newsarama and editor for Latino Review. ... Mike Kazaleh is an American animator and comic artist, and a one-time member of Rowrbrazzle from Detroit. ... Captain Jack may refer to : Captain Jack (Native American) (c. ...

In Mark Bode's 1987 independent miniseries Miami Mice, Cerebus makes a brief 2-page appearance at the end of the 4th and final issue. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles make an appearance in the same story, introducing the Miami Mice to a drunk and disgruntled Cerebus. Cerebus quickly vanishes back to his home dimension, remarking how annoyed he is by "these crossover spells". For his two page appearance, Cerebus was drawn by Dave Sim. Mark Bodé (born 1963) is an American comic book author and artist. ... TMNT redirects here. ...

"Cerebus Syndrome"

The comics review site Websnark uses the term "Cerebus syndrome" to describe the situation when a light, gag-a-day comic adds layer after layer of complexity to its characters and set-up. Eventually, the strip comes to the point where the strip bears little resemblance to its roots; whether the transformation is successful is another matter entirely. [10] An example of "Cerebus Syndrome" is Jeff Smith's Bone. Websnark refers to the website Websnark. ... Jeff Smith can refer to: Jeff Smith, TV chef. ... This article is about the skeletal organs. ...

See also

• Diamondback (game)

// Diamondback is a card game created by Canadian author/illustrator Dave Sim in his 6000-page graphic novel Cerebus the Aardvark. ...

References

is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the character and comic book series. ...

External links

• Cerebus Art Site This is Dave and Gerhard's site for selling original Cerebus art, prints, limited edition issues, etc.
• Cerebus Fangirl Has a multitude of essays by Sim including the Notes From the President, has a large links collection, a checklist of Cerebus, Dave Sim and Gerhard items, a Cerebus Wiki, et al.
• Cerebus Wiki is part of the site above, and aims to be a complete repository of notes on the story.
• Cerebus cover gallery Reprints Cerebus covers for entire original run.
• Andrew Rilstone: Arts, which contains several critical articles on Cerebus. Search in this page for Aardvarks.
• The Cerebus Companion, in compressed PostScript format. A thorough summary of Cerebus through Jaka's Story.
• Neil Gaiman's Blog details Sim's offer of a free issue which includes part of his Sandman parody (in which The Roach decides that he is "Swoon").
• The Dave Sim Misogyny Page is the full essay by "Victor Davis" that appeared in the Reads trade paperback.
• Cerebus Live! Dave gives explanations of the voices he hears for various characters in Cerebus through readings of key sequences in various story arcs.
• Requiem for an Earth-Pig Essay in The American Spectator magazine on the end of Cerebus.
• Cerebus The Aardvark Fan website featuring information, artwork, audio/video, an interactive world map and more.

For the literary term, see Postscript. ... The American Spectator magazine. ...

Reviews

• "Thus Endeth the Aardvark", a review of the final Cerebus story
• Review of Cerebus 300
• "The Little Aardvark Who Could..." Extensive examination/review of the entire Cerebus series from a fan's point of view.