Cerebus Unbound!
When I was a boy, I discovered Cerberus The Aardvark at a comic book shop in Boston. I picked up issue six (“The Secret”) and laughed at the adventures of the barbarian aardvark. The whole thing was ridiculous. But I did not expect the heartbreaking ending.
I was amazed I was reading the comic book at all. At the time, there was Marvel and DC, and that was it. But I was becoming aware that there was a whole culture of underground comic books. It was exciting to see a medium I thought I knew tell different and unexpected stories.
For decades I wanted to read the first few issues of Cerberus. This was before the Internet and eBay. Issue one was beyond my means. Eventually, Cerebus was collected in volume editions which I never got around to purchasing. But then came the pandemic, and I decided I’m a middle-aged man; for crying out loud, I can spend $40 on a comic book! And I picked up volume one, which contains the first 25 issues of Cerebus.
And there it sat on my bookshelf, unwrapped and unread, for over a year.
I love Cerebus, but I was twelve when I first started reading the comic book. I was afraid to go back. I didn’t want my memories tarnished. What if it was terrible? But tonight, I decided to crack the book finally, after all these years, read the first issue.
It wasn’t bad.
I didn’t laugh. I don’t think I even smiled. But writer/artist David Sims told a great yarn. His style, rough as it was, was evident. Cerebus himself hadn’t settled into his final form. His snout is far too long, his face and body ill-defined. He’s wearing a Barry Windsor Conan helmet. But it’s still recognizably Cerebus.
I’m excited to see how he evolves into the aardvark I know and love.
Tomorrow I’ll read issue two.
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Kjenslevarulv by Dei Kjenslevare and Jet-Powered, Monkey Navigated by Idiom Creek (thanks @Angst_Xiety). 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Avanti by Alessandro Corrini (thanks Steve Power and Hessel Veldman) and In a Few Places Along the River by Abul Mogard. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Speechless by Resina and Midnight Rocker by Horace Andy. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
My Pandemic EDC
My EDC has been minimized since the pandemic.
My go bag containing my kit sits unused in the corner of my room (by “go bag,” I mean go-to-work bag).
My handy Victorinox Classic SD is the only pocket knife that has day-to-day utility. It’s perfect for opening mail and maybe filing the odd nail. I recently picked up a WESN microblade, which also functions as a fidget you, now goes everywhere I go.
Other than the WESN and SD, my phone and watch are the only things I constantly carry.
Earlier today, I ripped Toxic Narcotic’s “The Festering” to MP3 and have had it on repeat for the last hour. Toxic Narcotic avoided genres, jokingly referring to themselves as crustcore, but clearly, this song is an homage to Black Sabbath.
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to I M A M C R U 1 2 by KRS-One and Dubs & Versions by The Yabby You Sound. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Blakroc’s self-titled LP (thanks, @maique) and Jazz Codes by Moor Mother. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives by Prefuse 73 (thanks, @Angst_Xiety) and Twenty-One Sabar Rhythms by The Doudou Ndiaye Rose Family. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Chasing The Phantom by Dewa Alit & Gamelan Salukat and It Comes To Us All by Final. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
I just finished reading J. J. Anselmi‘s Doomed to Fail: The Incredibly Loud History of Doom, Sludge, and Post-metal. Anselmi reacquainted me with favorites like Saint Vitus and Sleep and introduced me to bands like Eyehategod and Neurosis.
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Trawler Tapes LP Vol: 1 by Mønic and Amplified Guitar by Mat Ball. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Dopesmoker by Sleep and Wretch by Kyuss. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
Ripping Sleep’s Dopesmoker to MP3 for tonight’s walk. Very excited.
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Deadringer by RJD2 and Magical Nights: Saigon Surf Twist & Soul (1964-1966) by Phương Tâm. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
Every morning I listen to two albums. Today I listened to Silberland, Vol. 1: The Psychedelic Side of Kosmische Musik (1972-1986) and Spectral Organ/Feedback Gong by Antti Tolvi. 🎵
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1eU9bsb02aggki4oCJpezi?si=GJPH3IZJR1mTXGOFmISIjg
I didn’t know that when I began reading J. J. Anselmi’s Doomed to Fail that I’d end up purchasing Sleep’s Dopesmoker album on eBay, but here I am, anticipating the arrival of the album later this week. I can’t believe I, ahem, slept on this album.
This is my first year living in San Diego that I didn’t go downtown to take photos of everyone in their costumes for Comicon. I admit that being around groups of people that large while still a pandemic had something to do with my reluctance. Maybe next year.