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Cerebus #11
Guys
Reprinting Cerebus Issues 201-219
Dave Sim looks at life in a pub as the male patrons interact. Lots of guest stars from previous Cerebus books appear: Mick & Keef, Bear, and others. This book will make you think about platonic friendships between males and their relationships with women. Shows some insight into the Cirinist regime that has been set up and how Cerebus deals with it. Mrs Thatcher also returns. Many laughs in this one!
Dave Sim looks at life in a pub as the male patrons interact. Lots of guest stars from previous Cerebus books appear: Mick & Keef, Bear, and others. This book will make you think about platonic friendships between males and their relationships with women. Shows some insight into the Cirinist regime that has been set up and how Cerebus deals with it. Mrs Thatcher also returns. Many laughs in this one!
408 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
3 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Dave Sim
1,048 books137 followersDavid Victor Sim is a Canadian comic book, artist and publisher, best known as the creator of Cerebus the Aardvark.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 27, 2024
Well this volume has some nice scenes that have the old spark in them but the bulk of this volume continues the slow slide downhill of the series. I’ll go with recommended but barely.
October 8, 2020
#ThrowbackThursday - Back in the '90s, I used to write comic book reviews for the website of a now-defunct comic book retailer called Rockem Sockem Comics. From the July 1997 edition with a theme of "Persistence":
INTRODUCTION
Persistence. According to the American Heritage Dictionary (Standard Edition) persistence is "to hold firmly and steadfastly to a purpose, a state, or an undertaking despite obstacles, warnings, or setbacks." In a time when it seems that half the comic books being offered in a given month are #1's, it's refreshing to see some titles, characters, and creators persist. Of course Superman and other superheroes from major publishers are perennials, but their continued existence seems more a function of momentum than persistence. To find examples of the true definition of persistence we need to look at low circulation black-and-white books which keep coming out year after year thanks to the determination and singular vision of their creators.
(A caveat: Another reason these books tend to persist is that they appeal to an adult audience instead of fickle children. All of these books contain enough sex, violence, harsh language, and/or adult themes to make them for mature readers only.)
GUYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN
CEREBUS #201-219 (Aardvark-Vanaheim)
Dave Sim's CEREBUS is the epitome of persistence. Begun twenty years ago (20! Tu-when-tee!! Two decades!!! One-fifth of a century!!!!), CEREBUS is a 300 issue limited series. And Sim has actually made it 73% of the way toward the doggone conclusion with no sign of stopping short.
Speaking of short, Cerebus -- in case you don't know -- is an aardvark. Most members of the supporting cast tend to politely ignore this fact, however. What is hard to ignore is the fact that Cerebus is a jerk. He's a bitter, self-pitying, moody, annoying drunkard who occasionally finds himself in positions of authority (prime minister and pope, so far) only to lose everything through his own incompetence and greed. Despite these faults, he is a funny little fella. Oh, by the by, there are only two other known aardvarks in his world. All three seem to possess mystical psychic powers, and one is constantly vying with Cerebus for world domination or somesuch.
The protagonist aside, the only problem with CEREBUS is that most new readers probably find it rather daunting. With 219 issues collected into eleven trade paperbacks, CEREBUS requires a considerable investment of time and money from a collector who wants the entire story. Fortunately, Sim makes it easy to jump on by dividing the series into well-defined story arcs that are fairly self-contained. It is easy to give CEREBUS a test run by picking up the most recent trade paperback or by subscribing to the comic at the start of a new story arc. With that in mind . . .
"Guys," one of my favorite storylines in recent years, just came to a conclusion and is being collected as a trade paperback this month. "Guys" finds Cerebus deeply depressed over his lifetime of failures. He's lost all his power, money, and women. Estarcion, the country in which he currently finds himself, is run by a tyrannical matriarchy which confines all single men to taverns, where they are expected to drink themselves into docility until some woman deigns to mate with them. Making the most of the situation, Cerebus and his buds form a close little boy's club within the tavern. They do all the usual guy stuff: bond, talk about women, drink, talk about ex-girlfriends, fight, talk about sex, play games, joke about women, play pranks, and cringe in fear whenever a woman comes around. The good times come to an end when an ex-girlfriend of Cerebus' best barmate shows up and shatters their little clique. Cerebus is all alone later when temptation shows up in the form of a woman about whom Cerebus once fantasized. Will she pull Cerebus into that which he most fears and loathes -- a relationship?
In keeping with a long-running CEREBUS tradition, "Guys" is populated with characters who are parodies of various celebrities or comic characters. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Margaret Thatcher have all appeared in previous CEREBUS storylines and have minor roles to play in "Guys." In a tribute to comic book self-publishers, Sim has a parade of bowdlerized versions of some of today's most prominent independent creations. See if you can spot characters from EDDIE CAMPBELL'S BACCHUS, STARCHILD, TUG AND BUSTER, ROARIN' RICK'S RAREBIT FIENDS, DON SIMPSON'S BIZARRE HEROES, HILLY ROSE, THB, TOO MUCH COFFEE MAN, and EIGHTBALL. I'm sure I've missed a few myself.
If you try "Guys" and like it, you'll want to start looking for the rest of the CEREBUS trade paperbacks. While it would probably be best to read them in chronological order, one could also read the trades in order of quality. My favorites are "High Society," "Church & State," and "Jaka's Story." These works find Sim at the top of his form. "Cerebus," the first collection, contains Sim's earliest work and is, therefore, rather crude in both story and art. If you read this first, just remember that Sim improves dramatically and quite quickly by the next volume. "Melmoth" is an interesting digression from the Cerebus character. The protagonist is a tribute to Oscar Wilde. "Mothers and Daughters" sprawls across four trades ("Flight," "Women," "Reads," and "Minds") and is the most dependent on previous plotlines. "Mothers and Daughters" would probably be the worst story to read first.
I have nothing but praise for CEREBUS creator Dave Sim. Unlike the spawn of other creators, Cerebus is pencilled and inked by Sim in each and every issue. After two decades of practice, Sim's linework is beyond reproach; it is polished, accomplished, and dynamic, with never a misstep. Additionally, Sim has written every issue of CEREBUS since #1. While CEREBUS is deservedly famous for it's long, involved storylines and Sim's controversial philosophies, I love Sim's masterful use of broad humor and biting satire. Finally, Sim is one of the greatest letterers working in comics. By lettering his own script, Sim is able to add immense depth to the dialogue. Indeed, he gives each character a distinct voice the reader can actually hear inside his head. Sim does this by superbly defining characters' accents, tones, volumes, and inflections with his letters. In Sim's hands, the word balloons come alive, becoming as dynamic as the rest of the artwork. Sim's only assistant is Gerhard, who designs and draws the backgrounds. While I have always wondered why someone would specialize in backgrounds, I must admit the results are amazing. I cannot imagine CEREBUS without Gerhard's incredibly detailed and meticulously crosshatched contributions.
Now, c'mon! You've heard about CEREBUS for years! Probably you've heard mostly positive reviews. So why are you still waiting? Time's running short, y'know. There are only six or seven years until the conclusion, which means there are only two or three more jumping-on points left. Get with it, already!
Grade: A+
(A woman's perspective from my wife: Dave Sim and Cerebus are two of the most misogynistic creatures I have ever encountered in comics. I have never actually read a CEREBUS comic of course, but from what I've seen, I have no desire to. I feel women need some sort of warning along with this A+ review.)
INTRODUCTION
Persistence. According to the American Heritage Dictionary (Standard Edition) persistence is "to hold firmly and steadfastly to a purpose, a state, or an undertaking despite obstacles, warnings, or setbacks." In a time when it seems that half the comic books being offered in a given month are #1's, it's refreshing to see some titles, characters, and creators persist. Of course Superman and other superheroes from major publishers are perennials, but their continued existence seems more a function of momentum than persistence. To find examples of the true definition of persistence we need to look at low circulation black-and-white books which keep coming out year after year thanks to the determination and singular vision of their creators.
(A caveat: Another reason these books tend to persist is that they appeal to an adult audience instead of fickle children. All of these books contain enough sex, violence, harsh language, and/or adult themes to make them for mature readers only.)
GUYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN
CEREBUS #201-219 (Aardvark-Vanaheim)
Dave Sim's CEREBUS is the epitome of persistence. Begun twenty years ago (20! Tu-when-tee!! Two decades!!! One-fifth of a century!!!!), CEREBUS is a 300 issue limited series. And Sim has actually made it 73% of the way toward the doggone conclusion with no sign of stopping short.
Speaking of short, Cerebus -- in case you don't know -- is an aardvark. Most members of the supporting cast tend to politely ignore this fact, however. What is hard to ignore is the fact that Cerebus is a jerk. He's a bitter, self-pitying, moody, annoying drunkard who occasionally finds himself in positions of authority (prime minister and pope, so far) only to lose everything through his own incompetence and greed. Despite these faults, he is a funny little fella. Oh, by the by, there are only two other known aardvarks in his world. All three seem to possess mystical psychic powers, and one is constantly vying with Cerebus for world domination or somesuch.
