From the 13th volume of Cerebus, some thoughts based on the notes and discussion at the end (an essay on F Scott Fitzgerald, and his impact on the storyline;
"does anyone else care about any of this? Probably not. 'Love at first sight' and all that rubbish. Ah, well. My story. My notes. Suffer dear reader, suffer..."
Well, considering that it is at the end of some 400 pages - in this volume alone, it is a safe bet that those who might suffer have already skipped ahead to the next book - if they even read it up to this point in the saga. But for the rest of us plowing through the part comic, part literary fan-art and part rant, the essay is a good thing. It adds a bit of almost required background, especially if F. isn't on your "most read" list.
So why do I read it? It is certainly a long way from the Conan'esqe character with his appetite for whiskey and the sword of the first issues. And it is also a bit removed from the fiery rhetoric of the mid-point. It is a bit more refined, thoughtful and reflected even. With the last day in sight, additional insight is welcome. Cerebus is truly a work like no other. Part comic, part rant, part literary musing and certainly part autobiography.
I can't help but wonder how it would have turned out if Sims had had other channels to vent his ideas alongside the comic - a blog and a podcast...?
"I see I am starting wrong. Let me begin again."
So simple a phrase - yet so full of meaning and messages. I'm not getting the reaction I desired, I'm too scared to finish what I set out to do, I'm no longer certain there is a goal in sight. Or; my mind has truth be told run off without my consent, and I really have now idea where this is going, so I'll try to somehow tie up the loose ends second time around.
