When Your Life Flashes Behind Your Back

MARGARET LISS:

A few years ago I scanned all of Dave Sim's notebooks. He had filled 36 notebooks during the years he created the monthly Cerebus series, covering issues #20 to 300, plus the other side items -- like the Epic stories, posters and prints, convention speeches etc. A total of 3,281 notebook pages detailing his creative process. I never really got the time to study the notebooks when I had them. Just did a quick look, scanned them in and sent them back to Dave as soon as possible. So this regular column is a chance for me to look through those scans and highlight some of the more interesting pages.

The last time we looked at Dave Sim's ninth Cerebus notebook was in August of this year in Total Control.  There were 118 out of 200 pages scanned and the notebook covered Cerebus #80 through #86. We're looking at it this time because I saw a comment on a previous column on some notebook pages from Jimmy Gownley - yes, the creator of Amelia Rules! - who asked if there were any pages of Mick and Keef that we hadn't seen yet. Sorry it took me so long Jimmy - I must've missed your comment. So to make up for it, we'll be seeing some Mick and Keef stuff for the next few weeks.

So if there is something you are interested in seeing if it exists in the notebooks - let me know. The notebooks are broken down by issues, so let me know an issue number.

The Mick and Keef bits in the notebook start with some sketches of Mick on page 58. If anyone wants to see them, let me know, we're starting with page 80 of the notebook as it starts off with bits of the dialogue, character sketches and some thumbnails from Cerebus #85:

Notebook #9, page 80

The thing about this page that jumped out to me is in the top right hand corner. Some Mick dialogue "Ttat's lovely, really it is. Now would you moind lettin' gow of me..." But as you can see - part of it was crossed out. Dave originally wrote 'mind' and then changed it to 'moind' so we can hear the character's accent.

Then on the next page, we have more dialogue and some more thumbnails.

Notebook #9, page 81

The blue pencil along the top of the page says "when your life flashes behind your back" and "immaculate misconception". Not only do we get the blue pencil notes, but the usual pen and one line in pencil - "tike ole of it?"?