The protagonist aside, the only problem with CEREBUS is that most new readers probably find it rather daunting. With 219 issues collected into eleven trade paperbacks, CEREBUS requires a considerable investment of time and money from a collector who wants the entire story. Fortunately, Sim makes it easy to jump on by dividing the series into well-defined story arcs that are fairly self-contained. It is easy to give CEREBUS a test run by picking up the most recent trade paperback or by subscribing to the comic at the start of a new story arc. With that in mind . . .
"Guys," one of my favorite storylines in recent years, just came to a conclusion and is being collected as a trade paperback this month. "Guys" finds Cerebus deeply depressed over his lifetime of failures. He's lost all his power, money, and women. Estarcion, the country in which he currently finds himself, is run by a tyrannical matriarchy which confines all single men to taverns, where they are expected to drink themselves into docility until some woman deigns to mate with them. Making the most of the situation, Cerebus and his buds form a close little boy's club within the tavern. They do all the usual guy stuff: bond, talk about women, drink, talk about ex-girlfriends, fight, talk about sex, play games, joke about women, play pranks, and cringe in fear whenever a woman comes around. The good times come to an end when an ex-girlfriend of Cerebus' best barmate shows up and shatters their little clique. Cerebus is all alone later when temptation shows up in the form of a woman about whom Cerebus once fantasized. Will she pull Cerebus into that which he most fears and loathes -- a relationship?
In keeping with a long-running CEREBUS tradition, "Guys" is populated with characters who are parodies of various celebrities or comic characters. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Margaret Thatcher have all appeared in previous CEREBUS storylines and have minor roles to play in "Guys." In a tribute to comic book self-publishers, Sim has a parade of bowdlerized versions of some of today's most prominent independent creations. See if you can spot characters from EDDIE CAMPBELL'S BACCHUS, STARCHILD, TUG AND BUSTER, ROARIN' RICK'S RAREBIT FIENDS, DON SIMPSON'S BIZARRE HEROES, HILLY ROSE, THB, TOO MUCH COFFEE MAN, and EIGHTBALL. I'm sure I've missed a few myself.
If you try "Guys" and like it, you'll want to start looking for the rest of the CEREBUS trade paperbacks. While it would probably be best to read them in chronological order, one could also read the trades in order of quality. My favorites are "High Society," "Church & State," and "Jaka's Story." These works find Sim at the top of his form. "Cerebus," the first collection, contains Sim's earliest work and is, therefore, rather crude in both story and art. If you read this first, just remember that Sim improves dramatically and quite quickly by the next volume. "Melmoth" is an interesting digression from the Cerebus character. The protagonist is a tribute to Oscar Wilde. "Mothers and Daughters" sprawls across four trades ("Flight," "Women," "Reads," and "Minds") and is the most dependent on previous plotlines. "Mothers and Daughters" would probably be the worst story to read first.
I have nothing but praise for CEREBUS creator Dave Sim. Unlike the spawn of other creators, Cerebus is pencilled and inked by Sim in each and every issue. After two decades of practice, Sim's linework is beyond reproach; it is polished, accomplished, and dynamic, with never a misstep. Additionally, Sim has written every issue of CEREBUS since #1. While CEREBUS is deservedly famous for it's long, involved storylines and Sim's controversial philosophies, I love Sim's masterful use of broad humor and biting satire. Finally, Sim is one of the greatest letterers working in comics. By lettering his own script, Sim is able to add immense depth to the dialogue. Indeed, he gives each character a distinct voice the reader can actually hear inside his head. Sim does this by superbly defining characters' accents, tones, volumes, and inflections with his letters. In Sim's hands, the word balloons come alive, becoming as dynamic as the rest of the artwork. Sim's only assistant is Gerhard, who designs and draws the backgrounds. While I have always wondered why someone would specialize in backgrounds, I must admit the results are amazing. I cannot imagine CEREBUS without Gerhard's incredibly detailed and meticulously crosshatched contributions.
Now, c'mon! You've heard about CEREBUS for years! Probably you've heard mostly positive reviews. So why are you still waiting? Time's running short, y'know. There are only six or seven years until the conclusion, which means there are only two or three more jumping-on points left. Get with it, already!
Grade: A+
(A woman's perspective from my wife: Dave Sim and Cerebus are two of the most misogynistic creatures I have ever encountered in comics. I have never actually read a CEREBUS comic of course, but from what I've seen, I have no desire to. I feel women need some sort of warning along with this A+ review.)
February 4, 2024
So Mick Jagger, Marty Feldman, Ringo Starr, and Norman Mailer walk into a bar...
Guys is one of the hardest books in the Cerebus series to rate. It's the apotheosis of three of Dave Sim's greatest loves as Cerebus creator - innovative uses of lettering, phonetic speech, and caricatures of living people. It's also an attempt at doing something very unusual in Western comics, though there's no formal reason it should be - a situation comedy. But it's also the first of several books which are more-or-less explicitly workings out of Dave Sim's extreme ideas on gender relations, laid out in theory in Reads and here applied in practice to the lives of his characters.
Let's look at the good stuff first. Technically, Guys is pretty remarkable. Cerebus has used lettering in innovative ways from very early on, and in Mothers & Daughters it was already starting to carry a lot of load as a device for establishing tone and meaning. In Guys, almost every character has a different speaking voice, established through phonetic speech, font, ways of emphasis, and speech bubble shape, all of which also shift around to track the emotional and physical state of their characters. Oh, and mixed in with all this are characters based on other cartoonists' creations, like Eddie Campbell's Alec, whose lettering is taken from their 'native' strips and blends in with what Sim is doing.
It's a tour de force - not for the first time in Cerebus it's hard to think of anyone who's done anything like it, certainly not with this much control and consistency. And it's a feat of cartooning skill which actually serves the storytelling, it's not just showing off. An awful lot of the story in Guys requires paying attention to things like lettering and background details, to track the level of inebriation of characters (variance in which drives the action of some scenes) but also the passing of the seasons outside the pub all this happens in: Cerebus spends years drinking here, something it's easy not to notice if you're reading inattentively.
The gentle passing of time is also a way of serving notice that things have changed structurally: the main story of Cerebus has finished, and Guys is a break point with some of the same characters but none of the momentum. We hear bits and pieces of wider-world developments; we see how the world has settled down following the Cirinist revolution, but for now those things aren't the focus of the comic. Guys is what it claims to be: 19 issues of Cerebus in a pub.
What's he doing in the pub? Existing, which is what gives the story its sitcom texture. Men, in the Cirinists' new world, are allowed to spend their time in taverns and provided with free drink and food, but they aren't allowed to leave unless they're sober. If a married man fails to leave the pub for three days, he's automatically divorced. By the time Cerebus arrives in his particular boozer, a lot of the worse cases have drunk or brawled themselves to death, and the pub population is a motley group of misfits, some of whom can't fit in anywhere, some of whom have chosen an itinerant life, and some of whom are in between relationships.
Guys as a sitcom is a series of comic episodes - Cerebus shows up and is ragged on by the tavern regulars; Prince Mick (the Mick Jagger caricature) gets laid to the disgruntlement of everyone else; Norman Mailer arrives and brings the unwelcome attention of authority to the pub - Mrs Thatcher showing up as a kind of Blakey from On The Buses equivalent; Marty Feldman is duped into believing there's a mongoose in a box; Cerebus and his friend Bear fall out over a game; and so on. In what would be the season finale, Bear's ex appears, threatening to end the masculine idyll.
It's all beautifully told, low-stakes stuff and Sim doubtless had a lot of fun kicking back after the fireworks (on-and off-page) of Mothers & Daughters. But he also had a higher concept for the storyline. Guys is drawn from a boozy stretch he spent as a single regular in a Candadian pub, and he claimed he wanted it to reflect how men really are when they're on their own, away from female influence, shootin' the shit, followin' the bro code, doing (as Bear puts it) "guy shit" instead of "chick shit".
And if so, man alive, Dave Sim needed better friends.
I must declare my interest here as a reader. I love pubs. I love conversations in pubs. I think a gently tipsy pub chat among mates is one of the finest achievements of British culture. Maybe it's different in North America but the action in Guys is unrecognisable to me. It's hard to enjoy the book because not one interesting conversation happens, not one good joke is told. All we get is 240 pages of guys being dickheads to one another and laughing about it afterwards. He should have called it BANTZ.
Behind its genuinely spectacular craft, Guys feels craven. It comes over as Dave Sim writing for a desired audience of real bros who dig "guy shit" and will feel sad when a chick comes in to break up the band and bring the curtain down. For all that I enjoyed reading those issues, it's safe to say I didn't think that. Sim's conception of guys and their shit is cramped and tedious: his reduction of women means he's reduced men too.
