Hey guys, been going through Cerebus slowly and steadily. Absolutely loved High Society and Church & State, but I just got to Jaka's Story and really needed to have some discussion about it.
What do you all think about Jaka's Story? I honestly thought it to be a pretty powerful tale, both in the way the internal story was constructed/presented to the reader and it's meaningful content.
I loved seeing Sims go places with the medium I hadn't really seen before in most comics, even in Cerebus. I thought he had done most of the tricks I'd see in Church & State/High Society, but the use ofOscar Wilde as a narrative vehicle through which to tell the story of Jaka and her dancingwas phenomenal, as well asMr. Withers' internal dialogue, which slowly panned out to reveal so much about his character in a very nuanced fashion
And then of course there's the commentary on feminism that he utilizes Cirin for that is certainly worth discussing. Sims is known for becoming more radical in his views in recent years (or at least labelled as being as such), but I'd like to talk more about what's inside of Jaka's story than his recent state and controversy.And of course, the ending with Rick was very intense
But i'unno, all in all, I'd mainly like a Cerebus thread.
Filtered
>>80764563
O-okay
Part of the experience of reading Cerebus is the feeling of betrayal by the author; the idea that the author gave us something, but then changed his mind later and took it back.
So Jaka's Story makes you like Oscar Wilde, but then a cruel fate befalls him. It's sad, it touches you, it makes you feel something. Good stuff.
But then the author changes his mind and decides to do more stories with Oscar Wilde. Since Oscar Wilde is unavailable, the author introduces ANOTHER Oscar Wilde who is equally as Oscar Wilde as the first Oscar Wilde. It cheapens the Oscar Wildeness of the original.
And towards the end of the series, the author decides that Jaka is vapid, brainless and heartless (because the author has decided that all women are like that), so you get helpfully informed that you were somehow mistaken/misinformed about everything you learned in Jaka's Story.
You're reading the series now at the top of its game, so enjoy it while it lasts.
>>80764963
I definitely plan on it. I've really been loving all of what I've read so far. At what point would you say it really starts to tip?
>>80765471
There's a small but noticeable dip as you approach 200.
You should absolutely read all the way to 300, but 200 is a good place to stop and take a long break, before the real dipping begins.
Anon, it's not worth it. Just read the last book and turn back. Dont waste your time... Like I did.
>>80765644
Why do you say that?
The second half is better.
>>80765802
There are no halves. Only thirds.
Best lettering in comics history.
By the last volume it does get preachy, but I enjoyed the experience none the less.
I would say my favorites were Jaka's Story and Going Home/Form and Void and Guys.
Perhaps my favorite book of em all is Guys. Cerebus, as a character, is at his best in this one. Combination of lovable oaf and obnoxious drunk, but you do get a glimpse of how irredeemable he is. At his core, Cerebus is a fucking asshole in the wrong and that's what I love about the character, so humane and relatable.
>>80764963
>Part of the experience of reading Cerebus is the feeling of betrayal by the author; the idea that the author gave us something, but then changed his mind later and took it back.
What a fucking martyr you are dude. That shit never entered my head at all when reading this stuff. Wherever Sim did I just went with it.
I'm not saying classic Cerebus isn't better, Im just saying nerds over exaggerate everything.
>>80764501
I don't think the cirinist/kevillist dichotomy really works as a distinction in real-world feminism. The sex wars were a passing phase and i don't think you can map that onto mothers/not mothers that cleanly.
Don't stop reading! the run from Guys through Rick's story is near-peak cerebus and when Cerebus is on it's game its as good as anything in comics.
>>80764501
What's the general consensus of this comic?
I've only seen a few screenshoted panels, and thought it looks too stereotypically 80's black&white comics. You know the type: grimmy, gritty with wonky anatomy and weird line weights.
But this panel is making my dick throb, so maybe I'll check it out.
>>80767280
>stereotypically 80's
It's from the seventies. And eighties. And nineties. And aughts. The artwork evolves a lot over the 27 years that it came out.
Before you try it, all you need to know is that it starts off as an unfunny parody of Conan the Barbarian, before transforming into a real fun and funny take on seventies/eighties politics/religion/comics/pop culture and more.
By the time it transitions from that to something else entirely different, you'll already be hooked.
>>80767280
Cerebus has some of the best and most inventive art I've seen in comics. Sims really goes out of his way to do things with the medium that you just don't encounter often, and by the time he gets Gerhard on the team doing background work it's just phenomenal.
>>80767582
>>80767496
Great. I'm kinda burned out on social commentary, though if the art is great I'll gladly read it.