Guys isn't over yet, though - the story picks up on a thread from Minds, and Cerebus faces the first of his own temptations vis-a-vis women. This final act of "chick shit" - intentionally, for sure - is as awkward as the "guy shit" was free-flowing, Cerebus and (kind of) new character Joanne having miserable times interspersed with good sex. Again, now Sim's given us the cheat codes for his philosophy, it's impossible to see this section as anything other than didactic. Cerebus as a character thinks with his crotch and his led into unhappy situations because of it - fair enough, that's what people (not just men) do sometimes. People have been telling good stories about such characters for centuries and will do so as long as there are stories to tell. But Sim has made it impossible to read his handling of it, because you know - because he's told you at length! - that he thinks this is the universal male condition which only a tiny proportion of "male lights" can escape to reach true self-actualisation.
Guys, and this is also true of the next few books, would be a lot more enjoyable to someone who hasn't read the Viktor Davis parts of Reads and its objectivism-of-the-boudoir philosophy. When you've drawn a line-in-the-sand between you and anyone who believes long-term relationships can be happy, and then make the next few books domestic dramas about relationships, a certain amount of dramatic tension is going to be lost. Cerebus for the rest of its run is going to be about the tension between Sim's formal experiments and his curiosity about his craft, and his desire to make his books prove a point. Eventually, there's a winner.
Guys is one of the hardest books in the Cerebus series to rate. It's the apotheosis of three of Dave Sim's greatest loves as Cerebus creator - innovative uses of lettering, phonetic speech, and caricatures of living people. It's also an attempt at doing something very unusual in Western comics, though there's no formal reason it should be - a situation comedy. But it's also the first of several books which are more-or-less explicitly workings out of Dave Sim's extreme ideas on gender relations, laid out in theory in Reads and here applied in practice to the lives of his characters.
Let's look at the good stuff first. Technically, Guys is pretty remarkable. Cerebus has used lettering in innovative ways from very early on, and in Mothers & Daughters it was already starting to carry a lot of load as a device for establishing tone and meaning. In Guys, almost every character has a different speaking voice, established through phonetic speech, font, ways of emphasis, and speech bubble shape, all of which also shift around to track the emotional and physical state of their characters. Oh, and mixed in with all this are characters based on other cartoonists' creations, like Eddie Campbell's Alec, whose lettering is taken from their 'native' strips and blends in with what Sim is doing.
It's a tour de force - not for the first time in Cerebus it's hard to think of anyone who's done anything like it, certainly not with this much control and consistency. And it's a feat of cartooning skill which actually serves the storytelling, it's not just showing off. An awful lot of the story in Guys requires paying attention to things like lettering and background details, to track the level of inebriation of characters (variance in which drives the action of some scenes) but also the passing of the seasons outside the pub all this happens in: Cerebus spends years drinking here, something it's easy not to notice if you're reading inattentively.
The gentle passing of time is also a way of serving notice that things have changed structurally: the main story of Cerebus has finished, and Guys is a break point with some of the same characters but none of the momentum. We hear bits and pieces of wider-world developments; we see how the world has settled down following the Cirinist revolution, but for now those things aren't the focus of the comic. Guys is what it claims to be: 19 issues of Cerebus in a pub.
What's he doing in the pub? Existing, which is what gives the story its sitcom texture. Men, in the Cirinists' new world, are allowed to spend their time in taverns and provided with free drink and food, but they aren't allowed to leave unless they're sober. If a married man fails to leave the pub for three days, he's automatically divorced. By the time Cerebus arrives in his particular boozer, a lot of the worse cases have drunk or brawled themselves to death, and the pub population is a motley group of misfits, some of whom can't fit in anywhere, some of whom have chosen an itinerant life, and some of whom are in between relationships.
Guys as a sitcom is a series of comic episodes - Cerebus shows up and is ragged on by the tavern regulars; Prince Mick (the Mick Jagger caricature) gets laid to the disgruntlement of everyone else; Norman Mailer arrives and brings the unwelcome attention of authority to the pub - Mrs Thatcher showing up as a kind of Blakey from On The Buses equivalent; Marty Feldman is duped into believing there's a mongoose in a box; Cerebus and his friend Bear fall out over a game; and so on. In what would be the season finale, Bear's ex appears, threatening to end the masculine idyll.
It's all beautifully told, low-stakes stuff and Sim doubtless had a lot of fun kicking back after the fireworks (on-and off-page) of Mothers & Daughters. But he also had a higher concept for the storyline. Guys is drawn from a boozy stretch he spent as a single regular in a Candadian pub, and he claimed he wanted it to reflect how men really are when they're on their own, away from female influence, shootin' the shit, followin' the bro code, doing (as Bear puts it) "guy shit" instead of "chick shit".
And if so, man alive, Dave Sim needed better friends.
I must declare my interest here as a reader. I love pubs. I love conversations in pubs. I think a gently tipsy pub chat among mates is one of the finest achievements of British culture. Maybe it's different in North America but the action in Guys is unrecognisable to me. It's hard to enjoy the book because not one interesting conversation happens, not one good joke is told. All we get is 240 pages of guys being dickheads to one another and laughing about it afterwards. He should have called it BANTZ.
Behind its genuinely spectacular craft, Guys feels craven. It comes over as Dave Sim writing for a desired audience of real bros who dig "guy shit" and will feel sad when a chick comes in to break up the band and bring the curtain down. For all that I enjoyed reading those issues, it's safe to say I didn't think that. Sim's conception of guys and their shit is cramped and tedious: his reduction of women means he's reduced men too.
Guys isn't over yet, though - the story picks up on a thread from Minds, and Cerebus faces the first of his own temptations vis-a-vis women. This final act of "chick shit" - intentionally, for sure - is as awkward as the "guy shit" was free-flowing, Cerebus and (kind of) new character Joanne having miserable times interspersed with good sex. Again, now Sim's given us the cheat codes for his philosophy, it's impossible to see this section as anything other than didactic. Cerebus as a character thinks with his crotch and his led into unhappy situations because of it - fair enough, that's what people (not just men) do sometimes. People have been telling good stories about such characters for centuries and will do so as long as there are stories to tell. But Sim has made it impossible to read his handling of it, because you know - because he's told you at length! - that he thinks this is the universal male condition which only a tiny proportion of "male lights" can escape to reach true self-actualisation.
Guys, and this is also true of the next few books, would be a lot more enjoyable to someone who hasn't read the Viktor Davis parts of Reads and its objectivism-of-the-boudoir philosophy. When you've drawn a line-in-the-sand between you and anyone who believes long-term relationships can be happy, and then make the next few books domestic dramas about relationships, a certain amount of dramatic tension is going to be lost. Cerebus for the rest of its run is going to be about the tension between Sim's formal experiments and his curiosity about his craft, and his desire to make his books prove a point. Eventually, there's a winner.
April 9, 2009
Fair warning, this is a long review here...
I was so disappointed to read “The Male Light and the Female Void” and “Tangents” in earlier books in the Cerebus series (plus a lot of what Sim has written to back up these “truths”). Partly because it’s a little disconcerting to be told that as a female my sole purpose is to drain the spark of life from men, and partly because it’s not very likely that re-reading the more confusing parts of the series will produce that Alan-Moore-type “ah HA” moment where I really understand what he was getting at because ultimately Dave Sim is, say it with me, a complete lunatic.
But none of that matters with “Guys”. The story loses most of the political and religious plots (and a LOT of the misogyny) from the previous books; this is just Cerebus, drinking in a bar with friends, over the course of several years (keep an eye on Bear’s beard to show the passage of time.) Sure, most of the women in the story are pretty horrible but let’s face it, so are most of the men. The bar they’re in is part of a plan by the matriarchal government to rid the world of the more useless of the males by allowing men with no drive or ambition to sit in relative comfort in a bar for the rest of their lives and drink themselves to death. These are the unsuccessful womanizers, the lazy, the convinced-of-their-own-superior-intelligence-if-only-someone-would-“discover”-them. And surprisingly, it’s REALLY entertaining to read Sim’s portrayal of the bar-fights and the drunken rambling conversations, the cruel jokes, and the charm of these damned souls in hell who are strangely...happy. Sometimes.
But one of the best parts, in my opinion? The lettering. Everything the characters speak or think is art in and of itself. Each person has their own lettering style, and it changes and flows according to whether they’re angry, or laughing, or falling-down drunk. It reaches a high point when Cerebus is left to tend an empty bar on his own for several months. This leads to a lot of self-reflection, which turns into a running argument between several different voices in his head. You’d think this would be confusing, since the voices are all named “Cerebus”, but again each different voice has its own lettering style. You can see the argument go back and forth between doom-and-gloom Cerebus, angry Cerebus, desperately rational Cerebus, everything’s FINE Cerebus, and the Cerebus who thinks all this thinking would be easier if they could just have another drink. At one point an EXTREMELY ugly woman walks into the bar and offers the desperately horny and lonely Cerebus sex, no strings attached. Cerebus turns her down, and the voices go into a frenzy wondering if sex with someone THAT ugly is worth it even if it’s free, is the penalty (eternal damnation) for sex outside of marriage worth it if you’re THAT desperate, wouldn’t eternal damnation be LESS worth it for sex with an ugly woman, can you REALLY afford to turn down any offer of free sex by quibbling about morality and appearance, and so on. The argument takes up an entire page with nothing but word-bubbles, and it just about puts me on the floor laughing every time I read it. (“Well?! Do we sleep with ugly women or not!? Cerebus wants an answer!”)
“Guys” has to be one of my favorites of the Cerebus books. I’ve read up to “Rick’s Story”, which isn’t QUITE as good as “Guys”, and I’m tempted to let the rest of the series go after that. From what I understand, it’s all downhill from there.
I was so disappointed to read “The Male Light and the Female Void” and “Tangents” in earlier books in the Cerebus series (plus a lot of what Sim has written to back up these “truths”). Partly because it’s a little disconcerting to be told that as a female my sole purpose is to drain the spark of life from men, and partly because it’s not very likely that re-reading the more confusing parts of the series will produce that Alan-Moore-type “ah HA” moment where I really understand what he was getting at because ultimately Dave Sim is, say it with me, a complete lunatic.
But none of that matters with “Guys”. The story loses most of the political and religious plots (and a LOT of the misogyny) from the previous books; this is just Cerebus, drinking in a bar with friends, over the course of several years (keep an eye on Bear’s beard to show the passage of time.) Sure, most of the women in the story are pretty horrible but let’s face it, so are most of the men. The bar they’re in is part of a plan by the matriarchal government to rid the world of the more useless of the males by allowing men with no drive or ambition to sit in relative comfort in a bar for the rest of their lives and drink themselves to death. These are the unsuccessful womanizers, the lazy, the convinced-of-their-own-superior-intelligence-if-only-someone-would-“discover”-them. And surprisingly, it’s REALLY entertaining to read Sim’s portrayal of the bar-fights and the drunken rambling conversations, the cruel jokes, and the charm of these damned souls in hell who are strangely...happy. Sometimes.
But one of the best parts, in my opinion? The lettering. Everything the characters speak or think is art in and of itself. Each person has their own lettering style, and it changes and flows according to whether they’re angry, or laughing, or falling-down drunk. It reaches a high point when Cerebus is left to tend an empty bar on his own for several months. This leads to a lot of self-reflection, which turns into a running argument between several different voices in his head. You’d think this would be confusing, since the voices are all named “Cerebus”, but again each different voice has its own lettering style. You can see the argument go back and forth between doom-and-gloom Cerebus, angry Cerebus, desperately rational Cerebus, everything’s FINE Cerebus, and the Cerebus who thinks all this thinking would be easier if they could just have another drink. At one point an EXTREMELY ugly woman walks into the bar and offers the desperately horny and lonely Cerebus sex, no strings attached. Cerebus turns her down, and the voices go into a frenzy wondering if sex with someone THAT ugly is worth it even if it’s free, is the penalty (eternal damnation) for sex outside of marriage worth it if you’re THAT desperate, wouldn’t eternal damnation be LESS worth it for sex with an ugly woman, can you REALLY afford to turn down any offer of free sex by quibbling about morality and appearance, and so on. The argument takes up an entire page with nothing but word-bubbles, and it just about puts me on the floor laughing every time I read it. (“Well?! Do we sleep with ugly women or not!? Cerebus wants an answer!”)
“Guys” has to be one of my favorites of the Cerebus books. I’ve read up to “Rick’s Story”, which isn’t QUITE as good as “Guys”, and I’m tempted to let the rest of the series go after that. From what I understand, it’s all downhill from there.
October 16, 2016
After being a mercenary, a prime minister, a pope and ascending to the heavens, Cerebus is back in Estarcion. After all these adventures, one might wonder what Dave "Asshat" Sim has in mind for our hero's next epic journey.
Well, turns out Cerebus will spend the whole book hangin' with his buds in a bar. He will get drunk and spend some time with friends until their wives come and fuck it all up, of course.
Dave Sim has gone on record again and again about how women are basically "homosexualizing" men and if we had an ounce of common sense, we would take back what made our gender great. And I got a say, if this book shows me the best being a man can be in Sim's world, I will take my place in the Pride Parade any day over this.
Basically, the men of "Guys" spend their days drinking, shooting the shit, fucking on occasion, playing the odd game of whatever sport you have the equipment for but mostly drink and shoot the shit. It's a love letter to idleness and laziness and alcoholism.
The men in this book are too puerile to qualify as adolescent. They make nothing, they undertake no action, and only form the most superficial of bonds. Sure, an evening of drinking with your buddies doing essentially nothing is fun once in while but in my mind, a real man builds something. Maybe not literally whip the tools out and craft something out of building materials but at least work towards crating something, or at least improving himself or the world around him.
The men in this book are too selfish and self-centered to care about becoming more than they are at the beginning of the book. Truly I can't think of a book that could benefit more from having an editor come in and cut out the superfluous bits.
Since I've started re-rereading Cerebus, I've made a point to myself to read every bit. From the intros to the prose parts of Reads to the kevilist/cirinists arguments. This book however made me break this pattern because a lot of the dialogues are drunken ramblings written phonetically that I need sometime to read aloud to make of it.
Basically, the tl;dr version of this book is: "guys sure have well together until their shrews of an ex-girlfriend rears her ugly head, then the change the men for the worst". It's a graphic novel for the people who pine for a time before women could vote and knew their place.
If you've never read Cerebus, you can safely skip this book. It serves only as an overlong preamble to Rick's Story.
Well, turns out Cerebus will spend the whole book hangin' with his buds in a bar. He will get drunk and spend some time with friends until their wives come and fuck it all up, of course.
Dave Sim has gone on record again and again about how women are basically "homosexualizing" men and if we had an ounce of common sense, we would take back what made our gender great. And I got a say, if this book shows me the best being a man can be in Sim's world, I will take my place in the Pride Parade any day over this.
Basically, the men of "Guys" spend their days drinking, shooting the shit, fucking on occasion, playing the odd game of whatever sport you have the equipment for but mostly drink and shoot the shit. It's a love letter to idleness and laziness and alcoholism.
The men in this book are too puerile to qualify as adolescent. They make nothing, they undertake no action, and only form the most superficial of bonds. Sure, an evening of drinking with your buddies doing essentially nothing is fun once in while but in my mind, a real man builds something. Maybe not literally whip the tools out and craft something out of building materials but at least work towards crating something, or at least improving himself or the world around him.
The men in this book are too selfish and self-centered to care about becoming more than they are at the beginning of the book. Truly I can't think of a book that could benefit more from having an editor come in and cut out the superfluous bits.
Since I've started re-rereading Cerebus, I've made a point to myself to read every bit. From the intros to the prose parts of Reads to the kevilist/cirinists arguments. This book however made me break this pattern because a lot of the dialogues are drunken ramblings written phonetically that I need sometime to read aloud to make of it.
Basically, the tl;dr version of this book is: "guys sure have well together until their shrews of an ex-girlfriend rears her ugly head, then the change the men for the worst". It's a graphic novel for the people who pine for a time before women could vote and knew their place.
If you've never read Cerebus, you can safely skip this book. It serves only as an overlong preamble to Rick's Story.
June 29, 2021
Here's where Cerebus really begins to falter in my opinion. Significant chunks of this verge on unreadable, as devices Sim has used successfully in the past are used so much to excess that they inhibit rather than enhance. For instance, Sim's always been fond of playing around with voices and accents--Elrod, the McGrews, etc--and of pastiching the styles of other writers, but here this leads not to humour but to virtual unreadability. Sim's attempts (at times dire) to represent phonetically various dialects--notably the Liverpudlian--are often so hard to decipher inot coherent English that it hardly seems worth the effort to figure out what is being said--especially because so much of what is said in this book is just so ... well, pointless and trivial. Sim's propensity to use expressive lettering also crosses over forma device that enhances to a device that inhibits; overlapping balloons, crossed-out text, wildly variant lettering styles, often add up, again, to sections that are more trouble to read than they are worth. As for plot ... well, what plot? I suppose one could make a case that Sim's depiction of guys idling away their time getting drunk and acting adolescent accurately represents the behaviour of a certain segment of the population, but he fails (imo) to make it interesting. while there are occasional good gads, the sad reality is that drunken louts are far less entertaining than they think they are, and though this book does acknowledge that reality, all too often it just shows us guys being juvenile dicks. The joke wears thin long before the book ends. Sim's ability to create a mix of caricatured and complex characters fails him here. Even Mrs Thatcher is a thinner and more extreme version of her earlier manifestation in the book, and as for the rest of the women ... well, they lack Sim's ability to balance his own jaundiced vies of femininity with a nuanced eye for real (or realistic) behaviour. It's clear that we're supposed to laugh at figures such as Zig, but the depictions just seem mean-spirited rather than satirical. Whatever valid point one may be able to make about sexual politics and about how guys can be led around by their dicks gets lost in the exaggeration and superficiality. I know that at least some of this stuff is only going to get worse form this point on, but I also haven't reread much that comes later in a long while, so I hold out some hope that there may still be at least some readable stuff to come.
March 15, 2013
YOU FOOLS! You had to do it, didn't you? You kept reading! Well, here we are and I bet you wish you had listened to me, didn't you?
If you are the particular brand of crazy that enjoyed Guys, I really wish I could view the world through your eyes. Cause man, this is some of the most boring crap I've ever seen. I can't...I can't even begin to describe why this fails on so many levels.
One, the written dialect. It is incredibly difficult and hard to decipher written dialect. It is even harder in comic book format. It is even harder when the author is clearly trying to make the dialect be the most stereotypical possible. Oh and throw in speaking drunk and 90% of this book is nigh unreadable.
I spent so much time just trying to decipher what was going on I couldn't particularly enjoy the story. Not that there is much to enjoy here. Dave has full on regressed to elementary school where woman are the enemy and they only exist to steal men away from their friends.
The only thing I can say, is that in fairness he does make the men and the women look equally horrible. But at the same time, the worst sin the men are guilty of is laziness, while the women in his series continue to be the source and cause of all that is wrong in the world.
All I can really say is stop here. Please, I'm telling you, you don't want to go any further.
If you are the particular brand of crazy that enjoyed Guys, I really wish I could view the world through your eyes. Cause man, this is some of the most boring crap I've ever seen. I can't...I can't even begin to describe why this fails on so many levels.
One, the written dialect. It is incredibly difficult and hard to decipher written dialect. It is even harder in comic book format. It is even harder when the author is clearly trying to make the dialect be the most stereotypical possible. Oh and throw in speaking drunk and 90% of this book is nigh unreadable.
I spent so much time just trying to decipher what was going on I couldn't particularly enjoy the story. Not that there is much to enjoy here. Dave has full on regressed to elementary school where woman are the enemy and they only exist to steal men away from their friends.
The only thing I can say, is that in fairness he does make the men and the women look equally horrible. But at the same time, the worst sin the men are guilty of is laziness, while the women in his series continue to be the source and cause of all that is wrong in the world.
All I can really say is stop here. Please, I'm telling you, you don't want to go any further.
July 9, 2011
Practically unreadable. Sim, a master cartoonist, uses all of his well-honed techniques but in the most annoying ways possible. Is he daring the reader to finish this volume? While not the lowest point in the Cerebus saga, it's pretty well down there in the muck.
August 5, 2022
And here is where it all comes to a crashing halt. This is borderline unreadable. Sim has finally crawled all the way up inside his own asshole and set up shop therein. What results is page after page of bizarrely childish whining about all the nasty mean women in the world making the lives of men miserable. The men don't come off great, being drunk and lazy, but one is given to believe that everything would be fine without women screwing up their lives. As for a story, there isn't one. It's literally guys, a bunch of them, in a bar, talking drunk or in dialect. If this is supposed to be an examination of what "guys" are like, it succeeds only if the guys in question are the type of stunted man-children Sim apparently is and hangs out with at comic book conventions.
Bad as this is, I recall that from here to issue 300 it only gets worse. And so, my great Cerebus re-reading of 2022 here comes to its end.
Bad as this is, I recall that from here to issue 300 it only gets worse. And so, my great Cerebus re-reading of 2022 here comes to its end.
March 29, 2018
This volume collects issues 201-219 of the series. The main action of the story is over and we enter a decline in the character’s life where he wanders about as all of his dreams and ambitions have become dust. Cerebus, after mulling things over on Pluto, is placed in a bar on the Wall of Tsi (much mentioned, never seen before) where he spends...years apparently screwing around and hanging with his bar buddies.
The Cirinist takeover is complete and men have been relegated as second class citizens. Government for the most part has been reduced to a series of local districts chiefly concerned with food and hearth maintenance. All work is done by women, leaving men with little to do. That is the interesting thing here, each district supplies a bar for men to frequent and supplies them with free booze and food. Unmarried men are free to stay there as long as they like and married men who stay in such a place for longer than three days automatically have their marriages annulled. They are free to waste their lives and die early from alcohol related illnesses.
Cerebus is allowed to live in one of these bars as long as he adheres to the official fiction that Cirin won the battle against the God Tarim and that she and her goddess are the one true religion. Cerebus complies by not speaking on the subject at all. And why should he? He has nothing, so politics do not interest him at all.
If you don’t mind reading Cerebus screwing around in a bar for 400 pages then this is the book for you. For anyone who has spent enough time hanging around in a single bar, long enough to get to know the other patrons, then the dialogue, the characters, the rowdiness, the drunken jokes, and the inebriated conversations all ring true. This feels like a real bar, a male oasis in a sea of cringing feminism. It also demonstrates that band always breaks up due to women. They cannot stay away, either looking for a cheap thrill, some affection from Daddy, or as some pathetic power play, men’s sanctuaries are constantly under assault.
Eventually all the men leave, either driven out by women or suckered into marrying them, thus being forced to remain home. Again for those who had a favorite dive, this is how it goes. One by one all the guys there stop showing up. Maybe they move away, get an early job so they can’t go out at night, or preferred to spend time with their wife and kids, but the party eventually goes dead. And that leaves our anti-hero alone to drink in misery.
Cerebus begins a purely sexual relationship with a lonely woman, Joanne, who he had seen before in a vision given to him by Dave, the manifestation of the author in the series. Like all relationships, it starts off fun and casual, but eventually morphs into the woman trying to take over and shape the man into what she thinks she wants, but also someone she will eventually get bored of. But Cerebus sidesteps the trap, by ironically being too self absorbed to fall for her manipulations.
This volume is rife with character cameos from famous (famous from the 90s) independant comic characters. We have two from Eddie Campbell, Bacchus the greek god of wine and debauchery, and Alec, a loud mouthed Scottsman- at least in here it is. This is coupled with a brief appearance of Too Much Coffee Man- here it's Too Much Coffee Liqueur man. Marty, a character based on Marty Feldman’s role in Young Frankenstein. Others are based on members of the Rolling Stones and Norman Mailer.
We also see the reappearance of Bear and Bo-Bah, old mercenary friends of Cerebus, whom he had hired as muscle when he was pope, and the reemergence of Rick, Jaka’s childish husband from a hundred issues previous. Their marked physical differences indicated the amount of time that has gone by, either in the bar during this volume or the Melmoth book. I’d say at least between ten and fifteen years. Cerebus looks the same because Aardvarks age differently. I believe, and I may be wrong, but he lives to around one hundred and fifty years old.
December 28, 2021
Liked this quite a bit more than a lot of the Mothers & Daughters series, and I think the later portions of this series work a lot more when it focuses way more on Cerebus as a character, and doesn't detract too much into abstract rantings about feminism. I mean, it's still there and it's pretty annoying and distracting, but I like how this is one of those ones where it's focus is mainly just Cerebus hanging around a bar and getting drunk and just dwelling on him in a really unglamorous light. There's a lot here that feels like a combination of what I really like and don't like about this series - often straying more to the former for me.
I think a lot of people comment on this series being misogynistic in tone (which is definitely a prevalent part of the series, believe me), but it's also kind of fascinating how there's a lot here that interrogates masculine identity in a way that isn't entirely depicted all that well either - often feeling very twisted and contorted at points. Still sort of easy to forget after stuff like Reads that there's a lot to this series that can be very incisive and cutting - which does kind of make it into a pretty frustrating series to read through at points when it detracts from that. The artwork and the way scenes are framed is still really good; Plays a lot with absurdity and it's still pretty inventive, and I loved the bits in this where it shows Cerebus quickly spiralling and going insane - especially the way words are portrayed in this where it represents intrusive thought processes and all these temptations and anxieties and so forth.
Still, I think your potential mileage with the second half of the series is definitely going to be dependent on how much you can take a lot of the abhorrent viewpoints which get spouted out and just how they wind up becoming way more abstracted and increasingly indefensible. Part of why I'm still sticking with this series is kind of out of a motivation of just wanting to see how deep the rabbit hole goes with this series. I'm giving a marginal recommendation with this book but it's also kind of hard to recommend it to a lot of people for reasons I've outlined before.
I think a lot of people comment on this series being misogynistic in tone (which is definitely a prevalent part of the series, believe me), but it's also kind of fascinating how there's a lot here that interrogates masculine identity in a way that isn't entirely depicted all that well either - often feeling very twisted and contorted at points. Still sort of easy to forget after stuff like Reads that there's a lot to this series that can be very incisive and cutting - which does kind of make it into a pretty frustrating series to read through at points when it detracts from that. The artwork and the way scenes are framed is still really good; Plays a lot with absurdity and it's still pretty inventive, and I loved the bits in this where it shows Cerebus quickly spiralling and going insane - especially the way words are portrayed in this where it represents intrusive thought processes and all these temptations and anxieties and so forth.
Still, I think your potential mileage with the second half of the series is definitely going to be dependent on how much you can take a lot of the abhorrent viewpoints which get spouted out and just how they wind up becoming way more abstracted and increasingly indefensible. Part of why I'm still sticking with this series is kind of out of a motivation of just wanting to see how deep the rabbit hole goes with this series. I'm giving a marginal recommendation with this book but it's also kind of hard to recommend it to a lot of people for reasons I've outlined before.
May 12, 2025
Reprinting Cerebus Issues 201-219
Dave Sim looks at life in a pub as the male patrons interact. Lots of guest stars from previous Cerebus books appear: Mick & Keef, Bear, and others. This book will make you think about platonic friendships between males and their relationships with women. Shows some insight into the Cirinist regime that has been set up and how Cerebus deals with it. Mrs Thatcher also returns. Many laughs in this one!
UYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN
CEREBUS #201-219 (Aardvark-Vanaheim)
Dave Sim's CEREBUS is the epitome of persistence. Begun twenty years ago (20! Tu-when-tee!! Two decades!!! One-fifth of a century!!!!), CEREBUS is a 300 issue limited series. And Sim has actually made it 73% of the way toward the doggone conclusion with no sign of stopping short.
Speaking of short, Cerebus -- in case you don't know -- is an aardvark. Most members of the supporting cast tend to politely ignore this fact, however. What is hard to ignore is the fact that Cerebus is a jerk. He's a bitter, self-pitying, moody, annoying drunkard who occasionally finds himself in positions of authority (prime minister and pope, so far) only to lose everything through his own incompetence and greed. Despite these faults, he is a funny little fella. Oh, by the by, there are only two other known aardvarks in his world. All three seem to possess mystical psychic powers, and one is constantly vying with Cerebus for world domination or somesuch.
The protagonist aside, the only problem with CEREBUS is that most new readers probably find it rather daunting. With 219 issues collected into eleven trade paperbacks, CEREBUS requires a considerable investment of time and money from a collector who wants the entire story. Fortunately, Sim makes it easy to jump on by dividing the series into well-defined story arcs that are fairly self-contained. It is easy to give CEREBUS a test run by picking up the most recent trade paperback or by subscribing to the comic at the start of a new story arc. With that in mind . . .
"Guys," one of my favorite storylines in recent years, just came to a conclusion and is being collected as a trade paperback this month. "Guys" finds Cerebus deeply depressed over his lifetime of failures. He's lost all his power, money, and women. Estarcion, the country in which he currently finds himself, is run by a tyrannical matriarchy which confines all single men to taverns, where they are expected to drink themselves into docility until some woman deigns to mate with them. Making the most of the situation, Cerebus and his buds form a close little boy's club within the tavern. They do all the usual guy stuff: bond, talk about women, drink, talk about ex-girlfriends, fight, talk about sex, play games, joke about women, play pranks, and cringe in fear whenever a woman comes around. The good times come to an end when an ex-girlfriend of Cerebus' best barmate shows up and shatters their little clique. Cerebus is all alone later when temptation shows up in the form of a woman about whom Cerebus once fantasized. Will she pull Cerebus into that which he most fears and loathes -- a relationship?
In keeping with a long-running CEREBUS tradition, "Guys" is populated with characters who are parodies of various celebrities or comic characters. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Margaret Thatcher have all appeared in previous CEREBUS storylines and have minor roles to play in "Guys." In a tribute to comic book self-publishers, Sim has a parade of bowdlerized versions of some of today's most prominent independent creations. See if you can spot characters from EDDIE CAMPBELL'S BACCHUS, STARCHILD, TUG AND BUSTER, ROARIN' RICK'S RAREBIT FIENDS, DON SIMPSON'S BIZARRE HEROES, HILLY ROSE, THB, TOO MUCH COFFEE MAN, and EIGHTBALL. I'm sure I've missed a few myself.
If you try "Guys" and like it, you'll want to start looking for the rest of the CEREBUS trade paperbacks. While it would probably be best to read them in chronological order, one could also read the trades in order of quality. My favorites are "High Society," "Church & State," and "Jaka's Story." These works find Sim at the top of his form. "Cerebus," the first collection, contains Sim's earliest work and is, therefore, rather crude in both story and art. If you read this first, just remember that Sim improves dramatically and quite quickly by the next volume. "Melmoth" is an interesting digression from the Cerebus character. The protagonist is a tribute to Oscar Wilde. "Mothers and Daughters" sprawls across four trades ("Flight," "Women," "Reads," and "Minds") and is the most dependent on previous plotlines. "Mothers and Daughters" would probably be the worst story to read first.
I have nothing but praise for CEREBUS creator Dave Sim. Unlike the spawn of other creators, Cerebus is pencilled and inked by Sim in each and every issue. After two decades of practice, Sim's linework is beyond reproach; it is polished, accomplished, and dynamic, with never a misstep. Additionally, Sim has written every issue of CEREBUS since #1. While CEREBUS is deservedly famous for it's long, involved storylines and Sim's controversial philosophies, I love Sim's masterful use of broad humor and biting satire. Finally, Sim is one of the greatest letterers working in comics. By lettering his own script, Sim is able to add immense depth to the dialogue. Indeed, he gives each character a distinct voice the reader can actually hear inside his head. Sim does this by superbly defining characters' accents, tones, volumes, and inflections with his letters. In Sim's hands, the word balloons come alive, becoming as dynamic as the rest of the artwork. Sim's only assistant is Gerhard, who designs and draws the backgrounds. While I have always wondered why someone would specialize in backgrounds, I must admit the results are amazing. I cannot imagine CEREBUS without Gerhard's incredibly detailed and meticulously crosshatched contributions.
Now, c'mon! You've heard about CEREBUS for years! Probably you've heard mostly positive reviews. So why are you still waiting? Time's running short, y'know. There are only six or seven years until the conclusion, which means there are only two or three more jumping-on points left. Get with it, already!
Grade: A+
(A woman's perspective from my wife: Dave Sim and Cerebus are two of the most misogynistic creatures I have ever encountered in comics. I have never actually read a CEREBUS comic of course, but from what I've seen, I have no desire to. I feel women need some sort of warning along with this A+ review.)
tbt-1990s-lwybm (by Rod Brown)
Dave Sim looks at life in a pub as the male patrons interact. Lots of guest stars from previous Cerebus books appear: Mick & Keef, Bear, and others. This book will make you think about platonic friendships between males and their relationships with women. Shows some insight into the Cirinist regime that has been set up and how Cerebus deals with it. Mrs Thatcher also returns. Many laughs in this one!
UYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN
CEREBUS #201-219 (Aardvark-Vanaheim)
Dave Sim's CEREBUS is the epitome of persistence. Begun twenty years ago (20! Tu-when-tee!! Two decades!!! One-fifth of a century!!!!), CEREBUS is a 300 issue limited series. And Sim has actually made it 73% of the way toward the doggone conclusion with no sign of stopping short.
Speaking of short, Cerebus -- in case you don't know -- is an aardvark. Most members of the supporting cast tend to politely ignore this fact, however. What is hard to ignore is the fact that Cerebus is a jerk. He's a bitter, self-pitying, moody, annoying drunkard who occasionally finds himself in positions of authority (prime minister and pope, so far) only to lose everything through his own incompetence and greed. Despite these faults, he is a funny little fella. Oh, by the by, there are only two other known aardvarks in his world. All three seem to possess mystical psychic powers, and one is constantly vying with Cerebus for world domination or somesuch.
The protagonist aside, the only problem with CEREBUS is that most new readers probably find it rather daunting. With 219 issues collected into eleven trade paperbacks, CEREBUS requires a considerable investment of time and money from a collector who wants the entire story. Fortunately, Sim makes it easy to jump on by dividing the series into well-defined story arcs that are fairly self-contained. It is easy to give CEREBUS a test run by picking up the most recent trade paperback or by subscribing to the comic at the start of a new story arc. With that in mind . . .
"Guys," one of my favorite storylines in recent years, just came to a conclusion and is being collected as a trade paperback this month. "Guys" finds Cerebus deeply depressed over his lifetime of failures. He's lost all his power, money, and women. Estarcion, the country in which he currently finds himself, is run by a tyrannical matriarchy which confines all single men to taverns, where they are expected to drink themselves into docility until some woman deigns to mate with them. Making the most of the situation, Cerebus and his buds form a close little boy's club within the tavern. They do all the usual guy stuff: bond, talk about women, drink, talk about ex-girlfriends, fight, talk about sex, play games, joke about women, play pranks, and cringe in fear whenever a woman comes around. The good times come to an end when an ex-girlfriend of Cerebus' best barmate shows up and shatters their little clique. Cerebus is all alone later when temptation shows up in the form of a woman about whom Cerebus once fantasized. Will she pull Cerebus into that which he most fears and loathes -- a relationship?
In keeping with a long-running CEREBUS tradition, "Guys" is populated with characters who are parodies of various celebrities or comic characters. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Margaret Thatcher have all appeared in previous CEREBUS storylines and have minor roles to play in "Guys." In a tribute to comic book self-publishers, Sim has a parade of bowdlerized versions of some of today's most prominent independent creations. See if you can spot characters from EDDIE CAMPBELL'S BACCHUS, STARCHILD, TUG AND BUSTER, ROARIN' RICK'S RAREBIT FIENDS, DON SIMPSON'S BIZARRE HEROES, HILLY ROSE, THB, TOO MUCH COFFEE MAN, and EIGHTBALL. I'm sure I've missed a few myself.
If you try "Guys" and like it, you'll want to start looking for the rest of the CEREBUS trade paperbacks. While it would probably be best to read them in chronological order, one could also read the trades in order of quality. My favorites are "High Society," "Church & State," and "Jaka's Story." These works find Sim at the top of his form. "Cerebus," the first collection, contains Sim's earliest work and is, therefore, rather crude in both story and art. If you read this first, just remember that Sim improves dramatically and quite quickly by the next volume. "Melmoth" is an interesting digression from the Cerebus character. The protagonist is a tribute to Oscar Wilde. "Mothers and Daughters" sprawls across four trades ("Flight," "Women," "Reads," and "Minds") and is the most dependent on previous plotlines. "Mothers and Daughters" would probably be the worst story to read first.
I have nothing but praise for CEREBUS creator Dave Sim. Unlike the spawn of other creators, Cerebus is pencilled and inked by Sim in each and every issue. After two decades of practice, Sim's linework is beyond reproach; it is polished, accomplished, and dynamic, with never a misstep. Additionally, Sim has written every issue of CEREBUS since #1. While CEREBUS is deservedly famous for it's long, involved storylines and Sim's controversial philosophies, I love Sim's masterful use of broad humor and biting satire. Finally, Sim is one of the greatest letterers working in comics. By lettering his own script, Sim is able to add immense depth to the dialogue. Indeed, he gives each character a distinct voice the reader can actually hear inside his head. Sim does this by superbly defining characters' accents, tones, volumes, and inflections with his letters. In Sim's hands, the word balloons come alive, becoming as dynamic as the rest of the artwork. Sim's only assistant is Gerhard, who designs and draws the backgrounds. While I have always wondered why someone would specialize in backgrounds, I must admit the results are amazing. I cannot imagine CEREBUS without Gerhard's incredibly detailed and meticulously crosshatched contributions.
Now, c'mon! You've heard about CEREBUS for years! Probably you've heard mostly positive reviews. So why are you still waiting? Time's running short, y'know. There are only six or seven years until the conclusion, which means there are only two or three more jumping-on points left. Get with it, already!
Grade: A+
(A woman's perspective from my wife: Dave Sim and Cerebus are two of the most misogynistic creatures I have ever encountered in comics. I have never actually read a CEREBUS comic of course, but from what I've seen, I have no desire to. I feel women need some sort of warning along with this A+ review.)
tbt-1990s-lwybm (by Rod Brown)
June 18, 2022
Another tough one to review. I’d want to give it 2 or 3 stars for the storyline, which is kind of one-dimensional and really a pretty sad depiction of friendship and relationships. But the art, the flashes of brilliant humor and parody, and particularly the lettering elevate this to a 4. But let’s face it: 400 comic pages of a bunch of guys in a bar, climaxing around page 300 with the appearance of one guys wife (who is depicted with the sort of cartoonish savagery you think got left behind in WWII propaganda), which causes all the “guys” to flee as if from the apocalypse…it’s just not a lot to keep things interesting.
Sim’s dialogue and lettering is like nothing else I’ve seen in comics, though, and is a huge artistic accomplishment. Do people still do stuff like this? Do we talk about what Sim created here, or has it been forgotten? I’m reading this to sort of close a loose thread from my teens, when I read Cerebus month by month for a few years and never quite got the flow of the story (no wonder—those were the years of Reads and Women). So far it’s like the story grinds to a halt with Minds, but I’m hoping Rick’s Story will set things in a more productive direction. At least the guy knows how to pour a stout!
Sim’s dialogue and lettering is like nothing else I’ve seen in comics, though, and is a huge artistic accomplishment. Do people still do stuff like this? Do we talk about what Sim created here, or has it been forgotten? I’m reading this to sort of close a loose thread from my teens, when I read Cerebus month by month for a few years and never quite got the flow of the story (no wonder—those were the years of Reads and Women). So far it’s like the story grinds to a halt with Minds, but I’m hoping Rick’s Story will set things in a more productive direction. At least the guy knows how to pour a stout!
July 15, 2020
I read this in single issue format rather than as one of the phonebooks. This might have coloured my view of the book to take what I say with a pinch of salt.
Guys was enjoyable. The characterization of what it is like in your local pub and the myriad people who come and go is a spot on representation. At the same time, the petty distractions and discussions on life are very real. This volume brings back many precious characters, introduces some new ones and gives a solid breather from the cerebus saga after the exhausting experience of reading Mothers and Daughters.
You get the impression that Dave Sim might have been running out of steam but you feel grateful for that.
This volume could be read in isolation.
Guys was enjoyable. The characterization of what it is like in your local pub and the myriad people who come and go is a spot on representation. At the same time, the petty distractions and discussions on life are very real. This volume brings back many precious characters, introduces some new ones and gives a solid breather from the cerebus saga after the exhausting experience of reading Mothers and Daughters.
You get the impression that Dave Sim might have been running out of steam but you feel grateful for that.
This volume could be read in isolation.
May 20, 2022
Overall a return to form of sorts, especially at the beginning, where it’s just a bunch of guys/ pastiche’d characters boozing for years on end.
Requires a certain level of knowledge of indie comics (Rick Veitch, Eddie Campbell, Marc Hempel, etc), rock history, and Norman Mailer, which makes it quite fun to read.
It trails off towards the end… women are generally portrayed as soul-sucking creatures (in more words than that, but you get the idea), and provide an end to the “macho heaven” that is the Bar all the males essentially live in.
Great ending appearance by Rick which was oddly cathartic, looking forward to next volume.
5 volumes to go.
Requires a certain level of knowledge of indie comics (Rick Veitch, Eddie Campbell, Marc Hempel, etc), rock history, and Norman Mailer, which makes it quite fun to read.
It trails off towards the end… women are generally portrayed as soul-sucking creatures (in more words than that, but you get the idea), and provide an end to the “macho heaven” that is the Bar all the males essentially live in.
Great ending appearance by Rick which was oddly cathartic, looking forward to next volume.
5 volumes to go.
July 16, 2019
Guys is a pretty much the counterpart to women. Dave shows the wide array of male insecurities with aa pretty clever use of lettering, while also showing the femenine side of the "Guys". Its probably the least plot-focused of the bunch, opting for a study of cerebus and his new backdrop. My only issue is that the dialog is hard to comprehend sometimes, but I fully recommend this one.
August 24, 2022
even tho I have been aware of Cerberus for a long while. I never took the time to read Dave Sims work. This books is amazing. Never would I assume a 400 page bar story would hit as well as this does. I am a fan.
September 25, 2016
There's a job. It's a big job. You've had it planned for years, decades. You've been labouring at it day in day out for all that time, patiently putting one brick on top of another, building bit by bit, always keeping the end goal in mind. What do you do when you've finished? I reckon you'd fancy a drink. That's what Dave does here, as Cerebus' wish from the end of Minds is granted and he finds himself back in that near tavern near the wall of Tsi.
We saw these taverns back in Women, places where single men can go and be accommodated, fed and sheltered until they see the light and are ready to become responsible members of society, get married, settle down and live quietly under Cirinist rule. Oh, and the booze is free. Unsurprisingly, they draw a certain element, and these are the people we spend the book with. There's Cerebus' old companion Bear, Prince Mick, Marty Feldman, the moptopped Harrison Starkey behind the bar, and a succession of cameos from indie comics and creators of the day - Genital Ben, Bacchus, Alec Campbell himself, Rick Veitch. It's a shame the word 'banter' has become so devalued in recent years, because that's pretty much exactly what Guys is. A bunch of, well, guys shooting the shit in a bar, Cheers in a fascist matriarchy.. There's jokes, tall stories, arguments and drinking far too much, all impervious to the march of time and the (gloriously drawn) passing seasons. It can't last, of course. Bear's on /off relationship flips back to on, and he wanders out of the bar, hastily followed by the rest of the crowd, leaving Cerebus as sole occupant and de facto bartender. After some lonely philosophising, he receives an unexpected visitor, and then a short while later, an even more unexpected one...
Guys lacks the cosmic scale and political intrigue of the earlier books, but that's not to say there's no drama. The five bar gate game between Cerebus and Bear is as tense and exciting as any Ascension. At the same time there are laugh out loud funny moments. The Cerebus' buggid sequence is a gem, and the whole "Graphic Read" subplot had me guffawing. Yes, it's aimless but enjoyably so, nowhere more than the "remember...jobs?" riff. Living the dream!
I liked Guys a lot, more on rereading than I did first time around. It may be inconsequential, but it's a necessary breather after the high drama and revelation of the last few years. The cartooning of the characters is tremendous, Gerhard's backgrounds and sense of place are as exquisite as ever, and Dave's talent for lettering reaches new heights. There's a palpable sense of relief, of kicking back and relaxing. Cerebus (the book) will never be this funny or loose again, and that's kind of a shame.
And it has probably the greatest last line of all the phonebooks. Tell me you saw that one coming!
We saw these taverns back in Women, places where single men can go and be accommodated, fed and sheltered until they see the light and are ready to become responsible members of society, get married, settle down and live quietly under Cirinist rule. Oh, and the booze is free. Unsurprisingly, they draw a certain element, and these are the people we spend the book with. There's Cerebus' old companion Bear, Prince Mick, Marty Feldman, the moptopped Harrison Starkey behind the bar, and a succession of cameos from indie comics and creators of the day - Genital Ben, Bacchus, Alec Campbell himself, Rick Veitch. It's a shame the word 'banter' has become so devalued in recent years, because that's pretty much exactly what Guys is. A bunch of, well, guys shooting the shit in a bar, Cheers in a fascist matriarchy.. There's jokes, tall stories, arguments and drinking far too much, all impervious to the march of time and the (gloriously drawn) passing seasons. It can't last, of course. Bear's on /off relationship flips back to on, and he wanders out of the bar, hastily followed by the rest of the crowd, leaving Cerebus as sole occupant and de facto bartender. After some lonely philosophising, he receives an unexpected visitor, and then a short while later, an even more unexpected one...
Guys lacks the cosmic scale and political intrigue of the earlier books, but that's not to say there's no drama. The five bar gate game between Cerebus and Bear is as tense and exciting as any Ascension. At the same time there are laugh out loud funny moments. The Cerebus' buggid sequence is a gem, and the whole "Graphic Read" subplot had me guffawing. Yes, it's aimless but enjoyably so, nowhere more than the "remember...jobs?" riff. Living the dream!
I liked Guys a lot, more on rereading than I did first time around. It may be inconsequential, but it's a necessary breather after the high drama and revelation of the last few years. The cartooning of the characters is tremendous, Gerhard's backgrounds and sense of place are as exquisite as ever, and Dave's talent for lettering reaches new heights. There's a palpable sense of relief, of kicking back and relaxing. Cerebus (the book) will never be this funny or loose again, and that's kind of a shame.
And it has probably the greatest last line of all the phonebooks. Tell me you saw that one coming!
April 12, 2019
Nice laid-pack pace. Although the whole Norman Mailer was a bit of a drag.
November 13, 2024
A return to Cerebus' goofy roots.
April 24, 2016
Collecting issues # 201–219 of Dave Sim's 300 issues limited series Cerebus the Aardvark, this volume follows the events of the four volume story arc Mothers & Daughters (
Flight
,
Women
,
Reads
,
Minds
) and we find Cerebus at a bar in Estarcion. This is after his cataclysmic meeting with Dave (the Writer) and Estarcion is under Cirinist rule. Unwedded men are kept in bars until such a time as they would marry. While sexual activities involving women (for other purposes than the making of children) are frowned upon, the single men are left on their own with a generous supply of alcohol.
It has been quite a while since I read Minds and I will confess that it may well have affected my reading of this volume to some degree. I found it somewhat hard getting into it, and that could possibly be accounted in part at least by the fact that I did not have events of the preceding story arc clear in my mind... but I'm not entirely convinced. While I will consent to that being a partial reason, I actually think that a much stronger reason is that much of at least the first half of the volume is basically just bits and pieces of conversations. And conversations that aren't enormously interesting on their own and doesn't contribute any real narrative action. In short, that part of the volume to a large degree is simply treading water.
But, having feared that Sim had lost is artistic nerves (with five more volumes to read), the volume does pick up in terms of narrative action, and after holding still for so long there is advancement of the story in a manner that comes to a head on the final pages.
So, while not the best instalment of the series, worthwhile getting through the first half to enjoy the second... and then move onwards to the next volume.
It has been quite a while since I read Minds and I will confess that it may well have affected my reading of this volume to some degree. I found it somewhat hard getting into it, and that could possibly be accounted in part at least by the fact that I did not have events of the preceding story arc clear in my mind... but I'm not entirely convinced. While I will consent to that being a partial reason, I actually think that a much stronger reason is that much of at least the first half of the volume is basically just bits and pieces of conversations. And conversations that aren't enormously interesting on their own and doesn't contribute any real narrative action. In short, that part of the volume to a large degree is simply treading water.
But, having feared that Sim had lost is artistic nerves (with five more volumes to read), the volume does pick up in terms of narrative action, and after holding still for so long there is advancement of the story in a manner that comes to a head on the final pages.
So, while not the best instalment of the series, worthwhile getting through the first half to enjoy the second... and then move onwards to the next volume.
June 17, 2008
Some interesting ideas about the "free alcohol/free food" taverns, and about the social structure created by the Cirinists. Looks at the way "guys" talk with each other. And about how Dave Sim seems to love to draw his men with buff bodies, even when they spend years hanging out drinking free booze and not working. Cameos by other comic characters, including Too Much Coffee Man and plenty that I didn't recognize.
And then a whole hell of a lot about how women are devious controlling creatures who don't seem to know they are that way. And how men will crumble before them if they are at all weak (as opposed to being super studs like Mick Jagger).
Cerebus spends time alone, which allows his brain to run wild with many many internal voices. "They" argue for and against drinking, which he doesn't seem to have much control over, though most characters seem to be able to handle their alcohol. Interestingly, Cerebus goes through the same internal debate about women as well. Sim seems to be drawing a parallel between alcohol and the company of women - some men seem to be able to enjoy both in moderation without becoming "addicted" and needing them at all times. The anti-women message is pretty mild in this book, held mainly to sitcom-ish "oh those crazy broads" kind of stuff.
The art is exquisite - Sim is on top of his craft both in his characters and lettering.
And then a whole hell of a lot about how women are devious controlling creatures who don't seem to know they are that way. And how men will crumble before them if they are at all weak (as opposed to being super studs like Mick Jagger).
Cerebus spends time alone, which allows his brain to run wild with many many internal voices. "They" argue for and against drinking, which he doesn't seem to have much control over, though most characters seem to be able to handle their alcohol. Interestingly, Cerebus goes through the same internal debate about women as well. Sim seems to be drawing a parallel between alcohol and the company of women - some men seem to be able to enjoy both in moderation without becoming "addicted" and needing them at all times. The anti-women message is pretty mild in this book, held mainly to sitcom-ish "oh those crazy broads" kind of stuff.
The art is exquisite - Sim is on top of his craft both in his characters and lettering.
October 9, 2022
Parece que, a medida que el arte de Dave Sim se volvía más sofisticado y elegante, su escritura se empeñaba en perderse en rodeos interminables con cero interés. Este volumen se lee rápido, a pesar de la irritante insistencia en escribir los diálogos de forma fonética (necesitas repasarlos varias veces hasta que desentrañas el acento o la pronunciación de borracho de los personajes), y los interminables pasajes de verborrea impresa que no llevan a ningún sitio (que se volverán legión en los números que están por llegar). Nada relevante ocurre en este tomo de transición. Cerebus se pasa borracho la primera mitad y perdido en el laberinto de su rencor durante la segunda. Y lo caricaturesco de sus personajes femeninos ya apestaba a machismo rancio en los 90.
Dice Dave Sim que quería capturar el ambiente del bar que frecuentó casi a diario durante más de cinco años… nada bueno podía salir de ahí.
Dice Dave Sim que quería capturar el ambiente del bar que frecuentó casi a diario durante más de cinco años… nada bueno podía salir de ahí.
February 18, 2008
Mercenary, Prime Minister, Pope, zonked out doll holding cafe patron, Cerebus has done it all. In "Guys", the 11th book in the series, Cerebus goes back to the Wall of Tsi and hangs out in a bar where he becomes the de facto bartender. Ruminating over things, serving (and drinking) ale, and just being his cheery self; I found this book to be one of the strongest in the series. Many people find this one (along with "Rick's Story") too long and pointless, but sit down and think of the times you spent in a bar wondering what the fuck went wrong and trying your damnedest to pick up the pieces. The genius of this book (and the series) can't be denied. Pick it up, grab a pint, and enjoy.
July 2, 2016
After the first two Cerebus volumes, the quality starts to dip but there are some volumes which are interesting. Guys is one of the better ones. The whole comic takes place in a bar and Cerebus starts to reflect on his behaviour. The celebrity cameos are great - three stooges, Marty Feldman, the Beatles and even Margaret Thatcher make an appearance. It's also quite funny. But again Sims has a habit of over philosophising until the message becomes muddled and it happens here. But compared to previous volumes, Guys is pretty good.
November 29, 2008
This graphic novel has moved me to tears so many times. I have given it as a gift more times than one. This story is meant for Guys, hence the title, and has something for every man to sypathise with.
April 5, 2007
Still no plot, but Cerebus is back from the abstract nether-world and once again surrounded by Sims fantastic characters. People talk, relationships form and are broken off, and its a good read.
August 30, 2010
This book contains a lot of drunken dialect and is therefore quite hard to read, also the subject matter throughout was rather uninteresting.
July 30, 2011
a welcome return to the older, funnier cerebus. i hope to waste a couple two three years of my life in a bar like this someday.
November 28, 2013
For some odd reason, I liked this episode. Not much else to say right now.
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